Dunn County manager still gathering information for economic development report
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — Dunn County Manager Kristin Korpela is still working on gathering information for a report on economic development that will provide options for the county.
Korpela told the Dunn County Community Resources and Tourism Committee at the September 13 meeting that she has had meetings with area economic development directors; Bob Bossany, director of Dunn County Economic Development; Dan Lytle, campus and business development director at Chippewa Valley Technical College; and a member of the Dunn County Economic Development Board of Directors.
Korpela said she also has talked to county managers and county administrative coordinators.
The community resources and development committee is the committee that oversees the economic development corporation as a community resource and makes recommendations to the county board on the level of funding for the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation.
With the 2023 budget currently under development, Dunn County officials have been struggling with whether to provide funding for the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation, and if so, how much.
Some smaller counties in northern Wisconsin fund their economic development corporations at $15,000 per year, Korpela said.
The largest investor in this area is Chippewa County at $190,000 per year, she said.
The community resources and tourism committee recommended that the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation be funded at up to $55,000 for the county’s 2022 budget. Bossany had asked for $78,000 for the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation.
After gathering all of the information she can, Korpela said she would be able to develop an economic development plan for Dunn County that includes performance metrics to determine whether money Dunn County spends on economic development is a good return on investment.
Korpela is expecting to present a written report with options to the community resources and tourism committee next month.
There is a statewide Economic Development Corporation conference coming up soon, said Larry Bjork, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of the CR&T committee.
The economic development conference overlaps with the Wisconsin Counties Association conference, Korpela said, adding that she is planning on attending both conferences.
Chippewa County spends $190,000 annually, and it would be helpful to know which counties have significant city and county economic development corporation involvement and how the involvement is connected, said Tom Quinn, county board supervisor from Downing and a member of the CR&T committee.
Korpela said that is a question she would like an answer to as well.
Another question is how much money do counties, or city and county partnerships, spend on Chambers of Commerce and visitors bureaus, she said.
