The City of Becker — along with Sherburne County and several other local foundations and industries — are partnering up with the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Research Foundation to retool their economies and become more resilient to changing conditions associated with being a coal-reliant community.

 

Throughout 2015, NACo and NADO Research Foundation are hosting three intensive, hands-on workshops designed to boost the innovative potential of coal-reliant counties and regions seeking to grow and diversify their economies.  Counties and regions were asked to form teams to apply to enter the program.

 

The coal challenge team for this area includes: Greg Pruszinske, City Administrator of Becker,   Therese Haffner, Becker city planner, Felix Schmiesing, Sherburne County Commissioner, Dan Weber, Sherburne County, Kathleen Heaney, Sherburne County Attorney, Mark Osendorf, Xcel Energy, Dan Frank Initiative Foundation, Bill Kemp, Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, Leslie Dingmann, Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation.

 

Pruszinske says other jurisdictions have expressed interest in participating in the coal challenge too. For example, Mayor Raeanne Danielowski from Big Lake has expressed interest in their city participating. 

 

Teams that submit winning applications will be selected to attend a workshop guided by expert facilitators and practitioners.  These workshops will be structured to guide counties and regions to design solutions tailored to their communities’ needs and identify implementable projects.  

 

The coal challenge is open to all counties and regions in the U.S. that are economically linked to the coal industry, including those that are coal-producing and those that are home to significant concentrations of coal processing and related facilities, including coal-fired power plants.

 

Each workshop will be led by an expert facilitator who will guide teams to design solutions that address community needs and identify implementable projects.  

 

Although each workshop will be tailored specifically to the needs of the selected participants, each team will likely participate in group presentations, panel discussions, small group exercises and peer exchanges.  Additionally, regional experts and leaders will be invited to participate in sessions related to regional-level economic challenges in proximity to each workshop location.

 

Two weeks ago, Pruszinske asked city council for permission to participate in the challenge.  Costs for the workshop will be covered by the National Association of Counties. Any incidental costs Becker would have to cover would be taken from the city’s EDA budget.    

 

The overall goal of the challenge could include discovering new approaches to supporting emerging clusters or industries, new economic development programming, local policy changes, funding sources and partnerships to pursue and specific projects or activities to pursue.

 

“We are pleased to announce this groundbreaking effort specifically designed to help communities struggling with coal-related economic challenges,” said NACo Executive Director Matthew Chase. “This initiative will help foster economic conditions for growth and provide communities with tools to achieve their potential.”

 

The application is due July 17.