|
Economic development coordinator is hired by Houston County Board
|
|
|
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Jordan Wilms, who currently serves as the executive director of the Tri-State Museum in Belle Fourche, S.D., was named the Houston County Economic Development Coordinator during the May 5 county board meeting.
Houston County has been contracting with the Southeast Minnesota Development Corporation (SEMDC) for a part-time EDA director for a number of years. Joyce Iverson of Rushford is currently the county EDA director under contract through (SEMDC).
The county board decided several months ago to establish a full-time position to focus more energies on economic development throughout the county. County board members, as well as persons serving on the county’s EDA expressed a need for the county to take a more pro-active approach in not only trying to attract and develop new business and industry to the county, but to help in retaining jobs that already exist.
According to county EDA board member Tom Falbo, there were 31 applicants. The field was narrowed to 10. Falbo, County Commissioner Tom Bjerke and County Financial Director Casey Bradley interviewed those 10 applicants and came up with four finalists. The four finalists were interviewed a second time, and Wilms was “head and shoulders above the other three,” Falbo said.
“I’ve never been part of an interviewing process where one candidate jumped out above the rest of the field the way Jordan did,” Falbo added. “It was a unanimous decision to recommend him to the county board.”
Wilms, who grew up in southwestern Wisconsin, currently oversees the operations of the Tri-State Museum, which is a 4,000 square foot, city-owned and operated historical museum located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The museum is located on US-85 in the Northern Black Hills. The museum focuses on the early pioneer, rodeo, and old west history of the Tri-State region of Western South Dakota, Eastern Wyoming and Southeast Montana. The museum houses over 5,000 artifacts, rodeo memorabilia, historical records, antiques, collectibles, fossils, and other items.
A motion made by Commissioner Dave Corcoran and seconded by Commissioner Bob Augedahl to hire Wilms at a Step 4 wage scale was unanimously approved.
Wilms will begin duties June 8, but the county will continue to contract with SEMDC until June 30 so Iverson can help Wilms get up to speed. The county has a 30-day opt out clause in the agreement with SEMDC.
In other board action:
Reclassify Hwy 44
Mike Werner, a member of the Caledonia EDA and Caledonia Area Chamber of Commerce president, asked the county board to support legislation to reclassify Highway 44 from La Crescent to Prosper from a trunk highway to a major arterial road (MAR).
“Highway 44 dissects Houston County from one corner to the other, and is the only highway connecting most residents of Fillmore and Houston counties with La Crosse,” Werner said. “According to what we have learned from MnDOT officials, MARs receive the highest priority when it comes to improvement funds. Highway 44 is the major artery through Houston County and should be designated as such.”
At the present time highways in the southeast MnDOT region that are MARs include Highways 14, 52 and 63, all which traverse through Rochester.
“That’s were the money is being spent. We need to have 44 reclassified so we can get some money down here to fix it,” Werner added.
Both State Sen. Sharon Ropes and Rep. Greg Davids have been contacted about the reclassification issue and are authoring bills to do so. Both legislators indicated that it would take quite a bit of lobbying by residents in Houston and Fillmore counties to push the proposed bills through the respective Houses. They are encouraging the board of commissioners from both counties, as well as all of the municipalities, civic organizations, businesses, as well as private citizens to write letters of support and send them to Ropes and Davids.
Werner asked if Houston County would pass a resolution supporting the proposed legislation. A motion by Commissioner Jack Miller and seconded by Augedahl to approve a resolution of support was unanimously approved.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
