COMMUNITY ADVISORY PANEL FACILITATION | 2011-PRESENT
Challenge: Minnesota Power sought a facilitator for its Community Advisory Panels (CAPs) in northeast Minnesota communities with power-generation facilities, including the ItasCAP in Itasca County, the EastRangeCAP, and the Taconite Harbor CAP.
Role: Provide facilitation services that bring together large groups of community stakeholders and provide education on Minnesota Power operations and offerings, plus other topics of local interest. Work includes agenda creation, event logistics and facilitation, and follow-up surveys. The EastRangeCAP has since expanded to include support from PolyMet, which also provides regular updates on its latest developments.
Results: CAPs take place regularly, with eight meetings per year in Itasca County and on the East Range; Taconite Harbor CAPs have been largely discontinued since the closure of the facility in 2018, though there are occasional updates. Surveys demonstrate high satisfaction with educational offerings at the CAPs.
Reference: Arik Forsman, Minnesota Power Regional Development Lead, aforsman@mnpower.com, 218-355-3303