Changing the Way We See the World

Brown County

Bridging the East/West Divide
“A rumor caught fire that anyone not from New Ulm would be put off the Fair Board; then the board would sell the fairgrounds!” Renee Retzlaff (BCLP 1996), former president of the Brown County Agricultural Society, repeats the story to illustrate the power of miscommunication that plagued Brown County for years. The story also reflects longstanding tensions between the east and west sides of the county, with the largest city of New Ulm dominating life in the east.

How deep that divide had become was illustrated dramatically in 1998 when a devastating tornado hit the county, doing serious damage to the town of Comfrey, located on the western end of the county, and Hanska located in its eastern end. Jim Zetah, who was a crisis counselor for Brown County, described how volunteers helping clean up farmers’ fields were surprised to discover that Comfrey was even in Brown County.

Harnessing the Winds of Change
According to Katie Rasmussen (BCLP 2002), not long after the tornado an idea was born that would eventually become a “movement” to unite the county. Katie and Renee met with Doris Weber, Jim Zetah, Jeri Hansen (BCLP 2002), and Jenny Boettger to talk about the reasons for the lack of communication among communities in the county and the lack of awareness of what challenges those communities were facing. Discussion focused on barriers Brown County communities faced in working together, including those associated with the legendary east/west divide. At the end of that meeting, the group knew it needed to bring more people to the table. At a second gathering, 14 of the 24 people who had completed the Blandin Leadership Program met with a University of Minnesota community development specialist to explore action options. The consensus was to convene a countywide meeting of key community leaders.

The following February, 77 people met in Springfield for a workshop on collaboration and were introduced to the idea of “bridging” the county. Participants represented various departments in the county, five of the seven incorporated towns, and two unincorporated villages. They came to explore a vision for the future in the face of change. People at the Springfield meeting agreed on the need to regularly bring together elected officials from the county to share concerns, ideas, and resources. This led to the Brown County Congress of Elected and Appointed Officials that held its first session on May 25, 2000 and continues to meet quarterly. The Springfield meeting also launched Bridging Brown County, an initiative that coordinates the work of the Congress, provides workshops on community development and leadership training, and fosters networks of support and resource sharing.

Moving Forward with a Unified Voice
Katie is quick to point out that if the only result of the Springfield meeting had been the County Congress, the initial group’s efforts would have been a roaring success. “The meetings are always on a timely topic of interest to all those attending. And twice a year the sessions are devoted to meetings with legislator — once before they go to St. Paul and, again, after they complete a legislative session. Before the County Congress, community and county officials would go to St. Paul, often one-by-one. It became clear we needed a unified voice to describe the needs of the whole county, its communities and the impact decisions made in St. Paul have on us.”

At the heart of Bridging Brown County are strategic activities that move the ideals of rural community life from wistful wishing to concrete action. The County Congress insures that elected and appointed officials learn together and from one another about existing and emerging issues in which they all have a stake. The voice of each community grows stronger as the Congress provides a forum for local legislators and state government officials to hear what the people of Brown County need in order to create sustainable, healthy communities.

Bridging Brown County (BBC) has matured quickly in its brief existence. It is clear about its purpose — to strengthen Brown County communities by bridging relationships of understanding and communication. That is a delicate challenge in a county where local heritage and pride play a big role. The goals of BBC, however, are far from an attempt to homogenize the range of differences in the county. Rather, it seeks to foster better communication, raise awareness of interdependence, promote a county-wide quality of life, advance county-wide economic development, and support local community traditions. BBC moves these goals forward with the leadership of part-time coordinator, Beth Zabel (BCLP 2006), and a twelve-person board drawn from throughout Brown County.

Strengthening the Ties that Bind
BBC countywide workshops convene community leaders and residents for roundtable discussions that generate new insight about civic issues, expand understanding of resources, and strengthen networks for true cooperative action on behalf of the common good. The workshops do wonders in slowing down the rumor machine by giving people clear accurate information and a place for them to raise their questions and concerns.

BBC created its own leadership program called “Network Brown County.” It brings together cohorts of 24 people from around the county and diverse backgrounds for nine, one-day training sessions. This includes tours of all municipalities in the county; visiting local businesses, industries, and farms; talking with community officials; and touring county parks and historic sites. Network Brown County also equips participants with the skills they need for effective community leadership and for developing networks that support their personal and professional development. Three cohorts have completed the program since it began in 2003.

Among BBC’s notable achievements has been the formation of the FARM (Food, Agriculture, and Rural Marketing) Team. Its purpose is to support local producers of food for local consumption. This increases market opportunities for farmers and increases consumer awareness of the benefits of buying locally. As Beth Zabel points out, “If Brown County households spent just $10 a month on local foods, $100,000 would go into our local economy.”

Maintaining the Momentum
FARM Team is an example of how Bridging Brown County is creating a “sense of county” in which the interdependence of communities serves individual towns and the area as a whole. This and other strategic activities of BBC don’t happen spontaneously. The initiative of some Brown County BCLP alums began a process that now has taken on its own energy. Funding from county commissioners and municipalities, together with ongoing fundraising, enables BBC support the coordinator’s position, which everyone agrees is critical to maintaining momentum. The BBC Board also took the necessary steps to become a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Doris Weber (BCLP 2002), editor of the Springfield Advanced Press and chair of the BBC Board, describes BBC as a way of empowering people to act together for the common good. Another Board member and long-time community leader, Jerry Bentz (BCLP 1993), builds on that idea when he talks about “using the talents of our differences for the success of the whole.”

Bridging Brown County reflects the spirit and energy of rural Minnesotans confident in their ability to see the world in new ways. Those county residents who helped birth this idea recognize the contribution their own leadership training through the Blandin Foundation made in getting this “good idea” off the ground. With 24 BCLP graduates around the county, there was critical mass to respond to the question, “How can we learn to work together more effectively?” Local farmer Reynold Dittbenner (BCLP 2002) noted, “The skills learned at BCLP became part of how I do things.”

Measuring Success
Changing the way one sees the world is partly about vision, but it relies on a level of skillfulness needed to breathe life into the best of visions. That’s one of the reasons BBC included local leadership training as part of its plan of action and why local BCLP alums applied for yet another cohort of county residents to attend the Blandin program in 2002.

As BBC measures its own work, it takes note of the impact its activities have had on community leadership. Mutual understanding and cooperation have expanded at different levels of county, municipal, and township governance. People are getting more involved in the decision-making processes that support healthy communities. There is partnering on a countywide JOBZ initiative, youth mentoring, tourism, and a ProKinship Program For Kids. The Brown County Historical Society and Brown County Veterans Services have produced a World War II exhibit. Leaders and residents are “seeing” what happens when artificial barriers come down as people learn the power of working across differences for those things that make community life good for everyone.

Over 100 people attended the first annual Bridging Brown County fundraising dinner in November 2004. Attendees show here are from Springfield, Hanska and Godahl. Each year, guests enjoy locally grown foods, beverages from a local winery and brewery, and regional entertainers. They also pariticpate in an auction of theme baskets with products/services from communities across the county. The event raises over $5,000 annually to support Bringing Brown County and its mission of building relationships.