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Ellsworth County approves participation in state Rural Opportunity Zone student loan repayment program
Summary
The Ellsworth County Commission unanimously adopted Resolution 2026R02 on Jan. 5, 2026 to participate in the state Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) student loan repayment program for calendar year 2026; county economic development staff said the program carries no county cost.
On Jan. 5, 2026, the Ellsworth County Commission voted 3-0 to adopt Resolution 2026R02 authorizing the county to participate in the state’s Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) student loan repayment program for calendar year 2026. The vote took place at the Ellsworth County Courthouse.
Kevin Colle, Ellsworth County Economic Development Director, briefed the board on the program and recommended continued participation, saying it is a “positive feature at no cost to the County.” Commissioner Gregory C. Bender moved to adopt the resolution; Commissioner Shawn Thomas seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
The ROZ program is a state-funded reimbursement program intended to assist qualifying students who move to or remain in designated rural communities by providing student loan repayment support; the transcript does not specify additional local implementation steps. Resolution 2026R02 was recorded as adopted in the meeting minutes. The transcript does not indicate any dissent or conditions attached to the county’s participation.
The commission’s action was procedural and requires no additional county-level appropriation as described by county staff during the briefing. The record does not specify subsequent administrative steps or a timeline for enrolling eligible residents.
