President Jerad Brown called the annual meeting of the Rushford-Peterson Chamber of Commerce to order on March 6 at the American Legion. After reviewing the minutes of the previous annual meeting, Brown updated the members on the financial status of the Chamber. Distributing a detailed spreadsheet, Brown declared the chamber “very healthy” with “solid balances.” An anonymous donation in 2020 of $10,000 remains in reserve for future needs.
Brown then turned the meeting over to Executive Director Stephanie Eggert for a recap of the Chamber’s activities in 2024. Career Day, a collaboration of R-P School and the Chamber of Commerce, will hopefully involve more schools this year.
The most recent Open Doors self-guided tour saw 13 individuals go through the empty buildings. Another tour will be scheduled coming in late summer or early fall; no date has been chosen yet.
Eggert reported that the Chamber has been working with Bluff Country Collaborative to help students with interviewing skills and to make them aware of job offerings in the area.
During Rushford Days, over 400 people came through the photo booth hosted by the Chamber and Jeff Metz. Eggert invited others to join in the venture next summer as well.
$6,000 in Valley Doe was redeemed in December with another $6,000 redeemed in January. Businesses have really appreciated the program.
The Autumn Trails event scheduled in the Trail Towns has applied for a grant to fund bands to travel from town to town during the celebration.
The date for the area rummage sale is not yet chosen; Stephanie will be creating a digital map for the event and may distribute printed versions in the area as well. A spring cleaning day will once again be hosted with the Boy and Girl Scouts helping out. The Chamber will continue to be the fiscal agent for the Farmers’ Market this year.
Stephanie closed her presentation saying, “There’s a lot more we can do yet!” She encouraged businesses with job openings or rental housing to notify the Chamber.
Remodeling at 310 S. Mill
Eggert introduced Brad Hoiness next. Hoiness shared the history of the property at 310 S. Mill Street from 1876 to the present, including the businesses located there over the years until the fire in 2021. Hoiness then moved on to update the group on the recent remodeling progress.
Rushford Foods will be the tenant for about ¼ of the building. A large open space is available for development yet on the southwest side of the building; The west front of the building contains office space available for a tenant/tenants as well.
Hoiness then announced and introduced the new tenant of the area which formerly housed a beauty shop. Grace Buchanan, a 2022 R-P graduate, will be opening a dog grooming business this summer. Buchanan has earned an associate degree and currently works for Happy Hounds Grooming in Winona. Hoiness went on to inform the group that the current Rushford Foods Office at 212 S. Mill St. will be also available for rent.
Fillmore County Ag Society
Representing the Fillmore County Ag Society (more commonly known as the Fair Board), Sheila Craig next addressed the Chamber. Craig noted that the Fair Board is a member of the R-P Valley Chamber of Commerce. Craig pointed out that the fairgrounds in Preston has 50-plus campground sites.
The fairgrounds host the Beef Classic as well as a Dairy Goat Open in May and a Swine Open in June. The grounds have been improved lately; the driveways were widened and the commercial building was upgraded with the addition of overhead doors at the entrance to each individual room. The entire commercial building can now be one wide open area. Bathrooms at the fairgrounds have also been remodeled.
A portable stage has been purchased for bands to perform outside the beer garden. The grandstand shows will follow the same lineup as in past years. Craig urged the residents in Rushford to attend the fair, noting that the dates (July 21–26) will not conflict with Rushford Days this year.
Rushford EDA Support Programs
City Administrator Tony Chladek next spoke to the chamber about the Rushford Economic Development Authority (EDA) Support Programs. A Business Jump Start Loan of up to $50,000 and designed to cover up to 40% of project costs at a 2.5% interest rate with no payments the first year is available to Rushford businesses for renovations or filling vacant spaces.
The Business Lease Subsidy Program also known as the Rushford Revitalization Incentive Program awards grants of up to $2,500 a year in Valley Doe to offset lease costs and reduce overhead expenses. These grants can be awarded for up to four years.
The Micro Grant Program, a matching funding program of up to $2,500 for small businesses, is designed to help self-employed entrepreneurs as well as home-based businesses in Rushford. It supports business upgrades, new initiatives and essential improvements.
The final program is called Business Growth Support Program; it offers up to 120 hours of professional consulting services to businesses no matter what stage they are in at no cost to the business. Interested businesses are encouraged to contact the city.
Chladek also shared the progress on the former Farmers Win site. The EPA paid for a survey to be conducted of area residents last summer; the result was a great response. Data from the survey showed two main ideas — either housing or an event space. A group has been contracted to do an economic and feasibility study regarding these ideas. Feedback is expected by June or July. This information will be shared with the public; there will most likely be up to two community events about it. Another survey may be conducted after that. The EDA will then consider the feedback and advise the city council on future action. Postcards and mailings will be done to keep the public informed.
Sally Ryman updated the group on the depot progress. Work will be resuming next week. Vertical beams in the depot had to be cut very high due to deterioration from the flood. Engineers then had to change how the horizontal beams would be replaced. An extension was granted by MNHS for the funding.
Before closing the busy meeting to enjoy their spaghetti suppers and socialize, the Chamber unanimously selected new Board of Directors Kari Johnson and Deneen Krohn to replace Jerad Brown and Tony Becker.
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