Infrastructure is the foundation of our society. Southwest Regional Development Commission works with public and private sector organizations to plan for, build and maintain the networks necessary for modern public services, including power grids, telecommunications, transportation, and water and sewer services in Southwest Minnesota.
Public Services
Community development and the effective provision of public services to local residents and businesses are much easier with careful local management and planning. SRDC provides professional assistance to local units of government ranging from ordinance revisions and capital improvement programming (CIP), to grant writing and land use planning. Our associates at the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, co-located in the Center for Regional Development in Slayton, also offer a variety of services for community development and housing improvement. If your city, township, county, school district or other public agency needs to get a job done, SRDC can help you get it done.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications, in particular, broadband internet access, is an increasingly essential element of regional infrastructure across the United States. As the USDA Economic Research Service states on their website, “Infrastructure, including transportation, telecommunications, water, and energy, connects rural America with the urban and global economies. Still, rural areas lag behind urban areas in Internet use.”
Resources
- Blandin on Broadband blog
- Blandin Foundation Broadband Initiative
- University of Minnesota Extension MIRC Initiative
- Minnesota Renewable Energy Marketplace
- Connect Minnesota broadband mapping
- USDA ERS Rural Digital Economy briefing
Water and Sewer
Local communities have worked with SRDC many times to develop and improve water and sewer infrastructure, from needs assessment to manufacturing expansion. Counties and watershed districts across the region have also called on SRDC to facilitate Local Water Management Plans. SRDC can work with your team to plan solutions that fit your needs.
Resources
- MN DEED Public Facilities Authority (PFA)
- MN DEED Small Cities Development Program (SCDP)
- USDA RD Community Facilities Programs