Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Kelly Klein presents a keynote during the Iron County Development Zone Committee's annual report at Sharon's Coffee Company on Thursday.
HURLEY - The Iron County Development Zone Council invited local businesses and organizations to Sharon's Coffee Company on Thursday evening to go over an annual report.
Started in 1989, coordinator Kelly Klein said the development zone has served to help the county create jobs and get more investments. It works with businesses to help them expand through loan programs or get into the industrial park.
Klein said the park generates business for the economy and has space available.
"Opened in 1979, the park has 17 businesses and over 250 jobs," Klein said. "There's 294 acres of land available, too."
Klein said Northwoods Manufacturing, located at the Hurley K-12 School, is going to play a major role in Iron County's future.
"It creates jobs, and it's going to be an important development down the road," he said. "Several students are planning to open their own businesses. We're trying to convince them to stay."
While speaking about the shuttered Hurley Inn, Klein said there's an offer to purchase the building, up for an auction sale.
"We'll just have to wait and see how that plays out. Hopefully, in the near future, we'll find that out. It needs a little cleaning up, but it's a do-able project," he said.
Klein said Iron County has the oldest average age in the state, one of the lowest average incomes, has a small population and many young people are leaving the county. But he said Iron County is not alone.
"Wisconsin ranks last in the country for start-up businesses," he said. "They say 17 out of every 1,000 people are engaged in startups. Here, we have our odds stacked up against us."
Klein discussed the importance of broadband.
"There were 432 year-round and 347 seasonal residents surveyed in Iron County," he said. "Of the seasonal residents, 171 said they would spend more time in Iron County with adequate services. With adequate services, 162 said they would consider opening a business in Iron County. With adequate services, 347 said they would consider telecommuting from Iron County."
