Paul Nevanen, director of Koochiching Economic Development Authority reported at its meeting last Wednesday, that while current projects are moving along well, some meticulous work is needed on some and a more assertive approach is needed to attract competitive industries and possible stimulus dollars.
Nevanen said the amount of activity at KEDA is beginning to show results in terms of business acquisition and positive traffic in the office with both start up and mature businesses. He pointed to the efforts to assist Northland Distribution through the mitigated wetlands issues and the expansion nears completion of its financing hurdles.
KEDA received a $393,000 in Department of Energy funding that will go toward go toward the design element of a plasma gasification feasibility study. Nevanen said the question eventually will be whether to create synthetic gas or to create electricity and sell it back into the grid. The electricity route will require a bigger investment with a turbine and transmission lines.
Coronal, a plasma gasification consulting and development company in Minneapolis, has worked with KEDA all along, and has the groundwork ready for a detailed feasibility study, which is key to finding other sources of public and private funding, and to convince the county to move forward with the project, he added.
He said Coronal was in Colorado last week for a DOE peer review panel on unique technology projects. He called it an opportunity to offer more detail to an audience of eight decision makers that may help the Federal delegation in acquiring more than a million in matching funds and earmarks later this year.
Nevanen also reported that the Department of Employment and Economic Development is assisting a building and manufacturing firm that is looking to expand with a facility in a Minnesota location. He provided information on three county locations that would fit the requirements for the proposed production, warehousing and office facility.
The sites include a raw site in the Ranier foreign trade zone, the Armstrong building of the National Park Service, and the Northome Industrial Park. Nevanen said the opportunity could mean 50 or more living wage jobs.
“The flip side is that this is a very competitive,” he added. “We played up the FTZ distribution, the warehousing, RRCC customized training, rail access and the highways.”
Nevanen said the Falls is still in the running as a possible location for a Minneapolis based company that is interested in the former call center site, or possibly the mall. He is promoting the locations to the unknown company through DEED and expects to hear about a decision by the end of the month.
Nevanen noted recent changes at Rainy River Community College as very positive for the school during a difficult time, and as a vital asset in health, industrial and transportation related education. He said the schools enrollment strategies and partnerships with area industry all help to make the institution vital to the region.
Among the positive changes he said were the appointment of Mike Johnson as interim provost; the reinstatement of the women’s basketball program, refurbished dormitories to attract students; and new programs tailored to local industries.
Nevanen said KEDA is considering contracting with a specialist to stay on top of stimulus package opportunities for the county. He said the complex and cumbersome process and guide books, along with the possibility of leveraging qualifications in multiple agencies and department categories, creates a situation that KEDA could miss an opportunity or deadline by just visiting stimuluswatch.com and working with area legislators.
