The Wadena Pioneer Journal reports…

From housing and growth to long-term priorities, residents had an opportunity to share their ideas for the future of Wadena County during a public meeting as the county prepares to update its comprehensive plan.

Ben Oleson, planning consultant with Hometown Planning, kicked off the Feb. 26 meeting and noted the county has not updated its comprehensive plan since 2013. The purpose, said Oleson, is to develop a roadmap for the future of Wadena County by gaining input from residents. The process involves reviewing existing policies and updating demographic data with new census information.

They spoke about a number of topics, including broadband…

Wadena County resident Joy Weyer highlighted the need for reliable day care services beyond in-home providers and access to high-speed internet services. Weyer noted that in-home day care providers have been the backbone of child care options in the county, but day care centers that are able to provide drop-in options are limited.

Some shared info on broadband improvements…

Commissioner Bill Stearns said Wadena County has achieved a high rate of broadband coverage, mostly due to West Central Telephone’s commitment to serving Wadena County residents.

“Our county has 98 percent coverage in the county for broadband and it’s one of the highest in the state for coverage,” said Stearns, who added access to high-speed internet is a crucial component for attracting remote workers and new residents.