Stevens FORWARD!

Stevens FORWARD! is being sponsored by the Stevens County Board of Commissioners and is an effort to create a brighter future for all residents in the county. We believe the best days of our community are ahead of us, and the best way to get there is to get on the same page about what we want and how to best work together.

Destiny Drivers are the name given to the important goals needed. They will be highly influenced by a community assessment, where citizens will share what they think should be changed, or enhanced, or created in the county. Our vision will consider our economic, environmental, and social future. Where will we be in 10, 20, 50 years and what will be here for our children and grandchildren?

The Center for Community Stewardship in Bemidji will help guide Stevens FORWARD! David Hengel, Mary Eaton, and Cliff Tweedale will provide staff support to the effort. They are community development experts with many years of professional experience, and have worked with other communities to develop their destinies.

Stevens FORWARD! Process

The initial process for Stevens FORWARD! is planned to last two years in Stevens County. We hope that this is just a starting point, that Stevens FORWARD!, the Destiny Drivers, and the activities to make improvements across the county last much longer.

Funding for the cost of operating the two year program is about $100,000 and is coming from a variety of public and private sources including: the county, each of the five cities, the townships, the University of Minnesota, Morris, financial institutions, and other local businesses. The money raised is being used to contract with the CCS to pay for local operating expenses. Funding the Destiny Drivers will also come from a mix of public, private and grants sources.

The Stevens County Economic Improvement Commission is the fiscal host for Stevens FORWARD!. The SCEIC will not make decisions on what the stewards do with their funds, but will provide needed assistance to manage the revenue and expenses.