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Preuss leaving FCDC for Fairmont EDA job

By Staff | Jan 26, 2015

The Faribault County Development Corporation (FCDC) is going to have to find a new executive director.

And, that also means Faribault County and the city of Blue Earth will be without an economic development director for a while, as well.

After six years with FCDC four and a half as the executive director Linsey (Warmka) Preuss is leaving her position as of the end of January.

Preuss has accepted the position of coordinator of the city of Fairmont Economic Development Authority (EDA). She will begin her new job on Thursday, Feb. 5.

“This was a very hard decision for me to make,” Preuss says. “I am a local Faribault County person and I planned on staying here.”

But, the opportunity to advance presented itself and she applied for the Fairmont EDA position, was interviewed and hired.

The FCDC (once known as Go Minnesota), came into existence in September of 2008. Just four months later, Jan. 6, 2009, Preuss was hired to be the market ing and economic director.

After two executive directors came and went in a short period of two years, the FCDC board hired Preuss to be its director.

Preuss is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a BS degree in business finance, with a certificate in economic development from Hamline University. Plus, she is currently working on achieving her international certificate in economic development through the International Economic Development Council.

She also serves on both the Region 9 economic development committee (which she chairs) and on the South Central Work Force Council both positions she plans on continuing.

One of Preuss’ jobs right now involves getting information on what the FCDC board of directors can do as a transitional plan while they work on hiring a new director.

The board is meeting on Tuesday of this week to decide their next steps.

“They will be looking at hiring an interim director so that things can continue smoothly,” Preuss says.

FCDC contracts with both the city of Blue Earth and Faribault County to provide them with economic development services.

Both entities pay FCDC $50,000 each per year for the service.

At last Monday’s Blue Earth City Council meeting, several councilmen expressed concern about the contract with FCDC.

“This might be a good time to look at hiring our own EDA person,” councilman John Gartzke said. “We have a lot of projects going on right now including the North Industrial Park that warrant having our own person.”

Mayor Rick Scholtes said the city has a contract in place with FCDC.

“Contracts can be broken,” Gartzke said. Scholtes added the contract can be ended with 120 day notice by either party.

The council tabled any action on the matter for another meeting.