April 26, 2016
4/25/2016 11:00:00 AM
EDA looks to jump-start local businesses
Mark Peterson
Editor
The Stewartville Economic Development Authority wants to give new local businesses a jump-start to success.
The EDA, at its regular monthly meeting last week, discussed establishing a business incubator to help local entrepreneurs start new businesses.
Chris Stafford, president of the EDA, indicated that the incubator would provide new business owners with office space at an affordable price.
“The biggest fail for new businesspeople is paying $1,500 a month for a cubicle,” Stafford said.
Mayor Jimmie-John King, a member of the EDA, agreed.
“This would give people a chance to succeed without having to pay $1,500 a month for rent,” he said.
Stafford suggested that the Stewartville School District donate the Early Childhood Family Education building to the city for use as a business incubator. The building is located north of the downtown Kwik Trip along Main Street. Preschool children who currently attend classes there will vacate the building and move to the current Central Intermediate School for the start of the 2016-17 school year.
The building would make a good home for a business incubator, Stafford said.
“I think that would be an ideal spot,” he said. “We could rent some office space there. It’s all one level, and it’s a sound building…Taxpayers’ dollars bought the building, and it would be a real nice gesture for the school district to donate it back to the city.”
Stafford suggested calling school officials to see what the district’s plans are for the building after the Early Childhood Family Education students leave.
“It would be a great use for a building that’s already paid for,” he said.
Some entrepreneurs have good ideas, but they don’t know how to put those ideas into practice, Stafford said. The business incubator would help new…
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