Greetings,

The City of Ashley invites you to consider our community for the call center/contact center. We have a suitable building that is available and we would be glad to offer and meet your needs, a quality work force and a rural community that is eager for the opportunity to share our resources and quality of life with you and your company.

Our Technology building is a 5000 square foot facility built in 1997, which is completely wired for your needs, including DSL or T-1 Broadband capability, along with multiple telephone lines for services. The building is in a prime location for potential growth and has all the amenities and parking. The local economic development organization is anxious to work with your company to identify the needs you may have and address them in a manner that will be acceptable and equitable for your company.

We have a progressive community that is addressing community economic development in a positive and proactive manner. The community is recognized within the state as having aggressive and commited community leadership that is activley working to make things happen. The City of Ashley was recognized on a national level by the National Center for small communities in their 2002 publication of “Technology and and Grit at the Grassroots.” Ashley is an active Alumni of the Dakota Heartland Champion Community, a regional economic development zone that was established by USDA- Rural Development. We have just recently completed some major infrastructure projects that include our entire water and sewer as well as a main street face lift that included new sidewalks and decorative lighting. We are positively addressing housing needs, have an active beautification plan for the community and are implementing our strategic plan for economic growth. The community is commited to addressing quality of life issues, including new job opportunities for our residents and the region.

With technology playing an increasing role in the economy, we welcome this opportunity to expand our local economy. With this facility. We would appreciate an opportunity to welcome you to Ashley as a new business and support your efforts for a successful future.

Respectfully,

Maureen Delzer, Economic Development

City of Ashley

Community Information

The community of Ashley is located in rural, south central North Dakota, approximately 6 miles from the South Dakota border. The community supports a population of 882 according to the 2000 census, but draws from a much larger rural area for their labor force. The community is very active in promoting economic development projects and has been chosen as one of 12 communities nationally to participate in the National Center for small communities Technology survey. The community was recognized as a leader in providing technology options to rural communities. This was due in part to the outstanding leadership that our community has shown to aggressively move forward in community economic development. In 2007 Ashley received FHLB Des Moines 2007 Capital Community Award. Communities are chosen that are different from one another and use vision, planning and teamwork to revitalize or sustain their local economies.

Ashley is a progressive, rural community that has dealt with issues of rural distress, such as out migration, aging population, lack of head of household jobs and an aging infrastructure in a positive and proactive manner. The community has developed a strategic plan that has implemented priorities and addressed needed changes. As mentioned, the community has leaders who recognize the necessity of being better prepared and planning there actions, rather than being reactive to crises situations. We have determined that in order to experience growth and prosperity for the community, we have to encompass all aspects of community economic development.

As a community, we are committed to updating our infrastructure and housing. We have completed a major water and sewer upgrade, which included an extensive upgrade of our water treatment plant and encompassed the majority of the water lines and many of the sewer lines within the community, which includes initiating state legislation that was successfully passed to allow communities to build moderate income housing. This is especially a strong need in rural communities. There also funding options available within the community to purchase existing housing or build new housing and other state and regional housing funding options. The city has existing lots and developable land available to provide for housing and industrial building needs.

We have a very active Job Development Authority (JDA) which has helped many of the local businesses with financial assistance. We have an active Lions group that has provided funds for economic development projects. In addition, we have an organization called Opportunities, Inc. the parent organization for our community foundation. Ashley has the second largest community endowment fund in the state of North Dakota and we are able to utilize funds from the endowment fund in for community economic development projects. We have an Ashley beautification committee that has made progress in tearing down some old buildings, painting others and  and developing pocket parks on our Main Street. We have a quality Main Street in our community that demonstrates a community pride that many other communities are envious of and we have worked to help local businesses update their retail and service. We have just completed our Main Street project with Main Street being totally resurfaced, we worked with ND Dept. of Transportation for reconstructing the sidewalks, curbs and gutters as well as putting in new lighting and enhancements.

We have been actively pursuing an aggressive community economic development plan for Ashley. We have opened a plastics manufacturing company that is small but growing. We have graduated more than 10 licensed practical nurses from a distance learning program that enabled the participants to stay in Ashley and receive all of their training, which was a pilot program in the state. Ashley was a recipient of a grant from Blue cross/Blue shield to develop a pilot program for community program for community wellness which has been funded a second year due to the success of the program. The community is also an active alumni of the Dakota Heartland Champion Community, which is a USDA designated zone which encompasses one full county and three additional communities and is designated to promote economic development for rural communities. Ashley is also a member of the Northwest Area Foundation’s Horizons Leadership Program, which is designed to address poverty issues and build leadership capacity. Ashley has been a community of great foresight: strong positive leadership and commitment to increasing the quality of life for the residents of the community, county and region. Included in this proposal are just a few of the partnerships, projects and funding that the community has worked on to better itself.

Location and Access  
Ashley is located in the south central portion of the state, with Highway 11 running through the community from east to west and Highway 3 located eight miles west. Federal highway 281, which is a main north and south artery, is located 43 miles directly east of Ashley and federal highway 83 which is also a main north and south artery is located 35 miles west of Ashley. We have a small airport that is maintained and is adequate for small jet planes to land on. We are are 80 miles from Aberdeen, SD, 120 miles from Bismarck, ND  and 90 miles from Jamestown, ND. All of these communities have large airports to accommodate international and national flights.

The local telephone company Dickey Rural Networks is equipped with DSL high speed internet and local phone service. There are both fiber optic and copper lines in our community and surrounding areas. There are T-1 lines and DSL service available locally for high speed access as well as cable internet and we have ATM service available.

Potential Building

We have a 5000 square foot building that was built specifically for a technology company and is already wired with DSL and T-1 lines, multiple phone lines and a complete networking system, with the suspended ceiling for cable placement, maintained air quality standards, an even air flow system and heating/cooling to provide for maximum quality for computer systems and employee health. The building is owned by the Ashley Job Development Authority and would be available for lease or purchase if the company so desires. The building was built to be able to add on to it, so there is that option also. This building was built in 1997 specifically to support a technology company. This building is located in our business park and has more than adequate space for parking. It is 5 blocks from the Main Street of the community; it is easily accessible from a local Highway and from all parts of the community.

Leasing and purchase costs are negotiable as we are very motivated to have a company come in and use this very nice facility.

Incentives

In Ashley we have three separate community organizations that provide for various economic and community development projects along with our County Bank and Community Credit Union. These include our JDA, Opportunities, INC., and Ashley Lions Group. Through the efforts of all of these organizations and our local city government, along with the help of our regional council, the North Dakota Economic Development and Finance office and the USDA Rural Development department, we have been fortunate in having been successful in bringing funds into the community to help our economic development efforts.

·         The local sources feel that there would be a grant of up to $5000.00 and a no interest loan of up to $500.00 to help with initial expenses and then other funding sources would be secured to ensure the viability and sustainability of this company in Ashley. The community currently has very reasonable lease options available and the local community and financial organizations are willing to provide additional incentives if Ashley is chosen as a potential site, such as low interest loans additional grants from community organizations and technical assistance for development of business, and more.

·         Our low individual income tax rates are competitive with other states that have an income tax. The rates—ranging from 1.84% to 4.86%—are applied to federal taxable income plus or minus certain state adjustments.

·         Our corporation income tax rates range from 2.1% to 6.4% of North Dakota taxable income. The state income is determined using an equally weighted three-factor apportionment formula. Partnerships, S corporations, and LLCs (treated like pass-through entities) do not pay income tax at the entity level; instead, the entity profit t or loss is passed through to the entity’s owners. In North Dakota, many items that other states taxes are exempt from sales tax. For example, natural gas, electricity, most professional services, and groceries are not taxed.

·         North Dakota exempts all personal property from taxation (except certain oil and gas refineries and utilities). That means no property tax on items like office equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, or materials in process. We have some of the most affordable workers compensation and unemployment insurance tax rates in the nation.

·         Computer and Telecommunications Equipment incentive for primary sector businesses other than manufacturers and recyclers, a sales and use tax exemption is allowed for purchases of computer and telecommunications equipment. To qualify for exemption, the equipment must be an integral part of a new primary sector business or create an economic expansion of an existing business, and the primary sector business must be certified by the Department of Commerce Division of Economic Development and Finance. The exemption does not extend to the purchase of replacement equipment.

·         Telecommunications Infrastructure incentive a sales and use tax exemption may be granted from July 2009 through June 2011 for purchasing tangible personal property used to construct or expand telecommunications service infrastructure within the state. To qualify, the property must be incorporated into a telecommunications service infrastructure owned by a telecommunications company.

Labor Availability Study 2008

Ashley participated in a job survey conducted by the Department of Commerce and Job Service in 2008. A copy of this study is included with this proposal. According to the study, there is a potential labor force of 2,026 individuals.

Summary

Ashley, North Dakota is a small, rural community that is showing its pride and commitment to surviving and prospering in the 21^st Century. We have strong community leadership with a strategic plan in place that gives direction for our economic and community growth. We have developed this plan with maximum community input and are committed to moving our community forward and welcome the positive changes that are taking place.

We have identified and implemented several different areas of concern and interest. One of these areas is to secure technology businesses for our community and we would like to highly encourage you to consider our potential and our strengths in making your decision as a potential location for your business. Our community has committed funds, time and leadership to make things happen for Ashley and we are succeeding and will continue to do so. We would very much appreciate an opportunity to show you our community and share with you our plans for development. We would like to invite you to be a part of our community, development and growth.

Thank you for the opportunity to share our community with you and if you have any Questions, Please Contact:

Maureen Delzer

Economic Development Coordinator

113 1st Ave NW
P.O. Box 97
Ashley, ND 58413
701-288-3278

701-288-3416 fax

Email: ashleyedc@drtel.net
www.ashley-nd.com