European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 17, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Small town America turns to marketing to stay alive by Dirk Johnson new York times r Olfe. Iowa is offering a free lot and $1.2001o anyone willing to move  need  explained Willia Winkleblack the president of  inc., a civic group in mis shrinking Community. We Don t want 1o just Lade away the exodus from Rural America exacerbated by the Arm recession has led Many Remote towns throughout the Middle West with abandoned houses shuttered stores and dwindling increasingly elderly populations. Rolfe had 1,122 residents in 1940 but has Only 700 today. Many of these communities have turned to aggressive marketing Campaign and financial incentives to entice newcomers and businesses. In some cases they have hired Public relations companies videotaped commercials and created brochures slashed lax rates and Given away land. We Don t want to be a big City said Winkleblack one of the Tew graduates of the Rolfe High school class of 1973 still living in that Northwestern Iowa Community we just want the school to survive. We want the grocery store to mate  despite having far fewer residents than a generation ago and a shrunken tax base Many Rural communities still lace the relatively unchanged Cost of maintaining roads sewers and schools. They be survived so tar by using up their  said Paul Lasley a Rural sociologist at Iowa state University in Ames. And now Many of these communities Are struggling to make it. And some won t. They won t just shut off the lights but they la become pockets of poor elderly  in an attempt to plug the Dike and to forge a new economic role Lor the Rural Community these towns Are resorting to creative sometimes Gimmicky marketing approaches aimed at Selling themselves to outsiders. William Winkleblack it uttering inn tend and Cah to anyone willing to move to belts Iowa in Mexico. Mo., potential employers Are Otle red Cash payments free land and discounted rents. The town of Osakis Minn will pay up to 15.000 toward the Cost of a lot and a Home for newcomers who stay at least live years. And Effingham 111., a town of 12.000 people paid $05.000 this year to a Chicago Public relations concern to Herald the town As the Crossroads of  a Campaign that included colourful advertising brochures and a 2b-Mifuite video profiling the town Lor those thinking of moving there As Well As interviews with High school students to learn what it would take to keep them from leaving. For these Rural communities the results of marketing have been mixed. Experts on Small towns say municipalities should not expect much from advertising campaigns and should beware of giving away the store with financial incentives aimed at attracting newcomers. Some of these towns Are so desperate for business that they la give them a building give hem some Money declare a tax Holiday said Jeffrey Schiff executive director of the National association of towns and townships based in Washington. And the first thing that goes wrong that business is up and gone to some other Community that ups the  in Rolfo newcomers get free use of the Public swimming Pool and Golf course in addition to Iho lot and Cash. To qualify newcomers must build a House valued at 130.000 or More and stay at least one year. Families with Young children Are preferred but not required. The senior class at Rolle High school this year numbered 18. About half the total of 15 years ago. And residents fear the dwindling enrolment it it continues could prompt the slate to order the school to consolidate with another District. If the students were sent to school in another Community residents say Rolfe would not survive most people feel it s not really a town it you Don t have a school Winkleblack said. The school is what holds everybody together. It s our meeting place. It s what gives us our identity. Our biggest social event of the week is the High school  so far the incentive program has generated nearly 70 inquiries Al City Hall. Callers Are sent a brochure listing the local businesses restaurants and the Virtues of Small town Lile friendliness Tranquility and the relative absence of crime. Thus Lar Only one Tot has been Given away under the incentive program and that involved a local Man. Richard Shreck the school superin Londene had been renting a House outside the incorporated area of role and took advantage of the offer. But the program lakes credit for one other family. A couple from California attracted by the offer of a tree lot instead bought an existing House after discovering the Low Cost of Homes Here. They saw you could buy a Nice House for s 15,000. Said Winkleblack. They said out in California they d pay More than that just for the  although the transaction did not result in new housing Roffe considered it a Success. The former owner of the House was a single Man Whilo the new couple has a child. We get three replacing one Winkleblack noted. Well take  Amber 17, 1988 the stars and stripes pagans