Sibley County has Something for Everyone

The residents of Sibley County are on a roll. With the approval of their Blandin Community Investment Partnership (BCIP) grant proposal they are optimistically entering an implementation phase of the expressed goals for the community.

• Improved health care
• access to technology
• environmental protection

These are three crucial goals that emerged from a careful planning process in this fertile region. Economic development is the common thread through the goals.

The guiding principle is that investment in community results in economic growth. It has not been difficult to get behind these goals, according to Tim Dolan, who has been involved since the beginning. He says, “everyone is interested in one of these areas; they are important to so many people.” Health care in particular is an area that affects people across all boundaries.

Partnerships in Health Care

The hospital and clinic in Sibley County have joined forces to create one health care entity. This move was made in order to provide more advanced care to more people, a goal that affects families deeply. BCIP grant money and favored state legislation to allocate funds will be combined to help move local health services into the future. An ongoing effort to recruit physicians to this area has been successful, and arrangements have been made to bring specialists to places where their expertise has not yet been available.

“It is all moving along nicely,” according to Tim. Equipment and technology needs are the target of improvement efforts. People who in the past were required to travel long distances to deal with an already stressful health situation will now have crucial health care options closer to home.

County-wide Computers

Along with health care technology, computer technology is spreading throughout the county. Individuals and local libraries are pairing up to offer computer classes and labs in each town with an existing library. For those without a library, steps are being taken to house classes in other buildings. For example, an old bank in Green Isle will soon be providing a new type of resource; instead of money it will offer knowledge.

In cooperation with Community Opportunity Online Learning (COOL), an existing technology group, BCIP lifelong learning efforts will be focused on providing one-on-one attention during classes. In particular, people who are “slow to warm up to technology” will be encouraged to attend. Creative use of existing resources is guiding this effort to increase access to technology and boost economic growth.

Happy Birthday, Dear Sibley

While the Internet may be new to the area, Sibley County itself has been around the block. The residents are celebrating the sesquicentennial, 150th birthday, of their hometown. Technology connects the historic towns through a countywide interactive web site. Working closely with the historical society, web site designers, most likely COOL will highlight the heritage and history of this county- places buffeted by the Minnesota River Valley and alive with rolling pastures and productive farms.

Learning from the Experts

In keeping with the importance of the land to people in this area, summer brings a community forum on environmental stewardship. BCIP has provided the opportunity to bring well-informed and experienced speakers to spark thought and discussion on the environment. It will be the beginning of a careful look at local resources such as soil, water, wind and wildlife.

People Power

Sibley County residents are acting on behalf of their community and Tim believes their work with have “a far-reaching effect. It is a catalyst for excitement and change.” Ensuring each person’s opinion is taken into account and brought to the table has been a challenging aspect of organizing priorities. However, a broad range of projects and the belief that the work will pay off in the end has kept many people involved.

“It has been an exciting process and I have been able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Money to improve the community is a motivator. The pot ‘o gold at the end of the rainbow has helped keep us moving ahead, but the real rainbow is the people. I love working with people,” says Tim. These days people in Sibley County are showing their true colors and they are brilliant.