The Low~Down!

Get the low-down on recent developments happening in Chisago County

Business of the month:

Stepp Manufacturing Co., Inc.

As of 1957, Stepp Manufacturing is located in quiet Sunrise Township. They have been in operation since 1942 and currently in its third generation of family ownership - their future is looking bright!

From design to final assembly, Stepp Mfg. is a full manufacturing facility for asphalt maintenance equipment. The product line consists of 18 different models, each with their own unique functions, and all used for heating, storing, transporting, and applying various types of asphalt to maintain the roadways driven every single day. Stepp Manufacturing currently has 55 employees and continues to grow each year.

The vision of Stepp Manufacturing is to be a world class manufacturer and the leading supplier of asphalt maintenance equipment. This will be accomplished through adhering to their core values of Integrity, Excellence, Creativity, and Teamwork! And speaking of teams- with their current state of growth, they are seeking applicants for positions such as design/engineering, metal fabricators, welders, assemblers and more.

Visit Stepp Manufacturing Co., Inc.'s website to learn more!

BYOB: Be Your Own Boss

Starting a Business.

As a satellite office for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) the Chisago County HRA-EDA hosted this informational training lead by our very own on-site consultant, Kathy Lindo. This class was designed for those thinking of owning their own business and the topics included:

Readiness for business ownership
Where to begin
Next steps
Resources to help along the way

Due to the overwhelming interest in this class, one date was not enough and two separate dates for the same class were created to ensure enough space and an environment for good discussion. Between the two classes a total of more than 20 people attended and the consensus was that this was a beneficial training and more events/trainings should be done more often for potential entrepreneurs. Anyone interested in starting a business can sign up for no-cost one-on-one consulting through this SBDC program.

Click here to learn more about the SBDC services or call our office at 651-674-5664

Calling Chisago County Businesses - Large and Small....

Would you like another resource to list your employment needs?

At the Chisago County HRA-EDA, we utilize partnerships to ensure our businesses and communities are getting the maximum amount of resources and help that is offered at no or low-cost. The HRA-EDA has paired Minnesotaworks.net to the Chisago County HRA-EDA's website to highlight our county's available employment opportunities.

Employers can visit the Minnesotaworks.net website and take a few minutes to set up an account and list all open positions to be posted publicly. Once posted, the positions that are offered within Chisago County will automatically be routed to our job listing page. Its like a two for one, except its all free!

On January 24th, Ben Winchester presented to over 60 people at the North Branch High School Auditorium. His goal is to change the negative rural narrative and work on enhancing the positive characteristics individual rural communities have to offer.

Ben often talks about a book titled "If you lived here, you'd be home by now" by author Christopher Ingraham. The Chisago County Collaborative Initiative was able to provide everyone that attended a copy of this book to aid in changing the negative narrative or rural areas.

City of Harris

Located on I35 the City of Harris, is defined less by boundaries on a map than by the sense of shared values from its residents. Small town values, guided growth, preservation of historical, cultural, and natural heritage are just a few of the core principles that makes the City of Harris a wonderful place.

In 2022, the city of Harris along with CenturyLink (AKA) Lumen, was awarded the Minnesota Border to Border grant as well as a grant from Chisago County to provide fiber service to 228 unserved or underserved locations. Lumen was also awarded Rural Digital Opportunity Funding(RDOF) for Harris. The two projects running together save the city of Harris over $269,000. High Speed Fiber is now available to all areas of Harris giving residents and businesses the option to work remotely, access to rural health, and stimulating a more robust economy.

This small town has a very friendly atmosphere with urban and rural options. Less than 4 miles from all necessary amenities such as education, shopping & restaurants. There are opportunities for residential and business growth in this warm community. Visit their website to learn more.

Issue: February 14, 2024