Minutes of Menno Area Development Meeting
April 18, 2006
The Menno Area Development Corporation held its regular meeting at the Open Door Café on April 18 with the following in attendance: Peg Thranum, Wilma Liebl, Darlene Mehlhaf, Brad Letcher, Gary Herman, Bill Headley, Morna Anderson, Lori Cowman, Sue Stoll, Donna Zeeb, Larry Tolzin, Dennis Aisenbrey, Cindy Aisenbrey, Brenda Edelman, Glenn Kirschenman, Shannon Herrboldt, Brent Haberman, Wesley Schaeffer, Teresa Anderson, Marsha Schelske, Gary Schelske, and Ken Bertsch.
Vice-President Gary Herman called the meeting to order at 12:15 p.m.
The minutes of the March 21st meeting and the April finance report were approved as read.
Nancy Larsen was absent from the meeting today, thus no SEFP report.
Lori Cowman and Sue Stoll from District III were present. Lori works with the Areawide Business Council (ABC) Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) that provides low interest financing for new and expanding businesses. Assistance is intended to: Promote the development of business and industrial concerns, Create jobs, Leverage other public and private funds, and Diversify the area’s economy. She stated we could invest funds into the revolving loan fund and designate them to be used by clients from Menno. Their board would decide who qualified for a loan and who didn’t and do all the paper work. Sue works with the Small Business Development Center helping entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership and assist existing businesses in their efforts to remain competitive. SBDC offices provide professional, confidential, and no-cost business consulting services, including one-on-one counseling and training, to individuals starting a business or looking for ways to improve an existing business. She works closely with Nancy Larsen of SEFP.
Committee Reports: Nothing new to report on the grocery store.
All the business places that serve lunch have been contacted to submit any specials they will be offering the day of the Tour de Kota Bike Tour. These ads will be incorporated into a one-page flyer with a map of Menno on the other side so participants can locate the place of business they are looking for and will highlight points of interest. A link will be provided from the Tour de Kota web site to our web site so participants can see what we have to offer and where. Riders will be coming into town from the east, off the Bridgewater road.
An ad will be placed in the paper stating anyone that wants anything from the old motel should contact Dale Weiss and is then free to go get it before June 1. The ad will also state we are not responsible for accidents. Tolzin will ask the county commissioners if we may use a couple trucks to haul rubble when the motel is torn down.
No report on the “Encourage Shopping in Menno”.
Thranum received a request to include Olivet on our web page. Anyone that fishes or camps there would hopefully come to Menno for their gas, groceries, and bait. Cindy Aisenbrey made a motion to include Olivet on our web page. Dorothy Harnisch seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
Everyone was invited too a surprise open house at the Menno Livestock Auction Barn. It’s been 10 years since Ken & Lynn Wintersteen have been owners of the barn. Congratulations to them.
Our next meeting will be May 16 at the Open Door Café at 12:00 noon.
Wilma Liebl made a motion to adjourn at 1:05 p.m. Cindy Aisenbrey seconded, all present in favor; motion carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Peggy Thranum, Secretary