To spur a rural rebound, one Minnesota county is paying college athletes to promote it.

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ottertail

ottertail

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USA Today…

Max Brosmer is used to spending his Saturdays starring on turf, not ice. So the starting quarterback for the University of Minnesota was recently a bit out of his element on a frozen lake three hours from the Twin Cities.

Yet it was no accident that the Big Ten athlete ended up fishing on the ice here in February. He was paid to go. It’s part of an all-out charm offensive by Otter Tail County to introduce a new generation to rural life and, eventually, start replenishing its aging workforce.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...to-draw-mid-career-professionals/73418572007/
 


Glad to see them picking up some good NIL.

Plus, the existing workforce gaps mean there are plenty of high-paying careers available for transplants willing to move to small towns like Perham
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I fear the drift into OT but I have to ask:

Uh... what high paying careers are in Perham?

I hit a few job sites, found maybe one that looked ... ok.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
Glad to see them picking up some good NIL.



I fear the drift into OT but I have to ask:

Uh... what high paying careers are in Perham?

I hit a few job sites, found maybe one that looked ... ok.
Click to expand...
You don't have to be in Perham proper, it's not too far from D. Lakes, etc.

And this is a promotion from Otter Tail County, which includes Fergus Falls.

Maybe a weed farm?
 

Unregistered User said:
You don't have to be in Perham proper, it's not too far from D. Lakes, etc.

And this is a promotion from Otter Tail County, which includes Fergus Falls.

Maybe a weed farm?
Click to expand...
It's all relative too. What's considered a high salary in a rural area may not be anything special in a metro area.
 


GophersInIowa said:
It's all relative too. What's considered a high salary in a rural area may not be anything special in a metro area.
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I don't disagree to some extent.

However, housing can be weird. I've shopped around rural areas and found a situation where yeah it's cheaper ... for a reason. Old houses, and anything more new, pricing pretty much comparable to the cities with the exception of the plot of land it sits on.

And then there's all the intangibles, things to do, services, and some weird situations where despite being in rural farmland, availability of good produce is sometime s horrendous compared to the cities.

I often dream of moving out into the wilderness, but I also remember life living in small towns and the "cost of living" kinda stuff isn't always cheaper exactly and this and that aren't really 1:1.
 
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Unregistered User said:
You don't have to be in Perham proper, it's not too far from D. Lakes, etc.

And this is a promotion from Otter Tail County, which includes Fergus Falls.

Maybe a weed farm?
Click to expand...
There's the licorice/dog food/potato chip company in Perham...maybe they have some ok jobs?
 

ottertail said:
USA Today…

Max Brosmer is used to spending his Saturdays starring on turf, not ice. So the starting quarterback for the University of Minnesota was recently a bit out of his element on a frozen lake three hours from the Twin Cities.

Yet it was no accident that the Big Ten athlete ended up fishing on the ice here in February. He was paid to go. It’s part of an all-out charm offensive by Otter Tail County to introduce a new generation to rural life and, eventually, start replenishing its aging workforce.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...to-draw-mid-career-professionals/73418572007/
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So he's found his inner Otter? ;)
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I don't disagree to some extent.

However, housing can be weird. I've shopped around rural areas and found a situation where yeah it's cheaper ... for a reason. Old houses, and anything more new, pricing pretty much comparable to the cities with the exception of the plot of land it sits on.

And then there's all the intangibles, things to do, services, and some weird situations where despite being in rural farmland, availability of good produce is sometime s horrendous compared to the cities.

I often dream of moving out into the wilderness, but I also remember life living in small towns and the "cost of living" kinda stuff isn't always cheaper exactly and this and that aren't really 1:1.
Click to expand...
Going small town grocery shopping is a serious price shock. Cheapest groceries I've ever found were smack in the middle of North Side Chicago.

Generally it's economically better to be in a high compensation, high COL area vs, a low compensation, low COL area. Some things are more expensive in the expensive place (real estate), but there's tons of things that cost the same no matter what, like a TV or a car, and quite a few things that cost less.
 



Perham has a very nice hospital so will have the jobs there that will likely pay quite well in order to attract and retain people. Would envision there are also good careers for people who are tired of the rat race in the cities and want somewhere quieter to raise their families where they can play sports, be in the extra-curriculars, etc similar to what they did growing up. the COL metric goes a lot of different ways and even if prices are higher, if you have more time that's worth it to some people as well (this is coming from someone who grew up rural and would never go back to as rural as I was, but could see the appeal as I transition later in my career towards something a little more chill with more time at the lake.)

probably makes sense that that's the real group they're targeting, not the fresh 20 somethings just done with college.
 

Word said:
There's the licorice/dog food/potato chip company in Perham...maybe they have some ok jobs?
Click to expand...
Probably. It's a mess when someone untrained mixes them up.
 

GophersInIowa said:
It's all relative too. What's considered a high salary in a rural area may not be anything special in a metro area.
Click to expand...
Disagree. High paying jobs are reasonably similar in pay because otherwise it would be harder to attract people for those jobs to rural areas.
 

CentralGopher said:
Disagree. High paying jobs are reasonably similar in pay because otherwise it would be harder to attract people for those jobs to rural areas.
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agreed. all depends on industry. healthcare workers are making a ridiculous amount of money as locums for many of these small towns and their base salaries are just as high if not higher than many of the city jobs, which seems to be one of the big industries they're targeting.
 



also a lot of people are working fully remote these days. Why not live out in the lakes region?
 

Word said:
There's the licorice/dog food/potato chip company in Perham...maybe they have some ok jobs?
Click to expand...
Barrel of Fun and maybe Rachel's ... is that chips brands? Ron Gardenhire, Twins was a spokesperson for awhile with them.
Speaking of chips...you need a third job to buy Doritos or Cheetos.
 



A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I don't disagree to some extent.

However, housing can be weird. I've shopped around rural areas and found a situation where yeah it's cheaper ... for a reason. Old houses, and anything more new, pricing pretty much comparable to the cities with the exception of the plot of land it sits on.

And then there's all the intangibles, things to do, services, and some weird situations where despite being in rural farmland, availability of good produce is sometime s horrendous compared to the cities.

I often dream of moving out into the wilderness, but I also remember life living in small towns and the "cost of living" kinda stuff isn't always cheaper exactly and this and that aren't really 1:1.
Click to expand...
Sorry was out of the Country when posting originally so late response...

Mostly just found it really interesting on why the partnership with Gopher Athletics and the details they shared. They choose the U of M over NDSU as it's a Minnesota College even though Fargo probably be an easier sell. They also shared some figures.

A few items I will briefly comment on, but if you have additional questions happy to help:
- A Star Tribune Article is a precursor to this. Doesn't answer many of your questions, mostly a sales pitch but gives additional background.
- A County Jobs Portal gives options to all positions available in the County they know of. I like that is a not-for-profit simple website. You can also always start your own business.
-As one that lives here now after college I can say it's all about your life choices as can find both good and bad options for any topic discussed above.
- There are many good paying jobs in this area but competing with Urban jobs is a challenge. A lot of recruiters are used and hold community meet and greets and tours.
- Housing is a mixed bag, I would say most with well jobs live on expensive lake shore or on acreage. In town or old farmhouses without acreage can be very affordable. Condo's and multi-family apartments have been going up everywhere.
- Most people do drive for opportunities on recreation, shopping, employment, etc. You may have to go further miles to make these connections to your residence but no traffic keeps time down.
- As others have said it's all relative to how you live as there are Pro's and Con's to everything and good and bad everywhere.

I'd be happy to see some athletes move up here after college. May be they can help make it better. Which is what I got out of the article on why they contribute to NIL.
 

ottertail said:
Sorry was out of the Country when posting originally so late response...

Mostly just found it really interesting on why the partnership with Gopher Athletics and the details they shared. They choose the U of M over NDSU as it's a Minnesota College even though Fargo probably be an easier sell. They also shared some figures.

A few items I will briefly comment on, but if you have additional questions happy to help:
- A Star Tribune Article is a precursor to this. Doesn't answer many of your questions, mostly a sales pitch but gives additional background.
- A County Jobs Portal gives options to all positions available in the County they know of. I like that is a not-for-profit simple website. You can also always start your own business.
-As one that lives here now after college I can say it's all about your life choices as can find both good and bad options for any topic discussed above.
- There are many good paying jobs in this area but competing with Urban jobs is a challenge. A lot of recruiters are used and hold community meet and greets and tours.
- Housing is a mixed bag, I would say most with well jobs live on expensive lake shore or on acreage. In town or old farmhouses without acreage can be very affordable. Condo's and multi-family apartments have been going up everywhere.
- Most people do drive for opportunities on recreation, shopping, employment, etc. You may have to go further miles to make these connections to your residence but no traffic keeps time down.
- As others have said it's all relative to how you live as there are Pro's and Con's to everything and good and bad everywhere.

I'd be happy to see some athletes move up here after college. May be they can help make it better. Which is what I got out of the article on why they contribute to NIL.
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"Out State is Great." Paul Bunyan
 

Stuff said:
also a lot of people are working fully remote these days. Why not live out in the lakes region?
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Appealing in some ways, but why not go all-in and just move to the ocean*? Where I can take the boat out 365 days a year? And live in a city where there's things to do and people to meet. This was my thought process as a remote worker.

*please no hurricanes
 

Stuff said:
also a lot of people are working fully remote these days. Why not live out in the lakes region?
Click to expand...
Thoughts:

A lot of jobs are more hybrid than anything else, those are out if you're way out there.

Things to do ... other than the lake.

Actual cost savings greatly overstated IMO.

And let's face it, if you're going to move to the lakes, why not move someplace even father / better?
 

fmlizard said:
Appealing in some ways, but why not go all-in and just move to the ocean*? Where I can take the boat out 365 days a year? And live in a city where there's things to do and people to meet. This was my thought process as a remote worker.

*please no hurricanes
Click to expand...
There's advantages to both and just depends on preferences. I personally would prefer living on a lake where I can be out in my fishing spot in 5 minutes and it's generally a lot quieter. Like I work until 4:00, and can easily jump in the boat for an hour before dinner. Or just easily sit at the end of the dock and throw a line out.
 

GophersInIowa said:
There's advantages to both and just depends on preferences. I personally would prefer living on a lake where I can be out in my fishing spot in 5 minutes and it's generally a lot quieter. Like I work until 4:00, and can easily jump in the boat for an hour before dinner. Or just easily sit at the end of the dock and throw a line out.
Click to expand...
Why limit yourself? I would prefer to just not have to work and have a private jet and helicopter at my disposal so I can bounce around to my villas all around the world.
 

Word said:
Why limit yourself? I would prefer to just not have to work and have a private jet and helicopter at my disposal so I can bounce around to my villas all around the world.
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giphy.gif
 

Unregistered User said:
You don't have to be in Perham proper, it's not too far from D. Lakes, etc.

And this is a promotion from Otter Tail County, which includes Fergus Falls.

Maybe a weed farm?
Click to expand...


Fungus Falls

My HS football coach wasn’t a great tactician, but we laughed our Azzes off ever practice
 






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