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DCEDC plans to hire full-time director

By LeAnn R. Ralph

ELK MOUND —  The Dunn County Economic Development Corporation is planning to hire a full-time director soon.

Chris Smith, director of the Stout Technology and Business Park, reported on DCEDC’s plans at the Elk Mound Village Board’s November 20 meeting.

In addition to his work with the Stout Technology and Business Park, Smith has been the director of the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation for the past four years.

The DCEDC’s board of directors wants to hire a full-time director, Smith told the Elk Mound Village Board.

The DCEDC board plans to make an offer for a full-time director sometime within the next four weeks, he said.

Cities and villages in Dunn County pay an annual fee to be members of the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation.

DCEDC holds an annual meeting every January, and Smith said he expected the new director to be hired by the time of the annual meeting.

Community Center

Smith also talked about Elk Mound’s plans to build a community center.

Representatives for USDA Rural Development and the Discovery Center at Stout are recommending that the village form a community development authority to facilitate building a community center, he said.

The Elk Mound Community Center Foundation has been working on the project for over a year and has purchased the lot next to the new village hall in Elk Mound.

Progress

Dunn County is continuing on a path of slow but steady growth, Smith reported to the Elk Mound Village Board.

“The level of activity is not great, but it is going in a positive direction,” he said.

Dunn County only has a few empty buildings available: one 66,000 square-feet; one 20,000 square-feet; one 9,000 square-feet; and four that are less than 5,000 square feet, he said.

Since so few buildings are available for businesses, the emphasis should be on constructing new buildings and the expansion of existing businesses, Smith said.