EDSR INFORMATION #1 11-10-2003 NOV Sherburnen
20113BOARD OF)
COMMISSIONERS
13880 Highway 10
Elk River, MN 55330-4601
(763) 241-2703 LI 1-800-433-5229
(Within Minnesota)
(763) 241-2707 Fax
October 29, 2003 Website; www.ee.sherburne.rrtr.us
Commissioner Hugh Wagner
32595 645th Avenue
Watkins, MN 55389
Dear Commissioner Wagner:
We understand the impact of losing well paying manufacturing jobs and we hope that
your region has benefited from the 1,200 manufacturing jobs that were created in
• September, as reported in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Our recent mass mailing to manufacturers in the Midwest included companies in
Minnesota. As with any economic development advertisement, it is the hope that we will
reach some of the companies that are contemplating a relocation or offsite expansion.
Since relocating a business is a very difficult and costly decision to make, it helps if we
can reach the company early on in their process in order to have a chance to present the
opportunities that exist in another location in Minnesota.
It is valuable to understand the process we use when we attempt to reach companies
contemplating an expansion or relocation. It is also imperative to realize that a business
will relocate or expand offsite based on their particular business reasons in order to stay
competitive and profitable.
If we were contacted by a company from another state then we would proceed to work
with that company directly and immediately. If on the other hand we were contacted by a
company in Minnesota we would in addition to talking with the company representative
also place a phone call to the Economic Development Representative for that region. As
often is the case,the local economic developer may not be aware of a particular
company's need to relocate or expand offsite. By working together, the local community
would get notified and be given the opportunity to find a local solution to reverse or
offset the business reasons that drives the need for that company to relocate. This is the
win—win process the economic developers follow in our region.
District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5
ARNE ENGS i ROM TERRY NAGORSKI ROGER NELSON FELIX SCHMIESING RACHEL LEONARD
20800 Meadowvale Road 21683- 186th Street 30397- 150th Street 5612- 115th Avenue 27655- 112th Street
Elk River, MN 55330 Big Lake, MN 55309 Princeton, MN 55371 Clear Lake, MN 55319 Zimmerman, MN 55398
(763)441-3869 (763)263-3032 (763)389-4634 (320) 743-2441 (763)856-2497
... , . .
IliThis process of working together creates a win—win situation for communities in
Minnesota and hopefully prevents companies from leaving our state. Our region is prone
to losing companies to the State of Wisconsin. We were recently informed that one
industrial park in Wisconsin has 17 businesses that recently relocated from Minnesota. It
is very important to find those companies seeking to relocate or expand, and work
together to keep our companies in Minnesota.
We look forward to continue working with you to build our state and local economies
through our businesses and economic development professionals at all levels of the
public and private sectors.
Sincerely,
`-
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7,
Arne Engstrom -,
Chair, Sherburne County Board of Commissioners
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• Chair, Sherburne County Economic Development Alliance
PC: Jason Murray, President, MAPCED
City Council of Becker
Dave Graning, Becker Economic Development Director
City Council of Big Lake
Jim Thares, Big Take Economic Development Director
City Council of Clear Lake
City Council of Elk River
Catherine Mehelich, Elk River Economic Development Director
City Council of Princeton
John Tofte, Princeton Economic Development Director
City Council of Zimmerman
Randy Piasecki, Zimmerman Economic Development Director
Alex Wikstrom, Sherburne County Economic Development Coordinator
Joe Egge, Meeker County Economic Development Director