Spring Valley

Article by: Cathy Enerson

CEDA’s Cathy Enerson, who served as Spring Valley’s EDA Director, secured a $42,011 Minnesota Value Added Grant for Valley Butchery and Meat Market. The grant will assist with an expansion to the building and equipment purchases. Rusty and Tanner Hellickson have owned Valley Butchery and Meat Market in Spring Valley for only two years. The Hellicksons are former employees of Kraut Meat Locker, and are what are referred to by Enerson as a succession story. The economic impact and success from the grant includes retaining six full time jobs, increasing the number of days per week for processing, saving energy, and saving labor. Efficiency doubles when both Tanner and Rusty process at the same time, therefore the new equipment and required separation of space while processing doubles the owner’s ability to process meats. Retail customers will be able to select from the newly installed eight door self-serve freezer case.

Valley Butchery and Meat Market is becoming a valuable retail outlet for area livestock farmers. emerging fish and shrimp farmers, and for those in the area that raise bees. Once construction of the expansion project is complete, their smoke house will smoke seven new varieties of smoked links and varieties of trout. There will be less overall transportation, and improved environmental impact when local farmers raise more animals and have them processed locally. With food safety always in the forefront, the expansion project will bring the plant up to current code. The Hellickson’s indicate that the new expansion space and the new equipment will improve overall health for themselves and their employees, and express their gratitude to Enerson for the work in securing the grant funds. The Hellickson’s share that they may hire one additional retail person, and an additional part-time seasonal processor. In addition, the Hellickson’s will be able to aide the Department of Natural Resources by processing the deer from area CWD hunts. 

This is the second MN Value Added grant that Cathy Enerson has written. Enerson has secured a total of $150,000 in grant funds for local butchers in SE MN.

Article by: Cathy Enerson

In the summer of 2018, Mitch and Carole Shultz started working with CEDA team member and Spring Valley EDA Director Cathy Enerson in hopes of purchasing the Spring Valley Greenhouse. As a small business counselor, Enerson was able to provide a great deal of assistance to the Shultz’s in preparation of their business plan and financial projections for the bank loan application process. “The Shultz’s were very responsive, considerate, and conservative in their approach to the process which helped keep things moving along steadily” said Enerson. Working through this information with Enerson had the Shultz’s “very well prepared” according to their banker Brendon Kacher of the Cresco Bank and Trust

In addition to the business counseling assistance, Enerson was also able to help the couple apply for $36,000 in gap financing from the Spring Valley EDA’s revolving loan program to complete the financing for the purchase.

CEDA provides services in both Spring Valley, MN and Cresco, IA to which Mitch Shultz credits the awareness of the assistance that Enerson could provide them in this process. “I recommend anyone going to the bank to buy a business first contact their local economic development office for available assistance.” Shultz says

The sale closed on November 20^th, and the community of Spring Valley is very excited about the future Rustic Rose Greenhouse and Floral.

Article by: Cathy Enerson

CEDA Community and Economic Development Specialist Cathy Enerson recently organized a presentation by Liz Templin of the University of Minnesota Extension to the Spring Valley EDA, the local chamber, tourism board, and area community members on a comprehensive retail gap analysis for the community. In addition to the presentation, the community meeting allowed local organizations to provide updates on their most recent activities.

The purpose of the retail gap analysis is to explore the health of retail sales in the community, identify trends, threats and opportunities for businesses with the focus on Spring Valley and its customer base of 13,371 area residents. The presentation highlighted information on customers, which included demographics, commuting patterns and lifestyles. The information can be used for future business plans, local expansions, and new business start-ups. “I will tell you, I have done this presentation in other communities and it doesn’t look this good in a lot of communities,” Templin commented. “I think you can feel, from my perspective, proud of the diversity and mixes that you have here.”

EDA President Dave Phillips stated that “the EDA provides many tools for attracting and retaining businesses in the community and these tools have led to things such as the downtown revitalization, the expansion and retention of businesses, succession planning, new housing, an important tool we can provide is information”. Dave indicated that “in 2016 the EDA completed two child care surveys, showing that there was a need for more options in Spring Valley and that has led to a joint venture that may bring a center here if everything falls into place.”

Article by: Cathy Enerson

The EDA in Preston recognized eight area manufacturers and processors. The event was held Monday October 20th at City Hall in Preston. One of those manufactures, Bluff Country Manufacturing was in the process of building and expanding. Later that day six manufacturers from the Spring Valley area were also recognized at a ceremony at Spring Valley’s City Hall. Four of the manufactures, AMD, SATA, Kappers, and Tracker Industries have each expanded their facilities in 2014. These two events kicked off the State wide manufacturers week. During the events local manufacturers were informed about DEED’s new programs which were developed with the intention of replacing Job Z, a long standing program, which will sunset in 2015. Jennifer Hauser from DEED was in attendance at both events to present these vitally important area manufactures with certificates from Minnesota’s Governor, Mark Dayton.

Preston Area Manufacturers                                             Spring Valley Manufacturers

Foremost Farms                                                                       Amd Distribution Inc.

Bluff Country Woodworks                                                                           Kappers Fabricating

Root River Hardwoods                                                                                  Minnesota Metals

Poet Biorefining                                                                                                Tracker Industries

Preston Iron Works & Truck Repair                                                        SATA Dan-Am

Fastenal Industrial Supply                                                                           Stier Steel

Bluff Country Woodworks

Hormel Stockyards

Spring Valley MN

Article by Cathy Enerson

This year, the Spring Valley EDA wrapped up it’s work with the USDA’s, Rural Business Economic Growth grant program. The grant offers technical assistance for business expansion within the City limits of Spring Valley. In this case, the City was in need of an affordable solution that would allow them to compete successfully for businesses against neighboring cities and states whom currently have not adopted the Minnesota state building code requirements. The grant paid for up to $10,000 in engineered drawings and blue print assistance, which one business identified can cost up to 10 -20% of the overall project costs. Since 2010, three local businesses expanded using USDA grant funds. Marzolf Implements at their current location, AMD, a national insulation manufacturing and distribution facility, added onto their current building at the industrial park, REKK and the land holding company for AMD built a third addition onto the existing facility in the industrial park.  Overall it was a successful grant project for the City. A total of 36 jobs were retained or created using $20,000 dollars of USDA funds paired with $5,000 of EDA funds. As a comparison, what was accomplished in a community the size of Spring Valley is the same as adding or retaining 2,160 jobs in a community like Rochester or Lakeville, MN.

Currently, the EDA is focusing on developing economic tools aimed at revitalizing downtown Spring Valley. The focus is to renovate the entire structure of the buildings downtown, including apartments and commercial spaces. The focus for the commercial building spaces is to repair code violations, and make facade and energy improvements. The EDA developed a 1% revolving loan fund to aide the owners of the commercial spaces. The City will apply for a Small Cities Block Grant to compliment the revolving loan. A proposal was submitted to Greater Minnesota Housing Agency requesting that they assist with the downtown apartment revitalization and technical assistance for the design work. The program is currently under review since it would be a pilot program for both entities.  Beyond creating financial tools the EDA has additionally approved that Cathy Enerson of CEDA, as EDA Director organize the downtown revitalization project, Cathy has been holding quarterly meetings to assist with the many businesses and services groups interested in revitalization. This September, Cathy Enerson, EDA Director, Teresa McCormick of Urban Studios and Michelle Vrieize of CEDA’s(Small Cities Block Grants) will gather with the downtown business owners to discuss the design work and Small Cities Block Grant program.