Representatives of the Main Street Initiative (MSI) team from the North Dakota Department of Commerce and other state agencies will host a Main Street Visit on Aug. 30 at Park River City Hall.
The visit will begin with a collaborative discussion with community leaders about Park River opportunities and growth with the state team.
Following the collaborative discussion, the visit will transition to a public regional lunch and convening at 12 p.m. At the convening, Commerce Workforce Director Katie Ralston Howe will lead an informative presentation about Commerce’s workforce initiatives. Following the presentation, the convening will conclude with a collaborative community roundtable discussion.
“Workforce continues to be at the forefront of common community concerns that we are all working together to address,” Interim Commerce Commissioner Shawn Kessel said. “We hope that by providing an in-depth presentation about workforce initiatives, we can answer many questions, provide advice, and showcase the many resources available for communities to use to help reach their workforce needs.”
A key portion of the Main Street Initiative Strategic Plan focuses on engaging with new and existing Main Street communities. To begin this process, the MSI team developed and sent a survey requesting communities to highlight the successes and challenges they’d potentially like to explore and share in a Main Street Visit. The outcomes of this survey were combined with previous MSI community engagement efforts such as Vibrancy Grants, Partners in Planning Grants, and the Artists on Main Street Program, to develop priorities for Main Street Visits in 2022.
For questions about the visit, contact Commerce Community Development Liaison Emma Cook at (701) 226-6091.
To learn more about the Main Street Initiative and how to become a Main Street Community, visit mainstreetnd.com.
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The North Dakota Department of Commerce works to improve the quality of life for North Dakota citizens by leading efforts to attract, retain and expand wealth. Commerce serves businesses and communities statewide through committed people and partners who offer valuable programs and dynamic services.