The Growing Small Towns Show

This is our first-ever LIVE podcast recording! This episode was recorded on the main stage of the 2024 Main Street Summit in Watford City, ND and features guests Pat Bertagnolli of Job Service North Dakota and Mike Knutson of Dakota Resources.   When we got asked to host this live show during the summit, we took to the socials—as we do—to ask what our people needed the most help with. Overwhelmingly, the idea of how to get more people involved in making our communities great emerged as the topic, so that’s what this episode is about and we’re so excited for you to hear from these two amazing guests!   About Pat:   A native of Montana, and a North Dakota resident since 2011, Bertagnolli earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Carroll College in Helena in 1990 and has held his certification as a Senior Certified Professional in Human Resources since 2015. Prior to his appointment, Bertagnolli served in a variety of leadership roles in both human resources and operations, and most recently was the Community Enhancement Director in Watford City, ND.   Bertagnolli was first appointed to the Workforce Development Council in 2014 by then-Governor Jack Dalrymple. He continues to serve on this council, as well as the State Board for Career and Technical Education, Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Administrative Committee for Veterans Affairs, State Information Technology and Advisory Board, Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems committee, and the National Association of State Workforce Agencies.   In February of 2022, Governor Doug Burgum appointed Patrick Bertagnolli to serve as the Executive Director of Job Service North Dakota. Job Service North Dakota has a statewide footprint and impacts North Dakota’s workforce through many workforce programs to connect employers and job seekers, through the unemployment insurance program to provide benefits to eligible workers, and through the labor market information department which provides education and insights for informed decision making.   About Mike: Mike facilitates and orchestrates the Dakota Resources Community Learning Network. He also serves as a community coach for rural communities. He has spent 15 plus years working in rural community development. His commitment to rural communities began when he recognized that his own behaviors (i.e. – the lack of community involvement and buying locally) were contributing the decline of his community. Since 2008, Mike has operated his own business, MAK(e) Strategies, working primarily as a facilitator and coach in rural settings. Among his volunteer activities, Mike has served as the chairman of the board for Glacial Lakes Tourism, Dakota Wesleyan University Alumni Association, Rural Schools Collaborative, and Southeast SD Tourism. Mike grew up outside of Hartford, SD, and graduated summa cum laude from Dakota Wesleyan University.   In this episode, we cover: 

• Why the “Same Ten People” can be frustrating for people on both sides
• The idea of civic apathy and how it develops
• How to combat civic apathy
• What to do about Gen-Z (hint: they’re not really that different from generations prior)
• How recruiting volunteers goes hand-in-hand with recruiting new community members

Links and Resources Mentioned: Ben Winchester’s episode: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode75 Jeff Sigler’s episode about combating apathy in small towns: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode99 Jeff Sigler’s episode about growing communities for humans: https://www.growingsmalltowns.org/post/episode120 Job Service North Dakota: https://www.jobsnd.com/ Dakota Resources: https://dakotaresources.org/

Have you ever heard of the Norborne Soybean Festival? You might have, thanks to their recent recognition as the Cenex Hometown Throwdown Grand Prize Winner, but even if you haven’t, you’re going to love this episode. It’s about building amazing community events and what it looks like to swing for the fences.    About Kyle:   Kyle Durham is a sixth-generation farmer from Norborne, Missouri, an agricultural community of 700 residents. Kyle and his father farm 2,500 acres of soybeans and corn in the Missouri River bottoms.   In addition to farming, Kyle is involved with numerous local, state, and national organizations as a board member and volunteer. These include the United Soybean Board, Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council, his state and county Farm Bureaus, Trinity Lutheran Church, and the Norborne Soybean Festival. He also owns and operates The Slaboratory, a custom woodworking business in his hometown, specializing in unique handcrafted furnishings.   Kyle and his wife Courtney have two sons, Simeon, 16, and Elijah, 12.   In this episode, we cover: 

• What the Norbone Soybean Festival is 
• The Hometown Throwdown contest
• Their plans for the prize money
• How a good community event can be a catalyst for community involvement
• The power of the “microask” 

  Links and Resources Mentioned: The famous Hometown Throwdown video entry: https://www.facebook.com/NorborneSoybeanFestival/videos/1055942345557323 The Norborne Soybean Festival Facebook, home of the Festival Friday updates: https://www.facebook.com/NorborneSoybeanFestival A few articles about the contest and the festival:  https://www.kttn.com/norborne-soybean-festival-wins-hometown-throwdown-grand-prize/ https://www.kmzu.com/news/norborne-soybean-festival-crowned-best-in-the-nation-part-2/article_02d0a756-21d6-11ef-bf71-cb75605b6185.html https://www.agriculture.com/missouri-hometown-hero-kyle-durham-8385148

Mental health is something we’re incredibly passionate about here at Growing Small Towns, which most of you likely know by now given how much we love to talk about therapy and feelings and support around here! We are so appreciative of mental health practitioners like Jordyn Koski who are building practices aimed at helping our (sometimes secretly struggling) rural communities access better mental health.    About Jordyn:   I'm Jordyn Koski, therapist and Founder behind It's A Part Of, PLLC. I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of North Dakota and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Minnesota. Providing individual therapy, family therapy, and couples counseling. I have had the opportunity to work within various systems including group home settings, inpatient hospitals, human service centers, and private practice. I have been able to see clients in all parts of their journey and appreciate being able to go alongside clients to work toward their goals in life. Outside of clinical work, I enjoy spending time with my husband, children, and family being outside and going on adventures. I love my circuit and I am an avid Pinterest enthusiast!    In this episode, we cover: 

• How to fight the stigma around mental health, especially in rural areas
• What telehealth is and how it can help
• Some of the most common questions and concerns about therapy
• What we can all do to support mental health in our communities
• How it’s all a part of life, and how therapy and mental health services can bolster resilience

  Links and Resources Mentioned: It’s a Part of Website: https://www.itspartof.org/ It’s a Part of Insta: @itsapartof It’s a Part of Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091817127486

We all know about TED Talks and how wildly popular and cool they are. But, what about a TEDx event in RURAL AMERICA? Can you even?    We can’t, either, but Jeremy Ratliff could. This is an episode about audacious ideas, small towns getting it done, unexpected support, and dreaming big.    About Jeremy:   I grew up in the Midwest and graduated college from North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My first radio job was at WTMJ in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  I have worked with Cox Media Group since 2007, when I joined the WOKV news team in Jacksonville, Florida. During my radio career, I have been a producer, news anchor, host, Assistant News Director and Program Director. I have been on-air on multiple stations for years. I have lived in six different states, including here in North Dakota of course, where I have lived since November of 2020. I also host the Rendezvous Region Today podcast, which shares local stories here in northeast North Dakota. I have an amazing wife, two fantastic daughters, a dog and an outdoor cat.     In this episode, we cover: 

• How Jeremy even arrived in Cavalier, ND, and how his work has thrived since moving here
• How the TEDxCavalier event was born
• What moments he most remembers from the day
• Why you should never discount local support
• The value of surrounding yourself with positive problem-solvers

  Links and Resources Mentioned: Twitter: Twitter.com/jeremyratliff Facebook: facebook.com/JeremyRatliffRadio Podcast: https://rendezvousregiontoday.podbean.com/ TEDxCavalier site: https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/56314

Oh, friends and neighbors, are we excited for this episode. We love education, and we love educators who love education, and we love a different take on education. This week’s episode checks every single boxes as we talk to a Superintendent who is doing things just a little differently in his North Dakota community.    About Cory:   Dr. Cory Steiner is currently the Superintendent of the Northern Cass School District for the past 10 years. He has been an administrator for 17 years. In his current role, he has worked with a dedicated and passionate group of educators to shift their entire system to personalized competency-based learning. He has served on the Governor’s Task Force on Innovation which has challenged North Dakota’s education system to think differently. Northern Cass was a finalist for the Yass Prize and they received $500,000 to develop a Full-Service Community School.     Dr. Steiner believes every learner can change the world; therefore, we must provide a world-class education. It is a moral imperative we change our educational system to one which is uncompromisingly learner-centered. He also serves on the Education Standards and Practices Board, The Village Family Service Center, Rural Cass Special Education, and the Southeast Education Cooperative Board of directors. He is an adjunct professor for the University of Jamestown and the University of North Dakota. He is married to his wife, Jess, and has two children, DelRae (22), and Kelsa (19).   In this episode, we cover: 

• How Northern Cass is different
• What people love about it 
• Why things being hard doesn’t mean they’re not working
• Why “Kids these days” are different, and why we should embrace that
• But what about college admissions?

  Links and Resources Mentioned: Nice Bike book: https://nicebike.com/about-the-book/ Northern Cass School District: https://www.northerncassschool.org/

You know we love the idea of placemaking, Main Streets, and small things that have a big impact. Jaime Izuireta does, too, and has an architect and designer, he focuses not only on storefront design but the interaction between users and the built environment. This episode goes way beyond “How do we make Main Streets pretty?” to “How do we create an amazing Main Street experience?”   About Jaime:   Jaime J. Izurieta is an architect, designer and author focused on improving the quality of the interaction between users and the built environment. Jaime is the founder of Storefront Mastery, an award-winning creative agency that imagines and designs local experiences by working with place management organizations and local businesses. Jaime is also the author of Main Street Mavericks and The Ten No-B.S. Rules For Successful Storefront Design.    With over 20 years of experience as small business owner, urban designer, Placemaker, and economic development consultant, Jaime proudly serves communities all over the nation from Montclair, New Jersey.   In this episode, we cover: 

• What “street experience” means and why it matters
• Why it’s easy to “right-size” the idea of urban vitality 
• The difference between transactional and experiential
• Jaime’s advice for business owners about where to start when it comes to experience, their business, or where they can start when thinking about storefront design
• What every business owner can do to improve the street experience

Links and Resources Mentioned: Storefront Mastery: https://storefrontmastery.com Main Street Mavericks: https://mainstreetmavericks.carrd.co SM's Facebook Page: https://facebook.com/storefrontmastery Jaime’s LinkedIn profile: https://linkedin.com/in/izurietavarea Book mentioned: Drawing for Architecture by Leon Krier

Most of us probably think we’re good neighbors. But…most of us probably actually aren’t. The Lost Art of Neighboring is something that David Burton is bringing back to help small towns and the people who live in them thrive.    About David:   David Burton has been a community development specialist with the University of Missouri Extension since 2001. He is headquartered in Springfield and creates educational programs focused on leadership and becoming an engaged neighbor.   In 2021, David created Missouri Good Neighbor Week. The Governor signed a bill making Missouri Good Neighbor Week official in 2022. Then, in 2023, Missouri Good Neighbor Week was named America’s Neighboring Program of the Year by Neighborhoods USA. His Engaged Neighbor program was also named the program of the year by the University of Missouri Extension.   MU Extension programs and events like "Neighboring 101," “Show Me Neighborhood Art Week” “Missouri Good Neighbor Week” and “Neighbor Kindness Day,” help to raise awareness about the importance of being an engaged neighbor and the positive impact each of us can have on our neighbors, our neighborhood and our community.   Born and raised in Ash Grove, Mo., David is proud to call the Ozarks home. He is a two-time graduate of Drury University (1988 and 2001) with degrees in political science, journalism, and integrated marketing and communication.   David is a prolific writer and still writes “Live and Learn” each week for the Greene County Commonwealth, and a monthly column on neighboring in the Springfield Daily Citizen.   David and his wife, Stacey, live in Republic. Their family includes their dog Otis and their two grown children: Lauren and Matthew (and his wife Megan). They are active at Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Springfield, where David has served as Chairman of Deacons, twice chaired the pastor search team, and is preparing to lead their Neighborhood Mission Trips.    In this episode, we cover: 

• How David even got started in this whole neighboring thing
• Why we don’t need more good neighbors, we need more engaged neighbors
• Why grassroots neighborliness actually works 
• How to navigate change and push against the norm
• What we can each do about being neighborly in our own communities

Links and Resources Mentioned: David’s website: engagedneighbor.com David’s blog: https://we-are-neighbors.blogspot.com/ University website where you can enroll in Neighboring 101 for $25 or find other Engaged Neighbor programs: https://extension.missouri.edu/ Missouri Good Neighbor Week: https://www.missourigoodneighborweek.com/ National Good Neighbor Day: https://nationalgoodneighborday.com/ Take the Engaged Neighbor Pledge: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EngagedNeighborPledge Subscribe to my Engaged Neighbor newsletter: https://extension.missouri.edu/media/wysiwyg/Extensiondata/dotdigital/preferences/county/Greene/Preference-en.html?utm_campaign=1020591_Becoming%20an%20Engaged%20Neighbor%20-%20%20%20February%202024%2C%20Issue%201&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email&dm_t=0,0,0,0,0

Some of our favorite kinds of stories are the ones that feature people with a dream in their hearts to do something amazing in their small towns who then go ahead and get it done. This episode is about a dream, a restaurant, and the woman who made it happen.    About LeAnn:   LeAnn Moen always wanted to own her own restaurant, but between raising children and being active on the family's farm, the timing was never quite right. Once her children were grown, though, she knew it was time. She started looking for spaces in her small town of Twin Valley, Minnesota that could accommodate the picture she had in her head, and finally, the stars aligned, and the perfect space became available. After more than a year of renovations, LeAnn's dream became a reality last December with the opening of The Grove. The Grove is more than a restaurant--it's also a bakery, a cafe, and a gathering place for her community that has quickly become the vibrant local hub she's always dreamed of.    In this episode, we cover: 

• The vision LeAnn had for a business in her small town
• How that vision became The Grove
• Why, when things fall through, it can actually be a good thing
• Why sharing your vision with employees is so important
• What has surprised her in the first few months of running the business

Links and Resources Mentioned: The Grove website: https://thegrovekitchen.com/ The Grove Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Grove-Kitchen-Coffee-and-Bake-Shop-100091526800096/?locale=af_ZA

We love small-town events (duh) and we love the people who make those events happen (also duh.) Thus, we love this whole episode. We get to talk to Jeremy Nelson about an amazing market he’s started and grown in his small town of Arthur, ND, and it's become kind of a whole thing. This episode is a transparent, honest look at what it looks like to do something big in a small town!   About Jeremy:   Jeremy was born in Northfield, MN and earned my BA in social studies secondary education in 2000 from Bethel College in St. Paul. He began his teaching career in St. Charles, MN, and spent six years teaching history along with several other courses, some of which were outside of his licensure area (welcome to small rural schools!), and helped create the girls' soccer program.    Jeremy married his wife, Amanda, on New Year's Eve 2003 and they moved to Fargo, ND, in June of 2007 to pursue a career opportunity for Amanda. He continued his teaching career at Park Christian School in Moorhead, MN that fall and is now wrapping up his 17th year at that school.    In 2017 they moved our family into a big old house in Arthur, ND, about 35 miles NNW of Fargo. In 2018, he received his Masters Degree in administration from Minnesota State University Moorhead, and in 2020 he stepped into the role of community coordinator for the City of Arthur, a fantastic side hustle that has allowed him to exercise his administrative chops. While in that position, he’s been in charge of a monthly newsletter, submitting grant requests for municipal projects, and organizing a variety of community events.    One big idea he brought to life is the Arthur Market, a farmer's and maker's market held three times each year. Started in 2020 as simply an event under the community coordinator position, the Arthur Market has grown to such an extent that during the winter of 2023/2024 he worked to establish it as a separate nonprofit LLC in the state of North Dakota. The heart of the organization is to support, promote, and collaborate with local small businesses in order to create a thriving rural community.   In this episode, we cover: 

• What the Arthur Market is and who it’s for
• Lessons he’s learned heading into year five of the market
• Why he decided it was time to create a separate nonprofit for the market
• Why impact is the lens he uses when thinking about community events
• Why having a sandbox mentality is so important

Links and Resources Mentioned: Arthur Market Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093882913776 (Website coming soon!) Get in touch: [email protected]

What does it look like to enhance communities through art, partnership, and general change-making? Well, we can’t think of anyone better than Maggie Strong to talk to about it. Maggie loves to work with communities to spur the change they know they need, and do so in a way that makes communities better and more beautiful for all.    About Maggie:   Maggie Strong is a community builder. She founded Strong Consulting in 2016 to help organizations and communities think creatively and act strategically. A former economic development vice president and marketing executive, Maggie has 20 years of experience in strategic planning, communications, and public engagement. She gets excited about people and data and how combining the two can empower and position communities to achieve real change with lasting impact. Maggie works with civic and nonprofit clients to research, develop, facilitate, and implement strategic plans, assessments, and communication plans. She coaches community leaders, nonprofit executives, and their governing boards on how to be more effective and impactful. Maggie brings authenticity, humor, and urgency to her work and a deep respect for all people.   Maggie holds a bachelor's degree in arts management and a master's degree in business administration, both from Quincy University. She is an expert facilitator, trained in the McNellis Compression Planning® methodology, and is certified in Nonprofit Board Consulting through BoardSource. She is a lifelong learner, pursuing her certification as an AI Consultant for Nonprofits. She has served on several nonprofit boards primarily for organizations with missions focused on young people and the arts. Maggie and her husband, Aaron, spend their time raising their kind and courageous kids, Alex, Charlie, and Cecilia, and renovating their beloved 100-year-old bungalow in their hometown of Quincy, Illinois.     In this episode, we cover: 

• Why art is so valuable for small towns
• How to embrace the subjective nature of art (and other things) for small-town development
• What it means to “Be the Change” in small towns
• Why we don’t have to personally love something in order to recognize its value
• The power of partnership

Links and Resources Mentioned: www.MaggieStrong.com (Under construction, but the new website should be up soon!) https://www.linkedin.com/in/maggiestrong/ https://www.facebook.com/strongconsultingquincy