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Council sets its goals

By Sara QuamAfter publicly discussing and individually considering, Luverne City Council and staff have come up with a joint list of goals.City Administrator John Call said, "I think they’re all attainable goals, really. I’d say they are the goals for the next five years."Those goals are: 1. Develop a use for the old hospital facilities.2. Proactively encourage new residential development in the new hospital area.3. Expand the airport runway.4. Encourage small business development.5. Develop a business park in the Interstate 90 area west of Papik Motors.As far as the No. 1 goal of finding a use for the old hospital, the city is well on its way. Call said Minnesota West Community and Technical College is still committed to starting a satellite campus in the hospital building. The city and the college are starting negotiations on the lease agreement. Minnesota West officials have said the satellite Luverne campus will be open for classes January 2007 at the earliest, or by September 2007.Call said the city also wants to work with Sioux Valley, which owns the current hospital and clinic and surrounding land, to develop new residential property.The biggest challenge in attaining these goals, Call said, is the cost associated with them for the city that tries to operate on a steady budget.Developing an industrial park on the west side of town would involve roadwork, sewer, water and electric work — all necessary infrastructure that comes at a high cost.Developing businesses has always been a goal, but this council and staff have pinpointed small businesses as a place to focus.Call said, "With businesses, [Economic Development Director] Jill Wolf advises and encourages, and if we can help them, we will."Drawing larger businesses has been a focus in the past, but the city also has water limitations that may affect the ability to do that.During discussions, council members came to the conclusion that the city of Luverne can’t compete with Sioux Falls as far as keeping all shoppers and service users in Luverne.An anti-Sioux Falls message doesn’t stick, they said.Twenty percent of Luverne’s workers are employed in Sioux Falls, and council members agreed the city should market to people who may want to live here and work in Sioux Falls.

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