Center for Small Towns

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  West Central Minnesota Regional Food Assessment

  Ed Brands, Daniel JahnGurske, Allison Koos, Kat Kraemer, Argie Manolis, Mikayla Morris, Isabel Olson, Cristina Ortiz, and Annabelle Scafe

  This project documents food access, barriers, production, and suggestions for improvement in the food system across a largely agricultural five-county (Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens, and Traverse) region in West-Central Minnesota. A variety of methods, including surveys, interviews, and focus groups, were used to gather data. Secondary (e.g., US Census, USDA Census of Agriculture) and historical (e.g., grocery store directories) data were also used in this project.

  Approximately half of household food security survey respondents (N= 283) had in the last year at least worried about there not being enough money for food in their household. Respondents experiencing food insecurity were much less likely to be able to meet basic and/or special dietary needs. About 6% of the region’s 71,000 people receive SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) benefits, and visits to some emergency food providers have increased by over 50% in the past two years. The number of grocery stores in the region has decreased by half since 1990, and most communities in the region no longer have a grocery store. More than three-fourths of survey respondents indicated most of their grocery shopping is done at Walmart (43%), Aldi (25%), Cub Foods (6%), or Target (2%).

  In the past few years, new large scale local vegetable production and processing has increased and includes carrots, dried beans, lettuces and herbs, though most produce consumed in the region still is imported. Despite large numbers of livestock (meat) and prodigious volumes of milk production in the region, there are only a few small meat processors and no dairy processors. To help address these issues, the Growing Grant County project is training youth in Ashby and West Central School districts to grow vegetables in greenhouses and to process meat.

  Household food security survey, focus group, and interview data all indicate that the price of food (groceries) is a major concern for a significant proportion of the regional population. Economic issues, transportation/distance to food sources, and time of year were the top barriers to food access noted by study participants. Participants also had a variety of suggestions for addressing food security-related issues in the region, including increasing SNAP benefits, supporting more local food production, processing, and preservation, to increase freshness of produce, finding ways to improve transit options or reduce distance between residents and food retailers, and making sure that emergency food providers stock quick/easy and non-perishable foods for those experiencing food and/or housing insecurity.

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  Stevens County Food Assessment

  Ed Brands, Danny Kenyon, Torin Klebba, Allison Koos, Argie Manolis, and Lily Sugimura

  This report is the culmination of a year-long community food assessment conducted by staff, students, and faculty at the University of Minnesota Morris, and informed by an advisory council made up of key local stakeholders. The main goal of the community food assessment is to describe food security in Stevens County at both community and individual scales.

  This assessment examines what food is grown in the county, what food is available, where food can be obtained in various forms, accessibility and affordability of food, as well as county residents’ experiences with and thoughts and suggestions about food. Findings summarized below rely on several different types of data, including a household food security survey, a survey of prices and availability at area grocery stores, personal communications and observations, and secondary data (e.g., from the US Census Bureau). More details about data collection and the key findings presented below are available in the full version of this report.

  Based on the (available and newly collected) data for this community food assessment, it is clear that Stevens County does not fit the definition of community food security because many residents are food insecure, food insecure residents tend to share characteristics of marginalized populations, and little of the food consumed in Stevens County is produced and processed in Stevens County. Challenges with community food security are of course not necessarily uniquely to Stevens County, MN as they are at least in part a product of the way our regional, national, and global food supply chains presently function.

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  Responding to the Child Care Shortage: Case Studies of Innovation in Greater Minnesota

  Nathan Bean

  This report features seven accessible case studies that highlight different community approaches to increasing child care access. The case studies are built on information gained from interviews with those involved in the efforts. Each case has “key words” that allow readers to quickly understand its context and model. The cases highlight the shortages that led to community efforts, what assets were available, and why communities chose the solutions they did. The options available to each community look different because of their unique assets, but the report synthesizes valuable insights that may be useful for others looking for solutions. Some of the key takeaways from the cases are summarized below:

  ● There are a variety of ways for communities to support or attract child care providers. Assistance can come from community members, local government, businesses, and community organizations, and there are a variety of ways interested parties can get involved besides direct financial support.

  ● Non-traditional child care models, like cooperative family providers and employer-supported child care offer advantages over typical family and center-based models.

  ● While the community solutions discussed were successful at expanding access to child care for local families, they didn’t eliminate the existing shortages. This suggests community-level efforts may not be able to fully ease pressure on families and providers, and changes need to be made at the state level instead.

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  Wastewater Challenges in Small Minnesota Communities: Wastewater Treatment Operator Survey Results and Affordability Analysis

  Kelly Asche, Ed Brands, Zach Johnson, and Tayler Vetsch

  Well-maintained and properly functioning wastewater systems are critical infrastructure because they protect public health and make local economic development possible in small communities. Such systems, however, can also be expensive and difficult for small communities to keep up with. The purpose of this study was to assess regulatory, structural, operational, and affordability challenges associated with municipal wastewater infrastructure in small Minnesota communities. The findings of this study are based on data from three major sources: 1) a survey of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operators, 2) the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Water Infrastructure Needs Survey (MPCA WINS), and 3) the 2011-2015 American Community Survey (U.S. Census Bureau).

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  Morris Public Library Expansion and Renovation Survey

  Kelly Asche, Ai Sano, and Taylor Vetsch

  The Library is exploring expansion and renovation options and sought public feedback on the role the library building and programming plays in the community. CST assisted in developing a survey which gather this information and is being used in the development of additional programming and as guidance in the development of expansion and renovation plans.

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  Rural Life & Engagement: Public Views from Minnesota County Fairs

  Roger P. Rose and Tim Lindberg

  This report discusses the outcome of a pilot survey of six rural county fairs and whether the county fair venue could serve as a location for conducting an annual, low-cost survey of rural Minnesota residents. The report outlines the primary findings, which show the relatively positive outlook and high level of civic engagement of survey takers, and then discusses the challenges of sampling at county fair venues. It concludes that county fairs present too many obstacles to permit representative sampling of these areas.

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  Red Rock Lake: A Path Forward

  Colette Millard and Edwin Brands

  The quality of lake water in West Central Minnesota have a been a growing concern in recent years for both residents and state and local governments. This reports evaluates the water quality for the Red Rock Lake Association by summarizing years of existing reports by Minnesota MPCA, DNR and Douglas County about Red Rock Lake into a user-friendly document for the association and lake community residents. The reports also presented a set of recommendations for improving water quality that individuals residents, the lake association and other stakeholders in the Red Rock Lake can discuss and pursue.
  

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  Workforce Housing in Pope County

  Kelly Asche, Ryan Pesch, and Brenna Cook

  The University of Minnesota Morris | Center for Small Towns and the University of Minnesota Extension worked with Positively Pope County and the Pope County Housing Redevelopment Authority to explore and examine housing issues linked to employment recruitment and retention within the County. This survey was distributed to employees of selected businesses in the county. Participants were asked questions about their current housing situation, demographic information, as well as their preference to live in Pope County and whether it is difficult to find appropriate housing.

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  Business Climate for Resorts in Otter Tail County

  Kelly Asche, Ryan Pesch, Daniel Erkkila, and Nicholas Leonard

  In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, resorts started popping up among Otter Tail County’s wooded hills and 1,048 crystal clear lakes. Those early resorts are responsible for much of the County’s early infrastructure and economic development. Today, tourism and hospitality remain Otter Tail County’s second largest industry. However, resorts are disappearing. Since 1985, over 50% of Otter Tail County’s resorts have closed. Given the cultural and economic significance of resorts in Otter Tail County, it is important to better understand the implications of their decline. The Center for Small Towns worked with the University of MN Extension and Otter Tail County Tourism and Economic Development to survey and interview resort owners to 1) better understand why resorts are closing, 2) examine the economic impact of the declining resort industry in Otter Tail County, and 3) identify strategies for curbing the decline of resorts and/or mediating the impact of their disappearance.

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  Highway 68 Corridor -- Public Input on Safety and Transit

  Michael Lindgren, Neil Linscheid, and Kelly Asche

  The University of Minnesota, Morris | Center for Small Towns worked with the Highway 68 Corridor Coalition to gather input from citizens and publicly available data relating to safety and transportation issues along Highway 68 from Canby to Marshall, MN. The compiled information in this report will be used to inform the Minnesota Department of Transportation concerning future changes to the Highway.

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  U of MN, Extension - Food to Institution Survey

  Ryan Pesch

  This project worked with the U of M Extension – Center for Family Development on implementing a survey measuring the quantity, frequency and types of food that food service units in health and education institutions order. Rojas' research informed an Extension analysis on the capacity for local foods to be utilized for these meals.

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  Grow Grant County - Consumer Survey

  Kelly Asche, Ryan Pesch, and Jordan Wente

  The Center for Small Towns and the University of Minnesota Extension worked with Grow Grant County to design, implement and analyze a consumer survey sent to households in Grant County. Results helped stakeholders understand their retail and service shopping habits, garner their views on shopping in Grant County, and collect their ideas for business opportunities. These results are being used by the County to recruit new business owners, and inform current businesses how to better connect with their customers.

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  Stevens Forward! - Carbon Footprint Calculator

  Center for Small Towns (University of Minnesota, Morris)

  This project aimed to estimate the carbon footprint for Stevens County in 5 broad areas: transportation, home energy, food production, recycling and waist, and agricultural production. This calculator can be used by households to calculate their own carbon footprint.

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  The Four Townships Area Economic, Housing, and Development Survey

  Engin Sungur PhD, Kelly Asche, David Fluegel, Reid Ronnander, Jacob Bibeau, and Meara Hove

  Statistics Professor Engin Sungur and student researcher Reid Ronnander collected all publicly available data relating to the four townships region and developed a comprehensive report. Phase two of the project included the development, implementation and analysis of a survey that measured the economic and demographic information, as well as development opinions of the region. This information also led to the development of a seasonal and permanent resident profile to help better explain the similarities and differences between the two types of populations. Lastly, property tax information was gathered to assess how much the two types of residents were paying in taxes.

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  City of Morris - Chloride Discharge Assessment

  Kelly Asche, Sharice Fontenot, and Sam Lee

  This project involved assisting the Office of Sustainability and the City of Morris to understand the use of softeners and the amount of chloride put into the city’s waste water treatment plant. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency recently presented new regulations for chloride levels being discharged into rivers from municipal waste water treatment plants. The students measured current chloride levels and estimated the amount of chloride that would be discharged if the community switched to high-efficiency softeners. This information is being used to inform the community on whether the city should invest in a municipal water softening system.

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  Otter Tail County Tourism Association - Brand Equity Study

  Kelly Asche, Ryan Pesch, and Jordan Wente

  This project worked with the Otter Tail Country Tourism Association to develop, implement and analyze a tourism branding survey which informed efforts to re-brand Otter Tail County as a place based destination.The Center for Small Towns partnered with University of Minnesota Extension to conduct this study. The results of this survey directly influenced the re-branding of Otter Tail County and the Otter Tail Country Tourism Association.

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  Kandiyohi and Renville County Public Health - Health Data Compilation

  Kelly Asche and Jordan Wente

  This project worked with Kandiyohi and Renville County Public Health to compile a comprehensive health narrative of the region. The narrative explored issues related to various health factors in the region, including demographic and economic factors. The final product was used to develop a list of priorities for health issues and initiatives.

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  Addressing the Challenges of Dilapidated and Substandard Housing in Stevens County, MN

  Scott Ehrenberg, Olin Moore, and Laura Fredrick Wang

  Center for Small Towns (CST) requested a team of students from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs to produce a list of relevant resources that could be leveraged within the City of Morris and Stevens County to help address challenges related to dilapidated and substandard housing.

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  Lac Qui Parle Computer Commuter Content Analysis

  Kelly Asche, Michael Lindgren, and Zachary Threadgill

  In the spring of 2013, the Center for Small Towns created an analysis of Lac qui Parle County's Technology Education Project called the LqP Computer Commuter System. The analysis reviewed the system's role in promoting computer and internet literacy in the community. The goal of this analysis was to help the EDA better understand the effectiveness of the program while also generating ideas that could be added to the current model.

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  Wind and Solar Consumption

  Jessica Beyer and Seth Elsen

  This project aimed to examine wind and solar photovoltaics as means of alternative energy generation on the Upper Sioux Community’s landbase, and more specifically, generation for consumption by Prairie’s Edge Casino and Resort.

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  2010 Census Community Data Brochure- City of Clinton

  Center for Small Towns (University of Minnesota, Morris) and Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission

  This brochure provides publicly available data for the city of Clinton relating to population, housing, school enrollment trends, and the amount of employment and industry in the community (2010/2011). This was a collaboration between the Center for Small Towns and the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission.

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  2010 Census Community Data Brochure- City of Barry

  Center for Small Towns (University of Minnesota, Morris) and Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission

  This brochure provides publicly available data for the city of Barry relating to population, housing,school enrollment trends, and the amount of employment and industry in the community (2010/2011 data). This was a collaboration between the Center for Small Towns and the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission.

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  2010 Census Community Data Brochure- Swift County

  Center for Small Towns (University of Minnesota, Morris) and Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission

  This brochure provides publicly available data for Swift County relating to population, housing, school enrollment trends, and the amount of employment and industry in the community (2010/2011). This was a collaboration between the Center for Small Towns and the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission.

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  2010 Census Community Data Brochure- City of Kerkhoven

  Center for Small Towns (University of Minnesota, Morris) and Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission

  This brochure provides publicly available data for the city of Kerkhoven relating to population, housing, school enrollment trends, and the amount of employment and industry in the community (2010/2011). This was a collaboration between the Center for Small Towns and the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission.

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  2010 Census Community Data Brochure- City of Clontarf

  Center for Small Towns (University of Minnesota, Morris) and Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission

  This brochure provides publicly available data for the city of Clontarf relating to population, housing, school enrollment trends, and the amount of employment and industry in the community (2010/2011). This was a collaboration between the Center for Small Towns and the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission.