The survival of small rural communities is fragile. Decisions that are made as well as decisions that are not made can position a community for success or failure. Leadership to manage and position a community for growth and success is the key element. Timing on all decisions will determine the effectiveness of the future vision, and many times the overall success. Staples, is just like any other rural Minnesota city, competing for business, citizens and students for its schools. If community leaders are not effective in any of these areas there will be less reason for business and industry to relocate or remain in the Staples area, resulting in fewer homes, citizens and students. The goal in any community is to have its young people remain in the community, sustain employment, raise their families and become the next generation of business owners, educators, health care providers and community leaders.

Staples and the surrounding area is very unique in many ways including its geographic location in the heart of Minnesota, near lakes, forests and the beautiful Crow Wing River. My wife and I graduated from Staples High School and we both enjoyed a very positive high school experience. Many of the fine teachers and coaches helped form the foundation of who we are today. We returned home to Staples when I was employed by the City of Staples. For 20 years I worked as an electrical lineman and looking back I am proud of the utility improvements that I was able to be a part of. As Staples citizens and area residents we should all appreciate the work of the city administration, street, utility, police and fire departments and their dedication and commitment to serving the Staples community and surrounding area. Many times it is easy to take their hard work and years of dedication for granted.

Staples is what it is today because of community leadership and key decisions and community development initiated by multiple individuals over the years, represented by the business, education, health care and governing of our community. We all continue to benefit from those decisions and efforts. Those past efforts serve to teach us what it takes and how to be a part of and contribute to the growth of our community. I am employed by the National Joint Powers Alliance ® (NJPA) located in Staples and my wife Jeannie is employed by the Staples Motley school district at the Staples Elementary. As we observe the leadership and decisions that are recently being made to advance our area and community, we feel it is important to recognize the visionary thinking and we commend the city council, city administrator, management and all the committees that are a part of advancing the progress of the Staples area. It is always easier to oppose progress or upgrades because of the financial commitment. One must also understand and accept that there is a cost to doing nothing or to delaying what is eventually needed. The cost is not always construction cost. Sometimes potential business and residents select other communities to locate in based on first impressions of a community. Decisions that improve and modernize our city will result in uniquely positioning the Staples area for future growth.

Businesses and people make their home in an area in part because of what the community has to offer, such as schools, hospitals, streets, utilities, modern and updated businesses and residential areas. Businesses and people also make a community a home because of the positive and progressive attitude and tone of a community. A sour and negative tone can spoil a community. It rarely matters where or why positive or negative attitudes and tones start, but both are easily spread throughout its citizens and area. A negative tone can scar a community and recovery can take years, detouring many economic development opportunities along the way. The Jim Collins book "Good to Great" talks about what it takes for a good company to become a great company. Many points in the book can be applied to a community. One of the points that seems to be universal is "Success may not depend on what you start doing, but what you stop doing." Our hope, as a community and area is that we could: 1) focus on positive talking points; 2) stop and guard against any negative tones and attitudes that can hurt and paralyze our community; 3) support the decisions of our local leadership and; 4) all work together on efforts that will position our community to be all that it can be, for all of us.

Listed below is a partial list of the many projects and areas of progress developed by our visionary community leadership. This is progress that we all benefit from and will continue to enjoy for years to come.

Recent Community Accomplishments

(No particular order)

o Construction of the new city hall/library/police department

o Police department completed Feb '09

o City hall/library spring '09 construction

o Received $420,000 grant to assist with building of the library

o Built a new city public works facility

o Construction of a new Faith Lutheran Church

o Hosted a Minnesota Design Team visit

o Moved Hwy 10 and invested in the appearance of the new highway with decorative lighting, sidewalks, welcome signs, planter boxes, banners, etc.

o Sold property to a local grocer to who will be building a new store that will nearly double the size of the current store

o Spring '09 construction start

o Improved the infrastructure (roads, water, sewer) on the south side of new Hwy 10 in preparation for future development

o Welcomed a new Radio Shack store

o Welcomed a new Family Dollar Store

o New off sale liquor store on the new Hwy 10 this summer

o Opened a new $50 million + medical facility (which has added over 100 new jobs)

o Remodeling of the old building

o Development of the Lakewood Manor

o Developed a Downtown Revitalization Board

o Received nearly a million dollars in a small cities development grant to redevelop both downtown commercial business and rental properties

o Begun the engineering and preliminary design on a new North/South Corridor that will have an overpass over Hwy 10 and the RR tracks. (Received $1.2 million in federal funds to begin this project)

o Opened the expanded West Campus which houses the Heavy Equipment program at Central Lakes College

o A partnership was created between Lakewood Health System, Central Lakes College, Staples Motley School District and the City of Staples to create a fiber optic network throughout the community

o This project has attracted the attention of Senator Amy Klobuchar

o Partnership between the Staples Motley School District, the City of Staples and Consolidated West Telephone to introduce a local wireless broadband option that is served from the city's water tower (spring of '09)

o The addition of Friendly Rider Transit into the community on a daily basis

o Received $1.2 million dollars in federal funds to fund in part the sewer/water expansion to the new medical facility

o As a result of the success of the sewer/water project, the city received a federal performance award of $102,000

o Replacement of the historic fishing pier at Dower Lake Recreation Area. This was a $530,000 project funded by the DNR.

o Hired the engineering firms to engineer and design 2nd Ave (old Hwy 10). This project will carry the theme created on new Hwy 10.

o Also examining the reconstruction of 4th St. NE from Hwy 10 to 3rd Ave. NE

o Developed a trails plan

o Approved an airport layout plan with an eye on future expansion

o Created a community green committee

o Created community awareness of the importance of building maintenance

o Extensive volunteer effort to improve the appearance and functionality of the interior of the Staples Motley High School Gym

o Extensive investment into several business's along the new Hwy 10 corridor

o Staples Historical Society's effort to rehabilitate the depot

o Update of the community cable channel 8

o Eye on future locally produced programming.
Mike and Jeannie Hajek
Staples, Minn.