A plan setting out the work of the Koochiching Economic Development Authority for this year was reviewed Wednesday by its board.

KEDA Director Paul Nevanen presented the board with an outline of the 2012 work plan, saying its purpose was to set goals and measures for the organization.

“This is a summary plan of the focus areas we’re looking at for the coming year,” he said. “It’s about jobs, it’s about recruitment, it’s about expansion, and it’s about retaining what we have here.”

The first point on the work plan was the foreign trade zone. Nevanen said it would be an important goal for the year to effectively market the site and seek projects that will drive site development and site readiness.

“Anything that is going to create jobs out there,” Nevanen said, is the FTZ site’s priority.

Marketing the site through newsletters, mailings, and various publications, Nevanen said, will be the next focus of site development.

In addition, Nevanen said continuing to work toward making the site “shovel ready,” including wetland issues and rock removal, is a second component of the main focus.

The work plan also outlined the Renewable Energy Clean Air Project. “There is a lot of activity that’s occurring at this point,” Nevanen said of RECAP.

Nevanen said the RECAP team is in place and 30 percent of the preliminary design and construction phase is set.

Constructing a second cold box in the cold weather testing facility was also highlighted in the plan.

Nevanen acknowledged that the process has been slow, however he is “very close to finalizing an agreement” with an interested manufacturer.

“Final language changes to our lease agreement have been forwarded on,” he said. “The changes are minor and we expect the agreement back soon.”

The plan concludes with the intention to continue to work with other communities to market assets to potential clients, said Nevanen, who pointed to business parks in Northome and International Falls and the former headquarters of Voyageurs National Park, known as Armstrong building on U.S. Highway 53 in the Falls.

In other business Wednesday, the board appointed officers for the year. Allen Rasmussen was reelected as chairman; Mike Hanson was reelected as vice-chairman; and Gail Rognerud was elected as treasurer, a position formerly held by Tim “Chopper” McBride.

The board also accepted the resignation of member Mike Fairchild. In a letter to the board, Fairchild said, “I have enjoyed my time serving as rural director and wish nothing but continued success for KEDA.”

Rasmussen referred to Fairchild as a “valuable” member of the board and said it was “unfortunate” to see him go.

He added that Fairchild’s alternate, Soren Olesen, will fill his position until a regular, permanent member is found after advertising the position.