EDSR INFORMATION #2 11-10-2003 MEEKER COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR'S OFFICE
325 North Sibley Avenue
3•11 1r Litchfield,MN 55355-2155
w ti Phone:(320)693-5200 Fax:(320)693-5444
4),_I.::anent „ e-mail address:paul.virnig@co.meeker.mn.us
PAUL VIRNIG
County Administrator
October 14, 2003
OCT ,
Commissioner Rachel Leonard �`�
Sherburne County Government Center
13880 Highway 10
Elk River,MN 55330
Dear Commissioner Leonard:
Over the past three years, Minnesota businesses have been struggling. The negative
impacts upon local economies are real. In the four counties of Region 6E alone,we have
lost 1849 well-paying manufacturing jobs, or 16% of our manufacturing employment base.
We have seen recent signs of a turnaround,but positive growth is a slow process. It is also
a process that is nurtured when all Minnesotans work together in a spirit of cooperation,
4110 because, as the state economy goes, our local economies go.
It is with a sense of regret,then,that we were informed last week that Sherburne County
has been directly contacting Meeker County manufacturers to encourage them to move to
Sherburne County. Mailings to county businesses included a 30-page, 4-color brochure
and a letter from the Sherburne County Economic Development Alliance stating, "We
invite your business to (re)-locate in Sherburne County."
Not only would this action provide no net return for Minnesota,but it also is a strike
against the spirit of statewide cooperation so necessary for moving our corporate economy
forward.
The Meeker County Development Director informs us that any Minnesota city/county
economic development departments directly contacting individual businesses in other non-
metro communities without first being contacted by a business is recognized as unethical
practice. It simply is not done, and it is not an appropriate action.
We respectfully request a list of all Meeker County businesses contacted by the Sherburne
County Economic Development Alliance so we may conduct a follow up visit with our
important employers. We request the Alliance refrain from this practice in the future; and
we look forward
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"An Equal Opportunity Employer"
Commissioner Leonard
Page 2 •
October 14,2003
to working together with you through statewide economic development organizations and
programs to improve the Minnesota economy.
Sincerely,
.1/AA'4/CL 6t)art —
i
Hugh Wagner, Chairman
Meeker County Board of Commissioners
PC: Jason Murray,President,MAPCED
City Council of Becker
City Council of Big Lake
City Council of Clear Lake
City Council of Elk River
City Council of Princeton
City Council of Zimmerman
Joe Egge,Meeker County Economic Development Director •
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