by Brad Dolinski, CEO
Good afternoon NIECI,
I hate to say it, I’m concerned summer is slipping away from us. I helped my buddy Will with a couple of hunting sights the other day, signaling the start of fall.
I’m going out kicking and screaming! I’m just not ready for what comes next. I do enjoy fall activities, but I sure don’t want to put the summer toys away just yet. I have a couple of fishing trips planned yet; I’m going to cross my fingers we have a long way to go before the flakes fall.
Working at North Itasca Electric has provided some opportunities I didn’t expect. The latest excitement has been in cooperation with the Itasca Economic Development Corporation. I have enjoyed serving on the IEDC Board for several years. Tamara Loney and her team of experts at IEDC just held the grand opening of the Forge on 8/15/23. I am very excited about the opportunities this building will bring to our communities.
The Forge is a building IEDC owned near the Grand Rapids Airport. We worked with several partners to secure funding and grants to make this vision possible. Inside the walls of the Forge, you will find welding stations, metalworking tools, and automated machines for cutting and shaping of both wood and metal. The Forge will support innovation, entrepreneurs, students and trades. The building has classroom spaces, shop with tools, offices, meeting spaces, art spaces and incubator spaces all under one roof.
The incubator space is available for lease; think of this as a rentable space to build your business. While a growing business begins operating, you will have access to tools you don’t have to buy immediately, and professional help from the IEDC. We will have the tools necessary along with professional instructors to help community members learn about trades. The Forge will team with local schools and colleges to provide workspaces and training.
The Forge will be here to foster growth and innovation in our community for years to come. If you are interested in The Forge or other programs offered by the IEDC, I would encourage you to check out their website. www.itascadv.org
Back to the business at hand. Our Board of Directors and I attended the Energy Issues Summit put on by Minnesota Rural Electric Association. Let me tell you, the name is spot on. We discussed and learned about issues we are about to face or are dealing with currently.
Power system reliability was the first item we discussed. How will we operate the system we have known and appreciated as we must rapidly change the way we operate? There isn’t a short answer here, many moving parts will have to be addressed.
Safety, reliability and cost are the three major concerns I focus on daily. Cost or affordability is difficult to measure. What one of my Member-Owners is OK with, another may not be. Affordability is relative to your personal situation. Safety and reliability are very measurable but can come with significant necessary costs. We have many new laws that will also affect costs between Carbon Free by 2040, Paid Family Leave Laws, Electric Vehicle goals and mandates. We have some issues to address.
I generally leave the Energy Issues Summit a little overwhelmed. Driving back home Director Kilian and I had four hours to discuss what we had heard and learned.
I am confident that through the cooperation among cooperatives principle we live by at North Itasca Electric, we will work with our friends and colleagues to find answers to our future. Our directors, staff, and employees are here to find the answer, how to continue to serve you in the future. It will take all of us and your support with our legislators to mold our cooperative to be future ready. I look forward to being part of the answer.
By your side! Miigwech.
Brad
