Photo by Kirsten Zoellner
At the November 7 meeting, the Rushford Village Council discussed whether or not to renew the contract with Community Economic Development Associates for the coming year. They aim to work with cities and other entities “to help them be proactive and strategic about their development aspirations.”
Over the last few years, some on the council expressed concern about whether the city is reaping benefits from the CEDA partnership. The new contract price is $15,202, roughly a 6% increase over last year.
According to Mayor Dennis Overland, Community and Business Development Specialist Rebecca Charles has focused mainly on updating the Comprehensive Plan this year but also did trail planning in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin La Crosse and conducting a land use survey. She’s also scheduled a community input meeting regarding goals for the city regarding the Comprehensive Plan.
These plans, also called Land Use Plans, are a way to set long-term goals and support a community’s economic development while dealing with constant change. They often address land usage, infrastructure planning, facilities and services, housing, transportation, parks, and more, setting the groundwork for growth as communities grow and evolve. Required by the state, they’re unique to their needs and goals. Charles was able to secure a Compeer Financial grant to pay for the update of the plan.
“We pushed the community impact meeting back for harvest, so she’s not going to have time to have the plan done by the end of the year,” noted Overland. “The Comprehensive Plan takes a lot of time. They’re a lot of work and are very time-consuming. About every 10years, they want it updated. It’s one of the unfunded mandate things,” he added.
“We’ve got enough going on that we need her here. I know there are some doubts,” said Councilor Mike Ebner.
The council opted to table a decision on the contract until next month.
They also discussed investment funding from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The funding can further assist with business development but cannot be used to acquire land for economic development.
“I have a hard time with this,” said Councilor Bob Hart. “The village isn’t in a position to buy ground and develop something.”
“It looks good on paper, but in reality, how good is it?” asked Councilor Rick Ruberg. “We’re in a unique situation. There are grants for cities we can benefit from, but are we really benefitting?”
“We are a city, but our median income is what really knocks us out. We’re very diverse,” added Overland, explaining why the village struggles to secure some grants for municipalities.
The DEED funding is supplemental and cannot be the primary funding source for a business startup or expansion. It’s also tied to employment and has specific criteria. The council discussed whether or not the funding could assist agricultural businesses and farms.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve,” said Hart. “We’re unique. We’re agricultural, rural residential, commercial, residential; I don’t know that the rural sector of Rushford Village knows there are potential funds that can help them.”
The council also briefly discussed wage step increases for city employees. Overland suggested the Personnel Committee meet and determine some performance-based guidelines for increases. City Clerk Mary Miner further suggested having a set of questions and a rating system for employee performance evaluations. The city will contact Public Sector Human Resources Consultant Paul Ness about setting the parameters. The council would like to have something in place before the start of the new year.
During a review of Public Works items, the council learned Public Works Supervisor Trenten Chiglo would like to sell several unused items from the department’s inventory. A list of potential sale items will be documented and presented to the council for review at the next meeting.
The maintenance shed project work for this year is nearly complete. While some work came under budget, not all bills are in. The council pushed back some portions of the project due to the cost but plans to put $20,000 in the 2024 budget for additional work.
The council voted to continue the meeting so that the council could attend the open public meeting regarding the Comprehensive Plan, to be held on November 8. The next regularly scheduled meeting is Tuesday, November 21, at 7 p.m. at the Village Hall. The public is encouraged to attend.
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