EDC COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES

MEETING SCHEDULE

Meets monthly at 7:300 a.m. on the first Thursday at the EDC board room.

TASK FORCE MEMBERS

• Bob Bonawitz
• Jay Bosch, Blue Skies Unlimited
• Dean Bouta, Bennett Office Technologies
• Lee Byberg, Willmar Poultry Company
• Doug Dodge
• Ron Erpelding, EDC Operations Board Member
• Bill Fenske, Rice Memorial Hospital
• Bill Jagow, Affiliated Community Medical Centers
• Jay Kroona, Kandiyohi County Data Information Center
• Don McGrath, SCORE
• Jim Millard, Millards IT Services
• Ron Nelson, TDS Telecom
• Mike Nitchals, Willmar Municipal Utilities
• Charles Oakes, West Central Industries
• Marie Ostby
• Jeff Roiland, En-Tel Communications, LLC
• Steve Salzer, MinnWest Technology Campus
• Diane Schulte, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
• David Sisser, West Central Communications
• Jean Spaulding (Chair), Spicer Economic Development Authority
• Roy Stiff, KandiComp
• Jeff Tengwall, Charter Business

MEETING MINUTES (PDF format)

2007 GOALS

Goal 1: Assess needs and access opportunities

a.  Assess needs and access opportunities for technology-based industry recruitment and

     expansion.
b.  Identify locations in the area that have and do not have high speed internet capacity,

     telephone redundancy and cellular telephone service and determine the needs for such type

     of services.
c.  Communicate to prospective businesses the technology services that are available and

     attempt to have those services provided to all areas of the county.
d.  Encourage businesses to complete a technological needs assessment of the services

     provided by their current provider and do a comparison with alternative providers.

Action:

• Through grant, quantify services available and unavailable in all parts of the county.
• Develop survey to accomplish goal.
• Meet immediately with Blandin to discuss survey plans and ask for additions.
• Determine what we should have, what we have, what others want that we have and identify who they are.
• Determine basic needs of prospective recruits into Kandiyohi County.
• Provide assistance to EDC in recruitment efforts as requested.
• In-service small businesses on technology advancements to increase customer services.
• Using broadband grant, develop self-evaluation survey for small businesses.

Goal 2: Infrastructure

a. Identify and share with elected officials and public policy makers the necessary technological

     infrastructure to be included in new construction, repairs and improvements to state

     highways, county roads and city streets, especially in the area of the new Willmar industrial

     park.

Action:

• Recommend to city and county in the plat review process a notification and opportunity for comment be given to service providers.
• Develop a list of desired technical services for new developments that is reviewed semi-annually.
• Encourage city/county planners to increase easement capacity in addition to utilities to accommodate current and future technical services and suggest joint trench usage. It is noted that with more underground facilities being provided, congestion may be an issue.
  

Goal 3: Educational Opportunities
a.  Identify and implement ways to support entrepreneurial efforts in technology by individuals

     and companies.
b.  Identify and implement ways to attract, retain and support technologically-based educational

     offerings.

Action:

• Facilitate educational offerings on “how to” for entrepreneurial startups and expansions using the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Ridgewater College and Community Education.
• Assist EDC in the recruitment and retention efforts involving entrepreneurial technological companies.
• Education seminar through Blandin.

Get Broadband Grant

Kandiyohi County is the recipient of a $30,000 Get Broadband grant through the Blandin Foundation.  Click on the button below to read more about the program.

2008 Greater Minnesota Technology Showcase

The Kandiyohi County and City of Willmar Economic Development Commission and the Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce are in the process of working with other regional resources to develop and host the 2008 Greater Minnesota Technology Showcase.

The intent of the showcase is to highlight the technical capabilities available in greater Minnesota.  It is a regional event hosted in the centrally located city of Willmar .

Read more about the structure of the 2008 Greater Minnesota Technology.

Showcase Minutes

February 7, 2006

February 21, 2006

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