City Applying for Grant to Aid in Electrolux Closing Recovery

ST. CLOUD -- The St. Cloud Economic Development Authority is taking a different path to help with the recovery of the Electrolux plant closing next year. While several efforts are being made to ensure workers have the resources they need to find other jobs, this effort is to identify target industries that make sense to train workers in.

Economic Development Director Cathy Mehelich says they are applying for a federal grant through the Economic Adjustment Assistance Program to hire an economic development coordinator to lead the effort.

Through a matching grant, Mehelich says they would negotiate a two-year contract with an expert on this type of recovery following a plant closing.  The proposed budget for the Economic Recovery Program would be $240,000.

The coordinator will also work to establish a relationship between the St. Cloud area community and businesses who have operations here but, headquarters out of state.

Mehelich says they are in the beginning stages of applying for the grant and securing pledges to come up with the local match.