by April Scheinoha
Reporter
The 2021 city budget season is in full swing, and groups are making their requests to the Thief River Falls City Council. At its meeting Tuesday, Aug. 4, the council heard funding requests from Advance Thief River and the Northwest Regional Library System.
Michelle Landsverk, director of Advance Thief River, requested $25,000 from the council. The council took the matter under advisement.
Advance Thief River is also seeking a $25,000 contribution from Pennington County. The remaining $25,000 of its $75,000 budget is expected to be covered by memberships in Advance Thief River, an economic development initiative.
Landsverk’s consultant and professional fees account for $65,000 of the initiative’s $75,000 budget. Two of the other large amounts are $6,000 for marketing through various media and channels to recruit residents and businesses to the area, and $2,500 for the Fosston resident’s travel expenses to and from Thief River Falls as well as the Twin Cities, if needed.
For 2020, Advance Thief River requested $25,000 and received $22,500.
While requesting the funding, Landsverk detailed Advance Thief River’s accomplishments. She noted the group brought Garden Valley Technologies to the Gilbert Industrial Park located near Digi-Key. Garden Valley has built a one-room data center to support its fiber connections in the city.
Advance Thief River has also promoted Opportunity Zone properties in Thief River Falls, including Gilbert Industrial Park, as well as the sites of Sanford Health’s former downtown campus and the former Dean Foods facility. These properties were promoted through the Minnesota Opportunity Zone Collaborative.
Advance Thief River continues to work with the Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce and Visit Thief River Falls. They hosted 13 #TRFStrong webinars from April 1 through June 30. Sixty-nine businesses participated.
The groups have also worked together as part of an economic recovery task force with other entities. The task force is planning to host a business forum Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Advance Thief River has also launched a television marketing campaign to entice people to move to Thief River Falls.
Future plans include the launch of the Two Rivers Entrepreneur Kinnection and the planned delivery of the Money Smart for Small Business program.
Northwest Regional Library Director Jim Trojanowski requested a 2% increase in funds from the council. The council took the matter under advisement.
Trojanowski said the NWRL is seeking a 2% increase from all of its member cities and counties in 2021. “We’re mindful that budgets are going to be tight this year,” he said.
In Thief River Falls’ case, a 2% increase would be $3,381 for the Thief River Falls Public Library. The library is receiving $169,052.76 in 2020.
Trojanowski said the council didn’t provide an increase for the NWRL for 2020.