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Overview
The region’s economy has continued to expand along with its population over the last five years. GDP increased by $2.1 billion, jobs by 10,000, and business starts by several thousand. While these indicators speak to a strong and expanding local economy, several outlying challenges could disrupt the trend. By continually addressing workforce, jobs diversity, disruptions, and cultivating strong metrics, the region can add resiliency along with raw growth.
Economic Growth Strategy E1. Expand on the quality and diversity of employment opportunities
The region has the opportunity to expand The region is well positioned to expand employment opportunities in emerging industries while strengthening the quality of local jobs. By investing in small business and private-sector job growth, the region builds resiliency through a broader array of employment industries.
E1 Actions
Action E1-A: Facilitate expansion of high-speed internet access across the region
Broadband internet is necessary to support business growth and will be essential to improving and increasing employment opportunities in the region. The Partnership can help the region expand broadband across the planning area.
Progress updates: Feb 2022 — CMRP passed a resolution to support MnDOT expansion of fiber optic between Big Lake and Monticello.
Action E1-B: Create and maintain regional inventories of industrial land and commercial property vacancies
A collaborative approach to industrial land marketing and management could mitigate vacancies and promote economic synergy among the Partnership communities. This can help identify strategic locations for new industrial clusters and facilitate a cooperative approach to marketing and sharing leads, protecting industrial lands, and supporting intensification efforts. Accessible and centralized commercial vacancy information can reduce barriers to filling these holes and avoiding long-term blight and disinvestment. The accelerated use of e-commerce platforms for basic goods fulfillment and increased remote work has left communities in the region struggling with commercial vacancies and redundancies. A centralized database of commercial vacancies provides easy access for potential new tenants and crucial information for local decision making about additional commercial land. In addition, creative and adaptive reuse of vacant commercial spaces may help address other challenges in the region, such as housing.
Process updates, March 2022: Sherburne County’s access to MNCAR has enabled a list to be developed and is now available on Google Drive; working on best way to make accessible on website
Economic Growth Strategy E2. Increase the pool of skilled labor in the region
As the region transitions from one economic era to the next, there is an increased need for skilled and adaptable labor. Most regional employees commute in from outside the region, while most regional residents commute out of the region for work; this gap will continue if unchecked.
E2 Actions
Action E2-A: Initiate discussions with higher-education institutions to better integrate economic development with workforce development
Increasing and strengthening the workforce requires strong Increasing and strengthening the workforce requires strong relationships between communities and a variety of educational institutions. The region has a higher percentage of high school graduates than the state average, but residents are less likely to complete post-secondary education than their peers. The Partnership could aggregate information and facilitate discussions with post-secondary educational institutions and training organizations to help produce a stronger, more competitive workforce, and thus support and attract new employers and generally provide better opportunities for residents.
Progress updates: Jan 2022 — Met with St Cloud Technical and Community College (customized training) and St Cloud State University Center for Continuing Studies to explore possibilities; both are interested in developing closer ties with the economic development officials and businesses in the region
Action E2-B: Facilitate partnerships between businesses and schools
Experience is often the best teacher. Promoting and facilitating opportunities for students to gain “real life” work experience would bolster the workforce in the region. The Partnership can convene conversations between major employers and high schools to discuss regional workforce and employment issues and opportunities, build mutually beneficial relationships, and forge lasting relationships that encourage students to continue working in the region after graduation.
Progress updates:
Economic Growth Strategy E3. Network the response to economic disruptions
Economic disruptions are being felt throughout the region; some are unique to Economic disruptions are being felt throughout the region; some are unique to this area and others are national. Some of these were spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic and related to the economic shutdown; others were well underway, such as decommissioning the two power plants. One of the most effective responses to economic disruptions is regional collaboration and coordination on the region’s growing and emerging industries.
E3 Actions
Action E3-A: Commission a regional fiscal analysis of land use
Understanding the fiscal impacts of different types of land use clusters is essential for good decision making and future planning. The fiscal productivity — or the net community benefit — varies across the region based on land use. As of 2021, 84% of land is zoned agricultural / rural, 6% residential, 4% industrial, 2% riverfront, and <1% commercial. Each generates different levels of revenue based on local and property taxes, and has different costs due to infrastructure needs and school service requirements. Understanding the net impact of these revenues and costs on government finances can help decision makers identify the types of land use to encourage and those to approach with caution. Beyond a point-in-time study, regularly tracking the net fiscal effects of land use is a valuable tool for evaluating decisions with regional impacts.
Progress updates:
Economic Growth Strategy E4. Measure impacts of action locally and regionally
Measuring the success of any initiative Measuring the success of any initiative requires logical measures of progress such as dashboards that provide leaders with necessary information. Through Framework 2030, the region is collaboratively advancing a range of topics and identifying metrics to measure progress critical to long-term success.
E4 Actions
Action E4-A: Establish and update regional indicators dashboard; monitor progress
Measuring, tracking, and publishing economic data over time supports progress tracking and informs future strategies. A regional dashboard tracks progress on actions and strategies that advance the regional vision, using pertinent data over time and presenting the information in a clear and compelling way. This helps communities identify broader trends, and the dashboard indicators then become the benchmarks to evaluate the Partnership’s progress to increase the region’s competitiveness and advance the vision.
Progress updates: Feb 2022 update — Developing the dashboard to be presented at the annual State of the Region forum. Continue to work with Sherburne County staff, process consultant, and a graphic designer to ensure it is valuable and user-friendly.