Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) representatives presented Babbitt’s final strategic plan draft at a special council session .
A list of Babbitt’s key economic weaknesses named limited job opportunities, limited capacity to support entrepreneurs, and limited lodging capacity as areas for growth.
Potential solutions include promoting vacant industrial lots to large employers, advertising local incentives to potential entrepreneurs and hosting regular meetings with existing business owners.
Opening up rental housing offerings could boost Babbitt’s visitor capacity, while targeted marketing for the campground could capitalize on the city’s existing lodging infrastructure.
TheWestEndDevelopmentagain surfaced as a bright spot for Babbitt’s long-term vision. The new lots could attract new residents with a broader range of housing options, while still supporting the community’s overwhelming preference for single-family homes.
“A goal of yours was to help increase population growth, resident recruitment and the tax base for the community,” said CEDA representative Cameron Payne. “There’s a very clear ripple effect that happens when you build homes and bring new people to your community and continue that growth.”
CEDA’s community survey identified multi-family housing as a secondary priority to single-family homes. However, Payne said these options serve to attract younger residents into Babbitt who seek slightly more affordable options, while offering the opportunity for older residents to downsize and open up properties for first-time homebuyers.
Besides tax base increase, CEDA outlined tourism as another opportunity for Babbitt’s economic growth.
Though Babbitt already draws visitors seeking its outdoor appeal, CEDA representative Annie Nichols said the city could expand access by creating a stronger tourism identity and increasing visibility.
To support Babbitt’s existing natural assets and any community projects that might surface, the strategic plan suggested increased volunteer engagement as an action step for Babbitt.
“The best way to go about it is (to find) where your community members are already currently active,” Payne said, whether those hubs include church groups, coffee socials or social media pages.
Nichols suggested locating groups whose missions align with the project at hand, whether it might be hanging flower baskets throughout the summer or working on a trail project.
Council members pushed back, citing deepening challenges with volunteer recruitment in Babbitt and regionally.
“We have a lot of great clubs in town. But when we look at the people who are the cornerstones of those clubs, and even all the workers, and look at their age, it’s like, how do we get the next generation?” said council member Duane Lossing. “People are not stepping up like they used to.”
Council member Jim Lassi said the Babbitt Golf Course needed to hire a handyman for the first time in order to accomplish projects, due to the increasing age of the club’s volunteers.
“We used to get people to volunteer all the time. Now they’re old, they don’t want to, and they can’t,” Lassi said. “We don’t have a lot of young kids. Age takes its toll on your volunteerism and puts an extra burden on your members to try to get things done.”
Council member Joe White suggested grants as the best solution.
“Grants are a very good way to support projects that people want to get done in town,” White said. “I’m seeing pretty good success with that.”
Overall, the strategic plan aims to orient Babbitt’s long-term vision around community pride, connection and quality of life.
These three values mirror the community’s survey responses when asked about their favorite aspects of life in Babbitt: outdoor access, the city’s family-friendly environment, and the opportunity to live in a quiet and rural area.
Payne acknowledged Babbitt residents’ high survey engagement levels.
“I want to also shout out again: your community is there,” Payne said. “We have the hardest time getting community responses. Your community showed up immediately and responded to that survey. That’s the highest percentage per capita we’ve ever had on a survey.”
