The Barron County Economic Development Corporation begins its annual fundraising drive in September of each year. If you would care to donate to the organization, please contact:

David Miller

Barron County Economic Development Office

P.O. Box 71
Barron, WI
715-637-6871
715-790-1327 (Cell)
1-800-529-4148
david.miller@co.barron.wi.us

 All direct donations to the BCEDC are tax deductible.

Please complete this Annual Giving Level form for your 2008 support contribution:

 If you are selecting Quarterly Payments, please return this form as your commitment pledge and circle 

your selected option. You will be sent a reminder at the beginning of each Quarter. Quarterly payments begin January 1, 2008.

If you are sending a single payment, please complete the following form:

 Amount contributed:___________

 Business Name:____________________________________________

 Contact Person:____________________________________________

 Mailing Address:____________________________________________

 City:____________ State:____ ZIP:_______

 Telephone:_________________________________________________

 Email address:______________________________________________

 Website address:____________________________________________

 Make your check to: BCEDC    Mail this completed form to:

BCEDC
P.O. Box 71
Barron, WI 54812

 If you have any questions, please call any of the BCEDC Officers or David Miller, BCEDC Executive Director at 715-637-6871 or email your inquiry to: david.miller@co.barron.wi.us

Thank you for your financial support to the Barron County Economic Development Corporation.      09-27-2007

BCEDC Mission
 

To increase quality employment opportunities in

Barron County through retention and job creation

And to increase the tax base, while working with new

and existing firms and those looking to expand in the County.

 Barron County Economic Development

Real Choice.
Real Reasons.
Real Easy.

We put more of life into your business. 

The BCEDC:

Established in 1994, the BCEDC is a public/private partnership organized to increase, employment through retention and job creation opportunities and the tax base in Barron County. BCEDC works with new and existing firms as well as those looking to expand into the County.

Funding:

Originally structured as a 501c6 “business organization”, the BCEDC, since October 12, 2005, is now structured as a tax exempt 501c3 nonprofit organization. The BCEDC relies on corporate, public and private supporters for financial assistance. Without these generous tax-deductible donations, BCEDC could not continue with the viable and successful economic development programs for the county and its businesses.

 Recipients of BCEDC services include: business plan writing, identification of project funding sources, business and technical research, general business counseling, and technical assistance with business start-ups, expansions and relocations.

 2004 –2005
In January 2004, David Miller from Minnesota, started as the Barron County Economic Development Director and also as the Executive Director for the BCEDC.

In his last position of nine years, as the Executive Director for a Regional private nonprofit economic and community development corporation for nine years, he was responsible for the growth of the region’s 19 governmental units, in the areas, of business start-ups, expansions, retentions, relocations, housing developments and tourism. His background includes over 16 years of economic and community development experience in working within rural areas, with a focus in governmental units with less than 10,000 in population. In addition, he has owned several businesses in marketing, advertising, public relations and communications and held senior leadership positions in manufacturing, in an Ag-related business and in state-wide development organizations. He led, structured and restructured local and regional Chambers of Commerce in addition to Main Street organizations, local development organizations and tourism-related entities.

Just since February of 2004, he has worked with 55 business start-up prospects, 4 business expansions and 3 relocations. Two businesses opened in the fall, including a relocation from the state of Illinois. A third business br0oke ground on a major expansions and fourth expanded their rail operations in to the county. He has fielded inquires from six economic development brokers on available buildings and building sites in the county.  Many of these projects are ongoing. He finished a tour of visits to all 36 governmental jurisdictions in the county, introducing himself and the position to all City Councils and the Boards of all the Villages and Towns.

In related activities he is also a member of the Western Wisconsin Railroad Transportation Committee, an organized effort that serves to reinstate rail service along the east-west and north-south corridors in the county.

He is a member of development teams on local basis and serves on the Board of the Western Wisconsin Development Corporation.

He is responsible for the most recent Tax Increment Financing Seminar conducted for local units of government in the county and is planning seminars on the New Market Tax Credit program and Contract Procurement with the Federal Government for the county’s businesses.

He is in the final stages of preparing the upcoming countywide-combined Business Retention & Expansion/Labor Market Study which will be distributed to over 140 business in the county.  He is also leading the effort for a BCEDC Board of Directors Strategic Planning Session which is scheduled for September of this year.

Marketing, advertising and promoting the county for economic development purposes is also his responsibility and is now preparing much needed marketing materials for the county. These activities including exhibit materials, advertising and of course updating and upgrading the county’s economic development website.

Since the first of March 2004, there have been requests for over 600,000 square feet of existing

Space (buildings) by companies inside and outside the county. Several facilities in the 3,000-10,000 square foot size have been identified, but the larger requests have not been satisfied, as the county does not have existing space to meet the needs. Miller is working on identifying the various programs from the state to assist in the construction of specific use buildings.

Unavailable land providing existing infrastructure is also an issue. This is also an important element to economic development that is being addressed.   

Miller organized the 2004, 9th Annual Business Awards Banquet and its activities. Record breaking attendance was experienced.

There are numerous other projects the office is currently working on including the various elements of the Smart Growth plan as they relate to economic development, transportation, housing etc.

2005
In addition to the 31roll-over projects from 2004 and 63 start-up prospects since January of 2005 for 2005, there are additional major projects ongoing for 2005: Including, A multi-use incubator facility. Planned elements include technology transfer, professional services, educational and public facilities. Additional land availability programs to increase the size of the industrial parks in jurisdictions within the county. An Aviation services expansion. A central operations center for Progressive Rail and CTC expansion facility. And, resulting from the early results of the Countywide BIZ RET survey, there are 15 manufacturing companies planning on major expansions in between this year and over the next 5 years. The Hwy 53 Interchange in Chetek will be an extremely positive development potential for Chetek and the County.  

A complete presentation of 2005 activities was submitted to the Barron County Board of Supervisors via the written monthly County Board Reports and the monthly NEWSLETTER feature on www.barroncounty.com

Miller offices in the Barron County highway department and manages the position and economic development department and activities for the county without staff. 

Since 1994 (to 1998), some of the businesses assisted include:

Viking Brewery, Dallas; Hartzell, Turtle Lake; RS Distributing, Chetek; Infratherm, Rice Lake;

BLM, Barron; General Handle, Cameron; Blue Hills Technology, Cumberland; N-Tech, Barron; dca Manufacturing, Cumberland; Beaver Creek Wood Products, Chetek; HSI and others.

(1998-2001)

January 21, 1998
Made contact with the following: Bishop Fixture & Millwork; Rice Lake North Industrial Park;

Block Grant Proposal;

Heuvelton Whey Co. – looking to purchase AMPI building in Turtle Lake. It was moved that the BCEDC fund a block grant not to exceed $2,500.00.

The Board approved $2,500 for the Block Grant application for purchase of AMPI plant in Turtle Lake by the Heuvelton Whey Company.

Board approved participation in Forward WI call trip in Chicago Assisted Schmelke Mfg. With NWMOC efforts and its services to the county’s businesses.

March 25, 1998
TEA Grant was received to help out Parker-Hannifin expansion DOT TEA Grant Ceremony in Chetek

May 20, 1998
Mini call trip

Mini call trip with Forward WI to Minnesota. 

BCEDC has been working with The Turkey Store, Mastercraft and Curtis & Assoc.  They are looking into employee turn over and how to better retain the work force they have.  Curtis is helping with education and training programs.  This discussion started as a result of the labor survey.

June 17, 1998         
Turkey Store

Fritz Furniture

Spec Ads

Business North, a new newspaper in northwest WI and northern MN is used for advertising and PR.  They did an editorial on dca of Cumberland – the Cumberland featured business of the year.

September. 9, 1998
Primera Expansion, Barron

Prospects & start Up Business

November 18, 1998

Areas of expansion or relocation include Johnson Truck Bodies of Rice Lake, Trego Machine into Rice Lake and Foster Furniture of Chetek,

Executive Director’s Report for 1998:

BCEDC has developed numerous proposals and prospects, sponsored 1 labor market study, assisted many of the county’s businesses in a variety of areas and played a key role in assisting the City of Chetek and Parker Hannifin in their partnership to develop the 1997 addition to the Chetek Industrial Park.

 In reviewing local economic development activity for 1997 there were many positive activities.  Among them are:

             1.  Parker Hannifin’s new plant in Chetek expanding by 60,000 sq. ft. in 1998.
            2.  Over 500 new manufacturing jobs added by county manufacturing firms.

            3.  2 separate loans under Community Development Block Grant program which will result in county-wide revolving loan fund of $380,000.
            4.  The creation of the tax incremental district for a new Rice Lake industrial park.

Summary of BCEDC Activity in 1999

March
Sroka reported on the progress of the Trego Machine Shop restoration.

Sroka is working with Forward WI on a possible lead for Barron County.

April 21, 1999
NWMOC Presentation & Proposal

Joe Slattery project mgr. for Northwest WI Manufacturing Outreach Center gave a presentation on what his organization does.

May 26, 1999
Sroka proposed to host a Barron Co. Int’l Trade Symposium

Discussion concerning the proposal by Joe Slattery & the NWMOC

Johnson Truck Bodies is reported to be continuing to look at locations, primarily in the Rice Lake area.  It was thought that they might close by the end of the year.

Other potential businesses have been looking at the spec. bldg. in Rice Lake

Revolving loan Fund has a balance of about $42K.  To keep rules, we need to make a loan out of it each year.

June 16, 1999
Prospects:  Forward WI Kangapower, Australia

Bell Lumber & Pole, New Brighton, MN

Business in Almena interested in RLF

Business interested in the Rice Lake spec. bldg. is still interested

Johnson Truck Bodies was sold.  Expansion in Rice Lake probably delayed.

International symposium set for Oct. 7^th

July 23, 1999
Sroka is working with 2 different prospects for the spec. bldg. in Rice Lake

Things in Birchwood are moving forward and Northstar Fabricating’s new owners are talking about local expansion.

RLF is at about $50K and loans need to be made from it this year.

August 18, 1999
Duluth to Wausau Power Transmission Line project came up.  The Wis. Public Service Corp is asking for support from the Board on the project.  Motion made to research the project.

A major fire @ Birchwood/Besse in Rice Lake has the facility at 40 of 125 people working.  They are possibly looking at moving but need rail access.

Loan fund still needs to have a loan made out of it this year.  Not many people lined up at this point.

The call trip went off well.  The extra press in MN resulted in about 90 appointments.  There has been at least one pointer to Rice Lake out of it so far.

The Turkey Store is underway with a $10M expansion

Designer Doors in River Falls has had a change of direction but might go to Rice Lake for a different business. 

Almena is showing a number of things going on. 

There is a prospect looking for a rail site.

Logging museum going in to Rice Lake expecting to draw 40,000 visitors/year.  Fund raising activities have started.

November 1999
Jack met with Birchwood/Besse about new sites.  They are looking at a new site in accordance with the city master plan (off lake)

RLF is still in need of loaning.  At present it has $63K

There a few leads to follow.   Trego machines is looking for a place to move, probably in Rice Lake or Barron.

The die caster Crest Engineering is interested in the Rice Lake spec. bldg.  This came out of the call trip.

Reported that Village of Almena Post Office was going to be moved and that the village was in negotiations with the PO to the nature of the move.

December 1999
Sroka attended meeting in Madison concerning Birchwood/Besse project.

Hartzell is not planning to use the RLF

Cumberland reported a growth spurt with the industrial park attracting new business and new subdevelopment going in.

Barron reports there are some discussions with unnamed parties in the industrial sector.  They are also looking at improving the airport and at moving the jail facility.

Hartzell is reportedly closing the St. Croix Falls facility and moving to Turtle Lake.  They are also moving engineering from St. Paul to here.

Cameron:  The Development Corp. has around $200K but may not be doing any development with it in the near future due to concerns about tying up that capital in a poor leverage position.  Also reported, Classic Car is looking at expansion.

Dallas:  Reported that the village has purchased land with an eye towards residential development.

Rice Lake:  new Office Max.  Raising money for logging museum with a goal of having about $1M of local pledges.  Reported that Johnson Truck Bodies was still weighing the options of expansion.

Summary of BCEDC Activity in 2000

February 2000
Birchwood/Besse has decided to rebuild in Rice Lake on the present site.

Johnson Truck Bodies is working with Red Cedar on land in the industrial park.

Northstar Fabricating is interested in the spec building but as a lease.  They are looking for a group to do that.

Trego Machine has accepted an offer for Barron Industrial Park.

Bell Lumber & Pole is looking for an 80 acre site with rail access

The RLF has made a loan to Trego Machine for $35K

March 2000
Beaver Creek Wood Products as a verbal offer to purchase across from Parker/Hannifin.  The city is looking into it.

Johnson Truck Bodies has no new information

Johnson Truck Bodies has updated their lease for 1 year on the Rice Lake spec. building;  it looks like Northstar Fabraicating might coordinate on the end of the lease.

The RLF has around $50K in it.  Beaver Creek is interested and is getting applicatlion together for that amount.

Beaver Creek Wood Products has a project approved and an 8 acre tract is a go.  The city has about $175K worth of site work that they will be doing.  There are pending RLF and Regional Business Fund loan applications.

Northstar Fabricating has received the go ahead to look at options for future expansion.  They are thinking in the 6-12 months for expansion in Rice Lake.

Shadow Plastics in Rice Lake has had a fire. Sroka has made contact with them.

Trego Machine has executed the Bytek building purchase of property and leasing is in place.  Everything is moving forward.

Mekco Mfg. has decided that the Rice Lake spec building is too expensive to get into and that it’s cheaper to ship from their existing plant.  Contacts will continue.

Bell Lumber was in Barron recently to go over facilities and infrastructure.  They are looking at May 1^st to buy.

The RLF is at around $105K with $35K being committed to Trego Machine.

May 2000
Beaver Creek Wood Products – Things might start moving quickly.  Facilities are looking good.

Johnson Truck Bodies has a new general manager.  Plans are on hold for some time.

orthstar Fabricating has nothing new to report.  Changes might be in the fall.

Trego Machine is getting their facility ready to move in.

Shadow Plastics:  Projects are moving.  They are looking to buy the spec building and have an offer to purchase pending.

Birchwood/Besse has run into many hidden costs rebuilding in place.  Michigan has $1M offer on the table, but it looks like the Rice Lake proposal.  Rebuilding is progressing.

Badger Dairies has had a meeting with Dept. of Commerce looking for new equipment.  This is a large scale project with high tech cheese equipment.

L’Cars Corp is looking at the possibility of a facility near the airport to do car and plane

restoration and body work.

Ardisam:  Cumberland development wants help for Ardisam who is looking to ad 50K sq. ft.  Project is just starting.

An Australian company that builds electric bicycles has made inquiries into existing buildings in the county.

Bell Lumber and Pole had a long meeting with the Barron City folks.  It looks like they are ready to put an offer on the table including purchase of properties and creation of TIF districts.

The revolving loan fund is sitting pat with no new prospects and nothing issued yet.  Beaver Creek Products in going to West Central Regional Planning for their loans.

June 2000
Almena Industrial Park Activity:  It has created 14 new businesses and expanded 8 with upward of 150 jobs being created.  At 96 acres, it is almost full.

Beaver Creek is waiting on SBA.  The project is much larger now.

Johnson Truck Bodies has dropped third shift, but nothing else new.

Northstar Fabricating – no news

Trego Machine has moved in and has started operations in Barron.

Shadow Plastics are together on a deal with the city of Rice Lake.  Other parts of a deal are coming together.

DOC is working on getting Birchwood/Besse some labor training money.

Badger Dairies – nothing new

L’Cars is in the middle of feasibilitiy studies on the airport location project.

Kangapower may be running with information provided, but probably not.

Bell Lumber and Pole has counter offers on the table and it is looking good.  They appear close to agreement with the city of Barron.

July 2000
Cameron Development Corp. has stopped looking at doing an industrial park due to escalating land prices.  They are now looking at partnering with the airport.  The daycare facility is about to close which may cause problems for the area.  The sewage treatment plant has some problems dur to strife with the city of Barron.  The airport is expanding to handle the larger corporate jets.

Trego Machine – has a Sept. 8^th open house scheduled as an introduction to the community.  They have added 1 full time person and probably another by the end of the year.

Beaver Creek has all the SBA and RBF loans approved and building has commenced.

Northstar is having trouble getting commitments from the Corporate office.

Shadow Plastics has a purchase agreement with Cedar Development and lots of expansion plans for the Rice Lake spec building.

Bell Lumber is slow but moving along well.  Last of the roadblocks cleared.

Johnson Truck Bodies is having inventory problems precipitated by problems of Home Grocers.  This caused a 2 week shutdown.

August 2000
New contact:  K-1 Sportsware from Cloquet, MN who does industrial sewing.

RLF- has about $90K with another $30-40K coming in soon.  Sroka is putting together a mailing to advertise this fund.

2001-2003
Many of the projects during the latter half of the year were carried over to 2001. But mid-way during the year, therein began a time period of rebuilding as the executive director left his position and the corporation, UW-Extension and the County looked for a more stable environment to promote countywide economic development. The historical, combined position of economic development and UW-Extension agent proved not to foster the needed full-time effort to promote economic development on a countywide basis.  

The corporation and county reached an agreement to co-fund a full-time economic development position and effort. The corporation received (receives) its funding from the public and private sector and the county provided funding to assist in budgeting the position.

Thank you for interest in Barron County Economic Development.

For more information please contact:
David Miller
Barron County Economic Development Office
P.O. Box 71
Barron, WI
715-637-6871
715-790-1327 (Cell)
1-800-529-4148
david.miller@co.barron.wi.us