Focus on Calumet
A bi-weekly update on economic development opportunities in Calumet County
and the region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.
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Old Standards Don't Work: 4 Things Wisconsin Communities Can Do to Increase Affordable Housing Development
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Jeff Bollier and Natalie Brophy, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, 7/26/21
Known as a hub of industry and manufacturing in the Fox Cities, Greenville is home to the Appleton International Airport and major employers like Gulfstream and Amazon, surrounded by subdivisions and farmland.
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Photo credit: Dan Powers, USA Today Network-WI
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Around 12,300 people live in the village of Greenville, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but most don't work in the community. In fact, most of those who do work in Greenville simply cannot afford to live there. Over the past 12 months, the average home in Greenville has sold for around $344,000, but some recently have sold for half a million dollars or more. Many of the houses are in picturesque subdivisions made up of winding roads, cul-de-sacs and large homes set back on big lots with lush, green lawns.
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Unaffordable: No Place to Call Home
It's been a formula for growth for the village, but one that village leaders have come to realize is locking out many of those who work in the community. Only 11% of residents have jobs in Greenville, while about 7,000 people come to work from outside the village, according to the village's comprehensive plan.
"Greenville has a large industrial base," said Michael Brown, the village's director of community and economic development. "We have a lot of industrial and business parks, and a lot of blue collar jobs, but not a lot of opportunity for those employees and workers to live in Greenville."
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Note: While the local affordable housing situation isn’t completely like Greenville’s, there are some interesting parallels. The affordable housing ideas included in the article are worth a look.
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Calumet County Bars and Restaurants Receive SBA Grants
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Thirteen bars and restaurants in Calumet County received over $1.5 million in grant funds from the Small Business Association’s Restaurant Recovery Fund (RRF) to aid in COVID recovery. The Calumet County grants ranged in size from around $4,000 up to $420,000, and included businesses in each corner of the county; New Holstein topped the list with four grant recipients. In total, there were over 2,000 businesses in WI that received nearly $400 million.
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) established the RRF to provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses no later than March 11, 2023. While the program funding fell far short of need, including Calumet businesses that applied for and have thus far not received funds, there is still hope that Congress will vote to authorize additional funds to the program.
Calumet County Economic Development and the SBDC provided substantial support to help businesses with applications. A complete list of all RRF grant recipients in the U.S. is available here.
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2021 Northeast Wisconsin Benefits Survey
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In an effort to help local employers stay competitive in the marketplace and make the Fox Cities more competitive as a region, the Fox Cities Regional Partnership invites participation in its annual 2021 Northeast Wisconsin Benefit Survey. To encourage mass participation in the extensive survey, organizations who complete the online survey by August 16 will receive a complimentary digital copy of the survey’s results by September 6.
A national employee benefits study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reported that “Employee retention (72%) and recruiting (58%) were the top reasons for increasing benefit offerings.” The goal of this survey is to provide Fox Cities employers with the information they need to remain competitive in the marketplace, and make the Fox Cities more competitive as a region. A full package offered (wages + benefits + culture) is what influences employees to pursue new opportunities.
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Working Together on our Workforce
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Wisconsin Employers are Offering More Perks, Better Pay and Hefty Signing Bonuses to Attract Workers in a 'Buyer's Market'
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Inside the company's 500,000-square-foot plant, employees heat steel to over 2,000 degrees and pound it into shape to make components that are part of all kinds of equipment, such as engines and transmissions, vehicle frames and construction machinery.
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Photo credit: Wm. Glasheen, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
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Walker Forge has invested millions in the latest technology, everything from robotic arms to a certified metallurgical laboratory where employees test all the parts the company makes. But Walker Forge President Rick Recktenwald thinks the best investment he can make is in his employees.
Walker Forge pays industry competitive wages, Recktenwald said, as well as signing bonuses and recruiting bonuses, and has a health care clinic for employees and their families. The company also does "things that big companies just don't do anymore," Recktenwald said, such as giving employees treats on their birthdays, catering meals for workers from local restaurants and holding cookouts, fishing tournaments and hunting trips for employees and their families. Those wages and perks have been a key to keeping the company humming with about 330 workers as the state faces a labor shortage that is challenging businesses across the board, from manufacturers to restaurants and retail.
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Employee Investment
AriensCo program offers worker education opportunities
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From hefty hiring bonuses to billboards to ubiquitous “now hiring” signs, employers are trying everything to attract — and retain — talent. Beyond traditional strategies, leaders at AriensCo have challenged themselves to get creative on the recruitment and retention front. The latter is equally, if not more, important than the former.
“This has really been quite a challenge for us. Once we get our candidates on board, we have to continue to find ways to manage that talent,” says Tracy Tuschel, senior manager of human resources for AriensCo, which also offers a $2,000 signing bonus to new hires.
In addition to providing that financial incentive, the company wanted to invest in its employees’ futures. The manufacturing world is changing quickly, and AriensCo recognized the need for programs to help develop internal talent. That desire, along with the business’s dedication to fostering intellectual curiosity, led to the creation of a continuing education program specific to its own employees.
AriensCo turned to long-time partner Fox Valley Technical College to help it develop the program, which it offers to employees at Ariens Academy in Brillion. The academy offers an educational environment for AriensCo employees and dealers. The first cohort began last fall and includes seven students taking part in a quality program, all working in the quality department but lacking any credentials.
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Labor Availability Will Continue to be a Challenge for Many Wisconsin Communities
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Written by Matt Kures, Community Economic Development Division of Extension, July 22, 2021
As the economy continues its recovery, many employers cite challenges with finding the workers they need. While factors attributed to the pandemic certainly impact labor availability, we should also recognize shifts in the number of working-age residents that started well before 2020. Individuals between the ages of 15 and 64 are counted as the working-age population while residents ages 25 to 54 are of prime working age. As the state’s population has aged over the past decade, the total working-age population declined by -46,000 (-1.2%) between 2010 and 2019, and the prime working-age population dropped by over -150,000 (-6.5%).
In contrast, the number of residents age 65 and over increased by approximately 240,000 (31%). When considering labor participation rates of 78% for the total working-age population and 86% for prime working-age residents, compared to a participation rate of 20% for individuals age 65 and over, we should not be surprised that workers are more difficult to find. These population shifts have not been the same across all Wisconsin counties, but are widespread nonetheless.
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Retailers Turn to TikTok to Fill Open Roles
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The social media platform beloved by Gen Z and millennials has launched TikTok Resumes, with Chipotle, Target, WWE and Shopify and more among the companies in its pilot test. The program aims to make TikTok a new channel for recruitment and job discovery. Job seekers can apply to entry-level to experienced positions with a TikTok resume.
The method of applying enables individuals to show off their creative side in an authentic way, according to TikTok. When publishing TikTok resumes, the applicant can use #TikTokResumes in their caption. TikTok’s popularity exploded in 2020 when more individuals were stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and spent more time online and using apps.
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Youth Apprenticeship Going Strong at NHHS
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New Holstein High School’s Youth Apprenticeship program is strong and getting even stronger, High School Principal Doug Olig told Board of Education members at Monday evening’s meeting.
Youth Apprenticeship is a rigorous one- or two-year elective program which combines classroom instruction with mentored on-the-job training in a specific career pathway. High school juniors and seniors are eligible to enter the Youth Apprenticeship program.
Olig said there are six “super clusters” of careers which students can explore:
- Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources;
- Arts, Communications & Information Systems;
- Engineering, Manufacturing & Technology;
- Health Science Technology;
- Human Services; and
- Business, Management & Administration.
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Professional Plating Plans for New Zinc Rack
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By Larry Dietz, PPI General Manager, For The Brillion News, July 28, 2021
I am excited to be communicating today to once again say, "HERE WE GROW AGAIN”!
Over the course of the last five years through the our customers and community the ongoing support and trust in our team and our services has allowed our business to continue to make investments in our process and our team, resulting in ongoing gains in value and our level of service for our customers' needs.
From our last two large racking plating line installations in 2016 and 2018 we have continued to improve upon our overall quality and value that we bring for our customers into the zinc plating market.
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Chilton Chamber Welcomes New Businesses
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Shauna McCone (left), owner of The Gourmet Biscuit, LLC located at 42 W. Main Street in Chilton, is welcomed to the Chilton Chamber of Commerce and to the Chilton business community by Chamber President Kari Meyers.
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Matt Tiffany, owner of MGT Contracting, located at 1046 Steenport Lane, Chilton, is welcomed to the Chilton business community and the Chilton Chamber of Commerce by President Kari Meyers.
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Calumet County Business Assistance
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Business Start-Up and Expansion Assistance
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Ray York of the Small Business Development Center serves Calumet County with business assistance to existing and start-up businesses throughout the county. Small Business Development Center services are available at no cost to businesses. Ray’s goal is to provide opportunity to clients by guiding them to make informed decisions to start, expand, or transition their business. He can be reached by phone at 920-946-9379 or email.
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Entrepreneurial Training Program
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Whether your business is growing or brand-new, writing a business plan is critical to building a profitable venture, especially to attract financing from lenders or investors.
The Entrepreneurial Training Program is eight efficient sessions to help you develop a plan for a thriving, profitable business. In this program, you will learn to identify customers, determine their needs and analyze that information into a feasible plan for starting or growing your business.
- Organize and better manage your business
- Identify opportunities and market your business
- Understand and get your business financials in order
- Get funding for your business
- Write a detailed, comprehensive business plan
- Network with other entrepreneurs
- Develop a network with small business support services
ETP Sheboygan County or virtual option
Sept. 23, 30; Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28; and Nov. 4, 11, 2021
5:30-8:30 pm | UW-GB Sheboygan Campus | Learn More
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InDevelopment Conference, September 9, in Green Bay
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The in-person InDevelopment Conference will be held at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, on September 9. Geared toward real estate and economic development professionals in Northeast Wisconsin, it is an event that you do not want to miss.
The event kicks off with Marc Schaffer, an economics professor from St. Norbert College, who will share the latest economic data and what it means to economic and commercial development.
Following the keynote, there will be two briefing sessions. The City of Green Bay will present the first session discussing their economic and commercial development successes and plans for the future. Afterwards, Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North, Inc., will lead a panel discussion focused on housing developments inside opportunity zones in the region, and the landscape for office, transportation and logistics, and industrial development across Northeast Wisconsin.
There will be a networking reception following the speakers where communities from the 18-county region provide information on development opportunities and projects in their local area.
Check out the website for more details.
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Explore Starting a Business
August 11, 2021
September 8, 2021
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Work for Yourself at 50+
August 12, 2021
September 9, 2021
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1 Million Cups Appleton
Join us virtually every Wednesday
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Calumet County Community Economic Development contact information:
Mary Kohrell, Community Economic Development Director
Connie Leonhard, Program Assistant
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