ELY — Ely Community Response has partnered with the University of Minnesota to create a 10-question economic survey designed to assess the impact of recent wildfires on businesses across northern Minnesota.
The survey is targeted at business owners across Cook, Lake, Koochiching and St. Louis counties. It can be found on Ely Community Response’s Facebook page and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 23.
So far, the survey has received more than 100 responses.
Ely City Council member Emily Roose said she hopes to pass on the survey results to legislators and community stakeholders to advocate for economic aid to the region. Aiden Opatz, an economic analyst with University of Minnesota Extension, said he hopes to have a summarized report of the findings by the end of September.
“The results of the survey are really gonna dictate what is really needed,” Roose said.
Roose hopes the survey could expedite legislative aid, which has stalled as lawmakers attempt to avoid a lengthy special session in the midst of election season. She explained that because many businesses make most of their money during the summer, and the legislative session begins in spring, it may be too late to save some businesses by the time lawmakers are back in session.
“I think the really most important question is the first question, which is, ‘If you don’t get some help, are you going to survive the winter? Yes or no?’” Roose said.