Chamber reports progress on citywide 'Journey'

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Chamber of Commerce committees reported Saturday on progress in developing the "Continue the Journey" project which was launched at a chamber community-wide retreat in February.

The project's facilitator, Don Bargen, was unable to attend because of a death in the family so his role was filled by Chamber president Jeanne Albrecht and Kathleen Berg, chairperson of the steering committee that organized the retreat.

From the progress reports, it was clear all six committees were taking their charge seriously in meeting frequently to analyze the challenges and develop recommendations to meet those challenges.

The retail growth committee reported developing an eight-step approach to stem what spokesman Curt Lambrecht called a decline in the city's retail vitality.

After enumerating the retail outlets lost in New Ulm over the past 10 years, including "two since the retreat," Lambrecht said, "New Ulm isn't as fortunate as some areas where retail grows naturally. Here, retail growth happens because of personal connections."

That makes it more of an emotional decision by potential retailers which makes it more difficult for the city to attract smaller merchants, he said.

The committee's eight steps include reactivating incentive programs, developing a weekend recruitment package, offering a "first impressions" training program, developing website marketing pages to sell New Ulm as a place for business, pursuing an "alumni" (those who were formerly in business here) marketing approach, providing a business opportunity brochure, recruiting out-of-town businesses, and developing a "small, quirky" metro-area advertising program.

"The problem is that this is far more than we as a committee of volunteers can handle so we also are looking at how to staff this project. We're also looking at funding opportunities, and we're anxious to get the city involved as we consider that a top priority," Lambrecht concluded.

Speaking for the city growth group, Economic Development Director Brian Tohal said the committee had defined two basic issues: where can growth occur and what can the city do in terms of expanding services to meet that growth.

"It appears that growth would occur north of town," he said. "The problems are that it would be outside the city and outside the Public Utilities Commission's utilities service."

He said the REA would play a role in the expansion but that the committee decided to wait until a new city manager was on board to negotiate with the REA to expand services.

"The other problem is what do we ask for?" he said. "We would need to look to the city to determine what is acceptable in terms of service expansion."

The child care committee is working to develop projects to rally support for a child care center while the education committee is looking for ways to support high-quality education by determining what needs to be changed and what can be done to strengthen education. The committee also feels developing support for a successful levy referendum is a key issue.

Terry Sveine, Chamber tour coordinator, in speaking for the arts and culture committee, admitted "we're foundering. We need leadership." He said the committee, however, has been discussing uses for the cultural/performing arts facility which "will be a long-term project. We're alive and well, but we're just not going as fast as we should be."

In assessing the committees' reports, Berg said, "All of these sound like big projects, but they tie together for a better New Ulm."