Economic Sustainability – Breakout Session
Multipurpose Room at Warren Alvarado Oslo School in Warren, MN
Facilitation by: Ben Anderson (UM Extension Northwest Region) & Curt Stofferahn
(UND Sociology)
Start at 1:29pm
Ben starts with an introduction of himself
Curt does introduction of himself
Brainstorming rather than panel – move around and write
Introduction of audience members & Economic Development Dreams from the
audience (below)
-Improve the community and encourage people to move there
- Friends to travel the red river trail
- Jobs stay within the city – recruit within the city instead of outside
- Develop rural community
- Find a way for people to work together and link the public to development
- Community involvement and how to increase it
- Funds generated for the non-profit sector
- To have a splash park within the city (Argyle)
Themes: development/projects; community
Subcategories of each question: What is the opportunity/challenge? Who is going to
‘champion’ the opportunity? What is the timeline for the opportunity? (Questions below)
-Reponses can be as general or specific as they want
-Possible connections that can be made
-15 minutes per table – 3-4 people per group – 3 groups
1. How can a community attract and involve potential employees in economic
development? (Question changed from employees to citizens by facilitator and groups)
-Challenge/Opportunity:
Motivating – Storytelling – Dreams – Passions
Whose responsibility? Who to relate stories?
Finding leadership – more than elected
Emerging/Shared Leadership
Common goals
Have to be asked – invitation – assumptions
Connections among younger people
Different perspectives
Outreach
1
Don’t know how to get involved
Creating space on boards for new voices
Bringing groups together – each working on own issues
Issue-focused rather than group-focused
Need more conversation and active listening
Cultural conditioning
Processes – outspoken v. quiet speakers
-Champions:
Chamber of Congress
Civic and Community groups
Public officials
Different groups of people
Young people
Emerging leaders program
-Timeline:
Different times/places
A quarter – 4 months meet
One year-many years
2. What successful strategies can be used to keep critical businesses and services open?
-Challenge/Opportunity:
Capital, funding
City strategies, cooperatives, plans
Employees
Education, communication adaptation
Demographics
Succession plans
-Champions:
Banks, civic leaders, chambers
Mayor, city council, city staff, extension
Labor – Outreach
Interest of residents
-Timeline:
Initiative, Immediate, Short-term
Long-term
3. How could communities cooperate with each other to increase their economic
sustainability?
-Challenge/Opportunity:
Distance
Relevance
Each town may have their own project
Inward focus
Cultural
Not interested in changing
Socioeconomics
Communication
Assumptions about what is important
2
Have to want to
Distrust/Rivalries
Their identities
Schools, churches, service orgs
Pooling resources (Co-ops)
Change Habits
Incentives
Social media – can provide space, perspective
-Champions:
People who know other people in other communities
Mayors
Liaison—media (TV and radio)
Center for Community Engagement
Others – Extension Services
-Timeline:
1 year – Forum
Rural Revitalization Digest – cfra.org
Community Capital Framework
End at 2:50pm
3