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May 2010
West Central Iowa Development Bulletin |
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Director's Report
 We live in interesting times. Just when you think things might be a bit slow, it is anything but for the Midwest Partnership EDC staff. At present, we are working with 20 active business development projects throughout the area that we support. Most of these involve plans of existing employers, but we are also on the short-list of two prospects that have an international presence. One involves renewable energy production, the other is agri-business related. Almost all of the projects would result in positive regional growth in jobs and capital investment. A lot of work is required yet, however, to get these projects from point "A" to "Z".
Our organization also has a lot of "new" beginnings this year, with a new board president in Mike Underwood, new staff members in Michael Cooley and Sarah Gomez, and a new brand, logo and positioning statement that shows that our counties have a lot more commonalities than differences. In the coming months, we are going to work as hard as we can to close a number of deals. We appreciate your continued support, and let me know your ideas and thoughts anytime by emailing me at jwhite@midwestpartnership.com.
Sincerely,
Jason White, Executive Director |
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| Become a Member |
Support area economic development by becoming an investor-member of Midwest Partnership! Email info@midwestpartnership.com for more information. |
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| List Your Event! | |
To have your event listed on our website and in this monthly newsletter, email: info@midwestpartnership.com |
| Midwest Partnership EDC Staff |
The people behind it all!
 Jason White, Executive Director
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| Nurse to Highlight Golf Outing
Iowa Energy coach will attend
 Iowa Energy head coach Nick Nurse will be the featured guest this year at the 15th Annual Midwest Partnership EDC Golf Outing. The event will be held on Thursday, June 24th, at the Lake Panorama National Golf Resort and Conference Center. The day promises to be a good one with food, golf, prizes, and much more. Space is limited to the first 36 teams to sign up. Register today!
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| Existing Business & Industry
Expansions, New Owners Lead This Month's Activity
 The Farmers Cooperative location in Churdan will see a change this summer after the announcement of an expansion planned for the facility. A new grain bin and grain pit will be added at a reported cost of $2 million. It's part of a companywide $16 million effort to increase permanent grain storage across central Iowa. Farmers Cooperative has six locations in the Midwest Partnership region with dozens of employees.
 In Casey, Kingery Awning Company continues to grow after adding a sign printing branch to its operations. Kingery Sign Company will open on May 20th, offering full color vinyl graphic services. Products which will now be offered include magnets, window lettering, a variety of signs from realtor to vinyl, and more. Rolling Hills Bank & Trust and Farmers Electric Cooperative were instrumental in financing the project. A pre-opening ribbon cutting was held May 18th.
New owner Doug Davidson (left) with previous owner Richard Thompson (right). | The convenience store and gas station in Orient has changed names to the Orient Express after being known for decades as Thompson's Service. Long time Orient resident Richard Thompson had owned the historic station for the last forty years. New owner Doug Davidson says the facility will soon be offering new features like pizza and other food for the small town. The changes will be unveiled during a late-June open house. |
| Legislative News: Smart Planning
Bill Moves Toward Usage of Ten Principles
The Iowa Legislature has passed a bill that requires local governments to consider ten Smart Planning principles in land development efforts. The new code essentially encourages municipalities to use these principles for planning, zoning, development, and resource management:
- Collaboration
- Efficiency, transparency, and consistency
- Clean, renewable, and efficient energy
- Occupational diversity
- Revitalization
- Housing diversity
- Community character
- Natural resources and agricultural protection
- Sustainable design
- Transportation diversity
The new bill also creates a 29-member task force of appointed local and state officials to provide recommendations to the Legislature in November. Several allocations made to state programs call on local governments to use the principles in comprehensive planning, sometimes offering special pots of money for those that do so. |
| New Logo, Message, Positioning
Midwest Partnership EDC Enhances Marketing Efforts
 The four counties in the Midwest Partnership EDC region are represented better than ever before after the organization unveield several new marketing strategies. More and more, you'll begin seeing a new and more modern logo online and on print documents. It was designed by Greenfield business Sorensen Studios. The logo will be oftentimes accompanied by the tagline, "West Central Iowa's Destination for Business and Quality Living!"
 Meanwhile, a new positioning will give business owners looking to locate in the region a better idea of what the four counties can provide their company. An in-depth study by a consulting firm identifies great infrastructure and quality of life, ease of doing business, ingenuity among existing companies, and the region's proximity to metro areas (see map), as selling points to recruit new business. Midwest Partnership EDC's aim is to be the premier economic development destination between Ames, Des Moines, and Omaha. Click here to see the full story. |
| Adair, Guthrie Counties Extend Zones
Enterprise Zones will Continue Tax Incentives
The boards of supervisors in Adair and Guthrie counties have approved extending the time period as far as legally possible for their current Enterprise Zones, which offer qualifying businesses various tax incentives. Considered to be one of the most prized financial assistance programs in Iowa, only about one in three counties have established zones eithin their bounds. Businesses that pay at least 90% of the county's average wage, offer certain benefits, hire ten more permanent employees, and make a minimum captial investment of $500,000 are eligible for assistance. Audubon County also has Enterprise Zones established. |
| Canoe in Greene County
Another Way to Travel the Raccoon River
 The Greene County Development Corporation and several partners have announced the availability of canoeing on the Raccoon River as part of their "Pedal, Paddle, and Play in Greene County" promotion this summer. A canoe rental and shuttle service available on weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day will complement the bike trail and camping facilities already in the area. The canoe service can accomodate groups as large as forty. |
| Midwest Partnership EDC in Pictures
New President, Worldly Scholars, County Development Event
 The board of directors for Midwest Partnership EDC is under new leadership after election of officers at its last quarterly meeting. Immediate Past-President Mike Carey (right) is seen passing the gavel to new President Mike Underwood (left). Underwood, of Guthrie County State Bank, will be joined as an officer by newly elected Vice-President Sid Jones, Treasurer Warren Varley and Secretary Brett Irlmeier.
 Jason White, Midwest Partnership EDC executive director (far right), discussed agribusiness and rural economic development in Coon Rapids with Professor Chernyakov, an economics professor from Russia (middle right). Chernyakov is joined by his translator (far left) and Mark Thomas, president of the Coon Rapids Development Group (middle left).
 Tom Nielson, executive director for Audubon County Economic Development (left), joins Jason White, executive director for Midwest Partnership EDC (right), at the Exploring Audubon County Expo held in March. |
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| Resource of the Month |
Recovery Zone Bonds
Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds and Recovery Zone Facility Bonds were created as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Adair, Audubon, and Guthrie counties were allocated a portion of the funding for designation of bonding authority within their borders.
Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds are a type of taxable Build America Bonds (BABs) authorized by the Recovery Act for use by governmental bodies. Like Direct Payment BABs, Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds allow issuers to receive direct federal subsidy payments to offset a portion of their interest expense. Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds are subsidized at an amount equal to 45% of the total interest payable.
Recovery Zone Facility Bonds are a new kind of tax-exempt private activity exempt facility bonds, used for "recovery zone property," which is depreciable property that renovated or purchased after the recovery zone designation, being used for the borrower's original purpose, and will be used primarily in the recovery zone.
The county board of supervisors must designate a recovery zone before application can be made. The Iowa Legislature has allowed unused bonding authority to go into a statewide pool if the bonds aren't used in the respective county by July 1st, 2010.
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About Us
Midwest Partnership EDC is the non-profit, collaborative economic development organization formed to strengthen the economic vitality of the communities of Adair, Audubon, Greene and Guthrie counties of west central Iowa. |
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