Becker County Business & Industry 2017

2017

Becker County

I & B

Business & Industry Review A PUBLICATION BY DETROIT LAKES NEWSPAPERS

inside the INDUSTRY

hometown assets

HEALTHCARE

EDUCATION

RESOURCES

TRANSPORTATION

BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017 | 1

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Welcome Index

By Paula Quam Who says you can’t mix business with pleasure? In Detroit Lakes, it’s almost a motto we live by. We may not be a big town, but we’re a popular one, particularly with tourists and those just passing through because this is just a fun town, plain and simple. But we don’t just play here, we live here - we’re lucky that way.

We have homegrown businesses and industries that keep rollin’ every day, providing our communities with good paying jobs and a solid foundation for which to grow our livelihoods and our families. And although we may have that “small town feel”, our industries and amenities are on the grow.

In this edition of Business & Industry, we take a look at some of those Detroit Lakes businesses that started as little ideas, grew into big dreams and were made into reality by good, hard Minnesota work ethic. We’ll also touch upon how national trends are affecting our area and how we are using some of our own local resources to grow from within.

Also, find out what local business resources are sitting right here, strong, steady and ready for the community to tap into.

Amenities and recreational opportunities are abound in this area, making it one of the best places on earth to settle in, go out, kick it up, or simply relax while taking in the beauty of lakes country. This is our town - we love it, and we think you will, too.

INSIDE THE Industry 6 Growth in local businesses

12 Broadband the ‘hottest thing

going’ for local providers 14 New businesses under construction 12 Proposed NAFTA changes could hurt Minnesota exporters

hometown assets 18 Norby’s and Lakeside:

The two oldest business buildings in town 20 Ice harvesting to make a comeback in Detroit Lakes next winter 22 Detroit Lakes Public Utilities’ solar garden project is heating up again

education 32 M State

34 A look at local school

districts in Becker County

RESOURCES

36 Detroit Lakes

37 38 39 40

Development Authority/ Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corp.

Banks Chamber of Commerce Tourism Bureau Detroit Lakes Tribune

TRANSPORTATION 44 Detroit Lakes-Becker County

Airport/getting around town

HEALTHCARE 30 Local healthcare facilities,

Essentia Helath St. Mary’s/ Sanford Health Detroit Lakes

detroit lakes newspapers

511 Washington Avenue Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218.847.3151 www.dl-online.com

MELISSA SWENSON publisher PAULA QUAM magazine editor Viola Anderson circulation manager

CONTRIBUTORS: Nathan Bowe Vicki Gerdes Kaysey Price Meagan Pittelko

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

Making it big in a small town Local business owners talk success stories

story by kaysey price | photos by meagan pittelko

I

t takes guts to be an entrepreneur.

The city of Detroit Lakes has certainly seen a few daring business owners come and go in its day, a few well-intentioned entrepreneurs looking to make it big on Becker County soil, but not all of them have been able to crack the tycoon code and stick around.

A few have stood the test of time, though, and are willing to share a little bit about where they got their start and the secrets that have kept the customers coming back.

R&G Subaru Local, family businesses may do well in the area, but R&G Subaru has a leg up in that department, being that they are

a family and friend-owned business.

Opening about 40 years ago, friends Ron Field and Greg Larson opened the Subaru dealership and, eventually were able to pass the business on to their sons, Matt Field and Drew Larson.

Field and Larson grew up around the dealership, both working there in high school.

Field’s father showed him the ropes of the service side of the business and Larson’s dad showed him around the sales side.

“Pretty much ever since I could walk I’ve been around here,” said Larson, flashing a picture of him when he was a little kid, sitting in his first Subaru.

Larson was doing much the same, going off to business school after col-

lege, planning on eventually taking over for his dad.

Matt and Drew took over the business about ten years ago, and they’ve been making their fathers proud, keeping the business strong.

“The key is just being able to take care of every single person that comes in here,” said Larson, stressing that customer service is a big part of their success. “We’re here to take care of people.”

They are also very involved in the community, doing an annual sponsorship.

They’ve still got that “small-town, community feel,” but the business is still growing, so much so that they’re looking at moving to a new location.

Matt Field and Drew Larson (top of page) are childhood friends and second-generation owners of R&G Subaru.

They took over the business from their fathers about 10 years ago, and have already expanded the dealership, outgrowing the current location. They will be moving to a new south Highway 59 location this summer.

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Roger and Anita Price are the third-generation owners of Price’s Fine Jewelry in Detroit Lakes. They stay up-to-date on the diamond industry and are always ready to evolve their business to stay successful.

“We’ve outgrown this spot,” said Larson, adding that their new location, south on Highway 59 will be much easier to get in and out of, so customers can watch for that coming this summer.

Price’s Fine Jewelry Price’s Fine Jewelry is another one of those family-owned businesses, now in its third generation of ownership.

Starting back in 1943, Clarissa and Kenneth Price opened Price’s, which was originally a watch repair shop.

Over the years, the Prices have stood the test of time by adapting the business to the demands of the field and eventually switching over and focusing on diamonds in 1958, after a total shift in the

watch business.

And each generation has taken over the business seamlessly no matter what new developments were happening in the jewelry world.

Roger Price officially took over the business as the third family generation in 1999, but he had been working at the shop long before that, learning goldsmithing from his grandfather when he was in high school.

But other aspects have also helped them achieve a solid customer base.

“We really have a standard different from chain stores,” said Anita Price, adding that they stay up-to-date on the diamond industry.

It takes daily dedication to keep a

business around for three generations.

“You just keep doing what you gotta do, and pretty soon you’ve been around 75 years,” said Roger.

And, when dedication falls short, then there’s faith.

“We’re very much a faith-based business,” said Anita. “God has given us this business, and if we’re good stewards, it will continue to grow.”

The Nines The Nines is another one of those businesses where the owner took a leap of faith to get things started.

“I woke up one day really feeling like I wanted more,” said store owner Lauren Zima. “I wanted to be excited to go to

BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017 | 7

work every day and make people smile.”

Then she said a realization just “hit me like a ton of bricks” as she drove by the store’s first Washington location.

“It wasn’t good timing,” she recalls. “Many people — including family — were not supportive.”

But she says her husband came around to the idea and they took the leap together.

“We’ve done well since opening day,” said Zima, adding that her secret to success has been her passion to help people and hiring employees who also like to help people.

“I feel like service is not

what it used to be with self-checkout and Amazon,” she said, adding that her goal was to create a store where customers do still get help picking out clothes and making purchases.

Also, she says there a lot of hard work behind the scenes that people may not know about. She and her husband are working hard to keep the business running — and she has support from her mother, who watches their kids.

And with all the success, now she’s even looking into expanding her store, moving her kid section across the street into her old location and starting a whole store dedicated to infant through tween clothing, which will be coming soon.

Lauren Zima is the owner of The Nines in Detroit Lakes, who took a leap of faith and opened her store up despite a lack of support. Now she’s doing well for herself and loving what she does.

8 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

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INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

La Barista Brooke and Courtney Wenzel’s coffee shop, La Barista, was one of those brain babies that emerged from the right people with the right experience meeting each other at just the right time.

They were both living in the Twin Cities and, when they met, they both wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle. So, in 2009, they moved to Detroit Lakes.

Both of them had worked in restaurant businesses for some time, and opening their own just seemed like the logical next step.

“This (Washington Square Mall location) became available, and we figured we’d give it a go,” said Brooke.

And the two have been working hard to keep things going ever since.

“Part of the success is that it’s right downtown,” Brooke said.

But another big part is that they are

Brooke and Courtney Wenzel are the owners of La Barista in the Washington Square Mall. Their success has taken off to the point of taking pastry orders from the White House. Brian Basham/ Tribune more than just a coffee shop. They host events, like retirement parties and visiting representatives, like Amy Klobuchar, who stopped by during campaign season and swore by La Barista’s pastries, saying she’d had Brooke ship some to the White House.

They also do a lot of catering.

“I didn’t picture it doing as well as it does,” said Brooke.

But she says the side aspects to the business have really helped — and it also helps that she and Courtney make such a great team.

10 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

“I really don’t think I could work without him,” she said, adding that she has complete faith in his abilities. “He does a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff.”

Then, in addition to the experience and the team work, she says a lot of their success is also born out of their hard work.

“I think it’s successful because we’re here every day,” she said, adding that their presence at the business has allowed them to create relationships with their customers, lending to a very loyal following. “(A lot of them) will be coming back soon because they’re snowbirds.”

As for future plans from this successful business, they still own property out on Highway 10, and are trying their best to get a business going out there. They are just waiting to hear back from the city about the utilities.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

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INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

For service providers, broadband is the hottest thing going

story by nathan bowe | photos by meagan pittelko

W

hile Arvig has roots as a telephone and cable TV company, its future growth lies in the Internet.

“Our two real strategic goals are to be a fiber and broadband company,” said Mark Birkholz, director of southern markets for Arvig. “We have fiber throughout Minnesota to serve a lot of cell towers, and we provide broadband to residential clients in about 75 communities.”

The “Internet of things” is creating more and more useage in broadband, he added. “The industry is on fire right now.”

A lot of people don’t realize it, but those miles of cell phone towers are connected by underground fiber optics.

“In southwest Minnesota, we own some cell towers,” Birkholz said.

“Wireless phone is pretty much carried by fiber optics across the country. After your cell phone call hits the first tower, it’s not wireless anymore — it travels by fiber to the next tower. All the cell towers you see are connected by fiber.”

In the ordinary scheme of things, people might assume that internet service providers and cell phone companies are competitors. “Actually, they’re great customers of ours,” Birkholz said.

Arvig provides broadband either through fiber optics or copper wire, connected to a residence or business. The system is distance-sensitive and driven by electronics, he said.

In Waubun, for example, the city

The Arvig office in Detroit Lakes. Internet services are the fastest-growing part of its business.

12 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

and about a mile of surrounding area “we put electronics in with really good broadband feed over copper (wire),” he said.

Arvig is also a cable TV provider, so much of its Internet service in the Detroit Lakes area is delivered over buried coaxial cable. “We have packages that start at 25 mgs (megabytes) and can easily deliver 100 mgs service over that coaxial plant,” said Birkholz.

Arvig is constantly improving its Internet service base or foundation by upgrading its existing system and building-out to new customers. “It’s a continual investment,” he added.

Where Internet providers end up falling short is in sparsely populated “pocket areas” with just one or two residenc-

es per mile, said Birkholz. “Those are really the last customers without great services — and some of them are doing fine, if they’re (located) on the way to a town or cell tower,” he added.

Building Internet infrastructure out to those isolated rural areas can get expensive real fast. It might cost $500 or less to hook up customers in town, but as much as $40,000 per customer in rural country, where there’s just one farm every couple miles.

Internet service providers can’t shoulder those costs on their own, and state matching grant dollars are nowhere near enough to cover the need.

The Governor’s Task Force on Broadband projected the cost at between $970 million-$3 billion to build out Minnesota border-to-border with broadband. But the annual allotments from the Legislature have ranged from just under $11 million at the lowest to $35 million at the highest — far short of the need.

That’s still better than nothing, Birkholz pointed out. Since those state dollars come with a 50 percent matching requirement from providers, that means “about $100 million in good has happened the last few years.”

“That’s the piece that we as a service provider are just so aware of — those rural areas out of town are high-cost. It’s taken some resources from other areas to make them viable.”

One such area is the Federal Communications Commission, which launched a 10-year program on Jan. 1 (The Alternative Connect America Cost Model) that helps pay for expanded Internet service to rural areas. An FCC map shows that large areas to the south and west Detroit Lakes are eligible, and to a lesser extent areas to the east, as well. To the north, not so much.

“Arvig opted-in, and that will help us reach a number of these harder-to-get-to areas, to have some help to do it from the FCC over the next 10 years” Birkholz said. “It will get us 90 percent of the way there, but there will be different levels of service — not everyone will have fiber service to their door, it might be copper or coaxial.”

Still, it’s all moving in the right direction, and Arvig is up for the challenge.

“Broadband is the single biggest growth area of any service provider,” Birkholz said. “It’s what gets us up in the morning and gets us out to work each day.”

Arvig provides broadband either through fiber optics or copper wire, connected to a residence or business.

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INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

Under construction New buildings on the way along Detroit Lakes beach

story and photos by kaysey price

D

etroit Lakes has seen a lot of changes in the last few years, with new buildings like the Downtown Crossing and McKinley Plaza rewriting the small-town skyline — and the changes don’t seem to be coming to a halt any time soon.

With a few buildings just finishing construction this spring and a couple more set to complete come the summer, Detroit Lakes is ready to offer a little something new to the tourists who are bound to follow the warm weather to the lakes country.

The two most recent businesses to complete construction on new buildings

are the Holiday gas station, just across the street from the store’s old location and Absolute Ice, which is located in the industrial park.

The Holiday gas station broke ground on McKinley Avenue back in April last year, and officially opened its doors to the public on Feb. 21, to a community eager to test the new car wash and check out the added product.

As for the old Holiday Stationstore location, a limited liability company under the name 1237 Bros L.L.C. has purchased the building. Whether the space will be used for corporate offices or something else is yet to be deter-

The Fairfield Inn & Suites is nearing completion and is set to open this summer.

14 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

mined.

Over at Absolute Ice, an 11,000-square-foot ice manufacturing plant opened just last week.

Owners Randy Gravelle and Pat Schons said they just “saw a big gap in customer service” and went for it, which resulted in the latest and greatest ice-making technology in a building designed specifically for producing the cool product.

The buildings in town that are still finishing up are the hotel-and-restaurant combo in the works on the lot kittycorner from the Pavilion on Little Detroit Lake.

The owners of the Brew Ales and Eats will be the owners of the restaurant adjacent to the new hotel on Detroit Lake beach. The restaurant will be called Hub 41 and is set to open this summer along with the hotel.

That lot has held a number of businesses over the years, but now it’s amping up to hold a Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott hotel come summer.

The $12 million project by Hotel Partners LLC includes 69 units, topped by nine condominiums.

A 4,000-square-foot restaurant next to the hotel is also expected, the name of which has recently been revealed: Hub 41. Owned by the proprietors of Brew Ales and Eats, Hub 41 is expected to be a “completely different concept than the Brew” and will feature a rooftop patio overlooking the Detroit Lakes city beach.

The Brew will remain open, continuing to do its thing, and Hub 41 will open this summer along with the hotel, offering something a little different for DL locals and visitors alike.

“Raise your glasses to a new restaurant in town serving up classic favorites along with menu items that will tantalize your tastebuds,” said Brew Ales and Eats owner Gretchen Hunter.

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INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

Changes to NAFTA could hurt Minnesota exporters story by nathan bowe

O

ne of President Trump’s campaign promises was to either renegotiate or do away with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which opens trade borders between the United States, Mexico and Canada. The president is especially interested in renegotiating NAFTA with Mexico.

The Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development took a look at how NAFTA affects Minnesota exports, and found that changes would affect state farmers, manufacturers and others in a variety of ways.The state’s report is called “Minnesota: Trade/ Investment Ties to NAFTA.” Here are some key findings: Minnesota’s trade with Mexico is only a third of its trade with Canada — but the state’s trade growth with Mexico has been explosive: Exports to Mexico increased 937 percent between 1996 and 2015.

Minnesota’s total trade with its NAFTA partners, Canada and Mexico, was $17.5 billion in 2015, about a third of the state’s total exports.

Among all countries, by total trade, Canada was the state’s largest market, and Mexico was the state’s third-largest market.

Minnesota actually exports more to Mexico than it imports from Mexico.

With about 119,000 jobs across the state supported by Minnesota’s exports of goods, an estimated 40,000 of these jobs support exports to Mexico and Canada.

Total exports to Canada were worth $4.5 billion and total imports were val-

ued at $8.6 billion, for a total trade value of about $13.1 billion.

Total exports to Mexico were worth $2.4 billion and total imports were valued at $2 billion, for a total trade value of $4.4 billion.

The state’s exports to NAFTA partners increased $4 billion (or 143 percent) between 1996 and 2015 (not adjusted for inflation). While exports grew to Canada by 72 percent (or up $1.9 billion), exports to Mexico grew by 937 percent (or up $2.2 billion) during this period. In contrast, Minnesota’s export growth to all markets was 123 percent — with China (up 651 percent) being the main contributor.

Exports are a big deal to Minnesota farmers: The USDA estimated that Minnesota exported $6.3 billion in agricultural products in 2015. The state’s leading agricultural exports are soybeans, feeds and other feed grains, corn and pork.

On the national level, despite significant growth in U.S. trade with NAFTA countries, the trade pact has had only a small positive impact (estimated at less than 0.5 percent of U.S. gross domestic product) on the overall U.S. economy, because total NAFTA trade represents less than 5 percent of U.S. GDP. NAFTA has been a failure in some ways, according to the report: The agreement was expected to narrow productivity and wage gaps between the U.S. and Mexico, and provide social benefits, such as raising the standard of living in Mexico to that of the U.S. and Canada. None of that happened, maybe

16 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

because other improvements targeting infrastructure, educational institutions and social policies in Mexico were not part of NAFTA. NAFTA critics, including Trump, say the low wages paid in Mexico provide a big incentive for American manufacturers to fire their workers, relocate to Mexico and use Mexican workers to produce the same goods that are then exported back into the United States.

The report concedes that NAFTA gets a lot of the blame for the significant loss in American manufacturing jobs, but notes that other factors — such as technological advances and the growth of the Chinese economy — likely play larger roles.

Even without a bilateral trade agreement, U.S. total trade in goods with China increased by almost 1,000 percent between 1993 and 2015, from $60 billion to more than $640 billion.

NAFTA has proved controversial over the years. Above, an anti-NAFTA protester holds a sign. (Photo by Billie Greenwood).

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

HOMETOWN ASSETS

Then and now

I B&

The two oldest business buildings in town

Norby’s Department Store, top photos, is one of the oldest businesses in town, along with Lakeside Tavern, right.

story and photo by megan pittelko

F

rom wayward travelers looking for a bed for the night to children drooling over piles of candy, the oldest standing building in Detroit Lakes has drawn a wide variety of clientele through its doors.

Now, the building is home to a restaurant and brew pub and goes — of course — by the name of Lakeside Tavern.

The building, which began as Lakeside Hotel in 1891, has changed alongside the city, adding and adjusting amenities to keep up with the world around it. As lakeside industry expanded, for example, the hotel built cabins and a large dock on the lake. Likewise, as tourism blossomed in the city, the building

added a confectionary to intrigue visiting families.

Following a disastrous incident in which a young girl died inside, time seemed to get the best of the building; families avoided the candy shop and competing businesses grew fierce.

However, in the 1980s, the building was resurrected and became what is now known as Lakeside Tavern. And, despite its lengthy past, the building has managed to stand the test of time and now draws all ages through its doors.

Holding its own While some buildings have seen a wealth of businesses come and go

18 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

through the years, one Detroit Lakes building has maintained the same business since 1906. That building, located at 823 Washington Ave., has housed Norby’s Department Store for 111 years, making it the oldest surviving business in Detroit Lakes, according to the Becker County Historical Society.

At its inception in 1906, Norby’s offered retail goods as well as grocery items and, by 1914, it had expanded to 75 feet of storefront.

Today, Norby’s continues to outfit the city of Detroit Lakes by offering clothing items, accessories, home goods and more. However, it no longer offers groceries.

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In 1995, BTD became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Otter Tail Corporation. This provided our company with the opportunity and resources to grow our business and better serve the needs of our customers. In addition, it helped expand our management expertise, strategic planning and allowed us to hire and train the best people in the business to make products for our customers.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

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I & B

The return of the ice harvest

Detroit Lakes will be the chief supplier of ice for the 2018 St. Paul Winter Carnival

story by vicki gerdes | photos provided by becker county historical society

I

t hasn’t been all that long since ice harvesting was a major part of life in Detroit Lakes. In fact, as recently as 50-60 years ago, it was the second biggest industry in Becker County, behind only timber and logging.

But since the advent of commercial refrigeration, this part of Detroit Lakes’ history has become all but obsolete — until now. The winter of 2017-18 will see the return of commercial ice harvesting to this community, as Detroit Lakes has been named the lead supplier of ice for the St. Paul Winter Carnival — which is slated to include the construction of one of the largest ice palaces ever built.

“It’s going to take 10 to 14 days of harvesting — and they’re going to be long days, between 10-16 hours,” says local resident Scott Walz, who along

with his wife Tiffiny is part of the planning committee for the event. “There’s going to be lots of volunteers needed.”

“We’re working really closely with the St. Paul Winter Carnival Ice Palace Committee to make this happen,” says Tiffiny Walz.

So why did this group of about a dozen community-spirited individuals decide to take on such a huge project — and why now?

“It’s an incredible opportunity,” says Scott Walz — because St. Paul’s 2018 Winter Carnival just happens to coincide with the coming of the Super Bowl to the Twin Cities.

That’s right: This country’s biggest single-day sporting event will be hosted by U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings, on Feb. 4, 2018.

And with the Super Bowl comes swarms of reporters, photographers and film crews, all looking for stories with a unique angle.

Members of the Ice Palace Committee have told them that upwards of 10,000 media passes are issued for the Super Bowl each year, Scott Walz noted — and of those, only about 4,000 media personnel are there to actually cover the game.

“The others are all there to cover the human interest stories surrounding it,” says Walz — and the last time that the Twin Cities hosted a Super Bowl, the St. Paul Winter Carnival Ice Palace was featured more than once in national TV coverage. So what will this mean for Detroit Lakes?

“It’s a chance to promote Detroit

During the peak of the ice harvesting industry in Detroit Lakes, there were as many as 180 men employed throughout the harvest season, which typically ran from late December to early February. (Submitted photo) 20 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

This is a photo (right) of one of the ice palaces that have been created for the St. Paul Winter Carnival over the years. (Submitted photo) Lakes on a national level, as it’s never been done before,” says Walz, noting that one of the most frequently asked questions about the Winter Carnival Ice Palace is, “Where does all that ice come from? Ice harvesting has never really been tied to the Ice Palace before.”

Because the lakes in and around St. Paul do not freeze early enough, or deeply enough, to supply the amount of ice necessary to create such a huge structure, the committee looked to outstate Minnesota: “In order to have the best odds of getting this ice palace built, they know they have to go north,” said Tiffiny Walz. “ Th e ch ai r of th e Ice Pal ace Committee is related to someone from Detroit Lakes, so he gave us an opportunity to make our pitch,” said Scott Walz.

“Our local history of harvesting ice made such a great backdrop story, they were all sold on the idea.”

And so Detroit Lakes became not just one of several outstate ice sources, but THE source for the 2018 St. Paul Winter Carnival.

“Of course, it all depends on Mother Nature,” Walz noted. “They want to build this ice palace on a grand scale, but if the weather doesn’t cooperate… they might not be able to have one at all. There are so many variables we just can’t control.

“But that’s part of the mystery and beauty of ice,” he added. “It’s temporary. A structure made out of ice will only last as long as it’s frozen.”

In conjunction with the Detroit Lakes ice harvest, which will take place sometime between December 2017 and

January 2018 — again, depending on the weather and ice conditions — the committee is planning to hold an Ice Harvest Festival, incorporating as many local activities and events as possible.

Though the planning is still in the early stages, they hope that they will be able to use some of the ice harvested to create some sort of sculpture that will be prominently featured during the local festival — and to do that, they have enlisted the help of the extremely talented local sculptor, Hans Gilsdorf, whose work can be seen on large-scale

This photo from the Becker County Historical Society depicts a Jan. 17, 1942 ice harvest on Detroit Lake.

The men with the short “pickeroos” (ice picks) are switchmen preparing to load the ice blocks onto Northern Pacific Railroad cars. The railroad was the Fargo-Detroit Ice Works’ biggest customer at that time, when as many as 4,000 boxcars were used to ship ice to the western U.S. during the harvest season.

BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017 | 21

This 1947 photo depicts ice harvest workers pushing floats of cut ice along Cedar Lake for harvesting (above). Ice harvest workers had to be pretty strong to maneuver the ice floats onto the tramway for shipping or storage. (left)

In this Jan. 17, 1962 photo (above right) from the Becker County Historical Society, Fargo-Detroit Ice Works employees are seen guiding floats of ice cakes onto a tramway, which was used to carry the ice from the lake into boxcars for shipping, or into storage icehouses. public sculptures such as the bronze sailboat in front of the Detroit Lakes Pavilion, and the “Once Upon a Time” sculpture at the local library, which features a child reading a storybook.

“Hans is leading the design work for that structure, whatever it ends up being,” Scott Walz said.

Because the planning for the Ice Harvest Festival is still in its infancy, “there are lots of ways to get involved,” added Tiffiny Walz. “Anyone who is

interested can send us an email at icepalace2018@gmail.com, or talk to one of the committee members.

“The draw is the ice harvest, but we really want to show people why we live up here… we want to fill up our resorts and hotels,” she added. “We want to give them as many opportunities as possible to get out and experience ‘up north’ living.

“We’re really putting a lot of pressure on Mother Nature,” Scott Walz added. “We don’t know how she’ll respond. But we’re hoping that if we do this well enough, they’ll (i.e., the Ice Palace Committee) come to us again and again.”

Ice harvesting: A brief history According to the Becker County Historical Society, large scale ice harvesting on Detroit Lake was started

by John K. West in 1897. By 1903, the

22 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

Fargo-Detroit Ice Works was incorporated, and three decades later, ice harvesting had become Becker County’s second largest industry. By this time, a second ice harvesting operation, the Addison Miller Company, had formed; eventually, this operation was bought out by the Fargo-Detroit Ice Works.

The ice harvest typically began in late December and went well into January, sometimes even as late as February, depending on the weather.

In the peak years of harvesting, as much as 200,000 tons of ice was harvested and 4,000 boxcars were used for shipping ice to the western states.

As many as 120 men worked on a single ice harvest in the beginning; at its peak, there were as many as 180 men employed for the harvest — many of them farmers and construction workers needing extra winter income.

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HOMETOWN ASSETS

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A bright business opportunity for Detroit Lakes?

Public utilities’ plans for community solar garden heating up again

story by vicki gerdes

I

t’s a project that’s been about three years in the making, but with a site chosen, supplier determined, and marketing campaign launched, Detroit Lakes Public Utilities is hoping that its plans for a community solar garden will finally come to fruition this fall.

“We’d like to be in commercial operation by the first week in October,” says DLPU General Manager Vernell Roberts.

“We’re hoping to sell 65 panels by the

end of May.” “We have 13 sold so far,” said Josh Mason, the city’s energy services specialist, in mid-March.

After being unable to sell enough panels to the city’s public utility customers to get an array built before the ground froze up last fall, they decided to expand the purchasing window by several months this time around.

“We had a really tight window last

year,” said Roberts, noting that with over 200 customers indicating initial interest in the project, they should have been able to sell enough of the panels to get at least one array built.

But it didn’t happen, so they’re trying again, with a little more lead time.

“We’re hoping it flies,” he added.

Each 450-watt panel costs $1,075, and there is a six-panel limit per customer — which, when you consider

This photo (above) depicts what the new solar array being planned for Detroit Lakes’ industrial park might look like once it’s completed. Construction is slated to take place this summer, with the array hopefully ready for public utility customers’ use as early as October.

24 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

This Google Earth map shows where the proposed solar garden would be located at 1426 Terry Street, inside the Detroit Lakes Industrial Park.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

HOMETOWN ASSETS

the $20,000-$25,000 price tag of installing a solar array on the roof of your house, is a pretty good bargain, Roberts noted.

“Plus, many homes are not suited for rooftop solar,” he added.

With this system, each solar panel will produce an estimated 540-635 kilowatt hours per year — an annual savings of about $55-$65 on your utility bill.

“Whatever the output of a solar panel is — and it varies by month — you will get a proportional credit on your utility bill,” said Roberts.

The estimated life of the solar

array is 20 years, though it could last longer, he added.

“After 20 years we have an obligation to buy the panels back,” Roberts said, adding that even if there is still life in the array at that time, technology will likely have advanced enough to make replacement both necessary, and desirable.

If the department reaches its goal by the end of May, construction on the array will begin this summer, and hopefully be completed in time for an October launch. The array will be located at 1426 Terry Street, across from the Rotary soccer fields

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in the city’s industrial park.

For more information, please contact Josh Mason at 218-8467133 or jmason@ci.detroit-lakes. mn.us. Forms and applications are also available online at www.cityofdetroitlakes. com — or you can stop by the City Administration Building at 1025 Roosevelt Ave. in Detroit Lakes.

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HEALTHCARE

Here’s to our health...

I

n the past several years, the face of health care in Detroit Lakes has undergone some extensive changes. And both Essentia Health St. Mary’s and Sanford Health continue to grow and change.

Essentia Health St. Mary’s In 2008, St. Mary’s completed a 40,000-square-foot addition to its campus that encompassed both a new, integrated Therapy Center and an expanded nursing home — with the name of that nursing home being changed as well, from St. Mary’s Nursing Center to Oak Crossing.

In May 2011, St. Mary’s EMS completed a construction project of its own, which included 10,939 square feet of space for a garage, office, two conference rooms and a kitchen.

And in August 2011, work was completed on a 49,315-square-foot remod-

eling and expansion project at the Essentia Health St. Mary’s Clinic, which includes 90 exam rooms, nine procedure rooms and seven registration desks.

There is now one main entry for the hospital and the clinic, which is located off Frazee Street, along with new patient and visitor parking on the east side and a drop off lane at the main entrance.

There is also a retail pharmacy, complete with drive-through, and Urgent Care is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

An imaging department remodel has also been completed, and a new MRI machine and CT scanner are also now in place.

A new Essentia Health clinic in Frazee opened a couple of years ago as well.

The most significant change in healthcare news this year, though, has been Essentia Health’s acquisition of the

Sanford Clinic is one of two clinics in Detroit Lakes.

30 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

7-Day Clinics, including that of the one in Detroit Lakes. The changeover took place March 1, with Essentia officials saying patients from both clinics would be the biggest beneficiaries of the merger because of better access and convenience to care and a direct connection to Essentia Health’s broader network of services and specialists. Medical records of both providers were merged for an easy transition for patients. Essentia Health also retained all of the 70-some professional healthcare providers and support staff that were previously employed by the 7-Day clinics in the five affected locations. EssentiaHealth.org.

Sanford Health No stranger to expansion, Sanford Health announced plans in 2009 for a 33,000 square foot expansion and 28,800 square foot remodeling project at its existing Detroit Lakes clinic for

about $15 million.

Completed in October 2011, the clinic’s 60,000 square feet of total space now encompasses a surgery center with two operating suites and an endoscopy suite; expanded imaging and lab services; expanded and relocated physical and occupational therapy spaces; outdoor space for mobile medical units with over-head canopies on the south and north entrances; and expanded clinic space for future growth of up to 36 providers, both primary and specialty care.

The pharmacy and optical shop were completely redone as well.

One of the biggest moves was bringing behavioral science, which was down the block from the main clinic, under the same roof.

Services now offered at the Detroit Lakes clinic include dermatology, diabetes education, dialysis, hematology, nutrition, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, optometry, orthopedic surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, psychology, physical and occupational therapy, occupational medicine, surgery and urology.

The clinic now employs one full time RN strictly as a “health coach,” whose job is to coordinate patient care before,

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In a forward-thinking move driven by demand, Sanford Health in Detroit Lakes took a big step in 2017 toward what officials there call “the future of medicine” when they hired Karen Velaski Schmit to be an integrated health therapist. Working for Sanford Health facilities around the lakes area, she will be able to video chat with patients in different locations as needed.

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The campus has continued to grow over the years, offering more space and services, like the new MRI area.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

EDUCATION

I & B

“Will you succeed?

Yes you will indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.”

– Dr. Seuss

D

etroit Lakes and the surrounding communities can help with that success with both private and public school options and a community college.

M State An important part of any organization’s staying power is its willingness to embrace change.

Nowhere is this more evident than at the Detroit Lakes Campus of M State, also known as Minnesota State Community & Technical College in Detroit Lakes.

Since the school began its operations more than 50 years ago, it’s been creating and redesigning programs that teach students the skills and knowledge employers want.

MSCTC serves about 9,200 students annually on campuses in Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Moorhead and Wadena and through online coursework.

While M State’s Detroit Lakes campus still offers traditional two-year programs such as accounting and nursing, the college has steadily increased its offerings of new and improved programs to meet the needs of the 21st century workforce.

M State offers more than 100 career programs and liberal arts transfer degrees. The college is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, which comprises 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota.

The addition of the Associate of Arts program became possible with the merger of the Fergus Falls Community College with the Detroit Lakes, Moorhead and Wadena campuses of the former Northwest Technical College.

With that merger, the institution became a comprehensive community and technical college and the A.A. degree be-came the equivalent of the first two years of a four year degree.

In the past six years, M State’s transfer options have continued to greatly strengthen, giving students the option of studying closer to home before solidifying four-year goals.

A.A. degree-level courses in English, math, science, history, speech, political science, psychology, art, sociology and introduction to humanities are among the classes offered.

Online programs have also bolstered

Detroit Lakes Public Schools continue to grow with technology advances and other student needs.

32 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

the school’s growth, as non-conventional students flood the web, hungry for educational opportunities that fit into their schedules.

In addition to the transfer degree, the Detroit Lakes campus also manages eight other online programs in their entirety.

These include radiology technology, web development, network technology administration, IT or information technology support, administrative management technology, paralegal and entrepreneurial A.A.S. M State is also placing more emphasis on working with other community entities throughout the workforce and high school to better prepare local students for in-demand jobs in the region, whether it be working more with adult basic education, a school-to-work program at the high school or professional mentor.

Public schools Schools, often called the “heart of the community,” are certainly that in Becker County. And while they all strive for excellence in educational opportunities, they also all have their own special ways of shining.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

EDUCATION

Detroit Lakes The Detroit Lakes Public School District is a conglomerate of five schools — Roosevelt Elementary, Rossman Elementary, the Middle School, the High School and the Lincoln Education Center.

A private Catholic school, Holy Rosary, also sits in the heart of downtown Detroit Lakes. Private schools Faith Christian School and Adventist Christian School are also located near Detroit Lakes.

Keeping up with the changing times, Detroit Lakes students are putting down some of their old text books and picking up their new iPads.

The district’s iPad initiative put the devices in the hands of every fifth through eighth grader, and so far school leaders are glad they did.

The district offers a variety of Advanced Placement courses to enable high school students to get a jump start on their post-secondary education.

Its Area Learning Center, which moved to the M State campus this year, provides educational alternatives for those kids who may struggle, academically and otherwise, in a traditional school setting.

At the Lincoln Education Center, the district provides a full spectrum of community education courses and activities for all ages, in areas including computers, driver’s education, crafts and hobbies, safety courses, trips, tours as well as cultural, athletic and youth enrichment activities.

The center also houses Early Childhood Family Education and Early Childhood Special Education.

FRAZEE-VERGAS The Frazee-Vergas School District has undergone several positive changes in the last few years, including the hiring of Superintendent Terry Karger, implementing a one-on-one technology initiative with iPads and ramping up their course offerings.

The school district continues to boast high test scores academically and high achievements in other areas like its Future Farmers of America organization, its newly formed Robotics program (which made it to the national competition this year) and of course, wrestling.

Its wrestling program remains topnotch as the team has made it to state nine out of the past ten years, including being awarded third place this year in Class 1A state wrestling.

Lake Park-Audubon Change came fast at Lake ParkAudubon, too, as students not only continued to get used to their newly remodeled and expanded elementary school, but are also now settled into their fairly new high school - new facilities that has sparked healthy enrollment growth there over the past couple of years.

Grades 7-12 are set up in their new $17.5 million, 105,000 square foot building.

The facilities, which uses geothermal heating, has a gym that holds 1,000 spectators and customized classrooms, is located on the west edge of Lake Park.

The facility also provides wireless Internet access and is monitored by 50 cameras spread out throughout the grounds.

While the elementary school was remodeled at the same time, it has already tight on space, and school board members and district leaders are going back to the drawing board to see what their next move will be to add more space for the growing population.

The district recently moved to make laptop computers available to students.

Waubun-Ogema-White Earth The Waubun-Ogema-White Earth School District has also been going through tremendous change over the past few years.

In March of 2010, the district was identified as a “turn around school” after receiving low test scores. School leaders rallied and have

M State in Detroit Lakes offers a variety of courses for students of all ages. Besides graduates, many high school students also take advantage of the post-secondary program, earning college credits before they graduate from high school.

34 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

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since taken a $1.4 million grant and used it to implement change.

An hour of instruction has been added to the curriculum daily, and professional learning communities were formed to ensure teachers were as effective as possible.

But an area where the WaubunOgema-White Earth School District needs no help in its technology, as iPads and other app devices are used daily.

School-to-work program Helping students find their calling in life earlier rather than later is the goal of the School-to-Work Program at Detroit Lakes High School.

Matching students with their desired career choice, teens are able to get out into the workforce and see firsthand what the career is all about. For many, the move solidifies the student’s choice.

For others, it may be the best wake-up call to a career they really weren’t cut out for after all.

This can save students lots of time and money in unneeded costs.

First implemented in 1996 in Detroit Lakes High School, the program has grown from a few manufacturing-type jobs to pretty much any career a student wishes. (There are a couple exceptions like physician assistants because with confidentiality laws, doctors can’t have high schoolers in the exam rooms with them. Coordinator Vern Schnathorst tries to find the closest thing possible though.)

There are about 120 students a year going through the School-to-Work program, and about 50 percent try a couple internships out before they find the right fit.

Some internships have even turned into a job after graduation, so the program can benefit the businesses as well as the students.

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BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

RESOURCES

I & B

Starting a business?

Need a little boost? There are several resources available.

N

eed some information about where the best location in town is for a business? There are resources for that too.

Need a loan? Got that covered as well.

Detroit Lakes Development Authority The Detroit Lakes Development Authority is open for business, with a full kit of economic development tools available and lots available in a new industrial park.

A few years ago, the city added onto its second industrial park, encompassing 60 acres and features 20 new lots.

It is located north of town on Richwood Road.

The total project cost was $2.2 million. The city paid about half and the rest was covered largely by the federal Economic Development Administration, which chipped in $1.1 million, and the state of Minnesota, which came through with $250,000.

The federal EDA helped pay for the first Detroit Lakes industrial park on Eighth Street in 1971, and with an expansion there later.

It also helped with the city’s second industrial park, paying $500,000 of the total $1 million cost back in 1998.

There are also six lots available in a smaller park off North Tower Road. The city utilities department has its headquarters there now.

Detroit Lakes has several revolving loan funds available to qualified business developers.

The DLDA has a $400,000 loan pool for gap financing and the city’s public utilities department has a $1.5 million

loan pool.

The West Central Initiative, which includes the Becker County area, has a $600,000 loan fund available.

In all, there is about $3 million in loan funds available in the Detroit Lakes area.

The city also offers tax increment financing to qualified developers, and in the past has provided tax abatement packages and participated in the state’s JOBZ program.

Becker County also has a revolving loan fund and an economic development department with a full range of programs available.

F razee and Lake Park also offer development incentives through an EDA and have industrial parks available. Other communities have industrial parks available, including Audubon and Callaway.

T he White Earth Reservation also welcomes business development, and developers there may well be able to tap into sizeable loans and federal tax credits available through the Midwest Minnesota Community Action Agency in Detroit Lakes.

Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation Looking for a business loan from $5,000 to $20 million?

T hat’s an unusual range, but the Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corp. MMCDC is an unusual organization.

With headquarters in Detroit Lakes, the MMCDC is a non-profit organization that provides capital resources and innovative ideas to assist in successful business and community develop-

36 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

ment throughout Minnesota and the Midwest.

The MMCDC is one of the largest non-profit lenders in the state.

It lends to businesses — both established businesses and start-ups — that aim to improve their community by creating new jobs and greater financial opportunities for residents.

In brief, here are the services offered

by MMCDC: • Business lending for new business and business expansions that generally serve to improve the community, such as the creation of new jobs, with loans ranging from $5,000 to $20 million.

• Community development and technical assistance.

• Affordable housing initiative: The MMCDC manages rental properties that accommodate everyone from lowincome and handicapped individuals to senior citizens in need of assisted living.

• The MMCDC pro-vides affordable loans for home purchase and home repair by using a combination of lowinterest loan products and down payment assistance.

The MMCDC offers a number of advantages to businesses: • Low interest rates – MMCDC can often provide a loan with a below-market interest rate, so eligible business owners can save on interest expenses.

• Flexible terms –MMCDC’s loan programs offer business owners flexible terms, providing more options when it comes to the length of the loan.

Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation in Detroit Lakes is one of several resources avialable to new businesses.

• Community development – By teaming up with MMCDC, eligible business owners get the personal satisfaction of knowing that they’re helping to improve the community in which they live.

• A wide variety of programs and financing options – Through MMCDC, eligible business owners are granted access to a number of loan programs that traditional lenders can’t always offer.

These programs feature low, and often fixed, interest rates, reduced closing costs and minimal down payments, so you need less money at closing.

In 2012, MMCDC’s track record of successful rural community development was recognized and rewarded with an additional allocation of federal New Markets Tax Credits. This allocation is to be used exclusively within qualified rural areas of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Minnesota.

New Markets Tax Credits make difficult-to-finance projects viable through lower interest rates, partial debt forgiveness, higher loan-tovalue ratios, extended amortization periods, reduced debt service requirements, and/or interest-only payments for seven years.

Synergy loans are designed to help with everything from jump-starting a new business to expanding an existing one. These loans are made possible when you work with MMCDC to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the federal government’s New Markets Tax Credit pro-gram.

Eligible borrowers for the IRP Business Loan Program include most for-profit businesses that are located in rural areas and provide employment opportunities to community residents.

Loans are available in amounts up to $250,000 or 75 percent of the project costs (with a $250,000

maximum). For larger projects, another lender may be involved to provide additional debt.

The term of your loan depends upon the type of asset you’re interested in financing.

Equipment loan terms range from 3-10 years. Real estate loan terms range from 15-25 years. Loan terms of up to 30 years are available if special circumstances exist.

Eligible borrowers for the Rural Business Enterprise Loan Program include most for-profit businesses that provide employment opportunities in rural areas. The MMCDC also has a special loan pool for Native American businesses in rural areas.

Loans are available in amounts up to $450,000, collectively. Up to 75 percent project financing is available for existing and startup businesses on a typical structure. The term of your loan depends upon the type of asset you’re interested in financing.

Banks The multiple banks located in Detroit Lakes have something that sets them apart yet brings them all together when it comes to business and mortgage lending.

• Bremer Bank is located at 115 Holmes Street or call 218-847-9292.

• Midwest Bank’s main office is located 613 Highway 10 East. Phone is 218-8474771. There is also a branch office at Wal-Mart. Phone is 218-847-9700.

• First Security Bank is located at 611 Summit Avenue or call 218-847-3042.

• Bell State Bank and Trust is located at 920 Lake Avenue or call 218-844-3000.

• American National Bank is located at 1325 Highway 10 West or call 218-847-1383.

• Wells Fargo is located at 211 Holmes Street West or call 218-847-1361.

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BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017 | 37

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

I B&

RESOURCES

Strength in numbers Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce is connecting force story by paula quam | photo by megan pittelko

W

hen it’s time to get down to business, there is one local organization that certainly shines in that department: The Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce is the connective hub of a large amount of business that runs in and out of the area and has been for nearly a century.

“The Chamber of Commerce has been around technically since 1921, but they actually started a men’s business club back in 1906,” said chamber president, Carrie Johnston. “So there’s a real good tradition of businesses working together here.”

In the early 1970s and early 1980s, the chamber combined with the resort association in the area. Johnston says the chamber itself had great resources but no money, while the resort association had money, but not a lot of resources. Together, they were stronger and could reach further to market this area as a great place to live and work and play .

“They made a great effort to really promote regionally and think of themselves as a regional chamber of commerce, so that’s why we have that in our name now,” said Johnston.

The chamber, like other chambers in the U.S., is a volunteer organization (as opposed to ones overseas where businesses must be in the chamber in order to be considered legitimate and not “black market”), so recruiting and retaining members is an ongoing goal for it.

Although Johnston says they are down just slightly in membership over the last few years, they are still 450 businesses strong.

“We do a lot of marketing together, working together, just trying to look out

for the betterment of business in the area,” said Johnston, who says depending on the number of employees a business has, the average price of becoming a member of the chamber is $300.

“And then we really try to get to know what their business is, what they do and what their needs are so we can see where we can fit, because we are so multifaceted,” said Johnston. “Some of it is marketing opportunity, some of it is networking, getting to know fellow businesses or getting your employees out there and getting connected to the community … and sometimes that’s really a need, especially if you’re doing sales or retail to really understand how the community works and what the vibe is.”

The chamber also offers opportunities to its members such as workforce training and leadership training.

“We’re working with the schools and the city and the county, so it’s really the opportunity to be a part of the community,” said Johnston, who says they also

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The Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce is 450 businesses strong and are always looking for more members. keep an eye out for changes happening that they know their members would want to be aware of, such as upcoming sales tax issues and new aquatic invasive species regulations for lakefront businesses.

“We don’t necessarily say we’re for or against these things, but just that it’s coming up, and we want you to be informed,” said Johnston.

And whoever said you can’t mix business with pleasure doesn’t know the Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce. Its monthly “45 Fill Up” meetings are a chance for members to fill up on coffee and the latest local business happenings; the meetings run once a month for exactly 45 minutes.

“It’s an opportunity to get that

information about who is who and what’s going on in town and what the chamber is doing, and we’re always doing something,” smiled Johnston, who says the chamber has several committees working on different projects around the area.

“Right now we’re working on an art crawl in downtown in April, so we run that through our Promotion and Events Committee, which works a lot on retail promotion but also just general ‘come to the area, do your shopping, visit, play, stay’ kind of message.”

The chamber also offers a tourism committee that focuses in on tourismrelated businesses, as well as an ambassador program.

“That’s really fun - people who are members get to go out once a month and meet new businesses,” said Johnston, who says they typically meet and greet three new businesses per month to welcome them and thank them for being in Detroit Lakes.

FUN AT THE LAKES If there is a fun, community-wide event happening in the area, there is a strong chance the chamber has got its fingers in it somehow. From Art in the

Park to Light Up the Lakes, the chamber hosts a variety of community gatherings. It is the entity behind the Tour of Manufacturing that happens every three years and is most recently working on a health career fest that pairs high school students interested in health careers with M State and opportunities to make their career goals a reality.

The chamber also serves as the visitor’s center for those who are new in town, visiting or just passing through.

“It’s a place to come and get maps and information on programming, and we try to work one-on-one with people,” said Johnston, “so if you’ve got a family or you’re a retiree that might be looking for different services, we try to connect you. We try to be that open door to the community.”

Membership advantages include free notary services, free certificates of origin, access to the Chamber Bucks program, ribbon cutting services, possible business insurance discounts, bulk mail discounts and even a free meeting room.

The Tourism Bureau The Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce also works hand-in-hand

with the Tourism Bureau, which runs the very frequented visitdetroitlakes.com website which lists nearly everything a visitor (or resident) would want or need to know about recreation, dining and events around the area. The Tourism Bureau started in 1990 with a one percent city lodging tax, which goes directly to promote the city as a tourist attraction to potential visitors. That is now up to 3 percent spread throughout 12 properties, including the campgrounds in the city.

“Last year, in 2016, we were up 3.4 percent over 2015,” said Cleone Stewart, director of the Tourism Bureau.

Stewart says the number of people coming to stay and/or the duration they stayed in Detroit Lakes was down in 2015, due in part to the poor Canadian exchange rate. When the dollar is down, the number of Canadian visitors tend to go the same way.

“But we’re very lucky that we’re up so much this year - I’m not so sure that’s the case everywhere throughout the region,” said Stewart, adding that those tax dollar generated in Detroit Lakes for their bureau often go to lure in Canadians, as well as people throughout other parts of Minnesota and North Dakota.

www.VisitDetroitLakes.com

Your Chamber is Naturally Your Resource for...

• Business Development • Community Development • Economic Development • Business Resources • Visitor Information • Vacation Planning

FOR MORE INFORMATION

P: 218-847-9202 1-800-542-3992 700 Summit Ave. Detroit Lakes, MN

HOURS: Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm 001404083r1

BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017 | 39

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

I & B

RESOURCES

Boom heard around the region How Detroit Lakes Tribune is staying on top of its industry

story by paula quam | photo by megan pittelko

I

t isn’t very often that a newspaper makes itself part of the news, but this year was a special one for the Detroit Lakes Tribune.

The Tribune broke a state record when its staff took home the prestigious Mills Trophy, making it the top weekly newspaper in the state for the sixth time (four times within the past five years) - the most times a newspaper has claimed that title from the Minnesota Newspaper Association.

Being judged on writing, photography, advertising and design, the Tribune was once again recognized for excellence among its peers.

“It was amazingly cool,” said Detroit Lakes Tribune Publisher Melissa Swenson. “As DL continues to grow, we are able to cover so many interesting stories and create ads for the thriving business community - those are two of the things that make for a successful newspaper. The fact that DL Newspapers has won this award more than any other newspaper in the state

is a reflection of the community’s longstanding tradition of excellence.”

That longstanding tradition really does date back - way back.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Dating back to 1879, the newspaper is the oldest business in Detroit Lakes - it was one of the first businesses to pop up in what was then called the city of “Detroit” before it was renamed Detroit

Lakes. Then called The Detroit Record, the pioneer business was purchased by a man named George Hamilton, who built onto a little county newspaper that had been running since 1874.

Back then the barter system prevailed, and subscriptions were often traded for staples, such as eggs and vegetables and wood. Legal notices were the only source of cash. In September of 1911, Lou Benshoof and A.T. Thompson

The staff of the Detroit Lakes Tribune brought home multiple awards from the Minnesota Newspaper Association’s annual Better Newspaper Contest — including the MIlls Trophy, which is given to the state’s best weekly newspaper.

40 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

purchased the newspaper, which had become one of the most successful businesses in the county. Going through a number of name changes and publications, two emerged that would stay for decades - the Becker County Record and the Detroit Lakes Tribune, which were both sold to John Meyer in 1964.

In 1985, both publications, as well as their printing plant, were purchased

by Forum Communications Company, which it has remained a part of for 32 years. In 2015, the decision was made

to run both papers as one, keeping the name Detroit Lakes Tribune and retiring the Becker County Record. Today, the Tribune publishes twice a week Wednesday and Sunday, with a free publication Lake Area Press on Saturday.

Newspaper is thriving It’s a notion that has been flying around for some time now - the idea that newspapers are dying - but this could not be further from the truth.

While the newspaper has, indeed, lost

3,835 readers in its print products over the past five years, it has gained exponentially more in its digital products.

“Most people are floored by the reach we have,” said Swenson. “At first, many people think that our online reach is mostly out of the area, but that’s not true.”

Last year, readers from the Detroit Lakes area accessed dl-online 529,331 times, an increase of 50.86 percent.

Between print and online products, the Detroit Lakes Tribune has a total

BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017 | 41

monthly readership of 66,674, with print accounting for 23,810 in paid and free circulation and 42,864 online readers per month.

But the Detroit Lakes Tribune doesn’t stand as simply an isolated tool in its own territory - its reach extends far beyond Becker County, with its parent company taking it, its readers and its advertisers to communities all across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

In the past year alone, dl-online has been visited 1.8 million times from people all over the United States and more than 1.9 million times globally. The FCC interactive network reaches more than 5 million people every single month

through its network of over 34 newspapers and news and media websites.

This means news and information in the little town of Detroit Lakes can sometimes sit under a very powerful magnifying glass throughout a fourstate region, thanks to the Detroit Lakes Tribune. But newspapers are dying? No way. They are changing, evolving into a modern, convenient media tool for users everywhere.

“We have the most cutting edge marketing vehicles available, and you can deal with your local advertising representative, which I think is really cool,” said Swenson. “We hope that we have built trust with our customers, which should help make navigating the ever-

changing world of digital marketing a little less scary.” And digital advertising does have a way of going from scary to exciting when clients are shown exactly how effective it can be when given the backing of a media outlet with a far reach. The Detroit Lakes Tribune now has the technology to show business clients exactly how many times their ad was clicked on and engaged with.

“That’s powerful stuff,” said Swenson. “Finally, we can offer the best of both worlds - traditional print marketing, as well as digital solutions. We are a part of Detroit Lakes and always available to answer questions to help businesses be the best they can be.”

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42 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

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BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017 | 43

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

TRANSPORTATION

I & B

Up and around town...

Detroit Lakes offers several transportation options

T

he Detroit Lakes-Becker County Airport is a publicly-owned, public-use airport located two miles west of the central business district of Detroit Lakes.

The airport covers 288 acres and has two runways — a 4,500-foot by 75-foot asphalt surface open year-round and a 1,880-foot by 250-foot turf surface which is closed during winter months. It appears this airport is headed for a significant expansion, though, as Becker County and the city of Detroit Lakes are planning an $18 million project that would widen and extend the runway, while also moving it away from Highway 10 and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway corridor. Under the plan, the 4,500-foot Runway 13 would expand to 5,200 feet. It would extend across Airport Road, which

will be closed, and displace 16 acres of wetlands to the southeast. Federal funds are expected to pay 90 percent of the cost, and state funds are expected to pay 5 percent.

It is managed by Detroit Lakes Aviation, a full-service FBO, which provides hangar space, maintenance, fuel and rental cars.

It currently maintains light sport aircraft, piston twins, turbo props and jet aircraft.

It offers annual inspections, event or phase inspections, 100 hours pre-buy inspections and exports.

In addition, Detroit Lakes Aviation offers avionics, pilot services, pickup and delivery services, and fuel — 24-hour 100 low lead fuel and a full service Jet A fuel with single point are available.

Randal Mack a pilot with Mead & Hunt engineering firm, fills his plane with fuel at the Detroit Lakes Airport.

44 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017

Aircraft sales and float plane service are also offered. Operating hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, but after-hour and weekend services are available.

Getting rides Getting around Becker County has become a lot easier in the past few years thanks to several public services that are happy to bring you where you want to go.

• Rob and Roxanne Fairbanks started DL Taxi Service in June of 2006. The service serves all of Becker County and beyond.

The service provides service rides and deliveries at a discounted rate.

Fairbank’s taxi service, DL Transportation, can be reached at 8473456.

• The Becker County Transit system provides service throughout the county for

Every day is a news day www.dl-online.com

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Visit our website at ecumendetroitlakes.org or visit https://careersecumen.icims.com/jobs/search for current job openings, including summer opportunities, or contact Human Resources today.

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$1.50 per five miles traveled. The transit system has five buses and one car operating Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.

Although 28 percent of the riders are seniors, the transit service is available to anyone who wishes to use it. The buses can take people to work, medical appointments, shopping, visiting, school children to day care facilities and disabled individuals to their appointments. Becker County Transit also offers door-to-door service and can accommodate individuals with disabilities and most mobility aids in service today. If all goes as planned and Becker County receives the grant it applied for, it will get a new 20-passenger transit bus, five new Armer radios for its transit system, and expanded service routes three times a week to Lake Park and Audubon. The service expansion pilot program would run for 2017 and 2018 and would provide tentative plans to Lake Park and Audubon three times a day (morning, noon and afternoon) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The Becker County Transit System can be reached at 847-1674 or 1-888-847-1674.

• The White Earth Public Transportation service operates Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., driving people to various stops on the reservation and Detroit Lakes. Regular routes are $1 one way, or Dial a ride is $2 one way.

Schedules for the transit can be found at the Detroit Lakes Chamber of Commerce and also on the White Earth website. Call 218-983-3283.

Randal Mack a pilot with Mead & Hunt engineering firm, fills his plane with fuel at the Detroit Lakes Airport.

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A New House May Be Just A Few Steps Away New housing development is under way in Detroit Lakes and Frazee.

Whether this is your first home or your forever home, MMCDC can build for you. Contact us today to find out if you meet our income requirements or to learn about our other mortgage lending services.

The new home you’ve always wanted may be much closer than you think.

Call 218-847-3191 today.

Income restrictions apply. MMCDC is an equal opportunity employer, provider and lender.

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48 | BECKER COUNTY BUSINESS & INDUSTRY REVIEW 2017