Celebrating the next 100 years.
That’s how Gail Rognerud, president of the International Falls Economic Development Authority, described a ceremonial groundbreaking Thursday for a warehouse district and project expected to generate 50 jobs and additional spin-off development.
Gov. Mark Dayton and Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Mark Phillips were joined by Sen. Tom Bakk, Boise mill manager Bert Brown and local officials at Backus Auditorium where they gathered to dig shovels into wood chips symbolizing a groundbreaking for the multi-model facility district.
The EDA Board and Boise officials this week signed an agreement in which the EDA purchased the 77-acre warehouse district site from the company for $165,000.
International Falls Mayor Tim “Chopper” McBride and Rognerud said that without the support of Dayton, Phillips, Bakk, and Brown, the project wouldn’t likely be happening.
Local officials said a $657,000 state grant, combined with $300,000 from the EDA, will help the city provide services to the site, making it shovel-ready for a yet-to-be-named developer.
Dayton said the community has the spirit and dedication to make the city and Koochiching County succeed.
“I don’t know of any city or county with more dedicated leadership to do what they possibly can to add to economic development,” said Dayton of local officials.
He said without the leadership of former Mayor Shawn Mason, the celebration may not be needed.
Dayton said the day underscores the role of government in economic development in encouraging development through public-private partnerships.
Phillips said as a commissioner, he attends a lot of meetings, but few have been as productive as a meeting at the Boise mill in January where the project was discussed.
He thanked Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature for continuing the Transportation Economic Development program that provided the grant for the project. Without the program, that grant may not have been available, he said.
Phillips said the Falls’ project fits into the state’s plan of establishing multi-modal facilities in partnership with the private sector in strategic locations in the state. Freight and rail are a part of that, he said.
On a side note, Phillips told the crowd that he’d also visited the mill in 1958 as a Cub Scout and still has memorabilia from the visit.
Brown said the warehouse project “is just the beginning, but an important one for International Falls” as it seeks and creates new jobs and improve the area’s tax base.
“Boise Incorporated really believes that a company can’t be better than the community it resides in and operates,” said Brown. “It’s extremely important for the company to be a part of the growth and improvement of the community. That’s what this day is about and we’re happy to play a small part.”
McBride quoted Dayton from a Jobs Summit in October.
“He said we need to look at how to create jobs differently,” said McBride. “He stressed that local units of government must seek ways to create jobs through public and private partnerships.
“Well governor, your message did not fall on deaf ears,” said McBride. “We heeded your advice.”
Dayton joked to McBride that’s the first time one of his speeches had been quoted. And, he said smiling, that, as a former high school hockey player, he may not have the warm feeling for the Falls community he has now, had private schools been allowed to compete in state hockey tournament and defeated his school.
