Creation of the Negaunee Economic Development Advisory Team

City Manager Nate Heffron has issued a City Manager Directive 1-2024 (see attachment). This directive establishes the creation of a special advisory committee that will research and present advice on economic development within the City of Negaunee. 

The committee will be known as the Negaunee Economic Development Advisory Team. This committee will consist of twelve (12) members, which will consist of the City Manager and eleven appointed members at-large, appointed by the City Manager. 

The appointed members are as follows:

Dave Kangas, Mayor of Negaunee

Dan Skewis, Superintendent of Negaunee Public Schools

Christophere Germain, Executive Director of LSCP

Ryan Soucy, Community Planner, CUPPAD

David Nelson, City Planner and Zoning Administrator

Gary Nelson, Chair, Negaunee DDA

Ben Argall, Argall Real-Estate Group

Ryan Nummela, Business Owner

Shailah Pelto, Business Owner

Diane Menhennick, Citizen At-Large

Matt Monroe, Citizen At-Large

The committee will perform several functions as follows:

1. Review the Economic Development Strategic Plan: Moving Forward, identify goals met, goals to continue, and not reached;
2. Help identify opportunities for economic development in the community;
3. Identify barriers that may be inhibiting economic development;
4. Prepare new Economic Development Strategic Plan;
5. Hold no less than two (2) public meetings on this matter; and
6. Provide a written report and recommendations to the City Council.

Technical assistance in developing the Negaunee Economic Development Strategy will be provided by Lake Superior Community Partnership. Negaunee City Council adopted a resolution to request technical assistance through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which was awarded in the amount of $5,745, the total project will cost $7,661.

Questions concerning this release or attached directive may be directed to the attention of the City Manager, Nate Heffron at (906) 475-7700 ext. 11. (Attachment 1).