Good morning, Moorhead!

This week WCI traveled to Moorhead to meet with the city's leaders, business people, nonprofit reps and educators over a breakfast buffet.

Moorhead is the largest city in west central Minnesota. Even though it's smaller than its sister city, Fargo, it's more than holding its own.

Moorhead boasts a strong and diverse economy. Housing is booming. It has an unbelievably strong educational system, from preK all the way to higher ed, with lots of community education and lifelong learning opportunities. It has five colleges--five!--that enriches the city in ways other communities would love to emulate. New Americans are finding a peaceful place to call home, thanks in part to the melting pot created by the diverse students from many countries attending school.


Being the largest city in west central Minnesota brings its challenges, as well. There is a large influx of homeless, including youth. There are waiting lists for childcare assistance, Head Start openings and the senior food assistance program. Transportation, especially special mobility transport, is getting to be a challenge as the city grows and the population ages. The lack of childcare is at a crisis stage. More and more people are using social services as they look for help with escalating energy and food costs. The same colleges that are providing so much to the vibrancy of the city are bracing for the impact the economic downturn will make on endowments, donations and grants.
 
Still, the city knows how to collaborate to tackle issues and create opportunities. The EDA and the City of Moorhead have some exciting plans for business development, including creating a business outreach position to work with new and existing businesses, and collaborating with Minnesota State University Moorhead to develop a wet-lab facility that can be used as a business incubator through scientific research. Organizations like the Lakes & Prairies Community Action, the Metro Youth Partnership, Early Childhood Alliance and Mujeres Unidas work with the schools and the city to reach out to children from the youngest on up, to make sure they grow up healthy and whole.  And groups like the Immigration Development Center and Community Ed are providing opportunities for New Americans to use and expand their skills and knowledge as they learn to make their home in the Moorhead-Fargo area.

Frazee Friday

WCI staff traveled north last Friday to learn about all things Frazee at a community breakfast. Community leaders, public officials, business owners, residents and other members of the community met at the Frazee Event Center, which has become an important gathering place for the Frazee area.

What are some of the great things about Frazee? It's location, for one. It's close to nature and outdoor pursuits, close to good highways and close to services. It's a safe environment, with 24-hour fire and police departments. The schools are good. The residents are community-oriented, generous and interested in community vitality. It's a good place for all ages to live and work.

Are there any challenges, then? Sure. There's a lack of housing, for one, so many workers actually live in neighboring Detroit Lakes and other surrounding communities. Business owners live out of town, and seniors often retire to other communities.

Residents wish there were ways of bringing more people into town. It can be hard, with only one restaurant and no hotel. There are some great shops downtown, and some wonderful annual events, like the upcoming Festival of Trees on Thanksgiving weekend. The group brainstormed additional ways of attracting people, including more specialty stores, more restaurants and public art like murals.

The group also talked about redevelopment of the old Swift plant that was torn down and the property prepared for commercial development--including adding a brand new street (a street naming contest is being held by the City of Frazee. Entries are due Dec. 1!). They discussed the pros and cons of an industrial park.

After the official meeting was over, many stayed to talk, eager to keep the conversation going. The group decided to convene regular meetings and set the next one for the third Friday in January. If you live or work in Frazee and are interested in attending, contact Lori Thorp at Community Ed at lthorp@frazee.k12.mn.us, or call her at 218-334-2525.

An early assembly in Alexandria

WCI staff headed to Alexandria and the Broadway Ballroom on Oct. 29 to learn the area's latest news and most pressing issues at a community breakfast.
Alexandria looks at itself as a regional center. It is well situated, not just in the state, but in the Upper Midwest. It is a manufacturing, healthcare and shopping hub. Many workers in Alec come from surrounding towns, so there's a symbiotic relationship between neighboring cities.

Alexandria is a giving place, too. The community comes together to successfully raise funds and awareness for many causes. There's an active Chamber of Commerce and healthy economic development. Alexandria Technical College is a real asset to attracting and retaining new people by offering custom training and lifelong learning opportunities. Businesses and organizations work together to bring in world-class speakers and trainers in order to become world-class themselves.

There are concerns. There's a lack of affordable housing in the city. There's also a disparity in the preparedness of young children who are entering school. Many aren't ready to begin kindergarten, and it becomes more difficult to catch up as they grow older. Educating parents is an important step to getting help as early as possible for the children who need it.

There's a need for an industrial park with the necessary infrastructure for businesses to start up or expand in Alexandria.

There's a change in diversity in the area. A survey conducted by the Diversity Resource Action Alliance (DRAA) found that many residents are uncomfortable with change. DRAA is bringing people together in social settings, like the Heritage Fest, as a way of helping folks learn more about each other in an informal, relaxed environment.

Then there are all these giving opportunities, which is great. But, are the older volunteers burning out? Are younger people too busy to join service groups or hold leadership positions for charitable organizations? The school district is working to raise up the next generation of leaders by requiring volunteer hours.

Finally, agriculture--food and renewable energy--is a very important sector in the area. Money is going out of the region to invest in renewables. What can be done to invest ag-based businesses locally?

Meetin' at Wheaton

Anyone driving through downtown Wheaton bright and early on October 21 could see something was happening at the Country Corner Cafe. About 35 residents, business people, nonprofit representatives, public officials and community leaders filled the cafe's community room to enjoy a hearty breakfast and to talk about their town at the WCI-hosted community meeting.

WCI holds these breakfast gatherings throughout west central Minnesota each year. It's a way of learning more about the area and the issues that people are talking about. Here are just some of the highlights:

What did folks like best about Wheaton? The good people, a family friendly atmosphere, an excellent school system and a good hospital.

What were some of the concerns? Duebers variety store closing, young people leaving town due to the lack of good-paying jobs, few opportunities for young people to socialize in a healthy way, no local food source.

What were some ideas generated by the group? Come together regularly to talk about issues and create a plan for action. Find more ways--like the pool renovation and the early childhood mental health coalition--to bring families together for fun and education in Wheaton. Consider starting a local food co-op. Start up businesses that cater to young people. Consider a community-owned wind energy co-op.

The breakfasts have been a good way of generating discussion in our region. WCI staff plan to head to Alexandria, Moorhead and Frazee in the next few weeks to stir up a little more conversation!

The Fergus Falls community chimes in

WCI staff didn't have to travel far for their latest community breakfasts--they were held right in Fergus Falls at the WCI offices. About 25 people at each of the two breakfasts enjoyed egg bake and caramel rolls as they shared their ideas and concerns about the Fergus Falls community.

Fergus Falls folks like the safeness of the community, the good school system, the beauty of the area, the quality of healthcare and the fact that, even as a rural community, there's easy access to metropolitan areas, thanks to the proximity to the interstate. Older people--especially those who grew up in the area or have a lake home--are retiring here. People are generous, too. And it's a good place to do business.

Folks in Fergus Falls think regionally. Government officials from neighboring communities gather regularly to learn from each other and collaborate. Many people think nothing of driving 30-40 minutes to eat at a good restaurant--and that's true for people coming to Fergus Falls as those from Fergus Falls.

There are challenges, though. Long-timers may not be as positive about Fergus Falls as newcomers are. The sidewalk sometimes seems to roll up after 5 p.m. and on weekends. Shoppers may not come to the city if they perceive nothing will be open. Even with a Minnesota State Community and Technical College campus in town, there doesn't seem to be much for young adults to do. "How do we keep young people in town?" some people asked. "We don't. We let them spread their wings and experience the world," others replied. "Then, when they are older and married and having kids, they'll think what a great place Fergus Falls is to live and raise a family."

What are some areas to concentrate on?

• Start building a quality workforce to replace those retiring in ever greater numbers.
• Make Fergus Falls a retail destination, especially on Saturdays.
• Invite businesses and entrepreneurs to invest (and reinvest) in the community.
• Be a welcoming community, especially in terms of the possibility of the Regional Treatment Center turning into an international school.
• Stop worrying about shrinking school enrollment and start figuring out how to make the new, smaller model a model for success and excellence.
• Pay attention to aging infrastructure issues.
• Push for making Fergus Falls an arts mecca for the west central region.

An Elbow Lake morning

Gilly's Prime Time Bar & Grill in Elbow Lake isn't usually open at 7 a.m., but on this Wednesday morning it welcomed participants of WCI's community breakfast with a tasty buffet. Business leaders, city and school officials, nonprofit representatives and others came to share their thoughts, concerns--and pride--about Elbow Lake with West Central Initiative. It's something WCI likes to do with each west central Minnesota community.

"What are the best things about living in Elbow Lake?" WCI staff asked. The list was long: It's the ideal place for young families and older adults; it's clean and quiet; it has good school and healthcare systems; it does a good job maintaining main street.

"What pulls the community together?" There were lots of answers for this, too, including, the library, the schools, and the new volunteer-run thrift shop that benefits the hospital.

"What are the challenges?" Not enough industry, the need for skilled workers, finding businesses for the vacant storefronts, the cost of commuting.

"How is Elbow Lake working with surrounding communities?" The school system is a great example of small town collaboration, many noted. The Elbow Lake Revolving Loan Fund is open to helping businesses in nearby communities. The Grant County Child & Youth Council is a wonderful organization that pulls together families, schools and communities from throughout the county. Case in point, the upcoming Traveling F.U.N. Fest, which will be held in Ashby this year.

Sunrise session at Perham

It's 7 a.m., but the back room of the Lakes Café in Perham is already filling with city and school officials, businesspeople, media, clergy, nonprofit representatives, civic leaders and more from both Perham and Frazee. They are there at WCI's invitation--all 36 of them--for a hearty breakfast and to share their thoughts, ideas and concerns about their community.

Perham folks are proud of their schools--both public and private. They love their quality of life and their town's amenities like the Perham Area Community Center, a stellar golf course, ball fields--and don't forget it's in the heart of lake country. The city's healthcare system is growing and innovating. People regularly come together in support of local events and are active in service organizations.

Perham also has more jobs than they have workers, and more workers than they have housing. And that's causing consternation. If people can't live close to work, they move to the surrounding towns. Then, school enrollment doesn't grow, which means less dollars for a school district that is already facing $500,000 in budget cuts. Also, with rocketing gas prices, many may not be able to afford the cost of commuting for much longer. So, local--and affordable--housing seems to be the lynchpin in the breakfast discussion this particular morning. But, if you want young families in town, you better make sure there's good day care and early childhood opportunities along with those new homes and apartment complexes, someone reminds the group.

Pressing issues, but not anything to keep a town down for long. "Perham is known as a town that cares about community. It’s known as a progressive community that will tackle tough issues," a participant says at the close of the meeting.

There is good working cooperation between businesses, schools and community, another person chimes in. “When people say we need something, we come together. Hard work and the initiative of community leaders get things done in Perham."

WCI holds community breakfasts throughout the region on a regular basis. It's a great way for WCI staff to learn the latest about the communities WCI serves.

Want to know when we'll be in your area? Contact Kim Embretson to find out.