Archives for November 2017

Krystal and Patrick Campbell of Sprouts Childcare and Early Education Center, LLC are moving forward with a project that will involve the construction of a 7,500 square foot child care center building in Stewartville, Minnesota’s Schumann Business Park. The center will have capacity for 99 children including 16 infant openings.  The project will also involve the immediate creation of 15 full-time positions in the community.

At the beginning of 2017, CEDA team member Joya Stetson who serves the Stewartville EDA worked closely with community boards/organizations and local businesses to understand the expanding childcare needs of the growing community.  The group initiated a survey that was distributed City-wide in addition to hosting a public forum which allowed residents, childcare providers, and support organizations to come together and discuss current demand as well as potential action items.  Following this forum, discussions began with current in-home provider Krystal Campbell who has since finalized plans for her new center.

The City of Stewartville and its EDA have been supportive of the project, and have found ways to provide assistance.  City Council and the EDA have unanimously approved a $50,000 low-interest loan for Sprouts Childcare and Early Education Center, LLC. People’s Energy Cooperative, the electric utility provider for the City, was also a major factor in this project’s development with the provision of a $125,000 loan.

Stewartville City Council has approved a purchase agreement with the Campbells for the land in the Schumann Business Park.  The closing date is set for on or before February 1, 2018 with an anticipated opening date in Fall of 2018.

“The City is excited about this project,” said Mayor Jimmie-John King. “Although we have many excellent providers offering child care services in our community, there is still significant demand for more capacity.  This new center will supplement the existing, high-quality services and assist our residents and businesses by offering additional, needed childcare slots.”

Article by: Chris Giesen

The City of Chatfield with the help of CEDA Vice President Chris Giesen recently secured a $177,000 Business Development Public Infrastructure (BDPI) grant from Minnesota DEED to help pave Industrial Drive in southwest Chatfield, one of the last gravel road sections in the city, which will support an expansion at one of Tuohy Furniture’s manufacturing facilities.  While not covered by the grant, this project also gave the city the opportunity to improve water and sewer services to 9 commercial lots in order to make them developable.

 

While Giesen was speaking about this development opportunity on CEDA’s annual Regional Development Tour this past June the project caught the attention of tour participant Pat Boyle of MiEnergy, one of Chatfield’s electric cooperatives.  At the time of the Regional Development Tour, the city had not made a decision on whether to move forward with the improvement project or not.  Giesen explained to the tour group that it would be a very costly project – which is why the roadway had remained gravel for so many years.  At the reception after the tour Boyle mentioned to Giesen that MiEnergy Cooperative might be able to help with zero percent financing through one of their revolving loan programs.  Giesen and Chatfield City Clerk Joel Young met with Boyle a few days later to discuss the loan program and the application process and quickly realized it was a fit.

 

Giesen applied for the MiEnergy loan and was approved for $300,000 at 0% interest for 10 years, which is estimated to save Chatfield taxpayers $40,000-$50,000 dollars in interest expenses.  “Pat and MiEnergy were great to work with” said Giesen, “this loan will allow the city to not only improve the roadway but also improve water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer and allow us to have 9 additional commercial lots to market and sell.  MiEnergy’s assistance will also help support the surrounding residential neighborhood.  We are looking forward to utilizing their loan program again on future projects.”

 

Construction started after Labor Day and should be driveable by winter, with the project being finished in early summer 2018.