Recharge the Range Update

Recharge the Range

Recharge the Range groups move into action

ReGen Members

Thank you for your participation in the Recharge the Range forums earlier this summer and late spring.

Between summer vacations and work schedules, it’s been a busy summer for everyone who took part in the forums.

As a result of the Community, Business, Cool and Creative Get Together, and June 6, Recharge the Range forums, seven action groups have been formed.

Please know that several of the groups have met and are scheduling additional meetings to define key themes, strategies and action steps.

Recharge the Range action groups are:

  • Small Business Strategies, chaired by Shawn Wellnitz, Entrepreneur Fund
  • Large Business Expansion & Attraction, chaired by Brian Hanson, APEX
  • Natural Resources, chaired by Rolf Weberg, NRRI  
  • Education/Talent Development, chaired by Bill Maki, NHED 
  • Infrastructure, chaired by Jeff Borling, Great River Energy
  • Tourism/Recreation, chaired by Tony Sertich, Northland Foundation
  • Livable Communities, chaired by Randy Lasky, Northspan 

Several ideas brought forward at the forums are already in place.

Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) is starting a new Downtown & Business Corridor grant program aimed at helping revitalize downtowns. The agency's Culture and Tourism program has been expanded to offer additional culture, tourism, recreation and quality of life grant opportunities to non-profits.

IRRRB and Blandin Foundation have implemented a new partnership to assist communities within the IRRRB service area with broadband development and use.

And local grassroots groups have initiated efforts to make downtowns more attractive and increase quality of life activities.

Many ideas, such as hosting a competition for entrepreneurs, bringing community groups together to assist them with accessing resources, advancing high-speed fiber development, and creating additional partnerships with college to offer more four-year college degrees on the Iron Range, are being discussed within the action groups.   

We’d also like you to know that meetings of several of the action groups will be scheduled in coming weeks. 

Anyone who would like to participate in an action group is welcome.

To become an active member of an action group, please contact Sara Ferkul at sara.ferkul@state.mn.us or 218-735-3020.