Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By P.J. GLISSON
Bessemer — Members of Bessemer’s downtown development authority voted Thursday to commit $2,000 toward a mini-marketing grant that they hope will help them to attract new residents to the city.
Board member Dustin Filippini, who said he found the potential opportunity online, explained that the Western Upper Peninsula Planning and Development Region will pay up to $8,000 as long as the city also commits $2,000.
Filippini said he already had discussed the matter with city manager Charly Loper, as well as members of the city’s Be Bessemer committee (formerly known as the branding committee).
According to Filippini, they concluded together that the best way to spend the money would be by creating videos to promote the advantages of living and working in Bessemer, and of opening a business here.
“We want to do interviews with businesses that are a success in Bessemer,” said Filippini, who added that an additional question will be “What else brought you here?”
“Hopefully,” he noted, “they’re not just looking for a job, but a lifestyle.”
Loper said the videos would be right in line with city officials’ next goal of attracting enterprise to the downtown area. “I’m just really excited for this,” she said. “It’s a bigger ask, but I think this is a huge opportunity.”
The city manager and Filippini said the marketing push they envision would include attention to the city’s pop-up program, which helps to boost small development by providing new businesses with start-up assistance on rental costs.
According to Filippini, LinkedIn and Facebook would be two potential online sites from which marketing videos could be launched. He said related signage and printed materials also could be part of the plan.
After the related unanimous vote, Loper also suggested the concept of “coworking spaces” as a new consideration for the pop-up program.
She said some would-be entrepreneurs say, “Hey, I’m looking for just a small place to work.”
According to the city manager, “coworking spaces” would allow several such people to share individual work spaces within a shared rental space.
Loper said one new owner of a main street property is open to using the downstairs of his building in this manner.
“I think this is something that could work,” said board member Dan Whitburn, who said the cost of setting up an individual unit can feel “extravagant” to start-up business owners.
Mayor Adam Zak and Filippini also suggested that the city should consider expanding help to pop-up business owners by providing them with helpful contacts and helping them to get established online.
Zak said that would be carrying support beyond just saying, “Here’s some rent — good luck.”
Board member Cheryl Leskoviansky added that providing computers for public use in a coworking space also would be beneficial.
Filippini said the city could designate part of a coworking space as a public domain with a conference room, projector, etc.
In other business, the board:
- Heard Loper is working with a broadband company that she hopes will decide to offer fiber internet for the benefit of businesses on U.S. 2 and Sophie Street.
- Viewed a capital improvement plan with goals through the mid 2020s.
- Granted pop-up business support to Paula Solberg, who is the new owner of Curls ‘N Swirls, a beauty salon in Bessemer.
- Discussed options for downtown parking, as well as sidewalk snow removal.
- Learned board member Steve Hamilton resigned as of yesterday.
