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Quarterly Newsletter | March 2011 Vol. 32 No. 3

323 W. Schlieman Ave. Appleton, MN 56208 phone: 320-289-1981 www.umvrdc.org

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InsideWelcoming Our •New Commission Members

Transportation •Update

RLF Update•Region 6W •Unemployment Information

Swift County Zoning•

Broadband Projects Selected for Funding

A total of 16 funding requests for projects that promote the use of broadband technology were received from Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, and Yellow Medicine counties for the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC) Program managed through the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission. The C. K. Blandin Foundation included this region in its MIRC Program that was funded though the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

Eligible projects were those that implement at least one of the Intelligent Community elements (see box at right). More information about Intelligent Communities can be found at www.intelligentcommunity.org.

Proposals came from a variety of entities including local units of government, school districts, non-profits and private

businesses. The requests totaled over $250,000 for local projects that promoted the use of broadband technology. Funds have been awarded to six different projects in the region totaling $85,959.

Preparing for Potential Spring Flooding

Dawson-Boyd Schools – $25,000

With the coming availability of broadband technology in Lac qui Parle County, Dawson-Boyd Schools would like to connect businesses, community members, and students to produce a digitally literate community. We will achieve this by creating a Multimedia Collaboration Center, a Student Tech Team, and a hybrid (online and classroom) Teacher/Community Training Academy.

Lac qui Parle County Economic Development Authority – $25,000

The goal of the Lac qui Parle County Computer Commuter is to increase the digital literacy of area residents and businesses, advance our knowledge workers, promote broadband availability and digital inclusion with an innovative project offering a mobile computer lab environment open to the general public at no charge.

Big Stone County Public Internet Project – $6,554

The goal of Big Stone County’s public internet access project is to provide more convenient access to government information and resources to the public. Enabling the public to access these forms, county highway project status, and GIS information online not only increases public awareness, but also gives the public a feeling of more control in their schedule and connection to our county government. By encouraging the public to find forms online, directing them to a

highway project online, or pointing them to the GIS web site, we will be increasing awareness of government resources online, thus increasing public use of broadband. Having a kiosk within the courthouse will allow department workers to train county residents on how to use the web site to find information, which will encourage residents to use the web site from home in the future.

Ortonville Public Schools/Ortonville Economic Development Authority – $10,000

This project’s goals are to increase internet usage by giving our businesses an understanding of how it can be used and the benefits it provides; increase internet usage by locals as more discover the information that they are able to obtain; create a viable economic community and a school system that uses technology to reflect the times we live in; and involve our youth in the community’s development, encouraging them to return as adults and become active members in our community.

Johnson Memorial Health Services Home Stream Demonstration Project, Dawson – $15,000

This project will demonstrate the potential for using broadband-based remote support tools and enhanced family engagement to define appropriate visits/hospitalizations and to achieve increased medication adherence for better health outcomes.

Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission – $4,405This project will assist the cities of Bellingham and Echo in creating community web sites.

For more information about this project, visit our website at www.umvrdc.org or contact Dawn Hegland, UMVRDC Executive Director, at 320-289-1981 or dawn.hegland@umvrdc.org.

Governor Mark Dayton visited Montevideo on Friday, March 4, to talk about flood preparedness. The governor and representatives from numerous state agencies held regional meetings all around the state to discuss how the state of Minnesota is preparing to handle potential spring flooding.

The UMVRDC has the ability to assist local units of government if needed, in the form of grant applications and grant administration.

For more information on measures you can take to prepare

for potential flooding, visit our web site at www.umvrdc.org and click on the link in the "Take Note" section of our homepage.

Intelligent Community ElementsBroadband – ensuring wired and/or •wireless broadband availability Knowledge Workers – ensuring that •workers have the skills necessary for good jobsDigital Inclusion – ensuring that all •have broadband access and necessary skillsInnovation – providing new or more •efficient government and business servicesMarketing/Advocacy – attracting •investment and talent to your community

Enable the region to thrive through assisting local governments

Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission323 W. Schlieman Ave. Appleton, MN 56208320.289.1981 (phone)800.752.1983 (toll free)320.289.1983 (fax)www.umvrdc.org

Mission Contact us:

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Broadband Projects (continued from front page)

The six projects that were awarded funding are listed below.

Swift County Has a New Zoning MapSwift County contracted with the UMVRDC to update their current Zoning Ordinance and streamline all additional county ordinances into a Code of Ordinances document that will be made available to the general public via the Swift County web site. This project included ensuring current county ordinances reflected model ordinances provided by state agencies including Floodplain Management and Shoreland Maintenance and Protection, and merging five separate land use regulation ordinances into a now comprehensive Zoning and Land Regulation Ordinance. Additional ordinance work was performed for Swift County including an updated Park Ordinance and Mini-Truck Ordinance.

Further, Swift County was in need of an updated Zoning Map to complement the

new Zoning Ordinance. Swift County received a Hedgehog Grant from the UMVRDC to subsidize the cost of creating the map utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The Zoning Map will also be available to the general public on the Swift County web site, in addition to township-specific zoning maps to show increased detail of zoning districts.

This project is an overall extension of Swift County’s Comprehensive Plan, which was created in collaboration with the UMVRDC in 2007. As one document was updated it became necessary to update complementary documents as well.

For more information on UMVRDC’s zoning work, visit our web site at www.umvrdc.org or contact Jacki Anderson at 320-289-1981.

Area Transportation Improvement Program (ATIP) UpdateThe draft 2012-2015 Area Transportation Improvement Program (ATIP) plans were recently reviewed in Area Transportation Partnership (ATP) 4 and ATP 8 and will be reviewed at the UMVRDC meeting March 22. The ATIP lays out the four year plan for federally funded transportation improvements. This plan is then sent to the State of Minnesota to be included within the State Transportation Improvement Program.

This year the principal decision will be made on 2015 submitted projects. Eligible projects include roads and bridges, safety, transit capital, railroad safety and enhancements for projects submitted by Mn/DOT, counties and cities.

For more information on transportation, call Michelle Bouta at 320-289-1981 or email michelle.bouta@umvrdc.org.

Welcoming our New Commission Members UMVRDC Revolving Loan Fund (RLF)Is there an entrepreneur in your community looking to start a business or a business in your community looking to expand? The Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) works to help businesses by creating a financial package to fund their start-up or expansion project.

Things you should know about the revolving loan fund:

A primary focus is job creation and •retention.Funds are available for fixed assets, real •estate and working capital. Bank participation is needed; the RLF •will not replace bank financing.

Contact the RLF today to find out how we help businesses in your community! Call 320.289.1981 or e-mail jacki.anderson@umvrdc.org.

Recently approved loans:

Al's Mercantile, Dawson - $50,000

Handeland Chiropractic, Clarkfield - $33,000

$ Available for Lending

Total RLF $ Loaned Out

$927,018.34

$306,765.99

The Numbers

Labor Force 26,462 Employed 24,772 Unemployed 1,690

Unemployment Rates: Big Stone 6.5% Chippewa 6.5% Lac Qui Parle 5.8% Swift 7.2% Yellow Medicine 5.7%

U.S. 9.1% Minnesota 6.8% Region 6W 6.4%

Region 6W Unemployment RatesCameron Macht, Regional Labor Market Analyst for the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), recently reported that as of December 2010 "some of the lowest unemployment rates in the state are showing up in Southwest Minnesota, while the highest rates are found in East Central and Northern Minnesota." Unemployment rates are receding across the state, and Region 6W as a whole continues to be lower than both the state and national rates.

One of our goals at the UMVRDC is to have everyone in our region know who we are and what we do. That includes knowing our board members. Because our board is constantly changing and growing, we will continue highlighting board members in our newsletter, Regional Outlook, so that you will know who is representing your community and the region.

The new year has brought three new municipalities representatives to the UMVRDC board: Angela Doren, from the Ortonville City Council; Heather Giese, from the Appleton City Council; and Mike Thein, the Mayor of Clara City. Be on the lookout for more information about each of them in future editions of Regional Outlook.

This month, we would like to introduce Jeff Olson. He joined the Commission in February 2010. He is a Lac qui Parle County Municipalities representative.

Olson is the owner of Olson Sanitation and has been in the recycling and refuse hauling business for 39 years. He lives in Dawson and has been on the Dawson City Council for 14 years and is also on the Dawson Economic Development Authority (EDA) Board.

We would like to welcome all of our new board members to the UMVRDC, and thank them for working to improve our region!

Jeff OlsonLac qui Parle County

Municipalities

Year 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Population 2,075,708 2,387,125 2,563,953 2,792,300 2,982,483 3,413,864 3,804,971 4,075,970 4,375,099 4,919,479 5,303,925

Percent Change 18.5% 15.0% 7.4% 8.9% 6.8% 14.5% 11.5% 7.1% 7.3% 12.4% 7.8%

Minnesota Population, 1910-2010 Source: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/

The new Swift County Zoning Map will be available on the Swift County web site at www.swiftcounty.com.

For more information, visit: www.positivelyminnesota.com

Ortonville

Montevideo

Benson

Porter

Canby

Clontarf

Appleton

Milan

Echo

Holloway

Clara City

Dawson

Clinton

Odessa

Madison

Clarkfield

Boyd

De Graff

Johnson

Danvers

Maynard

Hazel Run

Kerkhoven

Wood Lake

MurdockCorrell

GracevilleBeardsley Barry

Marietta

St. Leo

Bellingham

Nassau

Hanley Falls

Watson

Lac qui Parle

Granite Falls

Louisburg

Upper Sioux Community