Dave Hengel Column: Is our Bemidji community moving in the same direction?

By Dave Hengel, Greater Bemidji

February 15, 2025 at 6:50 AM

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to work with a group of community leaders in a regional center in southern Minnesota. I won鈥檛 share the community鈥檚 name "to protect the innocent."

They were looking to develop a strategic plan to move their community forward. All the key leaders were there 鈥� the mayor and city administrator, school superintendent, hospital administrator, chamber director, owners and CEOs of the key companies, county commissioners, nonprofit leaders, etc.

As with every process, there was a point when the discussion had bogged down. I had asked them to share projects or ideas that could serve as 鈥渢ipping points鈥� for the region. They were sharing the typical projects every town discusses 鈥� important but "filling potholes" type of challenges. The energy waned as they went through the litany.

I finally asked the question 鈥淚f there were no barriers, what is the one major initiative that this community has always needed or wanted?鈥� The CEO of the largest company in town threw out a very bold idea 鈥� one that had every person in the room 鈥� public, private and nonprofit nodding their heads.

I asked them why none of them hadn鈥檛 thrown out the idea before. The CEO shared, 鈥淏ecause it isn鈥檛 possible to get it done.鈥� The group followed by expressing a series of challenges that prevented the idea from moving forward.

Things like it鈥檚 too expensive, we鈥檝e tried and failed several times before, there is a small group of citizens adamantly opposed, we have too many other urgent issues to address, no one is willing to step up and lead and the timing is just not right.

I followed up by asking, 鈥淚f the idea was the No. 1 issue for the city council, county board, chamber of commerce, economic development commission, school district, business community, hospital and nonprofit community, could it get done.鈥�

The CEO quickly responded, 鈥淥f course.鈥�

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I firmly believe that, when it comes to building a successful and prosperous region, it鈥檚 not just the ingredients that are important, but it鈥檚 the recipe for how the ingredients are put together. In other words, the important part is how communities leverage community assets 鈥� public, private and nonprofit 鈥� to achieve competitive advantage for their region and their residents.

Another name for the recipe is 鈥渟trategic alignment," and it holds the keys to the community and economic development kingdom.

While my example called for strategic alignment around a single issue, the ultimate power lies when a community鈥檚 alignment is at the strategic level 鈥� when a community rallies around an agreed-upon vision for its future and a series of initiatives to move the community in the right direction.

Bemidji has a rich history of working together. There is no denying that historically when our community has aligned behind a common strategic direction, we made significant progress. Things seen as 鈥渘ot possible鈥� were done. Ideas that lay dormant were revived and acted on. Organizations and leaders were stepping up to grab hold of the next idea to move our region forward. Citizens were coming out of the woodwork to help. Community in-fighting was reduced and collaborative efforts soared.

Over the last few months, I have begun questioning if our Bemidji community is strategically aligned today. Are we moving in the same direction toward the same vision?

Don鈥檛 get me wrong, we have some outstanding work being done in our region 鈥� the Airport Authority鈥檚 work on a strategic plan to drive additional aviation development; the city of Bemidji and Greater Bemidji鈥檚 efforts to redevelop the Rail Corridor; Beltrami County鈥檚 work to address the challenges surrounding the jail; the Bemidji Development Corporation鈥檚 efforts to develop and market the industrial park; United Way鈥檚 initiatives to support ALICE (asset limited, income constrained, employed) households; Bemidji State University and school district leadership addressing financial challenges facing our educational institutions and our community鈥檚 work to bring a YMCA to the region 鈥� are just a few examples.

My concern is not that great work isn鈥檛 being done on behalf of our community. I just question whether we are strategically aligned as a region and community. Are we moving in the same direction?

Today鈥檚 challenges and opportunities require deep partnership and collaboration. The lack of strategic community alignment results in organizations working in silos and community leaders feeling like they are on an island.

I personally feel it鈥檚 time for our community to come together again and get back to the days when our community-wide alignment resulted in significant progress for our region. I am not sure how to get there, but I increasingly believe it is critical. We at Greater Bemidji stand ready to help.

Let me know if I am right (or wrong). Even more, let me know if you are interested in doing something about it.

By the way 鈥� that southern Minnesota regional center I mentioned 鈥� at the CEO鈥檚 request I paid them a visit last year. The 鈥渋t鈥檚 not possible鈥� project is now done. That project turned the community on to the power of alignment, and today there is a palpable energy there that didn鈥檛 exist a decade ago. Their best days are ahead of them.

Dave Hengel is the executive director of Greater Bemidji Economic Development. He can be reached at (218) 444-5757 or dhengel@greaterbemidji.com.