The Low~Down!

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

Business of the month:

Reliable Bronze

Reliable Bronze & Manufacturing, Inc. (RBMI) is a USA based manufacturer and distributor of industrial bronze bearings, bushings, washers, and components. Founded in 1968 and for the past 55 years, have been producing bronze-based components for Original Equipment Manufacturers, distributors, contract manufacturers and end users.

Their casted bronze materials are procured from ISO 9001-2015 certified USA based foundries assuring only the highest quality and consistency of bronze material. RBMI provides specialized products and is known for its high-end craftsmanship, excellent systems and service, superior quality products, and the best on-time delivery. RBMI is the industry leader in the fastest delivery of bronze related products.

Visit their website for more information on their unique methods.

AEM Road Tour at Stepp Manufacturing

On July 18, 2024 Stepp Manufacturing hosted the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Nationwide Bus Tour at their facility in Sunrise Township.

The team at Stepp Manufacturing comes to work every day to build some of the best equipment in the nation to maintain busy roads and highways. This team was proud to be part of this historic event for America’s Equipment Manufacturers.

AEM strengthens this industry as they advocate for equipment manufacturers in Washington, D.C. and beyond.

The staff at the HRA-EDA were honored to be invited to the event with Stepp Manufacturing employees and owners to celebrate the AEM Nationwide Tour. This event was a celebration of successes and the HRA-EDA staff heard testimonials from leaders and the importance of this type of business for the local community.

Thank you, Stepp Manufacturing, for hosting the event and being a vital asset to the Chisago County.

Click here for more information on Stepp Manufacturing.

Now Required for Small Businesses:

Beneficial Ownership Information – BOI is a new requirement for small businesses as of January 2024. Businesses are required to create an account with FinCEN (Financial Crime Enforcement Network), a department of the Internal Revue Service.

This is an effort to identify and reduce money laundering and the process is simple, but be aware - third parties are offering to do this for fee to benefit from the requirement.

If you have questions or need assistance please contact our

SBDC Consultant, Kathy Lindo.

Initiative Foundation

Meet and Greet Event

On July 24th, many Chisago County stakeholders gathered at the Uncommon Loon's Community room to network and discuss the power of teamwork and new ideas being presented by the Initiative Foundation. There was a great turnout for this event and those that attended seemed to enjoy the opportunity to meet others who work throughout in the county and hear their testimonials.

The Initiative Foundation has been an invaluable resource for the Chisago County HRA-EDA for many years. The relationship has been vital to the economic growth in the county. The knowledge shared between the two entities is worth its weight in gold.

Thank you, Initiative Foundation for hosting such a beneficial event and we look forward to many more years of success.

All work and no play?! - Not for the HRA-EDA!

The HRA-EDA staff networked with Commercial Real Estate Agents and Developers at the MN RE Journal’s Cornhole Tournament held at Lord Fletchers on August 8th. These events are important to the HRA-EDA as one of the key aspects of this department is to market the county for commercial development. By attending these events, staff had the opportunity to meet with individuals who have a key role finding locations for business relocation or expansion. We want them to consider Chisago County as a site for their clients.

Chisago County Housing Study

The HRA EDA hired Maxfield Research and Consulting to provide an updated housing analysis for the study completed in 2018. This is an excellent tool for the county and housing developers to understand the housing needs in Chisago County.

With growth and new developments popping up throughout the county, it was determined that the study should be updated to reflect the types of housing developments, number of units, and changes in demographics since the last study was completed. This will help the HRA-EDA understand the need and to work toward filling the housing gaps.

Matt Mullens of Maxfield will be completing the housing update and as part of it, the HRA-EDA will hold a meeting to bring stakeholders together including local government officials, school officials, businesses and residents to collect their concerns and views on housing. The event is scheduled for September 24th at 8:00am at the Legion in North Branch. The HRA EDA will also be posting an online survey to collect data from residents to learn more about the housing needs for the county. Watch Facebook and your emails for the survey.

Upcoming Events!

The summer/fall is filled with many celebrations across the county, enjoy the treats, games, rides and live entertainment! Here are a few to check out:

August 17: Rockin Rush City Car Show (Rush City)

September 7 - 8: Haydays (North Branch)

September 14: Stagecoach Day (Wyoming)

September 13 - 14: Shafer Days (Shafer)

City of Center City

Center City is located on Highway 8 surrounded by the Chisago Chain of Lakes and is the Chisago County seat. Home to a beautiful build ready business park which is named after it - County Seat Business Park. Center City is also home to the well-known Hazelden-Betty Ford Foundation corporate headquarters. There are many unique places to explore, dine and shop.

Issue: August 14, 2024