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County EDA to try again in 2011
The Pipestone County Economic Development Agency (EDA) plans to use 2010 as a rebuilding year and to emerge in 2011 stronger and more organized.
Funding, communication and accountability were key elements discussed during a joint meeting Wednesday between city, county and EDA officials at the EMS building in Pipestone. Discussion ranged from whether the City of Pipestone should or could rejoin, what the city would like to see from the EDA before making a decision about rejoining and whether the county EDA should be funded at all.
“I think it’s like financing the arts,” said Harold Miller, Pipestone County board chairman. “Yeah, it’s good for the community, but is it government’s job to do that?”
Others criticized the way in which the county EDA is currently run.
“I want to see an EDA that will work,” said Jim Keyes, county commissioner. “I don’t like the way it has been set up, and I’m not slamming anybody, but I don’t like the way the organization’s been run. I also say for the short term, I don’t see why any community should be funding this.”
Les Nath, Jasper Mayor and EDA board member, suggested that the organization could use 2010 as a transitional year during which it could rebuild and retool. Those in attendance seemed to agree that the EDA should lay low for one year and try to emerge stronger in 2011.
During that time Jim O’Neill suggested that the organization create bylaws to govern its actions. Currently, he said, the organization has no bylaws and is governed by the joint powers agreement between all the cities in Pipestone County – except Ruthton and Woodstock – and the County Board.
“The County Board of Commissioners adopted an enabling resolution and the participating cities adopted resolutions to participate,” O’Neill said. “Once that happened you had your bare bones structure. At that point in time, the authority should have adapted bylaws to govern itself with respect to raising money, dues and all of that business; but that wasn’t done.”
Jeff Jones, Pipestone city administrator, said the county EDA would have to show that it has the structure and ability to do its job before the city might consider rejoining. For example, Jones said he’d like to see the EDA begin a revolving loan fund to help businesses move to the area.
“As a county tax payer, as well as a member of the City of Pipestone, I don’t understand how your county EDA can operate without a revolving loan fund,” Jones said.
Laurie Ness, mayor of Pipestone, said the city might be convinced to rejoin if it could receive regular quarterly reports to the city council about what the organization is doing.
“Who’s going out and getting the projects,” Ness asked. “The thing is to have somebody who’s going to your DEED (Department of Employment and Economic Development) meetings and going to the Twin Cities and making the contacts and finding out what projects you can pursue.”
“If you want the County EDA Director to do that, then they’ll do it, and you’re going to be a part of it,” said Sharon Hanson, county administrator.
O’Neill said if Pipestone wanted to rejoin the county EDA it could do so simply by passing a resolution.
For now, it appears the County EDA will move from its current location to the courthouse, create a set of bylaws and try to convince the cities of Pipestone County that it is worth investing in again in 2011.
“By the end of 2010 we should have something that looks like an EDA,” Miller said, “and that should entice everybody to come on board.”
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