Floodwood, MN

Submitted by Leah Hall, 7/17/08

I attended a weekend long leadership training, called Go Run, aimed at providing rural women information, skill-building and networking opportunities that will help them lead more effectively in their work, community and politics. After being part of Go Run, I was also asked to join a new group called the Rural Women’s Leadership Project that will continue to carryout training and networking opportunities for rural women.  It was a great opportunity to engage with amazing women in the region.  You can learn more at: www.rwlp.blogspot.com

Also, based on my experiences with Horizons, I am connecting with the Northeast Entrepreneur fund to explore opportunities to have focused trainings in more isolated rural communities that would be focused on recruiting low-income persons who may be interested in taking out micro loans to work from home or start a small business.  I am also hoping to talk with Northeast Entrepreneur Fund and others look into starting credit repair loans for rural persons in poverty in our area.

Finally, based on my experiences with Horizons, I am hoping to attend a training about Farmer’s Markets and look at conducting an interest survey in the Floodwood area this fall/winter.  This could be a great opportunity for Floodwood.  Join me in making it happen! Together we can continue to make great things happen for our community.

Congratulations, Floodwood!

After 18 months of planning, organizing, great conversations, and hard work, your work plan is complete!  Click the link below to find details of the Horizons Team organizational plans, focus areas, and projects.

Floodwood Work Plans

1. What changes do you see in your community as a result of participating in the Horizons program?

2. How has participating in the Horizons program affected you personally? 3. What are some major milestones or achievements you have seen your community reach?

Wednesday’s Community Clean Up was a Tremendous Success. The free recycling service received items beyond my wildest dreams — I think we should have them back again this year to provide another opportunity to our residents.

The clean up of community spaces when GREAT!

Thanks to all who volunteered to Help keep Floodwood Beautiful — and Make Floodwood a Great Place to Live, Work, Worship, and do Business.

Mayor Jeff Kletscher

The Floodwood Horizons team is in the process of creating a resource guide that will ensure that people in need of services will be effectively linked to service providers in our area. As the Floodwood community discussed during the study circles, Leadership Plenty, and the Visioning process, many households that are struggling in poverty lack access to services that could offer them the support they need to make ends meet. The team is exploring ways to make a resource guide more than a printed document; the group is looking at how the guide could be an interactive directory available at a local computer kiosk. The team is also looking at how the service directory idea can be enhanced by training community members to be local advocates to help households connect with local agencies and opportunities. The Horizons Team is working on opening doors to service and opportunities, as well as looking ahead for ways the community can enhance support for community members who are facing challenges. Another vital step towards poverty elimination/reduction in our community! Go Floodwood Horizons Team!

2nd Annual Clean Up Day Aims to Connect People with FREE Recycling Resources and Education.

A community wide clean up day was THE action idea that received the highest number of votes in our study circle process. Study circle participants stated over and over how important pride and image is our community and that we need to make improvements in this area. The first annual clean up day was a huge success however, we focused more on offering clean up services to our residents than working with residents and including them in on the process.

The second annual clean up (Wednesday April 30th) is focusing on more connecting our residents with recycling services - free recycling services at that. Electronic, scrap metal, and appliance recycling services will be on hand to offer mini work shops on what types of materials and objects are recycable and sometimes just downright valuable. In addition, the city will have the city brush dump open to receive yard refuse and to educate the citizens on how to compost. Another component of this year’s clean up day is crews, led by neighborhood residents, will walk the city cleaning up public spaces and neglected neighborhood areas. So far we have enlisted the help of Floodwood Kids Plus, boy scouts, girls scouts and senior citizens. The evening will come to close at about 6:00 with an appreciation picnic served by the Floodwood Police Department.

CITY OFFERS NEIGHBORHOOD REINVESTMENT PROGRAM TO HELP CLEAN UP BLIGHTED PROPERTIES.
The City of Floodwood is just about ready to start the first round of the Neighborhood Reinvestment Program. This program offers grants of up to 50% and well as techinical assisance to property owners who would like to demolish blighted and unsafe structures. So far the program is looking to be a huge success! “I researched how much it would cost me to tear down an old house on my property. I was getting estimates as high as $7,000. Through this program I will only have to pay $1,200!” stated one property owner. The city is able to get lower prices on the demolitions because the contractor can do several properties at once and spend less on mobilization and fuel. In addition, the City will pay 1/2 the cost of the demolition. “It’s not just about handing out cash,” states Mayor Kletscher. “We [the city] are assisting participants in filling out demolition permits, hiring the contractor, and offering the clean up day so they can empty the buildings - all at very little cost.” The city has five properties enrolled in the program with another five on the waiting list.

The overall goal of both of these programs is to preserve the quality of the existing neighborhoods as clean and stable residential neighborhoods.

“These two programs [the clean up day and neighborhood reinvestment program] will help enhance our city so much. We’re not only helping people financially to clean up their properties, we’re offering the services and education as well. That [education] will have more of an impact and last much longer than any grant program.” stated Chief of Police and Blight Inspector Dave DeNoyer.

The Floodwood Business Community Partnership Beautification committee (Horizons Marketing/Niche Future Squad) met in February to discuss way to beautify our community. The committee agreed planting flowers and decorating the town is a wonderful project and would not only leave an impression on the community but to visitors as well. In addition however, the committee decided the work must not stop there - a niche or theme in the town is needed and more permanent long term projects are needed. It was quickly decided the committee should explore using Floodwood’s railroad and logging history as the town’s ‘niche’. The larger committee broke out into several sub-committees who will report to the group on Wednesday, March 25th at 12 noon at Northview Bank. A light lunch will be provided. Thank you to Northview Bank for the providing the lunch at the first meeting.

The Service Directory Future Squad will be meeting Monday, March 31, 2008 6:30 PM at the new city hall building (Rowe Funeral Home building). A light dinner will be served. Below is a draft agenda

1. Welcome
2. Introductions
3. Service Directory Overview
3.1 Review Ideas on Blog
3.2 Fill in the Blanks
4. Assign Category Teams
5. Delivery
5.1 Printed? Internet? Hire someone to draft it?
5.2 Deadline
6. Marketing Strategy – How will let people know about the directory?
7. Next Meeting.

What was intended to be a maintstreet beautification committee ended up being a beautification/marketing/niche committee meeting.

The Floodwood Business Community Partnership Beautification committee met Wednesday March 5th for the purpose of devising a Main Street Beautification plan. However, shortly into the discussions the 10 member committee realized the plan should include a martketing component as well. So it was decided… Phase I will include a ’sprucing up’ of all business districts in Floodwood - not just Main Street. The plans to spruce up the community were carefully thought out to compliment Phase II of their plan.

Phase II will include a marketing strategy to get travelors from the highways to visit our business districts. The committee decided to use Floodwood’s rich history in the railroad and logging as Floodwood’s ‘niche’.

Since Marketing was Floodwood Horizons Action Team Idea, the committee will be asking the Floodwood Horizons program to help fund the project. Horizon Team leaders Jessica Rich and Joanne Dawson, who also serve on this committee, welcome the Partnerships’s willingness to work on this project and become the Marketing/Niche Future Squad.

At their January meeting, Floodwood Business Community Partnership formed a Mainstreet Beautification Committe. President Joanne Dawson suggested the idea but attributed it to disucussion that came out the Horizons process. “We all know our Mainstreet needs some attention and we’ve talked about it before. But the Horizons process brought it to the surface maybe it’s something the FBCP should get working on,” stated Dawson. Four members of the FBCP quickly volunteered to serve on the committee.

The committee will be meeting over the next few months to come up with a plan to spruce up the existing gardens and planters.