southern iowa council of governments

Southern Iowa Council of Governments

Draft 2019

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

(CEDS)

Adoption Date: March 27, 2019

Southern Iowa Council of Governments 101 East Montgomery

Creston, IA 50801-2406 Phone 641.782.8491

Fax 641.782.8492 E-mail: [email protected]

Web: www.sicog.com

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy – Program Year 2019

ADOPTING RESOLUTION PLACEHOLDER


TABLE OF CONTENTS ExecutiveSummaryof2019CEDS................................................................................................5

Chapter1–IntroductiontotheCEDS........................................................................................11PurposeoftheComprehensiveEconomicDevelopmentStrategy......................................................................11TheSICOGOrganization.....................................................................................................................................................11

MissionStatementofSouthernIowaCouncilofGovernments.................................................................11SICOGStaff...................................................................................................................................................................12GeographicLocationofSouthernIowaCouncilofGovernments.............................................................12GoalsandObjectives................................................................................................................................................12SouthernIowaDevelopmentGroup...................................................................................................................13SICOGEDDServiceArea.........................................................................................................................................14

ExecutiveBoardandCEDSStrategyCommittee.......................................................................................................15BoardofDirectorsRoster......................................................................................................................................15CEDSStrategyCommitteeRoster........................................................................................................................17EDDBoardMembershipRoster...........................................................................................................................18CommunityandPrivateSectorParticipation..................................................................................................21DraftCEDSReviewPeriod.....................................................................................................................................21

Chapter2–SummaryBackground.............................................................................................23EnvironmentandNaturalResources............................................................................................................................23

Climate..........................................................................................................................................................................23WetlandsandRiparianAreas...............................................................................................................................23AirQuality....................................................................................................................................................................24ThreatenedorEndangeredSpecies....................................................................................................................24HistoricandArcheologicalResources...............................................................................................................24Parks,Trails,Forests,andWildlifeRefuges.....................................................................................................24HazardousWaste&ToxicContamination........................................................................................................24AgriculturalLands....................................................................................................................................................24

Transportation......................................................................................................................................................................25Population..............................................................................................................................................................................26

RuralRegion...............................................................................................................................................................26Table1:CountyPopulationChanges1960–2010.............................................................................27

.........................................................................................................................................................................................27PercentPopulationChangeinCountiesfrom2010to2016......................................................................28PopulationProjections2020-2040.....................................................................................................................29

Table2:CountyPopulationProjections2020-2040.........................................................................29AgingPopulation.......................................................................................................................................................29

Table3:PercentPersons65YearsOld&Over...................................................................................29Income.....................................................................................................................................................................................29

ContinuedEconomicDiscrepancy.......................................................................................................................29MedianHouseholdIncome....................................................................................................................................29

Table4:MedianHouseholdIncome–2013-2017.............................................................................30PovertyRate...............................................................................................................................................................30AverageWeeklyWage.............................................................................................................................................30

Unemployment/Under-Employment............................................................................................................................31Table5:2018–MonthlyUnemploymentRates(inpercent)forSICOGCounties...................32

AnnualAverageUnemploymentRates..............................................................................................................32Table6:2008-2017UnemploymentRates(SICOGCounties,Iowa&US)..................................32

Housing....................................................................................................................................................................................33Table7:Homeownership&HousingCensusDataforCountiesinSICOGRegion...................33

EducationalResources.......................................................................................................................................................34SouthwesternCommunityCollege(SWCC).....................................................................................................34BuenaVistaUniversity............................................................................................................................................34GracelandUniversity...............................................................................................................................................34

Chapter3–AnalysisofEconomicConditions...........................................................................36


Strengths,Weaknesses,Opportunities&Threats(SWOT)Analysis..................................................................36Strengths......................................................................................................................................................................38Weaknesses.................................................................................................................................................................39Opportunities.............................................................................................................................................................40Threats..........................................................................................................................................................................41SWOTSummary........................................................................................................................................................41

NaturalHazards..............................................................................................................................................42EnvironmentalJustice&EquitableDevelopment..............................................................................42Communications&Broadband.................................................................................................................42

ProgramYear2019PrioritiesandProjects................................................................................................................432018PrioritizedProjects,StrategicProgramsandActivities...............................................................................48

StrategyImplementation........................................................................................................................................48JobsCreatedorRetained........................................................................................................................................48Projects&Strategies................................................................................................................................................49

AnalysisofEconomicDevelopment...............................................................................................................................50IowaBusinessClimate............................................................................................................................................50KeyEconomicConditionsandTrendsinSICOGRegion..............................................................................50

AnalysisofEmployment&Laborshed..........................................................................................................................51RegionalEmployment,WorkforceDevelopment&LaborshedProfile..................................................51EconomicClusters....................................................................................................................................................52SICOGRegionMajorEmployers(withnumberofemployees)..................................................................54

StatewideStudies,PlansandSupport...........................................................................................................................55IowaStateUniversity--EconomicDevelopmentPrograms......................................................................56

EconomicOverview.............................................................................................................................................................57IssuesAnalysis...........................................................................................................................................................57ChangesintheManufacturingSector................................................................................................................58

Table8:PopulationIncreaseofMadisonCounty................................................................................59Table9:PopulationGrowthofEconomicDevelopmentCenters..................................................60Table10:SICOGRegion-CountyPopulationChanges(1990-2010)...........................................60

Chapter4–StrategicDirection/ActionPlan..........................................................................61SICOGActionPlanfor2019..............................................................................................................................................61Goals,Objectives,andVisionStatement.......................................................................................................................61

Short-termObjectives(1-2years)......................................................................................................................63Mid-termObjectives(3-5years)..........................................................................................................................64Long-termObjectives(beyond5years)............................................................................................................64

CostEstimatetoaccomplishGoals...........................................................................................................65Chapter5–EconomicResilience................................................................................................66

Table11:NumberofEmployeesatMajorEmployersinUnionCounty......................................70PlanningforandImplementingResilience.................................................................................................................70

EstablishingInformationNetworks...................................................................................................................71Pre-DisasterRecoveryPlanning..........................................................................................................................73MeasuringResilience...............................................................................................................................................73

Chapter6–EvaluationFramework............................................................................................75Projects&ProgressImplementing2018RegionalPriorities...............................................................................75

Priority1:EconomicDevelopment.........................................................................................................75Priority2:Transportation.........................................................................................................................77Priority3:Housing.......................................................................................................................................78Priority4:LocalPlanningandManagement.......................................................................................80Priority5:CommunityServices...............................................................................................................80Priority6:Recreation..................................................................................................................................81Priority7:Sewer/WastewaterTreatmentSystems..........................................................................81Priority8:WaterResources......................................................................................................................82Priority9:Elderly.........................................................................................................................................82Priority10:ComprehensivePlanning....................................................................................................82Priority11:Youth.........................................................................................................................................82


Priority12:RuralHealth............................................................................................................................83Priority13:SolidWaste..............................................................................................................................83Priority14:Energy.......................................................................................................................................83Priority15:Value-AddedAgriculture....................................................................................................83Priority16:Other..........................................................................................................................................84Priority17:SocialServices........................................................................................................................84

2018Grantsmanship...............................................................................................................................................85Table12:GrantFundingReceivedDuring2018................................................................................85

2018GrantActivitySummary..............................................................................................................................85Table13:GrantsFundedin2018............................................................................................................86

CDBGGrantAdministration..................................................................................................................................872018SICOGPlanningActivities...........................................................................................................................87

ComprehensiveEconomicDevelopmentStrategy.............................................................................88EDAPlanning...................................................................................................................................................88CensusData......................................................................................................................................................88CommunityDevelopment...........................................................................................................................88CommunityFacilitiesandServices..........................................................................................................88Comprehensive/SmartPlanning..............................................................................................................88EnterpriseZoneAssistance........................................................................................................................89GeographicInformationSystem...............................................................................................................89HazardMitigationPlanning........................................................................................................................89HousingAssessmentsandSurveys..........................................................................................................89Recreation,Tourism&DowntownRevitalization..............................................................................89SolidWaste.......................................................................................................................................................90TaxAbatement(UrbanRevitalizationPlan).........................................................................................90TaxIncrementFinancing(UrbanRenewalPlan)................................................................................90TransportationPlanning.............................................................................................................................90ZoningandSubdivisionRegulations.......................................................................................................90

2018TechnicalAssistance.....................................................................................................................................912018HousingAssistance.......................................................................................................................................91

HousingRevolvingLoanFund...................................................................................................................91SouthernIowaCOGHousingTrustFund...............................................................................................92

2018SICOG/SIDGIndustrial&CommunityRevolvingLoanFunds........................................................92IndustrialRevolvingLoanFund................................................................................................................92USDARuralDevelopmentRevolvingLoanFund................................................................................93CommunityInvestmentRevolvingFund...............................................................................................93

Special/RegionalProjectsandPrograms..........................................................................................................93QuantifiableDeliverables..................................................................................................................................................94

PerformanceMeasures...........................................................................................................................................95EvaluationForm........................................................................................................................................................95

Appendices........................................................................................................................................97

Appendix 1 – Historic & Archeological Resources Appendix 2 – Surveys/Questionnaires/SWOT Analysis Memo to Cities/Counties/Boards (City) Priorities Questionnaire (City) Short-Long Range Priorities Survey (City) SWOT Analysis Questionnaire Online Survey (City) Priority Calculator Appendix 3 – SICOG Disaster Recovery Implementation Plan Appendix 4 – 2018 Priority Projects, Strategies & Programs (by Priority Category) Appendix 5 – Regional Employment & Laborshed Profile Appendix 6 – Evaluation Form & Public Comments



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Executive Summary of 2019 CEDS Chapter 1 - Introduction The 2019 Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) will provide an overview of regional activities, highlight Program Year 2018, address changes in the regional economy, and identify regional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in addition to establishing priorities for Program Year 2019. SICOG’s annual CEDS evaluates and discusses the efforts and main accomplishments made to reach the goals in the previous year’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). This enables area decision makers to adjust the various techniques used in planning improvements to the quality of life in southern Iowa and to promote efficiency and effectiveness of the CEDS in the economic development of the region. It addresses emerging issues, evaluates progress towards the regional vision and goals, and includes information about adjustments to strategies as they relate to emerging and diminishing economic and quality of life issues. Chapter 2 - Background and Economic Conditions This chapter provides an overview of the region, background information, and identifies and analyzes the region’s recent and current unemployment, population, workforce development, and economic conditions. It also addresses environmental, natural, and historical resources that affect the region. The region is primarily rural, with only three towns having populations over 2,500: Creston (7,834), Winterset (5,190), and Osceola (4,929) according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Seventy-four percent (74%) of the residents of the region live in very small towns (less than 2,500 population) or in unincorporated rural areas. Residents often travel outside the immediate area of their home in order to work because employment and service centers are typically located in the county-seat towns. Over the years, the Southern Iowa region has been transformed and land uses continue to evolve. Much of the land is still used for farming, but about 30% of the region’s rural land is not farmed with row crops. Hogs, cattle and chickens are raised in the region in large numbers. In recent years wind farms have been developed within agricultural areas of several counties within the region. As the population continues to age, fewer residents exclusively farm as a living. Farm Census data indicates there are fewer farms and their size has increased. Natural resources in this region are primarily the rich soil suitable for farming, farm products, wind energy, sand, gravel, and limestone. Economic development has been slow in many smaller towns in the region. These smaller towns may not have the quality infrastructure, housing, site, or financing capabilities needed to promote extensive economic growth. However, ongoing efforts by funding programs, such as CDBG and USDA-RD, have steadily improved economic development potential in some of the smaller communities through infrastructure and housing improvements. County seat towns generally house the government centers and many essential medical, educational, and social services. County seat towns draw from the rural areas and smaller communities to supply employees, and they generate the capital to improve infrastructure and housing. This trend is more noticeable in the SICOG region than in many areas of the state. It is expected that this trend will continue with a slow growth of the county seats and resulting decline in some of the most economically unviable towns in each county.



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Southern Iowa continues to lag behind the rest of the state economically. Declines in population and slower per capita income increases in relation to the rest of the state continue to affect the region. Although modest improvements had been seen prior to the recession beginning in 2008, the region suffered from the national economic downturn, although to a lesser extent than did less diversified regions. During the last few years a slow recovery from those economic ills has continued. The region has many attributes that are conducive to a positive economic climate and the attraction of new or expanding businesses. The region is centrally located near Interstate highways in the central United States with close proximity to the major urban areas of Des Moines, Omaha, and Kansas City. The cost of doing business within the region is substantially lower than in most other locations within the United States. The area offers business diversity and stability, driven by the natural business ingenuity as well as a robust business infrastructure to facilitate growth. One of the foremost positive attributes of the region is the high quality of life enjoyed by its residents.

Analysis of the region indicates that the SICOG region is facing a number of issues:

1. Continued development of regional centers replacing small communities as the focus of the region’s economy.

2. Continued movement toward regionalization as a whole and greater dependence on urban influence and shopping opportunities.

3. Continued struggles due to taxation policies and disparity in local budgets, combined with loss of state and federal budget support.

4. Increased competitiveness for federal, state, and corporate funds. The following key findings should be noted as they are observed in our region:

1. Current conditions exist that suggest a need for and a focus on regional economic development, the development of new entrepreneurship opportunities, and protecting existing assets and businesses rather than simply recruiting random development from other places.

2. Quality of life issues are increasingly more vital to the success and desirability to live, work, and invest in this region. These issues must be included in any economic development discussions from the outset.

3. The region must capitalize on the educational focus of our community colleges and state universities. Partnerships with industries that lead to career development within the school system can be used to guide students and meet workforce needs.

4. The region must focus on existing agricultural resource assets and a growth in tourism advantages. An identity is needed.

5. The region must grasp and grow along with key economic trends and continue to be more dependent on a growing number of sectors, as has been the case in recent years.

6. A significant growth in comprehensive economic, capital, and technical assistance to start-up and expanding businesses should be pursued. This effort will include education, investment capital, workforce capital, incubator facilities, financial and legal advice and counseling, and others.

SICOG provides a wide variety of planning activities and services. The following are the major programs and services delivered to our membership and other regional and local organizations in our effort to serve the diverse and broad needs of the entire region:

• Economic Development



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• Community Development • Planning • Housing • Financial Assistance • Technical Assistance

Chapter 3 – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats The SICOG SWOT Analysis was facilitated by SICOG staff with participation by approximately 70 area stakeholders - representatives of cities, counties, economic development groups, and businesses. Updating our initial SWOT analysis information (gathered in the fall of 2015) has been accomplished every year by using a survey form distributed in the fall to all city councils, county boards of supervisors, SICOG project board members, economic development groups, and the SICOG executive board members. This information was used to support the vision, mission, and objectives of the organization. The SWOT analysis provided perspective and revealed connections and identified areas for action. Information gathered through the SWOT analysis from a variety of residents with varying perspectives is being used to:

• Explore possibilities for new efforts or solutions to problems. • Make decisions about the best path for an initiative. Identify opportunities for success in the

context of threats to success and to clarify directions and choices. • Determine where change is possible. If at a juncture or turning point, an inventory of

strengths and weaknesses can reveal priorities as well as possibilities. • Adjust and refine plans mid-course. A new opportunity might open wider avenues, while a

new threat could close a path that once existed.

In addition to utilizing a SWOT Analysis as a tool to identify positive and negative factors within the SICOG Region that promote or inhibit successful implementation of services, efforts, and economic development activities, SICOG ranked various priorities for the coming year (2019). This was accomplished using an electronic survey form distributed to all city councils, county boards of supervisors, SICOG project board members, economic development groups, and the SICOG executive board members. It requested that they provide input regarding strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and that they establish local priorities for their area of interest or jurisdiction. Each organization ranked the top eight (8) priorities for their communities or areas of interest and lists short, medium, and long-range goals. The results were compiled and priorities for the region were then analyzed and reviewed for adoption by the SICOG Executive Board. This information is used not only to help the groups plan for the future; it is also used to focus the professional services of SICOG and affiliated organizations. The most prominent strengths of the area are that it is a safe place to live with a high quality of life. Prominent weaknesses revealed through the analysis were the region’s aging and declining population, its older and poorly maintained housing, and the limited entertainment and activities for youth. Threats to the region include young workers leaving the area for higher paying jobs in larger metropolitan areas and local dollars spent on shopping and entertainment outside the region. Opportunities to address and overcome these threats and weaknesses include businesses working with the schools to assure an adequate workforce that matches trained workers with jobs and collaborating with regional entities to expand workforce opportunities, improve housing, and finding ways to retain young people in the region. The priorities adopted by the SICOG region support and address the issues identified in the SWOT process. They focus on areas where action identified during this process is needed.



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Chapter 4 - Strategic Direction / Action Plan As a major priority of SICOG and its 2019 planning efforts for the region, economic development has been considered very carefully. It is important that the changes occurring in the economy and the trends that vary throughout the region are considered when planning. Economic development will not improve the region if it does not improve quality of life. The quality of life in the region has been enhanced by the work done through the SICOG organization. A key to the success of the region and to the progress of these many activities is partnerships. Creating partnerships between government, industry and academia to develop innovation strategies supports the development of new companies and helps existing industries compete globally. The SICOG region must compete based on high skills, high quality, innovation and creativity. Focused, targeted investments can leverage private activity and increase our competitive advantage. Our enterprises need to be focused on the technologies and markets that will grow in the future to create jobs and raise living standards. SICOG will continue to act as a liaison in many of these public/private partnerships and work behind the scenes on grant applications, general technical assistance, and in some cases will assist in providing financing through various loan programs. A comprehensive plan of action for the accelerated development and orderly conservation of all the resources of southern Iowa has been developed. Goals are identified that have been agreed upon by members of the CEDS. Program Year 2019 priorities and a comprehensive list of projects that cities, counties, and economic development organizations wish to undertake are compiled in order to help achieve the priorities of the region. Chapter 5 - Economic Resilience When viewed regionally, the seriously declining economic climate in the country during the economic downturn of 2008-2009 affected the region, but not to the same extent as in some parts of the country. This is due in part to our diverse economy and dependence on agriculture related industries, not so heavily impacted as manufacturing. Positive employment numbers generally reflect a recovery has been made or is well underway in the region. Most large employers that survived the economic downturn have experienced increased production and have returned to pre-downturn employment numbers. Low unemployment within the region is generally viewed as a positive sign of recovery. Unfortunately, during the second half of 2017, two large employers located in Creston (Union County) announced they were closing their doors. Ferrara Candy Company laid off 215 employees and CHS, an agricultural facility, laid off 52 employees. SICOG, together with other economic development organizations, workforce organizations and post-secondary educational institutions throughout the region are working together to address retraining, new employment, and attracting new owners for those facilities. The Disaster Recovery Resources and Strategy is a product of the local recovery efforts in the Southern Iowa COG region and the needs expressed by local community leaders. The Regional Implementation Strategy is intended to serve as a framework for ongoing disaster recovery and mitigation activities in conjunction with the local, statewide and federal resources that have been identified. Economic diversity within the SICOG region plays a large and positive role in its ability to respond to and recover from economic or natural disasters. Additionally, studies have shown that slower



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growth regions actually have more capacity to withstand shock. It may appear counter-intuitive, but slower growth regions tend to be more stable. They’re often more affordable also. These regions typically have higher rates of homeownership and they tend to have greater income equality. Each of these is a positive attribute describing the SICOG region. The majority of the occupations in the region are spread across a number of areas and thus less likely to be affected by a downturn in manufacturing or in a specific industry. This diversity helps to make the region more resilient. Chapter 6 - Evaluation Framework The CEDS provides a review of accomplishments and deliverables that enable area decision makers to evaluate previous goals and objectives while planning improvements for the quality of life in southern Iowa. Other pertinent areas addressed in the CEDS include analysis of employment and laborshed, and a listing of projects to be accomplished within the region in 2019 and beyond. The priorities, goals and objectives listed in this document are a reflection of the combined efforts of the CEDS Committee and input received in our annual CEDS Questionnaires and Surveys that ask communities, private sector representatives, and economic development officials to identify their goals for the coming years. The trends, opportunities, and limitations affecting the economic growth of this very rural region have been identified and related to the trends of the national and global market. Each deliverable is discussed in the CEDS in the order of the 2018 program year’s official priority rank. Activities within the region that support these priorities are identified:

1: Housing | Ensure adequate housing for all citizens of the region, with emphasis on housing for persons of low and moderate income, elderly, and special needs.

2: Economic Development | Invigorate the regional economy through local development.

3: Transportation | Enhance the regional transportation system to encompass all modes of transportation for a stronger community and economic stability.

4: Local Planning and Management | Expand and improve the functions of local governments and regional service groups related to community development.

5: Recreation | Develop new and improve existing recreational facilities. 6: Community Services | Improve existing facilities and public protection services

and develop or improve social, cultural and educational opportunities for southern Iowa residents.

7: Sewer/Wastewater Treatment Systems | Protect the environmental quality in the region.

8: Elderly Services | Provide for the housing, transportation, and health care needs of elderly persons in southern Iowa.

9: Comprehensive Planning | Develop and implement local and regional comprehensive planning practices.

10: Water Resources | Secure and improve water resources to meet residential, commercial, industrial, and civic needs.

11: Youth Services | Provide programs and facilities to enrich the lives of youth in southern Iowa.



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12: Solid Waste | Divert solid waste from landfills to protect and improve the region’s ecosystem.

13: Rural Health | Improve access to and quality of primary health services to all citizens in southern Iowa.

14: Energy | Encourage the conservation of energy and the use of alternative energy sources in southern Iowa.

15: Social Services | Encourage the development and implementation of local education, training, and prevention programs to promote the prosperity of communities.

16: Value-added Agriculture | Encourage the diversification of agricultural-related products in southern Iowa.

17: Other | Provide assistance to communities in areas that are not currently addressed by other priorities.

The most relevant methods of identifying and measuring success is an account of SICOG’s accomplishments or advancements made in achieving project priority objectives, and/or successful implementation of prioritized projects and strategic programs. Identifying progress towards each of the goals set by the region for 2018 most clearly identifies the successes that SICOG has had in the region. The services provided to our member cities and counties, such as grant writing, planning, providing funding through RLF loans and grants, administering projects, and participation in activities with our development partners that expand the job base within the region are quantifiable verification of achievement in attaining the priorities and goals set out for the region.

These priorities and the work of SICOG may appear to relate more to quality-of-life issues than to the creation of new jobs. Although it is always desirable to retain or bring new jobs into the SICOG region and the SICOG organization works diligently in order to do so; projecting the number of new jobs for any given year without having a specific business or development in mind is extremely exigent to quantify. Much of the work accomplished within the region by the SICOG organization and its member communities has a positive, cumulative effect on the quality of life in the region, making it a better place for employees to live and work. Improved infrastructure, roadways, and community facilities projects also make the region a more desirable place in which to locate new businesses and industries. These accomplishments, together with coordinated economic development efforts by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, local development corporations, cities and SICOG, facilitate new job attraction and retaining existing jobs.



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Chapter 1 – Introduction to the CEDS

Purpose of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy The development of this Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) contributes to effective economic development in the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) region through a locally based, regionally driven economic development planning process. This process serves as a means to engage community leaders, leverage the involvement of the private sector, and establish a strategic blueprint for regional collaboration. This CEDS provides a capacity-building foundation by which the public sector, working in conjunction with other economic entities (individuals, firms, industries), helps to create an environment for regional economic prosperity. Simply put, this CEDS is a strategy-driven plan for regional economic development. It is the result of a “regionally-owned” planning process designed to build capacity and guide the economic prosperity and resiliency of the SICOG region. The CEDS provides a vehicle for individuals, organizations, local governments, and private industry to engage in a meaningful conversation and debate about what capacity building efforts would best serve economic development in the region. Although a CEDS is required to be updated every 5 years to qualify for EDA assistance under its Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance programs, and is a prerequisite for designation by EDA as an Economic Development District (EDD), SICOG fully updates its CEDS annually. The 2019 Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) serves as a complete update of the previous regional plan (2018 CEDS). This CEDS will be submitted to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) by March 30, 2019, and will fulfill Economic Development Administration Reform Act of 1998 guidelines. The 2019 SICOG CEDS will provide an overview of regional activities, highlight Program Year 2018, address changes in the regional economy, and identify regional priorities for Program Year 2019. This report will also address emerging issues and will evaluate progress towards the regional vision and goals. The information in this document serves a variety of local and regional decision-makers. The statistical information provided in this document is generally based on 2010 Census data, unless otherwise noted. SICOG staff used established EDA guidelines to prepare the 2019 CEDS Annual Report. This report also includes information about adjustments to strategies as they relate to emerging and diminishing economic and quality of life issues.

The SICOG Organization

Mission Statement of Southern Iowa Council of Governments "The Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) is a non-profit organization that provides and coordinates community and economic development services primarily through the delivery of planning services, technical program assistance, grant writing, and grant administration to assist local governments and others in their efforts to improve the social and economic well-being of its eight-county service area."



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SICOG Staff Timothy J Ostroski, Executive Director Judy K. Brimm, Finance Director Jeremy Rounds, Regional Planner Marcus Amman, Transportation/Regional Planner Joel Lamb, Regional Planner Nancy Groth, Office Manager

Geographic Location of Southern Iowa Council of Governments (State Planning Area XIV) Service Area within the State of Iowa

The Southern Iowa Council of Governments serves an area in south central Iowa that includes Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties. It is bounded on the north by the Region XII Council of Governments, on the south by the State of Missouri, on the west by the Southwest Iowa Planning Council (Area XIII), and on the east by Chariton Valley. The eight counties cover 2,566,458 acres and 4,009 square miles. The region is largely rural and according to the US Census, in 2010 averaged 17.4 persons per square mile, which is much less than the State of Iowa average of 54.5 persons per square mile. The major metropolitan centers exerting an influence on the area include Des Moines, Iowa - 80 miles to the north; Omaha, Nebraska - 100 miles to the west; and Kansas City, Missouri - 150 miles to the south. Interstate 35, the major north-south highway connecting Kansas City, Des Moines, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, traverses the Southern Iowa region. This relative location presents both opportunities and challenges. Growth in these metropolitan centers can provide markets for complementary growth in the region, and conversely, urban growth and associated amenities in these centers may attract people and industry from the SICOG area.

Goals and Objectives The Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) was formally incorporated in 1973. In 2007, the composition of the project board was reorganized to better represent the interests of those in



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this area. The new forty-eight member Project Board with representation from local governments, business, and other interested groups, sets the overall policy for SICOG planning activities and delegates responsibility for implementing this policy to its thirteen member Executive Board. The Executive Board conducts a preliminary review of planning reports and approves their submittal for public comments and considerations. The overall goal of SICOG is to provide a framework within which to create a comprehensive approach to area-wide development, and the orderly conservation of resources in the region. Services provided by SICOG include, but are not limited to:

• Economic Development: comprehensive loan packaging, community marketing plans, development projects, and financial packaging

• Community Development: grant application and administration, special projects, and information resources

• Planning: comprehensive plans, recreation plans, zoning and subdivision regulations, annexations, site designs, neighborhood studies, and transportation planning

• Housing: grant application and administration, housing needs assessments, first-time home buyers program, housing rehabilitation programs, special projects, housing trust fund, and information resources;

• Financial Assistance: revolving loan funds for: industries, businesses, home-owners, housing, and communities

• Technical Assistance: grant and funding research, budgets, census data, zoning, annexation, codification, geographic information systems, industrial recruitment, and housing development.

The Southern Iowa Council of Governments serves as the region’s Economic Development District (EDD). The counties in the region rely upon SICOG to meet federal and state planning requirements, as well as provide individual services to meet local community and economic development needs. SICOG’s goal is to be on the cusp of changing, evolving, and emerging issues as described in this report.

Southern Iowa Development Group The Southern Iowa Development Group, Inc. (SIDG) was established for the purpose of administering and managing the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) programs. SIDG is designed to encourage new or expanded development activities in the Southern Iowa Council of Governments Economic Development District. The creation and retention of quality jobs and homeownership in the region serve as the main objectives for the program. SIDG's intentions are not to compete with local lending institutions or to act as a venture capitalist. However, by providing financial assistance to development opportunities, the RLF does bridge the "financial gap" that exists between the amount private lending institutions are willing to commit for project development and the total amount needed to bring opportunities to reality.



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SICOG EDD Service Area Displayed below is a map of the eight-county area served by the Southern Iowa Council of Governments EDD. The counties include Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor and Union.

SIGOG Service Area Map



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Executive Board and CEDS Strategy Committee

In 2007, SICOG restructured its Executive Board to better meet the requirements of the EDA and to better represent the population that it serves. Since that time the CEDS committee has consisted of persons representing:

Agriculture Business Community Organizations Economic Development Education Finance

Health Care Housing Industry Land Use Local Government Recreation

State Government Tourism Transportation Utilities Women

The CEDS Strategy Committee was created to consider all major interests of the eight-county region. It is made up of the SICOG Project Board members. The SICOG Project Board and our member communities have approved the committee makeup and structure. The CEDS Strategy Committee includes a representative from each county, the largest city in each county, the second largest city in each county, and the third largest city in each county, two (2) representatives from the private sector, as well as a member-at-large who is elected from one of the following groups: Executive Director of a Chamber of Commerce, representative of an institution of post-secondary education, representative from workforce development, or representative from the labor groups. This committee structure is designed to maintain a strong presence with and connection to these entities to insure the CEDS is meeting its roles and responsibilities of promoting the CEDS regional goals.

Board of Directors Roster 1. Government Representatives (51-65%) Elected officials and/or employees of a general-purpose unit of state, local or Indian tribal government who have been appointed to represent the government.

Name Government Position John Twombly Karl McCarty Marvin McCann Dan Christensen Aaron Price Lyle Minnick Karen Zabel Ron Riley

Adair County Adams County Clarke County Decatur County Madison County Ringgold County City of Lenox Union County

Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Mayor Supervisor



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2. Non-Government Representatives (35-49%)

A. Private Sector Representatives: Any senior management official or executive holding a key decision-making position, with respect to any for-profit enterprise. (At least one required)

Name Company / Enterprise Position Doug Davidson Beth Waddle Michelle Tullberg William Trickey

Orient Express Precision Pulley & Idler Michael Foods First National Bank

Owner Chief Operating Officer Plant Manager President

B. Stakeholder Organization Representatives: Executive directors of chambers of commerce, or

representatives of institutions of post-secondary education, workforce development groups or labor groups. (At least one required)

Name Organization Position Tom Lesan Southwestern Community College President

3. At-Large Representatives (0-14%) Other individuals who represent the principal economic interests of the region. (No minimum required)

Name Area of Interest Background

Calculations: Number Percent 1. Government Representatives (51-65%) 8 62% 2. Non- Government Representatives (35-49%) 5 38% A. Private Sector Representatives (at least 1) 4

B. Stakeholder Organization Representatives (at least 1) 1 3. At-Large Representatives (0-14%) 0 0% Total Board Membership 13 100% APPLICABLE REGULATIONS 13 CFR Part 304.2(c): The District Organization must demonstrate that its governing body is broadly representative of the principal economic interest of the Region, and, unless otherwise prohibited by applicable State or local law, must include at least one (1) Private Sector Representative and one (1) or more of the following: Executive Directors of Chambers of Commerce, or representatives of institutions of post- secondary education, workforce development groups or labor groups, all of which must comprise in the aggregate a minimum of thirty-five (35) percent of the District Organization’s governing body. The governing body shall also have at least a simple majority of its membership who are elected officials and/or employees of a general purpose unit of State, local or Indian tribal government who have been appointed to represent the government. Upon the District Organization’s showing of its inability to locate a Private Sector Representative to serve on its governing body following extensive due diligence, the Assistant Secretary may waive the Private Sector Representative requirement. The Assistant Secretary shall not delegate the authority to grant a waiver under this paragraph.



17

CEDS Strategy Committee Roster 1. Private Sector Representatives (At least 51%) Any senior management official or executive holding a key decision-making position, with respect to any for-profit enterprise.

Name Company Position Vacant Doug Davidson Beth Waddle Larry Kester Joe Greving William Trickey Shannon Erb Shane Akers Brian Downes Tom Leners Malcolm Eighmy Tracy Barnes Don Keast Michelle Tullberg Gabe Carroll Gary Riley

Orient Express Precision Pulley & Idler Red Star Feed Iowa Steel First National Bank Gilbert Home Comfort Farmers Bank of N. Missouri John Wayne Birthplace Union State Bank Eighmy Monument Co US Bank Keast Accounting Michael Foods Carroll Family Chiropractic Central Plains Electric

Owner Chief Operating Officer Owner Chief Executive Officer President Owner President Chief Executive Officer President Owner President Owner Plant Manager Owner Owner

2. Representatives of Other Economic Interests (No more than 49%) Persons who provide additional representation of the main economic interests of the region. These may include, but are not limited to: public officials, community leaders, representatives of workforce development boards, institutions of higher education, minority and labor groups, and private individuals.

Name Area of Interest Position John Twombly Karl McCarty Marvin McCann Dan Christensen Aaron Price Lyle Minnick Ron Riley Karen Zabel

Adair County Adams County Clarke County Decatur County Madison County Ringgold County Union County City of Lenox

Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor Mayor



18

Calculations: Number Percent

Private Sector Representatives (at least 51%) 16 67% Representatives of Other Economic Interests (no more than 49%) 8 33% Total Committee Membership 24 100% APPLICABLE REGULATIONS: 13 CFR Part 303.6(a): The Planning Organization must appoint a Strategy Committee. The Strategy Committee must represent the main economic interests of the Region and must include Private Sector Representatives [as defined above] as a majority of its membership. In addition, the Planning Organization should ensure that the Strategy Committee includes public officials, community leaders, representatives of workforce development boards, institutions of higher education, minority and labor groups, and private individuals.

EDD Board Membership Roster A. Government Representatives (51-65%) Elected officials and/or employees of a general purpose unit of state, local or Indian tribal government who have been appointed to represent the government.



19

Name Government Position John Twombly Tyson Sickles Ron Smith John M. Larsen Karl McCarty Bert Peckham Jordan Walter Gary Poen Marvin McCann Thomas Kedley Scott Busick Denny Cottrell Dan Christensen Douglas Foster Allen Simmonds Craig Stogdill Aaron Price Mark Nitchals Jeff Lillie Dennis Smith Lyle Minnick Steve Fetty John Egly Thomas Giles Chris Knox Karen Zabel Doug Horton Frank Sefrit Ron Riley Gary Lybarger Shelley Burger Timothy Sly

Adair County Fontanelle Greenfield Adair Adams County Corning Prescott Nodaway Clarke County Osceola Murray Woodburn Decatur County Lamoni Leon Grand River Madison County Winterset Earlham St. Charles Ringgold County Mt Ayr Diagonal Kellerton Clearfield Lenox Taylor County New Market Union County Creston Afton Lorimor

Supervisor Mayor Mayor Mayor Supervisor Mayor Mayor Mayor Supervisor Mayor Mayor Mayor Supervisor Mayor Mayor Mayor Supervisor Mayor Mayor Mayor Supervisor Mayor Mayor Mayor Mayor Mayor Supervisor Mayor Supervisor Mayor Mayor Mayor

2. Non-Government Representatives (35-49%)

• Private Sector Representatives: Any senior management official or executive holding a key decision-making position, with respect to any for-profit enterprise. (At least one required)



20

Name Company / Enterprise Position Vacant Doug Davidson Beth Waddle Larry Kester William Trickey Joe Greving Shannon Erb Shane Akers Brian Downes Tom Leners Tracy Barnes Malcom Eighmy Don Keast Michelle Tullberg Gabe Carroll Gary Riley

Vacant Orient Express Precision Pulley & Idler Red Star Feeds First National Bank Iowa Steel Gilbert Home Comfort Farmers Bank of No. Missouri John Wayne Birthplace Union State Bank US Bank Eighmy Monuments Keast Accounting Michael Foods Carroll Family Chiropractic Central Plains Electric

Vacant Owner Chief Operating Officer Owner/Manager President Chief Executive Officer Owner President Chief Executive Officer President President Owner Owner Plant Manager Owner Owner

• Stakeholder Organization Representatives: Executive directors of chambers of commerce, or representatives of institutions of post-secondary education, workforce development groups or labor groups. (At least one required)

Name Organization Position Tom Lesan Southwestern Community College President

3. At-Large Representatives (0-14%) Other individuals who represent the principal economic interests of the region. (No minimum required)

Name Area of Interest Background

Calculations: Number Percent

1. Government Representatives (51-65%) 32 65%

2. Non- Government Representatives (35-49%) 17 35%

A. Private Sector Representatives (at least 1) 16

B. Stakeholder Organization Representatives (at least 1) 1

3. At-Large Representatives (0-14%) 0 0%

Total Board Membership 49 100% APPLICABLE REGULATIONS 13 CFR Part 304.2(c): The District Organization must demonstrate that its governing body is broadly representative of the principal economic interest of the Region, and, unless otherwise prohibited by applicable State or local law, must include at least one (1) Private Sector Representative and one (1) or more of the following: Executive Directors of Chambers of Commerce, or representatives of institutions of post-



21

secondary education, workforce development groups or labor groups, all of which must comprise in the aggregate a minimum of thirty-five (35) percent of the District Organization’s governing body. The governing body shall also have at least a simple majority of its membership who are elected officials and/or employees of a general purpose unit of State, local or Indian tribal government who have been appointed to represent the government. Upon the District Organization’s showing of its inability to locate a Private Sector Representative to serve on its governing body following extensive due diligence, the Assistant Secretary may waive the Private Sector Representative requirement. The Assistant Secretary shall not delegate the authority to grant a waiver under this paragraph.

Community and Private Sector Participation Community input is critical to the CEDS planning process. An outline of the public input process follows:

• A survey is conducted among member cities, counties, economic development groups, SICOG County Project Board members, and SICOG Executive Board members from SICOG’s eight-county region to determine their priorities and their economic development plans for the upcoming year. Responses are then compiled and prioritized by the CEDS Planning Committee. An updated SWOT Analysis is conducted utilizing input from cities, counties, economic development groups, SICOG County Project Board members, and SICOG Executive Board members.

• SICOG staff meets with SICOG County Project Boards to receive their input. • Draft copies of the CEDS document are compiled. • The SICOG Executive Board, who has an opportunity to provide input into the planning process,

reviews draft copies of the CEDS. • The Draft CEDS document is made available on the SICOG website and in hardcopy format to

interested parties for a thirty-day period. • SICOG staff publish notice in The Windmill (SICOG’s newsletter distributed to cities, counties,

economic development groups and other interested parties throughout the region) on its website and on Facebook. Public comments are solicited during a thirty-day review period.

• The Final CEDS document is approved by the CEDS Committee (SICOG Executive Board). • A fully updated and revised CEDS document is prepared annually by the SICOG organization.

The priorities, goals and objectives listed in this document are a reflection of the combined efforts of the CEDS Committee and input received in our annual CEDS Questionnaires and Surveys that ask communities to identify their goals for the coming years and through the SWOT analysis. The CEDS Planning Committee is comprised of representatives from various segments of the region. The committee represents all major interest groups providing viewpoints that give a well-balanced perspective for the region. The trends, opportunities, and limitations affecting the economic growth of the region have been identified and related to the trends of the national and global market. The mission/vision and goals of SICOG have been adopted and used as the vision for the CEDS process and are used as the foundation to build upon when developing goals and strategies for the region. The CEDS Committee composition, the community input, and the process for the analysis and formulation of this document have provided ample opportunity for community and private sector participation.

Draft CEDS Review Period February 23, 2019 through March 27, 2019 The draft CEDS is available for review and comment by the public for a period of at least 30 days prior to submission of the CEDS to EDA. The Draft CEDS document is made available in electronic or hard copy format to the public during this time period. Interested parties (cities, counties, economic development organizations, regional transportation organizations, major employers, etc.) receive a copy or are notified



22

of the availability of the Draft CEDS document, allowing for review and comments during the 30-day period. The availability of copies of the Draft CEDS document and the opportunity to participate in the comment period are also advertised in the SICOG newsletter, on the SICOG website, and on the SICOG Facebook page. Copies of the Draft CEDS are made available in hardcopy form from Southern Iowa Council of Governments, 101 East Montgomery Street, Creston, IA 50801, 641-782-8491 or from [email protected]. Electronic copies are also available by download from the SICOG webpage http://www.sicog.com/


Southern Iowa Council of Governments 23

Chapter 2 – Summary Background This chapter provides an overview of the region, background information, and identifies and analyzes the region’s recent and current unemployment, population, workforce development, and economic conditions. It also addresses environment and natural resources that affect the region.

Environment and Natural Resources Over the years, the Southern Iowa region has been transformed. While the rolling hills with intermittent high plains and floodplains continue to exist, the land uses continue to evolve. Much of the land is used for farming, but about 30% of the region’s rural land is not farmed with row crops. Hogs, cattle and chickens are raised in the region in large numbers. Dairy, grapes, and poultry (egg production) are grown in increasing numbers in some parts of the region. Crops such as hay and alfalfa are grown in large numbers along with the corn and soybeans associated with Iowa. As the population continues to age, fewer and fewer exclusively farm as a living. Farm Census data indicates there are fewer farms and their size has increased. Natural resources in this region are primarily the rich soil suitable for farming, farm products, wind energy, sand, gravel, and limestone. A growing number of man-made lakes assure a sufficient supply of fresh drinking and industrial use water for the foreseeable needs in most of the region.

Climate The region lies within the humid continental zone, which covers most of the north central United States. It is characterized by warm summers and cold winters, with a July mean temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit (F) and a January mean temperature of 22 degrees F. Temperature extremes have ranged from -31 degrees F to 111 degrees F. The spring season may fluctuate from extremely wet to fairly dry. Hot winds and periods of prolonged high temperatures and high humidity are characteristic in the summer season. Precipitation in this area averages 31 inches annually, while snowfall averages 25 inches annually. The frost-free season averages 161 days in length.

Wetlands and Riparian Areas Like all of Iowa, the region has many rivers, streams and tributaries. Periodic flooding has helped distribute fertile soils, but also has caused floodplain issues. Some floodplain maps have been updated for the region in recent years; however, they are not all approved. Wetlands and riparian areas are part of hydrological, ecological and cultural systems that function within watersheds. Based on National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data, the largest percentage (approximately 59.9 percent) of Iowa’s existing wetlands and riparian areas are vegetated wetlands (such as marshes, potholes, sloughs, fens, and riparian forests). Approximately 30.0 percent of Iowa’s wetlands and riparian areas are pond, lake, and reservoir habitats. The remaining 10.1 percent of Iowa’s wetlands and riparian areas are river and stream habitats. The SICOG region has between 2028 and 7858 acres (average for the state) in vegetated wetlands, between 1061 and 4785 acres of pond, lake and reservoir habitat (average for the state), and between 4 and 589 acres of river and stream habitats (below average for the state).

Iowa Rivers (SICOG Region shown inside red outline)



More specific information may be obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Wetlands Inventory accessible online: https://www.fws.gov/wetlands/ Iowa's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) oversees the protection of wetlands within the state. It regulates wetlands under its Wetland Protection Plan.

Air Quality The Ambient Air Quality division of the University Hygienic Laboratory works in conjunction with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to preserve the air quality of the state. There are currently no non-attainment areas in the SICOG region.

Threatened or Endangered Species According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the following animals and plants located in the SICOG region are considered threatened or endangered.

Group Name Status Mammals Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) Endangered Mammals Northern Long-Eared Bat (Myotis

septentrionalis) Threatened

Flowering Plants Mead’s milkweed (Asclepias meadii) Threatened Flowering Plants Prairie bush-clover (Lespedeza leptostachya) Threatened Flowering Plants Western prairie fringed Orchid (Platanthera

praeclara) Threatened

Flowering Plants Eastern prairie fringed Orchid (Platanthera leucophaea)

Threatened

Fish Topeka Shiner (Notropis topeka) Endangered

Historic and Archeological Resources The SICOG region has a rich cultural heritage. The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. See Appendix 1 for a listing of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects located within the SICOG region that are listed in the Register as significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. Also included in Appendix 1 is a listing of Native American Tribes for the region.

Parks, Trails, Forests, and Wildlife Refuges There are no National Parks or National Wildlife Refuges located in the SICOG region, nor are there any areas designated or proposed as wilderness areas as defined under the Wilderness Act. There is one national historic trail: The Morman Pioneer National Historic Trail.

Hazardous Waste & Toxic Contamination There are no Superfund sites located in the region.

Agricultural Lands There are no unique agricultural lands as designated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Natural Resource Conservation Service) under the Federal Farmlands Protection Act in any of the eight SICOG counties. All eight counties are rural in nature and, with the exception of land occupied by the 60 plus small



towns, are considered to be prime farmland, prime farmland if drained, or farmland of statewide importance. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) establishes national environmental policy and goals for the protection, maintenance, and enhancement of the environment, and it provides a process for implementing these goals within the federal agencies. Projects that use federal funds frequently undergo a NEPA review to assure that environmental considerations are given their due. The purpose of NEPA is to ensure that environmental factors are weighted equally when compared to other factors in the decision making process undertaken by federal agencies and to establish a national environmental policy. The NEPA process may involve investigating the environmental impact of a project. It generally occurs prior to the actual engineering and design stage of project development. Issues that need to be mitigated to protect environmental concerns are addressed and integrated into the project. Mitigation may include:

• Avoiding the impact altogether by not taking a certain action or parts of an action • Minimizing impacts by limiting the degree or magnitude of the action and its implementation • Rectifying the impact by repairing, rehabilitating, or restoring the affected environment • Reducing or eliminating the impact over time by preservation and maintenance operations during the

life of the action • Compensating for the impact by replacing or providing substitute resources or environments

The NEPA process guides efforts to mitigate those environmental concerns. Local jurisdictions and project sponsors assume the responsibility for mitigating environmental concerns. Examples of typical mitigation activities undertaken as a result of the NEPA process include but are not limited to:

• Maintain the existence of endangered species and their habitat by limiting construction during species mating season

• Minimize the planned amount of land to be disturbed as much as possible • Use special construction techniques • Preservation, enhancement, restoration or creation of a wetland, stream, or habitat conservation area

that offsets or compensates for expected adverse impacts to similar nearby ecosystems

Transportation The region is provided a link to the national transportation system by a public commercial bus carrier, with the only stop being in Osceola. Osceola also hosts the only taxi service available in the region. Passenger rail operator Amtrak maintains two scheduled trains that travel through the region daily. An eastbound Amtrak passenger train departs Creston and Osceola each morning and a westbound train departs from those stops each evening. Maintaining passenger rail service through this region is an identified priority in the most recent Long Range Transportation Plan – Looking Ahead to 2045 for RPA 14/ATURA (Adams, Taylor, Union, Ringgold, and Adair Counties). There are no commercial airports within the region. The closest commercial airport is located in Des Moines. Small municipal general aviation airports located in Bedford, Corning, Creston, Greenfield, Lamoni, Mount Ayr, Osceola and Winterset provide an important means of accessing the communities and regions they serve and provide a link to the national transportation system. Passenger transportation continues to be a major concern to all segments of the population in the region. It has been determined to be one of the greatest concerns of the elderly population and those with disabilities



according to the regional transportation planning affiliation (RPA 14/ATURA) serving the area. The growing elderly population, the disabled population and the low-income segments of the region’s population have limited means of mobility, have been tremendously affected by rising transportation costs, and have incurred perhaps the greatest need for a public transportation system. The region contains numerous small towns that have continued to lose vital services over the years. Over the past decades, numerous long-term care facilities, restaurants, post offices, banks and retail stores have closed. These facilities are now located mainly in the larger communities. Government and social services are rarely available outside of the county seat towns (Greenfield, Corning, Creston, Bedford, Osceola, Winterset, Leon and Mount Ayr). Many visitors to these facilities are low-income residents who may lack the financial means necessary to transport themselves. Transit services for the residents of these smaller communities, which allow people to travel to the locations of essential services and medical care in nearby communities, are becoming increasingly important. Services for the elderly, medical services, and those associated with health and human service agencies frequently create transit needs because consumers must be transported in order to participate in these programs or receive services. In spite of increasing expenses for operation, insurance, wages, and vehicle replacement costs, if public transit rates can stay affordable, they could be expected to play an increasingly important role in the transportation needs of the residents of the region. No major additions to the highway system have been constructed during the last five years, nor are any planned for the region. However, the Iowa Department of Transportation and the counties and cities in the region have completed a number of projects to update and improve existing roads and bridges. They have plans in place to continue maintenance as funding allows. However, funding lags far behind that needed to adequately maintain the roads and high number of bridges in the region. The main focus in the area continues to be on maintenance of the existing roadways and bridges. The needs for transportation dollars with which to maintain roadways and bridges in the region continue to outpace available funding. The result is an increasingly difficult task of maintaining roadway and bridges within the region.

Population

Rural Region The region is primarily rural, with only three towns having populations over 2,500: Creston (7,834), Winterset (5,190), and Osceola (4,929) according to the 2010 U.S. Census. Seventy-four percent (74%) of the residents of the region live in very small towns (less than 2,500 population) or in rural areas of the region. Residents often travel outside the immediate area in order to work because employment centers are typically located only in the county-seat towns. Adams and Ringgold Counties have the smallest populations of any counties in the State. The low density and rural nature of the region’s population is shown by the following comparison based on 2010 Census data:

Population per Square Mile USA Iowa SICOG Region 87.4 54.5 17.42

Population Changes



Table 1: County Population Changes 1960 – 2010

Census data show population decreases from 2000 to 2010 in five of the counties in the SICOG region --Adair, Adams, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor Counties. During that same period Clarke (+1.7%), Madison (+11.8%), and Union (+1.8%) Counties showed increases in population. This resulted in a net 0.27% decrease in the regional population during that decade. The only counties in the region to show an increase in population from 1960 to 2010 were Clarke County with a 12.94% increase and Madison County with a 27.52% increase over that fifty-year period. As shown on the following State of Iowa map, most areas of the state show stable or declining population over the five-year period between 2010 and 2015. With the exception of Madison County, all SICOG counties showed a decline during this five-year period.

Population Changes

County 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Percent Change

1960-2010

Percent Change

2000-2010 Adair 10,893 9,487 9,509 8,409 8,243 7,682 -29.48% -6.8% Adams 7,468 6,322 5,731 4,866 4,482 4,029 -46.05% -10.1% Clarke 8,222 7,581 8,612 8,287 9,133 9,286 +12.94% +1.7% Decatur 10,539 9,737 9,794 8,338 8,689 8,457 -36.42% -2.7% Madison 12,295 11,558 12,597 12,483 14,019 15,679 +27.52% +11.8% Ringgold 7,910 6,373 6,112 5,420 5,469 5,131 -35.13% -6.2% Taylor 10,288 8,790 8,353 7,114 6,958 6,317 -38.60% -9.2% Union 13,712 13,557 13,858 12,750 12,309 12,534 -8.59% +1.8% Region 81,327 73,405 74,566 67,667 69,302 69,115 -15.02% -0.27%

Source US Census Bureau: 2010 Census

Source US Census Bureau: State and County QuickFacts. Data derived from Population Estimates, 2000 Census http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/19000.html



Percent Population Change in Counties from 2010 to 2016



Population Projections 2020-2040 Population projections prepared by Woods & Poole Economics, Inc. are shown below. Small declines in population are anticipated in Adams, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor and Union Counties and small increases are anticipated in Adair, Clarke and Madison Counties. Over all the eight-county regional population is anticipated to grow by an estimated 2,944. Table 2: County Population Projections 2020-2040

Area 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 Adair 7,732 7,843 7,957 8,073 8,191 Adams 3,934 3,899 3,865 3,832 3,799 Clarke 9,694 9,990 10,290 10,592 10,897 Decatur 8,212 8,149 8,088 8.029 7,972 Madison 16,964 17,607 18,255 18,908 19,567 Ringgold 4,981 4,920 4,861 4,802 4,745 Taylor 5,952 5,822 5,694 5,567 5,441 Union 12,063 12,009 11,958 11,909 11,864 REGION 69,532 70,239 70,968 71,712 72,476

"2010 State Profile: Iowa", Woods & Poole Economics, Inc., www.woodsandpoole.com Prepared by: http://www.iowadatacenter.org State Library of Iowa,

State Data Center Program, 800-248-4483, 8/26/09 www.woodsandpoole.com Estimated declines shown in red.

Aging Population The region experienced much outmigration during recent years and as a consequence, the area has proportionately fewer men and women of prime working ages, 25 to 39 years, than the statewide average. This means it has a less competitive labor market. The region has an aging population; with a higher percentage of persons (20.67%) over the age of sixty-five years than does the State of Iowa (16.7%) or the nation (15.6%) according to V2018 figures from the US Census Bureau. Table 3: Percent Persons 65 Years Old & Over

Sate of Iowa SICOG Region

Adair County

Adams County

Clarke County

Decatur County

Madison County

Ringgold County

Taylor County

Union County

Persons 65 years old and over, percent 16.7 20.67 22.3 22.8 18.2 19.4 16.6 23.8 22.4 19.9

Source US Census Bureau: State and County Quick Facts. Data derived from V2018, https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045217

Income

Continued Economic Discrepancy The economy in the region continues to lag behind the remainder of the state and the nation in terms of income. The following table shows economic trends that have affected the region for decades.

Median Household Income Median household incomes, as shown in Table 4, show that the region lags behind the rest of the state. Household income includes income of the householder and all other people 15 years and older in the household, whether or not they are related to the householder. Median refers to the point that divides



the household income distribution into halves, one-half with income above the median and the other with income below the median. The median is based on the income distribution of all households, including those with no income. Table 4: Median Household Income – 2013-2017

Poverty Rate According to 2013-2017 Census estimates, two of the poorest counties in the State of Iowa are located in the SICOG region. Decatur County (19.1% below poverty) has the second highest poverty rate of any county in the state and Clarke County (15.4% below poverty) was the twelfth poorest county in Iowa. So it remains that in spite of modest gains in recent years, per capita and median household incomes continue to fall short within the region. To put this into another perspective, Decatur County’s 2013-2017 median household income of $41,042, is 71.12% of the national median household income of $57,652. This translates to annual household incomes in Decatur County, Iowa that are $16,610 less per household than the national median. Per capita personal incomes within the region average $3,143 less per year than the 2017 estimated state average of $28,872 and $4,100 less than the US average of $29,829. The region overall continues to lag behind the state and nation in median and per capita household incomes.

Average Weekly Wage According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the SICOG region’s average weekly wage for all industries was $697.75 in 2018. The average weekly wage in the nation during 2018 was $1,065. When extrapolated over 52 weeks, the average annual wage in the SICOG region was $19,097 less each year than the nation’s average weekly wage.

United States

State of Iowa

SICOG Region

Adair County

Adams County

Clarke County

Decatur County

Madison County

Ringgold County

Taylor County

Union County

$57,652

$56,570

$49,390

$49,477

$49,745

$49,718

$41,042

$60,077

$50,642

$46,825

$47,597

*Source: US Census Bureau, State and County Quick Facts, 2013-2017 (in 2017 dollars), https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045217



Average Weekly Wages in Iowa – Second Quarter 2018

Unemployment/Under-Employment As the national economy continued recovery and stabilization from 2010 through 2018, the unemployment rate in the region steadily continued a downward trend. The SICOG region ended the 2018 year with near record low unemployment. Even though there is low unemployment within the region, those employed are often under-employed or employed in low-wage jobs, as evidenced by low incomes and wages in the region.



Table 5: 2018 – Monthly Unemployment Rates (in percent) for SICOG Counties

2018 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Average

Adair 3.6 3.8 3.0 2.5 2.1 2.2 2.0 2.1 1.9 1.7 1.6 2.21% Adams 2.8 2.8 2.5 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.6 1.4 1.83% Clarke 4.4 4.3 3.5 2.8 2.4 2.5 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.1 2.0 2.58% Decatur 3.2 3.1 2.7 2.3 2.1 2.3 2.4 2.2 1.8 1.6 1.5 2.10% Madison 4.7 5.0 4.2 3.0 2.5 2.8 2.7 2.8 2.5 2.3 2.2 2.89% Ringgold 4.3 4.1 3.5 3.1 2.6 2.9 2.6 2.3 2.1 1.7 1.6 2.57% Taylor 2.9 2.8 2.4 2.1 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.5 1.3 1.86% Union 5.2 4.9 4.2 3.7 3.1 3.6 3.3 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.5 3.29%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Annual Average Unemployment Rates From 2007 through 2008, the region’s average unemployment rate was the same or slightly above the state average. The poor economic conditions and downturn in the manufacturing sector in 2008 and 2009 resulted in a marked rise in unemployment across much of the country, but was better weathered in the SICOG region, with a more diverse economy. In 2009, after a year of rising unemployment brought on by the economic downturn, the region’s unemployment rate dropped and has remained at or below the state unemployment rate ever since. It should also be noted that the unemployment rate in the region has remained substantially lower than the national averages during the last decade.

Table 6: 2008-2017 Unemployment Rates (SICOG Counties, Iowa & US)

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

0.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

AverageUnemployment2008-2018

US IOWA SICOGRegion



Housing

Key issues of the region continue to be workforce housing, housing rehabilitation, housing development, purchase assistance, and demolition of dilapidated housing. Iowa’s housing stock is significantly older than the national average. One reason is because the state has grown at a slower rate than the nation. One important and critical comparison is the large number of homes built before 1950. According to 2010 Census data 43.43% of homes in the SICOG region were constructed prior to 1950. 32.2% of Iowa housing stock and 29.2% of US housing stock falls into that category. Accordingly, much of the region’s housing stock will have age-based issues. There is apt to be more structural deterioration and aging mechanicals in older housing stock. Often homes in very poor condition become rental properties or sit vacant, which furthers their deterioration. Rural, slowly growing or declining population areas often lack housing codes which add to the poor quality of housing in the region. As a result of the low income of residents and the lack of population growth within the region, there is limited construction of new homes in most area of the region. Madison County has consistently issued many more building permits than the other counties in the region. In 2017 however, Clarke County issued the most with 114 single family building permits It should be noted that the number of building permits issued in the region increased substantially in 2015 and 2016, compared to only 24 building permits issued in the entire region in 2014. Table 7: Homeownership & Housing Census Data for Counties in SICOG Region

County Homeownership Rate (2013-2017)

Single Family Building Permits (2017)

Median Value of owner-occupied homes (2013-2017)

Adair County 76.9% 19 $ 93,200 Adams County 77.8% 4 $ 84,900 Clarke County 68.3% 114 $ 105,000 Decatur County 66.4% 4 $ 76,300 Madison County 76.7% 90 $160,400 Ringgold County 74.9% 1 $ 79,600 Taylor County 76.1% 4 $ 76,100 Union County 70.7% 7 $ 94,300 SICOG Region 73.5% (average) 243 (total) $96,225 (average) State of Iowa 71.1% 13,948 $137,200 USA 63.8% 1,281,977 $193,500

U.S. Census Bureau, http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/00 Few multi-family housing opportunities exist in the SICOG region. Therefore, most residents either own or rent older, single-family homes. Considering the low wages and incomes throughout the region, the low median value of owner-occupied homes in the region, and the relative old age of the housing stock in Iowa, it is likely that many residents of the region live in low-value, deteriorated homes without the means to repair them. Madison County, which is home to a number of residents who commute to work in the Des Moines metro, area shows much higher home values and much greater new home construction. Housing has consistently ranked as a very high priority during the annual CEDS priority process.



Educational Resources The SICOG region is home to the Southwestern Community College (located in Creston with a satellite location in Osceola) and Graceland University (located in Lamoni). Buena Vista University offers classes in Creston at the Southwestern Community College campus.

Southwestern Community College (SWCC) Southwestern Community College (SWCC) offers a variety of educational options:

• (College Transfer) Program – SWCC’s arts and sciences program prepares students to transfer to four-year colleges or universities. Students may complete an associate of arts degree at SWCC and then transfer for a bachelor's degree from a four-year institution.

• Career Option Programs - Career options programs are designed to put students into the workforce after two years of study. Credits earned in these programs may be transferred should a student wish to continue his or her education.

• Career and Technical Education - These programs are designed to provide instruction of a preparatory type to prepare students for the workforce quickly. The courses in these programs are not meant for transfer.

Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), and Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Degrees are offered at the school. Career and technical education careers include:

• Accounting • Accounting and information technology • Administrative office technology • Agricultural programs • Auto collision repair/refinish • Automotive repair technology • Business administration • Carpentry and building trades • Electrical technology

• Graphic design • Industrial maintenance technology • Information technology systems networking • Management information systems • Nursing • Office skills • Professional music • Web development • Welding

Job Training SWCC works closely with the economic development groups within the region and with local industries to provide needed job training or retraining for employees.

Buena Vista University Buena Vista University Graduate & Professional Studies located in Creston, Union County, has offered classes at the Southwestern Community College campus since 1986. A variety of face-to-face and online undergraduate and graduate and professional studies programs are offered through this remote location program of Buena Vista University of Storm Lake, Iowa.

Graceland University Graceland University is an accredited private liberal arts university.

• Total enrollment is 884 students at Lamoni. • The main residential campus offers over 35 academic programs, including nine pre-professional

programs, 28 undergraduate majors, three master’s degrees and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, together with 20 varsity sports, and a full program of intramural sports and campus-wide activities.

• A high-tech, 55,000-square-foot urban campus in Independence, MO houses their School of Nursing and the Community of Christ Seminary as well as the Center for the Study of the Korean War.



• Graceland has partnerships with area community colleges, including Indian Hills Community College (Centerville), North Central Missouri College (Trenton), and Metropolitan Community College's Blue River Campus (Independence) to provide classes and degree completion programs.



Chapter 3 –Analysis of Economic Conditions

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) Analysis

SICOG’s analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) leads to greater community and organizational awareness and is one of the cornerstones of our strategic planning process. SICOG’s SWOT Analysis includes a look at internal and external resources and threats throughout the region. This analysis enables SICOG to leverage the region’s strengths, outsource or partner where it is weak, focus on opportunities and be made aware of threats. It creates an analytical framework to develop an awareness of factors that affect planning and decision-making. The SWOT Analysis is an excellent tool for organizing information, presenting solutions, identifying roadblocks and emphasizing opportunities. A realistic recognition of the weaknesses and threats that exist for the SICOG region is our first step to countering them with a robust and creative set of strengths and opportunities. The SWOT analysis identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to assist the region in making strategic plans and decisions. SWOT is a simple yet comprehensive way of assessing the positive and negative forces from within and from outside the region to be better prepared to act effectively. Whatever course of action is decided on, the four-cornered SWOT analysis prompts us to move in a balanced way throughout the program. SICOG strives to:

• Build on our strengths • Minimize our weaknesses • Seize opportunities • Counteract threats

The SICOG SWOT analysis was used to support the vision, mission, and objectives of the organization and it provided perspective and revealed connections and areas for action.

Information gathered throughout the SWOT analysis from a variety of residents with varying perspectives has been used to:

• Explore possibilities for new efforts or solutions to problems. • Make decisions about the best path for an initiative. Identify opportunities for success in the context

of threats, and to clarify directions and choices.



• Determine where change is possible. If at a juncture or turning point, an inventory of strengths and weaknesses can reveal priorities as well as possibilities.

• Adjust and refine plans mid-course. A new opportunity might open wider avenues, while a new threat could close a path that once existed.

The SICOG SWOT Analysis was facilitated by SICOG staff of participation by approximately 86 area stakeholders - representatives of cities, counties, economic development groups, and businesses. Updating our initial SWOT analysis information (gathered 2015-2016) was accomplished using a survey form distributed late in 2018 to all city councils, county boards of supervisors, SICOG Project Board members, Economic Development Groups, and the SICOG Executive Board members. SICOG staff facilitated this process as needed. Participants were asked to supply responses for each of the SWOT categories. The SWOT responses closely mirrored the responses collected for the 2016 and 2017 SICOG CEDS. See Appendix 2 for a copy of the survey used in this SWOT process. Responses are shown on the following pages.



Strengths

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QualityofLife-smalltown

friendliness(youknowyour

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camping,etc.)

Qualityeducationalfacilities

Lowhousingcosts

CentralUSgeographicallocation(nearI-80andI-35);Proximityto

largermarkets&accessto

resourcesinDesMoines,Omaha&KansasCity

Desirablewindenergylocation

Agriculturerelatedindustry,jobs,andresources

Safeplacetolive

Others

NUMBEROFRESPONDENTSWHOSTRONGLYAGREE

WhatSTRENGTHSBestDescribeYourRegion?



Weaknesses

1. Low wages do not retain young workers in the area; Brain drain 2. Relative lack of skilled and "middle skills" workforce 3. Older, poorly maintained housing stock; Lack of newer, quality

affordable housing 4. Lack of public administration capacity 5. High rate of poverty 6. Limited entertainment and activities for young people 7. Aging residents & declining population 8. High property taxes 9. High cost of water/sewer utilities 10. Lack of funding to maintain existing infrastructure or to build new

infrastructure 11. Resistance to change and new decision-makers 12. Aging professionals and business owners resulting in business closures 13. Lack of motivated workers 14. Others

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Opportunities

1. Business expansion in the healthcare or elder care services industries due to aging

population 2. Work together with other counties, cities or organizations - encourage regionalism/economy

of scale 3. Expansion of "new agriculture" crop production and value-added agricultural products 4. Expand our natural resource tourism (hunting, fishing, camping, sightseeing, etc.) 5. Expand or create cluster of alternative/wind energy related manufacturing or services 6. Attract applicants for skilled, high-paying jobs that already exist here 7. Promote mid level job training & vocational training opportunities 8. Develop agriculture related technical jobs that utilize agriculture culture & knowledge 9. Work with schools, counselors, and parents on variety of student career paths that will fill

jobs in the future 10. Take advantage of proximity to Des Moines, Omaha & Kansas City 11. Small businesses with aging proprietors create opportunities for young entrepreneurs;

Succession planning 12. Others

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Threats

SWOT Summary Prominent strengths of the area are that it is a safe place to live with a high quality of life. People in the region enjoy the benefits of small town living, know their neighbors, and feel that they are a part of a community. Prominent weaknesses revealed through the SWOT analysis were the region’s older and poorly maintained housing, lack of funding to maintain existing infrastructure or to build new infrastructure, aging and declining population, and the limited entertainment and activities for youth. The region’s shrinking population and the lack of adequate housing presents a problem for employers who are trying to fill job openings. Threats to the region include local dollars spent on shopping and entertainment outside the region and young workers leaving the area for higher paying jobs in larger metropolitan areas. Opportunities to address and overcome these threats and weaknesses include businesses working with the schools to assure an adequate workforce that matches trained workers with jobs and collaborating with regional entities to expand workforce opportunities, improved housing, and finding ways to retain young people in the region. Enhancing natural resources opportunities within the region is seen as one way to attract dollars from outside the region and has increased in recent years. The priorities adopted by the SICOG region support and address the issues identified in the SWOT process. They focus on areas where action identified in this process is needed.

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Retail&entertainmentcentersoutsidetheregionpullpeopleandtheirdollarsaway

Unfundedmandates&changesintaxbaseandtaxlawsthataredetrimentalto

localgovernment

Declineingrantresourcesthatwereoncemore

abundant

Others

NUMBEROFRESPONDENTSWHOSTRONGLYAGRRE

WhatTHREATSBestDescribeYourCityortheRegion?



Natural Hazards Natural hazards provide threats against the area from time to time. The region is prone to severe weather (tornados, ice, and snow storms) and a few areas experience frequent occurrences of flooding. Although these natural disasters cannot be predicted, the region has done an admirable job of pre-disaster mitigation planning. See Appendix 3 for the region’s pre-disaster mitigation plan. Additionally, each county in the region regularly updates its multi-jurisdictional pre-disaster mitigation plan to better prepare for such events. Environmental Justice & Equitable Development SICOG considers environmental justice and equitable development in planning and project development. Environmental justice has not been a major issue in the region due in part because few new federally funded projects have been undertaken in recent years, as the focus in the area has traditionally been on retention of existing jobs or expansion of existing facilities. In addition, there is limited diversity within the population of the region. While the minority population in this area may be small and low-income populations are spread throughout the entire region, this does not eliminate the possibility of a disproportionately high and adverse effect of a proposed action and the need to assess whether there is an Environmental Justice issue. Efforts and mitigation activities identified through the NEPA process, project design and ultimately project implementation will consider and incorporate, as practical and feasible, environmental justice concerns. Equitable development draws on both environmental justice and smart growth and generally refers to a range of approaches for creating communities and regions where residents of all incomes, races, and ethnicities participate in and benefit from decisions that shape the places where they live. SICOG performs development activities taking into account the interests of the business community and local developers, fairness in the treatment of employees, and sustainability in protecting and enhancing resources (human and others) in responding to an array of social and environmental needs. Communications & Broadband The communications infrastructure has changed little in the last few years in comparison to the dramatic changes that occurred over the previous five to ten years, with most areas of the region now accessible to cellular telephone, cable or satellite TV, and high-speed Internet service. SICOG staff members were involved in the Connect Iowa program, together with the Iowa Economic Development Authority, to inventory the availability and determine needs for connectivity within our region and the state. The Connect Iowa website provides service inventory, density, provider and broadband growth information and maps for each of the SICOG counties at: http://www.connectiowa.org/ecommunity_strategies/find_your_county/iowa/adair At a time when information technology is constantly being updated, this sector is one of the most critical for attracting entrepreneurs to the region's communities. For the most part, in the larger communities, information technology is adequate to meet economic development needs. In some of the most rural areas, the capabilities of public utilities or infrastructure may be inadequate, especially those areas not served by large telecommunication companies. However, the local, mainly cooperatively owned telecommunications providers continue to work diligently to provide improved services. Unfortunately, the lack of interest shown by the large telecommunications companies to provide updated services in the most rural areas could create constraints to economic development. Most improvements in this area are dependent on the service providers and state and federal regulations. SICOG is involved in promotion of broadband access, adoption, and use throughout the region. Increasing broadband is vital for the economic development within the area. SICOG will continue to monitor this and other technologies over time to help communities determine their need for action.



Program Year 2019 Priorities and Projects

In addition to utilizing a SWOT Analysis as a tool to identify positive and negative factors within the SICOG Region that promote or inhibit successful implementation of services, efforts, and economic development activities, SICOG has ranked various priorities for the coming year (2019) and beyond. This was accomplished using a survey form distributed to all city councils, county boards of supervisors, SICOG Project Board members, Economic Development Groups, and the SICOG Executive Board members. It requests that they establish local priorities for their area of interest or jurisdiction. Each organization is asked to rank the top eight (8) priorities for their communities or areas of interest. Cities, Counties, Economic Development groups are asked to list their short, medium, and long-range goals. The surveys are completed and submitted online or in hardcopy form. The survey results are analyzed and the priorities for the region are calculated. These priorities are used not only to help the groups plan for the future; they are also used to focus the professional services of SICOG and allied organizations.

These survey forms were mailed (or e-mailed) to the member communities and boards in the fall of 2018. Early in 2019, County Project Board meetings were held in the region. This allowed several months for the process to be accomplished and for the questionnaires to be submitted back to SICOG in time to be analyzed and they were then incorporated into this CEDS document.

The following pages detail the overall rank of the priorities for 2019 based on responses from cities, counties, development organizations and SICOG and CEDS boards. The priority rank takes into consideration the number of times each priority is selected and the average ranking each time. For example, “economic development” tends to be selected more often than “youth” and the same number of times as “local planning & management”, but it is often ranked very high, usually higher than “local planning & management” when both are selected. See Appendix 2 for a spreadsheet that calculates the regional priorities rankings from the questionnaires submitted. Appendix 2 also contains copies of the priority questionnaire, priority surveys, and SWOT Analysis survey, along with the cover letter sent with them. The majority of the surveys were completed online. A copy of the online survey used is also shown in Appendix 2. 2019 SICOG Priority Ranking Note: The numbers in italics under each priority ranking show its rank in 2008 – 2018. A short description of each priority follows. Priority 1: Housing (2009:#5, 2010:#2, 2011:#2; 2012:#3, 2013:#3, 2014:#4, 2015:#3, 2016:#3, 2017:#3, 2018:#2) Ensure adequate housing for all citizens of the region, with emphasis on housing for persons of low and moderate income, elderly, and special needs. While sliding slightly in ranking, housing remains a very important issue. Affordable housing issues occupy a large amount of SICOG’s time and resources. Many communities are involved in housing efforts as they pertain to quality of life, workforce development, and promotion of a solid tax base. Key issues of the region continue to be rehabilitation, housing development, purchase assistance, and demolition of dilapidated housing. Funding for regional and local housing programs is being sought.



Priority 2: Economic Development (2009:#1, 2010:#1, 2011:#1, 2012:#1, 2013:#1, 2014:#1, 2015:#1, 2016:#1, 2017:#1, 2018:#1) Invigorate the regional economy through local development. Economic development is vital to the image and quality of life of the region. Although the region has continually worked to seek development of new and expanded economic opportunities, this priority continues to evolve. Traditional needs such as retail, industrial, and workforce development remain strong. However, entrepreneurism, tourism, job creation, capital development, alternative energy, business clusters and high-technology industries are being discussed. Capital improvements related to the development of communities and sites (included in other priorities) are directly linked to economic development. Priority 3: Transportation (2009:#2, 2010:#3, 2011:#3; 2012:#2, 2013:#2, 2014:#2, 2015:#2, 2016:#2, 2017:#2, 2018:#3) Develop the regional transportation system to enhance regional economic development and stability. All modes of transportation play an important role in the development and stability of the region. The transportation system continues to evolve. Interest in Transportation Enhancement (non-highway related projects) activities that promote community livability are developing increasing support. Continued street and bridge reconstruction needs also boost the rating as counties and cities fall behind in their abilities to adequately maintain infrastructure. Foster effective transportation access. Priority 4: Local Planning and Management (2009:#3, 2010:#7, 2011:#5, 2012:#4, 2013:#5, 2014:#3, 2015:#4, 2016:#4, 2017:#4, 2018:#4) Expand and improve the functions of local governments and regional service groups related to community development. Not to be confused with comprehensive and strategic planning (another priority), this priority includes such things as budget-related issues, grant programs, assistance to and development of local development organizations, tax incentive programs, geographic information systems (GIS) implementation, and related capacity-building efforts. GIS may grow in popularity as more municipalities and governments realize its benefits. Priority 5: Recreation (2009:#8, 2010:#8, 2011:#6, 2012:#5, 2013:#8, 2014:#6, 2015:#6, 2016:#7, 2017:#6, 2018:#8) Develop new and enhance existing recreational facilities. Recreation is seen as a means to greater economic development in today’s regions and communities. As state and national efforts lead toward “destination parks”, and as major lakes and casinos develop in the state and region bring about increased tourism, this priority has become more prominent. New trends, such as skate parks, multi-purpose recreational trails, and lakes with modernized camping facilities and improved fishing are also creating energy in this area. Traditional favorites, such as public pools and playgrounds, are still vital, as the pool and park infrastructure is aging, is costly to operate, and antiquated facilities may even pose safety issues. Recreational opportunities enhance the regions livability. Priority 6: Community Services (2009:#9, 2010:#5, 2011:#7, 2012:#7, 2013:#7, 2014:#5, 2015:#5, 2016:#5, 2017:#5, 2018:#5) Improve and develop new social, cultural, and educational opportunities for southern Iowa residents. Communities are voicing a greater need to provide for community needs not typically addressed by economic development and public utilities. Growing in relevance to many of our members are things such as childcare centers, community buildings, fire stations, civic attractions, police and fire services, libraries, and historic preservation. Third-party construction and operational funds for civic efforts are more vital now than in the past. These issues relate directly with the ability of the community to remain livable to its citizens.



Priority 7: Sewer/Wastewater Treatment Systems (2008:#2, 2009:#4, 2010:#4, 2011:#4, 2012:#8, 2013:#4, 2014:#8, 2015:#7, 2016:#6, 2017:#7, 2018:#10) Protect the environmental quality of life in southern Iowa. While more and more cities each year have central sewer systems, many systems continue to age and fall into disrepair, and many small cities and rural areas lack even basic central systems. Increasingly stringent federal and state regulations for pollution control and public health have brought about more urgency to improve sewer systems. Many cities and many of the county governments list this as a very high priority, while others do not list it as an issue at all. Until substantial funds come on-line to update systems and rate equities are resolved, the priority will remain high overall. Priority 8: Elderly (2009:#10, 2010:#12, 2011:#10, 2012:#10, 2013:#9, 2014:#11, 2015:#10, 2016:#9, 2017:#9, 2018:#9) Provide for the housing, transportation, and health care needs of elderly persons and groups in southern Iowa. The growing aging population of the region continues to increase the need to provide services directed to the elderly community. While the need for elderly support is generally high, such is often not the direct function of local governments, and thus the priority may be somewhat suppressed. Priority 9: Comprehensive Planning (2009:#14, 2010:#10, 2011:#8, 2012:#9, 2013:#10, 2014:#9, 2015:#9, 2016:#10, 2017:#10, 2018:#7) Develop and implement local and regional comprehensive planning practices. This priority varies in ranking tremendously as different cities and counties seek to develop long-range plans, strategic plans, housing plans, infrastructure studies, capital improvements plans, and ordinance updates (zoning, manufactured homes, etc.). Many local governments have woefully outdated land use plans and zoning ordinances, and many lack subdivision regulations. Grantors are increasingly looking at the planning status of communities when deciding which communities will receive grant funds. This is one reason municipalities and counties see the need for organized planning efforts and coordination of resources and equipment. Planning for future infrastructure, improvements and needs can greatly improve the abilities of communities to meet the needs of the future. Priority 10: Water Resources (2009:#6, 2010:#6, 2011:#9, 2012:#6, 2013:#6, 2014:#7, 2015:#8, 2016:#8, 2017:#8, 2018:#6) Complete a regional water supply mechanism to meet residential, commercial, industrial, and civic needs which enhances and protects the environment. Completion of the rural water system may have contributed to some of the declines in this priority. However, many municipal systems are aging or need to expand capacity. Therefore, the development of rural water supply lakes to ensure increased long-term capacity for all needs is still a priority. Priority 11: Youth (2009:#13, 2010:#13, 2011:#11, 2012:#13, 2013:#12, 2014:#12, 2015:#12, 2016:#11, 2017:#11, 2018:#11) Provide programs and facilities to enrich the lives of youth in southern Iowa. Providing a safe and stable community environment with opportunities for youth may attract new families and retain current residents. This mid-range priority continues to be vital as more effort occurs in the areas of recreation, education, and volunteerism. Generally, while the need for youth support is high, such is often not the direct function of local governments, and thus the priority may be somewhat suppressed.



Priority 12: Solid Waste (2009:#7, 2010:#9, 2011:#12, 2012:#11, 2013:#11, 2014:#10, 2015:#11, 2016:#12, 2017:#13, 2018:#12) Reduce solid waste consumption to comply with Iowa environmental regulations in order to enhance and protect the environment. Changing solid waste regulations and issues connected to closure of area landfills continue to keep this a priority for cities and counties in the region. Variations in recycling trends, combined with more stringent landfill laws are necessitating more effort in this area, especially for targeted waste streams. Priority 13: Rural Health (2009:#15, 2010:#14, 2011:#14, 2012:#14, 2013:#14, 2014:#13, 2015:#13, 2016:#13, 2016:#12, 2018:#13) Improve access to and delivery of primary health services to all citizens in the region. This priority overall remains lower, mostly because local members do not have direct involvement with health care. However, local communities are concerned over the loss of services and lack of specialty and (increasingly) general medical and health staff. Recruitment, clinic sites, service retainage, and EMS services remain a concern in the region. Priority 14: Energy (2009:#11, 2010:#11, 2011:#13, 2012:#12, 2013:#13, 2014:#14, 2015:#14, 2016:#14, 2017:#14, 2018:#14) Encourage the conservation of energy and the use of alternative energy sources in southern Iowa. Increased franchising and more competition has stabilized energy sources, thus reducing this as a priority over most recent years. Conservation and efficiency remain a main priority, especially in the midst of high fuel prices. However, alternative energy sources need to be sought to reduce the depletion rate of natural resources. Wind energy has shown increasing interest over recent years and has even been implemented within the region. The emergence of ethanol and biodiesel as alternative energy sources has also been pursued in this region. Priority 15: Social Services (2009:#16, 2010:#16, 2011:#17, 2012:#15, 2013:#15, 2014:#17, 2015:#16, 2016:#17, 2017:#17, 2018:#16) Encourage the development and implementation of local education, training, and prevention programs to benefit the welfare of communities. While this priority is still vital to our communities, it is often not a direct municipal expenditure, other than for the operations of local police and fire departments. Methamphetamine production and use in this area, as well as other related issues, have put dents in already thirsty budgets. Overall service availability in rural areas is also discussed. Priority 16: Value-added Agriculture (2009:#12, 2011:#15, 2011:#15, 2012:#16, 2013:#16, 2014:#15, 2015:#15, 2016:#15, 2017:#15, 2018:#15) Encourage the development of agriculture-related processing operations in southern Iowa. Agriculture and food supplies remain an important part of our region’s vitality. This priority remains of lower concern for many of the cities completing the survey, but counties see this as a larger priority. Generally, the priority is seen to be outside the scope of our member services, but some communities are actively seeking value-added development as an economic development tool. The emergence of ethanol and biodiesel as alternative energy sources may increase the opportunities in this area. Priority 17: Other (2009:#17, 2010:#17, 2011:#16, 2012:#17, 2013:#17, 2014:#16, 2015:#17, 2016:#16, 2017:#16, 2018:#17) Provide assistance to communities in areas that are not currently addressed by other priorities. These can include many priorities, such as establishing community foundations, technical assistance, and regional programs, all of which may not fit under criteria listed. Sometimes this category is ignored, and other times a priority of a community fits only in the “other” category.



The needs of our region generally fall within these categories. While other needs certainly are present, the limited resources of our members make it extremely difficult to focus outside these seventeen areas without substantial outside funding and incentives. Many local governments facing budget pressures in the past few years have been forced to focus on the core services with less investment in housing, site development, planning, youth, elderly, and social services. Perhaps in the coming years this trend can be reversed. Finally, priorities in this region continue to focus on quality of life issues that the members can affect. As in previous years, community stability issues continue to reign. Housing availability and sewer systems to support economic development continue to dominate. People are less likely to move to a community or stay in a community with a deteriorated housing stock. A stable environment with quality water and sewer infrastructure and quality recreation options is also seen as vital. While it seems that the priorities should change over time as programs focusing on top priorities improve things, it is important to realize that the continued dominance of economic development as a priority is not because the region has failed in the past as much as it is because this priority, and others like it, require continued effort in order to stay in a position to compete in a worldwide economy. The following chart shows how the top priorities have ranked over the last five years. Chart 1: Annual Priorities 2015 – 2019

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2018 Prioritized Projects, Strategic Programs and Activities See Appendix 4 for an inventory of strategies, made up of prioritized projects, programs, and policies that the SICOG executive board, SICOG county project boards, county boards of supervisors, city councils, and economic development organizations identified for 2018 through the priorities and goal setting process of SICOG. Through this process, goals were established and the timeframe in which they will be implemented was set:

Short-range - Implemented within the next year Medium-range - Implemented within two to five years from now Long-range - Implemented five or more years from now

These projects have been prioritized through the annual SICOG priority-setting process for inclusion in the CEDS. Through this process SICOG has put together a comprehensive inventory of development agendas throughout the region. This inventory will be used to support local projects and provide direction to SICOG on how to best serve the needs of the region. The projects within this inventory are categorized under the headings of each of the 2019 priorities identified for the region. This development strategy also includes those things that are continual strategies and services, as well as reoccurring issues, and current projects. The course of action for the 2019 development strategy includes the following two considerations.

Strategy Implementation SICOG staff work with our members in the implementation of programs and projects that fall under the Executive Board approved mission areas and priorities. SICOG will partner with a number of other organizations in order to assist our members in accomplishing goals and completing projects. Specific additional projects may be approved by the Executive Board should they develop throughout the year. Because the leadership of SICOG includes public and publicly appointed officials, the projects undertaken by the organization often coincide with local projects that have committed funds. Many other issues also drive the decision of which projects SICOG will undertake: cost-effectiveness, impact, economic conditions, compatibility, need, and competition. The SWOT Analysis process also contributes to the activities involved in strategy implementation. SICOG staff provides technical assistance, grant writing, administration, and referrals to other organizations in order to help our members successfully accomplish their priority projects and programs. However, SICOG staff and board members must continually assess the direction of the region based on changes in local priorities, state and national legislative changes, and economic trends as well as knowledge gained through the SWOT Analysis. While the organization desires to be available to work in all priority areas and provide all relevant assistance, it must determine what priorities we should strive to expand and which ones we cannot actively encourage, mostly due to limited resources and lack of investment capital. This inventory and the process by which it was developed will be reviewed and updated in subsequent years in order to eliminate projects that have been completed, show progress made on previously identified projects, and identify new projects to develop. This list identifies the regional projects and programs to be executed in 2019 and beyond in order to reach the goals and accomplish the priorities identified in this document.

Jobs Created or Retained Traditionally, job growth and whether workers were employed or unemployed was the key indicator used in economic development to measure success. This made sense when having a job meant having a decent standard of living. But in today’s global, knowledge-based economy the ability of a job to generate a decent and rising standard of living is now based on the skills it requires and knowledge workers bring to the job.



Changes in technology, and particularly the advent of information technologies, are making educated and skilled labor more valuable, and unskilled labor less so. In the SICOG Region, as elsewhere, far too many low-skilled jobs no longer generate decent and growing wages and benefits that afford a decent standard of living. While a job is better than no job, without increasing wages it is difficult for economic well-being to rise. Therefore, it becomes increasingly important to consider a wider number of measures to capture economic success rather than jobs alone. The priorities within this region and the work that SICOG does may appear to relate more to quality of life issues than to the creation of new jobs. Although it is always desirable to retain or bring new high-paying jobs into the SICOG region and the SICOG organization works diligently in order to do so, projecting the number of new jobs for any given year without having a specific business or development in mind is extremely exigent to quantify. Much of the work accomplished within the region by the SICOG organization and its member communities has a positive, cumulative effect on the quality of life in the region, making it a better place for employees to live and work. Improved infrastructure, roadways, and community facilities projects also make the region a more desirable place in which to locate new businesses and industries. These accomplishments, together with coordinated economic development efforts by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, local development corporations, cities and SICOG, facilitate new job attraction, and retain existing jobs. New jobs within a region are often tied to a robust manufacturing economy. Since this region is mainly rural with only small towns, luring large manufacturing into the region, although always a goal, is difficult to accomplish. Lack of an available workforce and housing for a workforce attracted to new jobs both come into play. Therefore, a primary focus within the region has been to assist existing manufacturers or businesses in retaining or growing their employment through the use of the assets, programs, and funds available to them. Traditionally, many employers in the region have been small businesses, and the region has committed efforts in helping new small businesses get started. Bringing new businesses to a town is a priority of many communities in the region (see Appendix 4 – Economic Development Priority). SICOG is often instrumental in directing small upstart businesses to the tools available for them, such as entrepreneurship programs or the regional Small Business Center that assists upstart businesses with business plans and works to smooth the progress of their business development. These business upstarts may follow up with requests for funds from one of the revolving loan funds in the area and take advantage of the many programs available to them on both the local, state and national. Although it is difficult to quantify these types of developments in terms of jobs created, each small business has the potential to become a very valuable asset to a rural community. Creation of new small businesses or providing the tools an existing business needs in order to develop and thrive is often more realistic and fruitful than simply focusing on “catching the big one” in hopes of bringing many new jobs to a town.

Projects & Strategies The projects in Appendix 4 were gathered through the SICOG CEDS survey process described above.

SEE APPENDIX 4 FOR LIST OF PROJECTS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN 2019 AND BEYOND

(SORTED BY PRIORITY CATEGORY, THEN COUNTY, ENTITY, & TIMEFRAME)



Analysis of Economic Development This section addresses economic conditions in the regional makeup of human and economic assets, and discusses problems and opportunities posed by external and internal forces affecting the regional economy.

Iowa Business Climate According to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), the business climate in Iowa offers attractive financial assistance and business-friendly government policies that can grow business revenues. Iowa was identified by CNBC as being the state with the sixth lowest cost of doing business (5 year average) and ranked in the top ten for “business friendliness”. Forbes Magazine in 2018 identified Iowa as “The best place for millennials to gain a financial foothold.” Iowa and the region can capitalize on this to help combat brain drain. Companies operating in Iowa benefit much from two vital assets – a low cost of doing business (sixth averaged over five years in the nation) and great livability (tenth averaged over five years in the nation). The state also offers technology transfer from world-renown research universities, a skilled and productive labor pool and a centralized geographical location. Iowa provides tax incentive programs and 50% deductibility of federal taxes from Iowa corporate income. Iowa is one of only five states that offer this important deductible. Iowa also has other tax advantages including low unemployment insurance rates, no tax on personal property, and no sales or use tax on manufacturing machinery and equipment purchases. Local tax abatement allows many cities and counties to abate local property taxes for improving industrial real estate. Iowa’s worker’s compensation costs are among the nations lowest (25% lower than the national average). Iowa is joining the growing number of state governments creating mechanisms to provide guidance on state investments made to create “more jobs-better jobs” in the innovation economy. The Iowa Innovation Council represents an evolution in thinking about Iowa’s economic development strategies, partnerships and goals. The Council’s focus is that portion of economic activity driven by innovation-based research, development and commercialization. Iowa is an international leader in many industries, including advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, biosciences, information technology, financial services and food manufacturing. SICOG regularly partners with the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) when working to create a business and physical environment that is conducive to economic development within the SICOG region. SICOG assists our communities in accessing many of the programs and funding available through the IEDA to accomplish goals and develop projects within the SICOG region.

Key Economic Conditions and Trends in SICOG Region The current and changing key economic conditions of the SICOG region include the following: • The availability of a skilled workforce is a major area of concern to area businesses. Combined

with weak population growth, this workforce problem is likely to plague the region for many years to come. o Population in much of the region has shown an overall decline in recent decades and little

growth is projected. (See Table 1 (page 27) and Table 2 (page 29). o Continued aging of the population with older workers representing a larger share of the

workforce. See Table 3 (Page 29). o Population in the region decreased 0.27% between 2000 and 2010, with only Clarke

(+1.58%), Madison (+11.84%) and Union (+1.83%) Counties showing increases. The other six counties experienced decreases ranging from 2.67% to 11.84%.



o The region as a whole experienced net out-migration during recent decades, and as a consequence, the region has proportionately fewer men and women of prime working ages, 25-39 years, than the statewide average.

o Average size of households in the region is decreasing slightly (from an average of 2.37 persons per household in 2000 to an average of 2.30 according to 2013-2017 Census estimates).

o The region has a relative deficit of college-educated workers. o The region has relatively fewer workers with managerial, professional, technical sales, and

office-related occupations that are currently in high demand statewide and nationally. • Decades of low wages in the region have greatly affected the residents. Average median

household income in the region was $49,390 in 2017, well below the state median household income of $56,570 and the national median household income of $57,652 (see Table 4, page 30). o Growth in per capita and median family incomes in the region continue to lag behind that

found in the state of Iowa and the nation. U.S. Census Quick Facts data shows an average of 12.36 % of the region’s population live below poverty level, compared with 10.7% of Iowans. The discrepancy is most evident in Decatur County with 17.1% of residents estimated to be living below the poverty level in 2017.

o Returns to labor earnings are problematical in much of the region, as average earnings per job have eroded and average income per non-farm proprietor has eroded to about half of the national average.

• The agriculture, manufacturing and mining sectors dominate the regional economy. • The region is comparatively weak in output wholesale trade, finance and insurance, real estate,

information services, professional services and the management of companies. • The region holds strong statewide competitive positions in arts – entertainment and recreation,

transportation and warehousing and educational services • A relatively higher percentage of the region’s workers are self-employed, regardless of age. • Loss of total number of persons employed in certain sectors (farming, mining, apparel

manufacturing, leather products manufacturing and clothing and accessories stores). • Continued growth but still marginal impact from entertainment and tourism. • Continued but reduced reliance on the land and our natural resources. • Continued and accelerated development of surface water resources. • Discernible industrial strengths, most notably in agriculture and agriculture product processing.

Analysis of Employment & Laborshed

Regional Employment, Workforce Development & Laborshed Profile See Appendix 5 for the Iowa Workforce Development Region 14 Employment and Laborshed Profile. SICOG acknowledges the collaboration between local economic development groups and Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) regarding the Region 14 Employment & Laborshed Profile shown. IWD contributes to the economic security of Iowa’s workers, businesses and communities through a comprehensive statewide system of employment services, education and regulation of health, safety and employment law. IWD’s assistance in analyzing data and preparing laborshed and employment profiles is an example of the collaborative efforts that exist between state agencies and the SICOG region in working towards a shared goal of economic development in our region. In many ways the success of a company depends on the strength of its workforce. Through IWD the State of Iowa has many of the key elements to



provide a smart, productive workforce necessary to foster business growth. The Vision of Iowa Workforce Development is to “lead Iowa’s workforce by empowering workers and businesses to succeed in a dynamic global economy”. IWD’s strategy is supportive of goals of the private sector, government, and economic development agencies from throughout the SICOG region. Many of the programs offered by the Iowa Economic Department Authority (IEDA) provide incentives and guidance to business owners. From financial assistance for starting a business and regulatory and compliance assistance to recruitment and hiring, IEDA can help connect owners with many of the things needed to go from a concept to an operational and successful venture.

IEDA has specific programs designed for businesses working on innovation and commercialization of a product in the targeted industries of bioscience, advanced manufacturing or information solutions and financial services. For those starting a business, they offer a Business License Information Center, Small Business Start Up, Targeted Small Business Assistance, and other start-up resources in the areas of consumer protection, workforce, licensing, and transportation. For Entrepreneurs IEDA offers programs such as Accelerating Business Growth that offers technical assistance and mentoring to companies with staff experienced in legal, accounting, and marketing disciplines. They also offer a Business License Information Center, Demonstration Fund that provides pre-seed capital awards of up to $150,000 to encourage prototype and concept development activities by small and medium-sized Iowa companies in targeted areas. Equity Funds are currently seeking investors and investments in Iowa through the Venture Network of Iowa and a unique opportunity available for entrepreneurs to present their ideas to Iowa’s savvy investment community.

Economic Clusters By recognizing the existence of industry clusters (or the potential for a cluster) in an area, decision-makers are able to better prepare the workforce, support cluster growth, and increase wealth in their region. Some tools that can be used to help determine if a cluster exists are employment and wage trend analysis, location quotient, shift/share analysis, and emerging industry cluster analysis. Industries in a cluster share buyers, suppliers, processes, and technology. Cluster industries utilize the same set of skills and tap into the same knowledge base and workforce in an area. Furthermore, industries within a cluster are able to share specialized services, networks, and research and development. Industries are important to a region for a variety of reasons, including their job potential, the incomes that are generated, their importance to communities and collections of communities, and their importance to other industries. Industries are not only important to workers and community, they are important to each other. One type of economic cluster occurs when similar firms produce similar products and rely on shared input sources. These types of clusters may be desirable targets for further development, expansion and growth. Another type of cluster shares significant relationships along different lines of production. Retail establishments such as farm implement dealers and farm service providers are supported by the farming industry, and these are the clearest example of this type of cluster in the region. Creating value-added agriculture and developing new wind-energy related industries have been identified by local communities and economic development groups for their potential economic development opportunities. These developments build on existing industries or develop clusters in the SICOG Region. Research continues to identify other potential cluster industries for the region.



Studying a local area's employment distribution, by industry, can be useful because it indicates what the industry clusters are and where they are located. They suggest where growth areas might be cultivated.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

It is evident from the chart above that employment in the SICOG region is spread out through many different sectors. The percentage of the local area employment being spread through these various sectors created a buffer during the economic downturn in 2008-2009. This data is important however, there are limitations to using only this data analysis approach. First, the data on employment and firms lag, so the reference point for the analysis is always in the past, whereas our interest lies in planning for the future. Second, this method overlooks the wages associated with the employment concentration, and gives little input as to the dynamics of the growth or decline (in other words, it’s all relative to the national picture). Finally, the largest deficit with this approach is that it is insignificant to identify via data analysis and then subsequently develop a concentration of industries that does not resonate with the region’s assets and visions for prosperity. Just because a region may have a high percentage of employees engaged in office and administrative employment, does not mean that the office and administration concentration will be a source of prosperity in the future. The data must be curbed by regional assets and visions, as well as the economic reality of the times. There are also limitations to building a regional strategy around perceptions of competitive advantage. There is a balance to be achieved between the data and leaders’ perceptions of the region’s assets, the quality

15.6%11.8%

9.7%9.4%

7.8%7.5%

6.1%4.7%4.4%4.3%

3.5%3.5%

2.7%2.4%

1.3%1.2%0.9%0.8%0.8%0.7%0.6%0.4%

0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0% 14.0% 16.0% 18.0%

OfficeandAdministrativeSupportOccupationsProductionOccupations

TransportationandMaterialMovingOccupationsSalesandRelatedOccupations

FoodPreparationandServingRelatedOccupationsEducation,Training,andLibraryOccupations

HealthcarePractitionersandTechnicalOccupationsInstallation,Maintenance,andRepairOccupations

ManagementOccupationsConstructionandExtractionOccupationsPersonalCareandServiceOccupations

HealthcareSupportOccupationsBuildingandGroundsCleaningandMaintenance…BusinessandFinancialOperationsOccupations

CommunityandSocialServiceOccupationsProtectiveServiceOccupations

ComputerandMathematicalOccupationsArts,Design,Entertainment,Sports,andMediaOccupations

Farming,Fishing,andForestryOccupationsArchitectureandEngineeringOccupations

Life,Physical,andSocialScienceOccupationsLegalOccupations

EmploymentbyServiceSectorinSouthwestIowa



of those assets, and their visions for the future. A region may identify innovation as an asset and have a vision to become the hub of software development in the Midwest; though, when checked against the data, the region may realize that its workforce does not have the relevant occupational skills, nor are there any existing firms to support and enhance such a sector. The data does play an important role in identifying market opportunities that match the region’s assets and vision, drilling down specific industry niches within those market opportunities, and measuring progress overtime. First, however, leaders must have an inventory and common understanding of the region’s assets, and build consensus for a future vision of the region’s competitiveness. It is significant that throughout the SICOG area, the largest private and public employers are clustered in relatively few communities. Although there are many small towns throughout the region, in each county much of the employment takes place in one or two larger towns, typically in the county seat.

SICOG Region Major Employers (with number of employees)

Source: Iowa Workforce Development, Employer Database http://iwin.iwd.state.ia.us/iowa/employers

! ! ! Earlham Schools 100-249

Lpb Inc 50-99 50-99 100-249 Rose Acre Farms Inc Owner Revolution Inc. 50-99Casey's General Store 50-99

Adair Casey High School 50-99 et Schools Community Care Ctr Gus Construction 50-99

Agri-Drain Corp 50-99 Schafer Systems 50-99

100-249 Winters McDonald's 50-99 Mahle Filter Systems Na Inc 100-249

Agriland Fs Inc 50-99 Winterset Egg Farm 50-99

50-99 ! Rose Acre Farms Inc

! Fareway 50-99 ! West Bridge Care & Rehab 50-99

Cardinal Ig Co 250-499 50-99 Winterset Care Ctr North Good Samaritan Ctr 50-99 250-499 Winterset South Schildberg Construction Co Inc 50-99

! Innovative Industries 50-99

50-99 G&H Motor Freight Li !

nes Inc 50-99 Greenfield Mannor 100 - 249 Interstate School District 50-99 Orient-Macksburg School

Wellman Dynamics Corp 250-499 250-499 Bunn-O-Matic Corp 250-499 Ferrara Candy Co 250-499 Greater Regional Medical Ctr

ool District

!

50-99 Murray Sch East Union Schools 100-249 !

! !

100-249 Southwestern Community College ! Lakeside Casino 500-999 100-249 Hy-Vee 100-249 Walmart Supercenter 500-999 Osceola Foods Llc Creston School District 100-249

Corning Schools 100-249 Clarke School District 100-249 Area XIV Agency On Aging 50-99 Mercy Hospital-Corning 100-249 100-249 First National Bank In Creston 50-99 Exel Inc Green Hills Area Creston 50-99 100-249 Clarke County Hospital

50-99 Southern Iowa Resources Mosaic 50-99 ! Us Job Training Partnership 50-99 Astoria Industries of Iowa Inc Hy-Vee 50-99

50-99 Michael Foods 250-499 Gavilon Fertilizer Llc 50-99 Lenox Schools 50-99 Fareway 50-99 Majona Steel Corp 50-99

50-99

50-99 50-99 UPS Customer Ctr 50-99 Precision Idler Co Fareway 50-99 !Crest Haven Care Ctr Miller Products Co 50-99 Windrow Paul Mueller Co Inc 50-99 Creston Nursing Rehab Ctr 50-99 Moark Sunbest Foods

Longfellow Drilling Svc 50-99 50-99 50-99 Southern Hills Specialty Care

! Pizza Ranch 50-99

! Keane Thummel Trucking

!

! 100-249 Community Action Agency 50-99 Leon Schools 100-249 are Ctr 50-99 Westview Acres C

100-249 Ringgold County Hospital 50-99 Mt. Ayr Schools 250-499 Graceland University Bedford Schools 50-99 Clearview Home 50-99 ! Procom Inc 100-249 Bedford Nursing & Rehab Ctr 50-99 Mt. Ayr Health Care Ctr 50-99 Lamoni Community Schools 50-99

50-99 Industrial Hardfacing Inc

µ 50-99 Lamoni Nursing & Rehac Ctr

Locations of Major Employers in the SICOG Area (With Number of Employees)

ADAIR STUART

EARLHAM

! Large Employers

Large Employer Cities

SICOG Counties

FONTANELLE

GREENFIELD

WINTERSET

ORIENT TRURO

CRESTON AFTON

MURRAY OSCEOLA

CORNING

LENOX

CLEARFIELD

NEW MARKET

BEDFORD

MOUNT AYR

LAMONI

LEON

0 5 10 20

Miles



Statewide Studies, Plans and Support

In 1992, The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) and the Wallace Technology Transfer Foundation commissioned the “Battelle Study” to identify industries in which investments would be likely to yield high returns. These industries were selected because they:

• Had high growth potential, • Paid higher than average wages, and • Were industries with a good match for the competitive advantages offered by Iowa.

The industries targeted through this initiative included, among others, value-added agriculture, insurance and financial services, plastics, fabricated and primary metals, pharmaceuticals, instruments and measuring devices, and software development. This list provided a good starting point for economic development efforts within the SICOG region. In 1999, Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) commissioned a study by Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to re-examine targeted industries in light of Iowa’s actual experience and to update the industry sector analysis. This study ultimately identified three very broad industry clusters for future investments. They are:

• Life sciences (including production agriculture, value-added processing, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology.)

• Advanced manufacturing (involving the rapid introduction of new processes including metal manufacturing and heavy machinery manufacturing,) and

• Information solutions (including financial services and information solutions.) More than a decade later, IDED (now known as the Iowa Economic Development Authority or IEDA) continues to target many of the same industries for Iowa. These industries have also been examined and their development within the SICOG region has been considered for application within the region.

• Advanced Manufacturing — Advanced manufacturing is a major driver of the Iowa economy and the critical mass of expertise here is worth investigating if your company is seeking a competitive advantage.

• Renewable Energy — Iowa is a recognized leader in renewable energy production through wind, biomass, ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, and biodiesel.

• Biosciences — Iowa has a rich heritage of research and innovation in the biosciences industry. From start-up companies to globally respected firms in biotechnology, Iowa is creating breakthroughs from better nutrition to life-saving medicine and renewable industrial products.

• Information Technology — Iowa may be known for some of the world’s most fertile cropland, but in recent years, it’s been fertile ground for rapid growth in the information solutions sector as well.

• Financial Services — As a global leader in the financial services sector, Iowa boasts a tremendous number of insurance companies offering a wide array of innovative products that protect, serve and enhance the lives of millions of people within Iowa, throughout the United States, and around the globe.

• Food Manufacturing — From ingredients and finished foods to processing and packaging machinery, Iowa is the birthplace of many food industry innovations. As these very broad industry clusters continue to provide information and guidance to the SICOG region as they seek to bring new jobs to the region.

Most recently in 2014 a year-long study initiated and led by the Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress, an industry-led, CEO-level advisory board established by then Iowa Governor Branstad commissioned a



follow-up to the 1992 study by the Battelle Memorial Institute. This study included a comprehensive and detailed assessment of Iowa’s economic position and strategic priorities. Embedded within this roadmap are several key themes of economic progress realized and potential economic success to be earned in the years to come. The study revealed how crucial it is for the State of Iowa to recognize the growing significance that high-skilled jobs have in today’s economy, to capture promising emerging growth opportunities, create an industry-driven partnership with the education community, establish new approaches for investing in physical infrastructure needs, and facilitate the transfer of university research and development to industry startups. Bringing together these more systematic efforts with continued improvements to existing programs will lead the state and the SICOG region so that it can better sustain economic momentum.

Iowa State University -- Economic Development Programs Thousands of Iowa companies receive assistance from Iowa State University experts. Iowa State University has established a network of centers and institutes focused on serving the needs of Iowa businesses. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IDEA) also has resources to support community and business development in Iowa. In addition to the technical and financial assistance provided by IDEA staff, they can also serve as a liaison with appropriate state agencies and local development groups. The scope of Iowa State University Economic Development Programs includes the following: College of Business, Business and Partnership Program: Faculty from the college provide expert assistance to businesses wanting to streamline processes, implement best practices or move from a local or national business to a global enterprise. Extension's Community & Economic Development Program: Provides assistance in land use and community planning, community economic analysis, community design, local government management and leadership development. Institute for Physical Research and Technology Company Assistance: Provides short-term, no-cost technical assistance in materials-related areas and nondestructive evaluation, contract research and development, assistance to commercialize technologies, and services to help Iowa companies win federal R&D grants. Center for Industrial Research and Service: This partnership is a statewide network that provides technical and business assistance to Iowa's small-to mid-size manufacturers. Account managers throughout the state meet with clients to answer questions, identify areas for improvement and provide links to resources that companies can use to increase their productivity and competitiveness. Iowa State University Research Park: Provides a home to companies that wish to be located near Iowa State University. Through its incubator, it helps new companies develop business plans, identify capital resources and find trained staff to get the company up and running. Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship: Assists individuals starting new businesses, with emphasis on those focusing on Iowa State based technologies. This includes assistance with the development of business plans, sources of financing, and market research. Small Business Development Center: Through a statewide network, this center counsels and trains business people in management, financing and operating small businesses. SICOG often acts as a liaison between local entrepreneurs, business leaders, and economic developers and these valuable state resources. Planning and tools from the State of Iowa have provided a useful framework for development activities in the SICOG region.



Economic Overview Economic development has been slow or non-existent in the majority of the smaller towns in this very rural region. The three largest cities in the eight-county region according to the 2010 Census are Creston – population 7,834, Osceola – population 4,929 and Winterset – population 5,190. The many smaller towns in the region do not have the quality infrastructure, housing, site, or financing capabilities needed to promote extensive economic growth. However, efforts by funding programs, such as CDBG and USDA-RD, as well as efforts by local and regional economic development officials have worked to improve economic development potential in the smallest of communities through infrastructure and housing improvements. Local leaders have recently begun to examine “right-sizing” or sharing of services between cities or counties to address the complex problems facing cities and counties in decline. This paradigm focuses on managing public infrastructure and government services in an efficient and effective manner. The effects of these approaches, however, remain unclear and resistance is anticipated. It is imperative that community leaders improve our understanding of relevant concepts, salient issues, and potential consequences related to re-sizing. Over past decades, many small school districts in the state have been forced into “sharing” activities and consolidation in order to remain economically viable as enrollment declines. Cities and Counties may need to seek creative solutions as they deal with the challenge of how to provide their services to a shrinking and aging population. Numerous manufacturers in the region began laying off employees during the fourth quarter of 2008 and additional layoffs continued during 2009. This resulted in economic distress for the region, particularly related to manufacturing jobs, although most sectors of the regional economy were affected by the economic hard times to some extent. In recent years the region has continued to diversify, especially in the tourism, agricultural, and services sectors. More traditional sectors, such as transportation, manufacturing, and construction, have not diversified as much as other areas of the state and nation. The decline in the economic conditions throughout the U.S from 2008 through 2010 and the severe weather and flooding that occurred within the region during 2008 and 2010 negatively impacted the area, but recovery since that time has been steady. Employment in the transportation, utilities, manufacturing, and construction industries incurred the largest percentages of job losses, but many of those losses have been recovered. Southern Iowa continues to lag behind the rest of the state economically. Declines in population and slower per capita income increases in relation to the rest of the state continue to affect the region. Some noticeable economic trends that have occurred or accelerated in the region:

• Continued negative economic discrepancy between the region and the rest of the state. • Madison County and Clarke County continue to increase in population as growth centers for

industry and as bedroom communities for the Des Moines metropolitan area. Efforts by development corporations and SICOG are needed in order to bring new jobs to the communities in the region.

Issues Analysis SICOG is facing a number of issues:

• Continued development of regional centers replacing small communities as the focus of the region’s economy.

• Continued movement toward regionalization as a whole and greater dependence on urban influence and shopping opportunities.



• Continued struggles due to taxation policies and disparity in local budgets, combined with loss of state and federal budget support.

• Increased competitiveness for federal, state, and corporate funds. The following key findings should be noted as they are observed in our region:

• Current conditions exist that suggest a need for and a focus on regional economic development, the development of new entrepreneurship opportunities, and protecting existing assets and businesses rather than simply recruiting random development from other places.

• Quality of life issues are increasingly more vital to the success and desirability to live, work, and invest in this region. These issues must be included in any economic development discussions from the outset.

• The region must capitalize on the educational focus of our community colleges and state universities. Partnerships with industries that lead to career development within the school system can be used to guide students and meet workforce needs.

• The region must focus on existing agricultural resource assets and a growth in tourism advantages. An identity is needed.

• The region must grasp and grow along with key economic trends and continue to be more dependent on a growing number of sectors, as has been the case in recent years.

• A significant growth in comprehensive economic, capital, and technical assistance to start-up and expanding businesses should be pursued. This effort will include education, investment capital, workforce capital, incubator facilities, financial and legal advice and counseling, and others.

Annually, the members of the CEDS Strategy Committee (SICOG Project Board) determine the relevancy and effectiveness of continuing on the same strategies or developing modified strategies or new areas of effort (priorities). While most of the priorities are continual, others are either accomplished or, as times change, are no longer vital. Economic development, housing, community infrastructure, transportation, and recreation, remain highly ranked priorities and essential to the success of the region. In recent years, activities like youth, social services, and value-added agriculture have ranked lower in priority to our members, while not necessarily in the minds of staff and committee members. Local planning and management, community services, and elderly may become more essential priorities for the future.

Changes in the Manufacturing Sector The growth of communities in the region in recent years has largely been based on new or expanded manufacturing growth in those communities. Manufacturers have expanded or have been developed in some of the larger towns in the region. Also important to note is that some current manufacturers have expanded and taken opportunity of funds from EDA, USDA-RD, and other sources. Revolving loan funds through economic development affiliations have helped current and new industries expand sewer systems, roadways, and water systems in order to facilitate economic development. Smaller towns lack quality infrastructure, housing, site, or financing capabilities needed to promote extensive economic growth. However, recent refocusing efforts by funding programs, such as CDBG and USDA-RD, have begun to improve economic development potential in the smallest of communities through infrastructure and housing improvements. Population and unemployment rates delineate economic growth patterns of large employers. When a county shows a large increase in unemployment and then a decline in population within a short time, for example, often the cause is a shutdown of a moderately large employer, such as a specialty-manufacturing firm. Decline in wholesale trade has also been a cause of high unemployment in some counties.



County seat towns generally house the government centers and have continued to draw upon the rural areas and smaller communities to supply employees because they have been more able to generate the capital to improve infrastructure and housing. This trend is more noticeable in the SICOG region than in most areas of the state. It is expected that this trend will continue with a slow growth of the county seats and the eventual discontinuance of the smallest, most economically unviable towns. SICOG and its staff have continued working with our member governments to help them on a road toward sustainability and development. SICOG also works diligently with local governments, businesses, organizations, groups and individuals to assist with the growth of the region. Emerging Growth Centers Only Madison and Clarke Counties have shown population growth from fifty years ago. These Counties have some advantages that the other counties in the region do not appear to have. Madison County has seen much growth in housing due to its proximity to the Des Moines metropolitan area. Madison County also has access to Interstates 35 and 80 and has better than average farm land values for the region. Tourism, connected to the Bridges of Madison County and historical sites such as the John Wayne Birthplace and Museum, has provided a unique source of income for the county as well. Population growth in Madison County over recent decades has been much more positive than for the entire region (See Table 8 below). Madison County grew from 11,558 in 1970 to 15,679 in 2010, a 35.65% increase, which is rather dramatic when compared to the 3.17% decrease within the rest of the region during that same period of time. Madison County has consistently had the highest median household income of any county in the SICOG region for several decades ($60,077 in 2017). Trends in growing population, employment, and income can be expected to continue, unless there is a major, unexpected economic shift. Table 8: Population Increase of Madison County

Source: U.S. Census of Population, 1970-2010, www.census.gov

Clarke County is the only other county in the region to show population increases over the last five decades. Although its growth is much slower than what Madison County has seen, it is still significant, especially considering the population declines shown in most of the other counties of the region during the same period. Clarke County reaps the benefits of being located directly on Interstate 35 and is within easy commuting distance to the Des Moines metropolitan area. Osceola’s Interstate 35 location has helped it attract new industry to the city during the last decade. Manufacturing jobs located in Osceola and the easy access to the Des Moines metro area are reflected by Clarke County population increases. Creston (Union County) is the largest city in the region, Winterset (Madison County) is the second largest, and Osceola is the third. Table 9 below shows the population growth/loss of each of these cities.

County 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Percent Change (1970-1980)

Percent Change (1980-1990)




Madison 11,558 12,597 12,483 14,105 15,679 9.0% -0.9% 13.0% 11.16% 35.65%



Table 9: Population Growth of Economic Development Centers

Creston 8,234 8,429 7,911 7,597 7,834 -400 - 5% Osceola 3,124 3,750 4,164 4,569 4,929 1,805 +58% Winterset 3,654 4,021 4,196 4,768 5,190 1,536 +42%

Source: US Census of Population

Growth According to the 2010 Census, Winterset had a population of 5,190 and Madison County had an estimated population of 15,679. Census data shows that Winterset has become the second largest city in the region, and Madison County has the highest population of any county in the SICOG region. Madison County has grown in population over the last four decades, with a population increase of 35.65% since 1970. It should be pointed out that in the 1960's there was an overall trend of decreasing population in rural areas of Iowa; yet in spite of this trend and the drop in the county population, Winterset managed a small increase in population by 1970. By 1980, Madison County had recovered the lost population and experienced a small increase in its population. From 1980 to 2010, Winterset's population continued to steadily increase, showing more than a 25% increase in population from 1990 to 2010. Table 10: SICOG Region - County Population Changes (1990-2010)

Source: US Census of Population, www.census.gov It is believed that the recent population increases in Madison County are more of a trend than an occurrence. When comparing the growth of Madison County in relation to the other counties in the region from 1990-2010, it is clear that the main reason the area showed a small (2.14%) population increase for the region was because of the growth in Madison County. If Madison County’s growth between 1990 and 2010 (+3,196) were removed from the regional totals, the region would have shown a loss of 1,748 people or a 2.58% decrease in population. Madison County growth is having a substantial effect on the population of the region. Madison County holds the distinction of having two of the state’s interstates running through it and having close proximity to Des Moines without being within the Des Moines Metro Area.

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 Change (1970-10)

% Change (1970-10)

County 1990 Population

2000 Population

2010 Population

% Change (1990-00)

% Change (2000-10)

% Change (1990-2010)

Adair 8,409 8,243 7,682 -2.0% -6.81% -8.65% Adams 4,866 4,482 4,029 -7.9% -10.1% -17.20% Clarke 8,287 9,133 9,286 +10.2% +1.7% +12.06% Decatur 8,338 8,689 8,457 +4.2% -0.9% +1.43% Madison 12,483 14,019 15,679 +12.3% +11.8% +25.60% Ringgold 5,420 5,469 5,131 +0.9% -6.2% -5.33% Taylor 7,114 6,958 6,317 -2.2% -9.2% -11.20% Union 12,750 12,309 12,534 -3.5% +1.8% -1.69% Total 67,667 69,302 69,115 +2.41% -0.3% +2.14%



Chapter 4 – Strategic Direction / Action Plan

SICOG Action Plan for 2019 SICOG is federally recognized as the service provider for the Southern Iowa Economic Development District (EDD). SICOG provides direct access to federal economic development programs and is responsible for developing development priorities for the region based on the diverse needs and communities in the region. These priorities drive local, regional, and national investment efforts that impact the region. The basic purpose of the Southern Iowa Council of Governments is to provide local leadership and establish a framework for redeveloping and improving a comprehensive plan of action for the accelerated development and orderly conservation of all the resources of southern Iowa. This section outlines goals, objectives, and an annual strategy for the operation of the SICOG.

Goals, Objectives, and Vision Statement

The adopted goals of the EDD are largely driven by mandates that the Board of Directors of SICOG places upon the Southern Iowa Council of Governments. The goals recognize that the district was created and organized to serve local member governments, not to replace or duplicate grass-roots economic development activities within our member cities and counties. The goals are not intended to supplant local, regional, and state efforts and agendas, but rather they are intended to drive the direction of SICOG toward its members. Consequently, not all possible projects or efforts are listed, but rather those that SICOG, its board, and its members feel make sense for public involvement in economic and community development. The following goals are based on the priorities and goal questionnaires of local government members, board members, and CEDS committee members and then are refined by SICOG staff. SICOG’s Board of Directors formally approves final goals and objectives each year prior to submission of the CEDS to the EDA. These goals are drafted to address long-term issues and new trends and issues that must be handled appropriately. The following goals are arranged in two categories but are not listed by level of importance.



Administrative Goals Goal 1: Continue to promote and enhance the EDD concept within the region as a method of encouraging multi-jurisdictional economic development planning, physical planning, and cooperation. This goal has been a major thrust for SICOG since its inception, but in the coming years, this effort will continue with a greater effort put on the development of regional physical planning and regional coordination of development plans and marketing. In this vein, greater numbers of State, EDA, and other Federal grants may be obtained than in the past and greater numbers of regional and “new economy” industries (such as advanced manufacturing, alternative energies or value-added agriculture) may be located or bred in our region. Goal 2: Continue or increase efforts to develop greater public-private partnerships for implementation of regional economic strategies and for enhanced ability to meet forthcoming economic development issues and projects. Through SICOG’s partnership program and other public-private ventures, the region is poised to have greater economic development progress than in the past. The need still exists to build upon the current partnerships and extend those to include more member-SICOG-private organization partnerships. Goal 3: Become more effective and efficient at delivery of services to business and industry and local organizations that assist private enterprise. SICOG has a history of helping members and businesses “do the deal”, but also need to expand our direct technical assistance to all areas of economic planning. Maybe the most important need for the EDD is so that member organizations and the business community have at their fingertips an extension of their own staffs for the provision of professional guidance. More intimate involvement in the business assistance process is desired. In the same way, SICOG strives to be more effective at communication and coordination among many economic development agencies and organizations in the region, offer effective assistance programs, and provide quality technical assistance. Goal 4: Encourage, coordinate, and monitor the planning of capital and special projects between and among members to take advantage of economies of scale. SICOG has invested time and effort in regional studies, including those for water and sewer, economic development potential, recreation, tourism, and housing needs. In recent years, SICOG has worked with our regional water suppliers, county economic developers, and housing organizations to better identify needs and priorities, with the hope that the right types of grants are submitted at the right times, with less duplication and greater impact when the project is completed. SICOG is hosting planning and civic operations programs to enable local officials to operate as efficiently as possible and to allow for greater networking. SICOG continues to be a central clearinghouse for Census and other data that can help communities plan more efficiently. Goal 5: Continue and expand our role in serving as a regional voice to our state government, federal government, and extra-regional organizations. Many see SICOG as the logical conduit of programs, information, and program development ideas. SICOG, through its newsletter and involvement with state, federal, and other agencies and organizations, continues to function in this capacity. More time and energy is likely to be put to this effort as budgets continue to be cut and as government polices continue to change. Our communities simply cannot keep up with all the changes and issues by themselves. Goal 6: Stay on top of key and emerging trends, so that our communities can take advantage of them and be ready to meet future needs. This has become a major focal point for SICOG in recent years. SICOG has been working to come to grips with rapidly expanding economic development “genres”, such



as entrepreneurial programs, wind and other alternative energies, homeland security, disaster planning and mitigation, value-added agriculture, philanthropy, technology and telecom, advanced manufacturing, advanced financial services, and related areas. SICOG plans to increase promotion of these issues and the programs and frameworks necessary to grow these areas. Goal 7: Improve and expand office and service delivery technology. SICOG is working to improve and then increase our technology and GIS services. We strive to offer the best technology for our office and productivity needs. Many of our members and partners lack the skill, the technology and the staff to do these types of programs. SICOG can and wants to fill this gap, increasing use of our products in all areas of the region and increasing our ability to use equipment on-site for our member and partner needs. Program Goals Goal 1: Improve our response to the CEDS committee relative to the needs addressed in the CEDS surveys. SICOG has, as part of the CEDS process, guided cities, counties and boards in their preparation of lists of goals and priorities for their organizations. The lists for each include short, middle, and long-term goals. It has become the goal of SICOG over recent years to better develop ways in which we can assist in helping the cities, counties and boards to reach their goals. This has enabled more of the action steps of our members, boards, and the annual CEDS action plan to be met. Goal 2: Implement projects and programs that have a regional impact. The real impact of SICOG and the use of Federal dollars is best felt when a local project is replicated and has a broad impact on more than one county. Goal 3: Stay on top of Federal and State priorities and target efforts at these. As part of this goal, SICOG strives to share information, continually learn about emerging Federal and State priorities, and do more to evaluate the success and “lessons learned” about projects and programs that have been implemented. Goal 4: Be flexible to rapidly changing needs. SICOG has always focused on member local governments and the kinds of projects listed annually in the CEDS. However, SICOG recognizes that local government leadership often changes and new issues come up constantly. It is the goal of SICOG to address new projects and issues in any jurisdiction that may or may not be listed in the CEDS. Goal 5: Use the CEDS as a regional planning mechanism for other agencies. For example, the USDA now gives bonus points in certain rural development programs if the projects meet a local goal. The types of projects supported by the EDA plan also are supported by other Federal rural development agencies, such as the EDA, DOT, FEMA, and the like. The following objectives are arranged in short-term, mid-term, and long-term to describe how SICOG will assist the region administratively and through program assistance.

Short-term Objectives (1-2 years) 1. Complete all reporting, grant execution, and financial management of current EDA planning grant. 2. Disseminate the regional planning document and related materials to those members and partners that would benefit and assist in implementation. 3. Continue to strengthen and enhance collaboration with members and boards in order to remain abreast of regional Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Focus on service to members related to local priorities and enhance regional plan process participation.



4. Meet with interested cities, counties, and partners to discuss their needs, projects and priorities and ways we can assist them. 5. Promote our economic development, planning, regional housing, GIS, and other related services. Review with communities how our programs can specifically enhance their services and economic development efforts. 6. Initiate enhanced cooperation with local and regional service providers, including development organizations, chambers of commerce, RC&Ds, USDA offices, and other similar organizations. 7. Continue to provide grantsmanship and technical services for projects identified in this plan and at the request of members. 8. Determine the key assets of the region and develop methods to preserve and enhance them, so that the local quality of life is maintained and grown. 9. Develop plans and activities that enhance resilience within the region. Assist communities and citizens in the region in planning for disasters and should they occur, in accessing disaster relief funds in order to make repairs, improve infrastructure, and or create jobs. Support economic resilience in the region. 10. Develop and expand the activities of the SICOG regional housing trust fund, a certified community foundation. 11. Complete an updated Annual Report/CEDS for program year 2019.

Mid-term Objectives (3-5 years) 1. Continue efforts begun in the short-term objectives. 2. More fully utilize GIS capabilities. 3. Complete the regional grants database in a format that can easily updated and disseminated for efficient staff assistance to members and partners 4. Seek out sources of funding and additional resources for inclusion in the district’s economic development program and entrepreneurial efforts. Assist member jurisdictions in developing final plans for the accomplishment of tasks that further district and local goals. 5. Continue to support partnerships that enhance regional approaches to economic development. When possible, identify and focus on technologies and markets that will grow in the future to create jobs and raise living standards. 6. Take a greater role in Iowa’s planning and economic development processes, primarily through involvement in our state association of regional councils (IARC) and economic development partnerships. Work to provide better coordination, as needed, between members and the state and federal agencies. 7. Continue efforts to improve the resiliency of the area through development of and updates to pre-disaster mitigation planning. 8. Assist the SICOG region to compete globally based on high skills, high quality, innovation and creativity. Leverage private investments to increase competitive advantage.

Long-term Objectives (beyond 5 years) 1. Strive for a more focused and comprehensive approach to long-range economic development planning involving more direct involvement with members, businesses, and economic developers. Include more stakeholders in the region. 2. Improve our reporting system to assist in greater reporting of plans and priorities among members and to our other stakeholders. 3. Continue to update and improve our CEDS development and reporting processes. Ensure we continue to receive all possible EDA planning funding. 4. Encourage members and partners to identify and support regional economic development projects that will make the best use of resources with minimal environmental impact, all the while advancing our strengths in agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing. Improve marketing of economic assets.



5. Study, determine the feasibility of, and develop where appropriate, additional regional economic development tools, such as revolving loan funds, incubators, support centers, and joint programs with our local community college and Iowa’s University Center. 6. Review efforts to improve business retention, expansion, and relocation to the area. Work directly with the local governments to determine which private sector firms could be targeted for public support and investment. 7. Identify key faculty and leaders in Iowa’s public and private universities that might be approached about partnering in the development of a study, facility or program to advance or assist in the transfer or development of technology and inventions from the public to the private sector for the development in this state. Also, identify and solicit input from business leaders with experience in start-up and fledging businesses that might be partners. The vision of the region through the CEDS implementation is a unified, progressive Southwestern Iowa area with steady population and economic growth, improved quality of life, stronger civic and social involvement, improved physical and economic environment, and effective local and regional governance and management. The CEDS priorities, regional goals, and action plan will help move the region in this direction. Cost Estimate to accomplish Goals A reasonable cost estimate associated with implementing the activities listed in the Action Plan described above is estimated to be in the range of $237,000 annually. Although it is clear that current EDA funding is insufficient to accomplish all these goals and objectives, SICOG makes the best use of available resources in order to provide the most needed and advantageous services for development within and betterment of the region.



Chapter 5 – Economic Resilience

Economic resilience emphasizes ingenuity and resourcefulness applied during and after significant events. Essentially, resilience in general can be defined as actions that enable a system to maintain function and recover rapidly. From an economic perspective, this corresponds to using remaining resources as efficiently as possible and to investing in the repair and reconstruction promptly and wisely. Recovery from Economic Downturn – 2007 through 2019 In 2007 the region lost several major employers -- Woodmarc in Madison County, Dekko in Ringgold County, and Wausau Homes in Adams County all were key losses. All of these were manufacturers that closed due to jobs moving out of the country or due to consolidations. Pamida stores in Corning, Bedford, and Leon also closed in 2007. Although Pamida did not provide a large numbers of full-time jobs, the loss of this “discount” type store meant that these towns had lost a valuable local resource that forced residents to obtain necessities from outside their towns. The downturn in the economy also affected other employers in the SICOG region. During the final quarter of 2008 and during 2009 the following layoffs were announced (with three of these businesses closing in 2009):

Precision Pulley – (Lenox & Corning) 30 permanent layoffs Mustang - formerly Murray Products – (Murray) 12 permanent layoffs/business closed in 2009 Salford - formerly MacLander – (Osceola) 18 permanent layoffs O'Brien Bros. (Leon) – 35 permanent layoffs – business closed in 2009 New Market Schools (New Market) – 22 permanent layoffs – school closed permanently in 2009 GITS (Creston) – some permanent layoffs Cardinal Glass (Greenfield) – 63 laid off as of December 2009 Astoria (Osceola) – 15 layoffs Paul Mueller (Osceola) –70 layoffs (2/3 of its workforce) – remaining employees on “shared work” program that allows them to work 24 hours a week but receive pay for 40 hours of work

The local Iowa Workforce Development office estimated that 1,100 jobs were lost in the region from the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2008 through 2009, when the region and the state experienced a substantial increase in its unemployment rate. According to Iowa Workforce Development, the number of Iowa unemployment insurance claims increased 75.8% from January 2008 to January 2009. In 2010 every county in the region except for Taylor County showed rising unemployment rates, as did the state. The 2010 unemployment rates in the region (6%) and the state were not as high as the national average



By the end of 2010 a gradual turnaround had begun for many of the major manufacturers in the region. Paul Mueller (Osceola) called laid off employees back to work. Salford (Osceola) had added four new positions during the year. GITS (Creston) had called back all laid off employees, as had Cardinal Glass (Greenfield). Farley and Sathers, Fansteel Wellman Dynamics, and Bunn-O-Matic (all in Creston) continued to add employees throughout the year. Precision Pulley (Lenox & Corning) also added back employees during 2010. A slow, steady growth in employment and decrease in unemployment rates has followed in the years since. County Updates Employment at Cardinal Glass (Greenfield) in Adair County, a large manufacturer of residential glass, peaked in 2006 when they had approximately 600 employees. Cardinal Glass felt the effects of the economic downturn much earlier than many other manufacturers in the country and employment declined in 2007 through 2009 when they were down to around 340 employees. Along with the nationwide recovery, their employment numbers rose from approximately 360 in 2014 to 450 by 2015 and remained fairly steady thereafter. Late in 2017 Cardinal Glass announced intentions to add an addition 50 production positions at their facility in 2018, bringing their anticipated employment up to approximately 500. At the end of 2018 they added 50 productions positions and currently employ 500 people. Downtown Greenfield has seen a net gain of 6 businesses (new or relocated) and 16 jobs over 2017 with two new businesses and at least 10 new jobs had been planned for 2018. However, there was a loss of 2 businesses and a net loss of 6 jobs in the downtown area. Karl Chevrolet took ownership of Stuart’s Chevy dealership in July 2017. Employment at Karl Chevrolet is approximately 37 full-time employees and 20 part-time at the end of 2018. Wausau in Stuart continues to maintain a steady number of employees. Owner Revolution in Stuart also saw some employment changes, but they were mostly in their Atlantic location. MidAmericanEnergyisplanningtoconstructa250windturbinefarminAdairCountynearOrientwith roadwork and other infrastructure being done in 2018 and the turbines being installed in2019.Therewillbeadefinitepositiveimpactonthemotels,RVparks,foodserviceandotherrelatedbusinessesastheseworkcrewscometothearea–thelargestnumberexpectedin2019. Adams County lost approximately 30 jobs during the economic downturn of 2008-2009. Approximately 11 of those laid-off employees had been called back to work by the end of 2011. Jobs numbers have slowly increased since that time with Adams County employment numbers now slightly higher than the pre-economic downturn numbers. With Precision Pulley & Idler’s expansion into a larger facility a few years ago, they have seen an average of 3-4 additional jobs created each year with an additional 20-30 jobs planned. Adams Community Economic Development (ACEDC) sold its spec building to Aero Technologies, L.L.C. which hopes to create 25 new high-quality jobs over the next few years. Clarke County employment continues to strengthen along with wages. Valley of the Moon’s employment has exceeded expectations again this year. Iowa Steel’s employment has continued to strengthen to nearly 60 workers as the Countryside Tank portion of the business has grown. Osceola Foods and Excel account for nearly 1,100 jobs in Osceola with the additions of several new product lines the last few years. Altec employment is now over 200. Salford is doing better than expected despite the down turn in the agricultural market place with 40 employees. Paul Mueller continues to expand its employee ranks of 125 as it expands. Miller Products continues to look for opportunities to bring an apprenticeship program into their



employment mix with current employment at 50. Plum Building Supplies has also had another strong year with 20 employees. Clarke County has seen increases in starting wages across the industrial sector this year as employers have worked to strengthen the number and quality of workers. It is not uncommon for companies to start workers at $15 per hour with quarterly increases the first year. Average manufacturing wages in Clarke County are $51,500 per year. The community is committed to spurring housing starts to accommodate the growth in employment and earnings. There were two housing projects on the agenda for 2018. Each will bring more than 40 new houses to Osceola and are currently underway. Also the Reservoir Project continues to make progress with only 295 acres left to acquire. Decatur County Freedom Racing now employs 25 full time positions, which is an increase of approximately 13 in the past 2 years. Graceland University currently employees 263 full-time and 47 part-time employees. In the agricultural sector Seaboard Foods and Iowa Select Farm continue to add locations and increase their employment throughout the county. Gilbert Home Comfort consistently had a steady employment year with 18 employees. Delta Metals is also experiencing some growth, adding a few employees each year with a total of 9 employees at the end of 2018. There have not been any major employers closed in the past 3 years that caused a major loss of jobs. Madison County employment was brought back to pre-economic downturn figures during 2011 and employment numbers since that time have gradually increased. There was a significant expansion of wind energy in the county during 2014. Construction of a new Hy-Vee grocery store in Winterset was completed in 2015 bringing 40-50 new jobs to the community, although many were part time. At the end of 2018 Hy-Vee had 100 employees with two-thirds being part time. A seed warehouse facility opened in Winterset and expects to employ approximately 10-12. Several other small businesses opened between 2014 and 2017. In April of 2017 Mahle Filter Systems North America, Inc. announced that it would cease production of its fuel regulator business and close the Winterset facility, resulting in the loss of 49 jobs. By the beginning of 2013, Ringgold County employment was approaching pre-economic downturn numbers in approximately half of its major employers, but still lagging for the other half. From 2013 through 2017 employment numbers gradually continued their comeback. Business and employment in the Lenox area of Taylor County is in slight growth mode over recent years. Employment numbers for the major employers are either holding steady or growing. Michael's Foods currently has 450 employees. They added a new line of production with robotics late in 2016. The only contraction would be those that are influenced by the agricultural sector, as it is rather stagnant for the time being. Agrivision and Dalton Ag would be in this category of businesses dependent upon the farm sector having extra disposable income which is not currently the case. Concentrated livestock operations continue to locate in the area which provides employment and Sunbest of Clearfield has reconfigured their operation from cage layers to free range and have added employment and facilities. Bedford employment numbers appear stable. New small businesses in the last two years include: Hamilton Repair (vehicle mechanic), Tiger Tires (vehicle service & tire repair/sales), L & J Sales (used auto sales), Channel Sales (agricultural seeds, chemical application). Closure: Lenox Tire (vehicle service & tire repair/sales). PursuitofIndependencerecently purchased the former Dental Clinic facility that lays adjacent to their business office inLenox.Thiswouldbeaplusgrowthadditiontotheirbusinessasitwouldaddconsiderablytotheirsquarefootage.SheleyRedemptionopenedacanredemptioncenterinavacantbuildinginLenoxduring2017.Attheendof2018theyemployed79people.Also,inLenox,RamseyMarketpurchasedthe formerAmericanLegionBuildingwhich laysadjacent to theirstore, this toowouldbea largeexpansionofthesquarefootageoftheirretailbusiness.Theexpansionisslatedtobecompletedin



April of 2019 bringing their employment to18 people.Over all, the Lenox economic environment continues to be positive with steady job growth. The ongoing issue of lack of employees and lack of housing affects employment prospects. The recent announcement that Sunbest will be utilizing a prison work release program to access employees is a testament to that situation. The industrial base of Union County is quite diverse and so the economic recession of December 2007 to June 2009 affected some, but not all industries during that time and in the years since. Non-manufacturing businesses have held employment numbers relatively steady for the last few years. Since 2007, Greater Regional Medical Center has grown its workforce by over 30% and now employs approximately 348 as of December 2018. It is the second largest employer in Union County. It was very negatively impacted by a 2012 tornado that caused much damage and resulted in the shutdown of many areas of the facility. However, those jobs and a few more have been regained since the facility has been repaired and reopened. Many local retail and service businesses have shown little fluctuation over the last few years. Beginning in 2015 the retail sector has seen negative results due in large part to lower prices paid for corn and soybeans. This continues to impact agri-business in the region. The popularity of the lakes in the region has increasingly been a draw for fishermen and boaters, resulting in increased revenue for motels, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants. Several large construction projects in the area have also contributed to these increased revenues. 3-Mile Lake’s water level was lowered for work just as Green Valley Lake was coming back to life. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources also completed a 3.5 mile hard-surface trail expansion at Green Valley Lake State Park in 2016. Sinceconstructionworkonallofthelakesisnowcompleted,thenumberofpeopleusingthemshouldbegintoincreaseandfiscalimpactwillbehelpfultothearea. CHS, a multi-national corporation, purchased the Creston soybean plant from Gavilon in 2012 and CHS increased its workforce by 45 employees by the end of 2016. A major expansion of the CHS facility already was well underway during 2016. Contractors working on the expansion made a positive economic impact locally during 2016. However, late in 2017 CHS announced the closing of the Creston plant which resulted in the loss of 52 jobs. Ferrara’s (a candy manufacturer) employment numbers in Creston remained fairly constant through the recession of December 2007 to June 2009 and remained steady until 2011 when the rising cost of commodities began to negatively impact their operations. Ferrara employment numbers increased during 2012 and they maintained those increases into 2017. However, late in 2017, Ferrara announced the closing of the Creston plant which resulted in the loss of 215 jobs. Jobs at Fansteel Wellman Dynamics are down slightly from employment levels of 2013 and 2014. This facility is one of only four in the world that manufactures huge metal castings for the aerospace, helicopter, and private jet industries. Wellman Dynamics announced plans to expand its facilities in 2015 and then filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 2016. Production continues at this facility. Job numbers at Bunn-O-Matic, a leading manufacturer of commercial and home beverage equipment, were up from 2011 to 2012 and have held steady through 2017. Bunn-O-Matic is Creston’s largest employer. Bunn-O-Matic held a steady number of jobs again in 2018 at their Creston location. Employment numbers of Precision Optical Group, Inc., a wholesale optical lab, have remained steady over the last few years and they continue to seek qualified employees to join their team that is currently at 65.



VanmarkEquipment,LLC, amanufacturerof foodprocessingequipment, is looking tohirea fewworkersaswell,asdemandfortheirproductisincreasingaroundtheworld.Attheendof2018theyemployedapproximately30people,withthatnumberbeingverystable. The total employment numbers at the five major Union County employers over the last decade (Bunn-O-Matic, Ferrara (now closed), GITS (now closed), Precision Optical and Fansteel Wellman Dynamics) are shown on the following chart. Note that these employment figures reflect the closure of GITS Manufacturing with 80 jobs lost between 2013 and the closures of Ferrara & CHS in late 2017. Table 11: Number of Employees at Major Employers in Union County

YEAR 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Number of Employees at Major Employers in Union County

1675 1715 1765 1895 1735 1820 1760 1605 1725 1755 1700 1725

MidAmerican Energy is planning to construct 250 wind turbines in Adair County near Orient with road work and other infrastructure being done in 2018 and the turbines being installed in 2019. Because Creston is the largest community in the area, there will be a definite positive impact on the motels, RV park, food service and other related businesses as these work crews come to the area – the largest number expected in 2019.

Planning for and Implementing Resilience

When viewed regionally, this information indicates that the seriously declining economic climate in the country during the economic downturn affected the region, but not to the same extent as in some parts of the country. This is due in part to our diverse economy and dependence on agriculture related industries, not so heavily impacted as manufacturing. The employment numbers for 2018 generally reflect a recovery is well underway for the major industries (with the exception of Ferrara and CHS which closed the Creston facilities and consolidated those activities in their other facilities). Historically low unemployment within the region is generally viewed as a positive sign of recovery. However, it has also resulted in making it difficult for businesses to fill job openings. As a major priority of SICOG and its 2019 planning efforts for the region, economic development has been considered very carefully. It is important that the changes occurring in the economy and the trends that vary throughout the region are considered when planning. Economic development activities will not improve the region if they do not improve quality of life. If the most recent trends continue, the region can be expected to continue its recovery. The region has a number of positive attributes that are conducive to a positive economic climate and the attraction of new or expanding businesses. The region is centrally located near Interstate highways in the central United States with close proximity to the major urban areas of Des Moines, Omaha, and Kansas City. The cost of doing business within the region is substantially lower than in most other locations within the United States. The area offers business diversity and stability, driven by the natural business ingenuity as well as a robust business infrastructure to facilitate growth. However, one of the foremost positive attributes of the region is the high quality of life enjoyed by its residents.



Creating partnerships between government, industry and academia to develop innovation strategies will support the formation of new companies and help existing industries compete globally. The SICOG region must compete based on high skills, high quality, innovation and creativity. Focused, targeted investments can leverage private activity and increase our competitive advantage. Our enterprises need to be focused on the technologies and markets that will grow in the future to create jobs and raise living standards. Many of the larger communities in the region have completed programs such as the Skilled Iowa program that prepares employees with basic skills, assuring that the area workforce exceeds minimum skill levels. Employees with mid-level skills continue to be in demand. Collaboration between workforce entities, employers, economic developers and schools is currently being fostered to help meet this demand and address skills gaps within the region. Addressing the need for adequate housing is also an essential element to growing the workforce. Disaster Resiliency The State of Iowa and areas within the SICOG region have experienced a number of severe weather events (e.g. tornados, straight-line winds, hail storms, blizzards, and flooding) during the last decade. Although the number of jobs lost in the SICOG region as a result of these weather events was not as severe as in other parts of the state, homeowners and businesses sustained millions of dollars in damage to their homes and businesses as a result. Much of the damage due to flooding was not covered by insurance. Federal and state disaster relief funds and stimulus funds provided a source of funding for needed repairs or infrastructure replacements. Due to SICOG’s outstanding reputation and knowledgeable staff, the state designated SICOG as one of six “Super COG’s” to coordinate and implement the massive recovery effort in Iowa. Additionally, SICOG applied for and received EDA funding to employ a Disaster Recovery Coordinator in 2008 to assist in this recovery process. This coordinator and other SICOG staff worked on an enormous assortment of activities related to the recovery efforts; from the infusion of State of Iowa Jumpstart Funds (three state funded programs and eight Federal programs) for homeowners, landlords, and businesses directly impacted by the severe storms, tornados and flooding of 2008, to the damage caused by the epic ice storm of January 2008 and severe wind and rain storms of 2010. In 2011 the region experienced several damaging tornados. Most of the damage occurred in and around Lenox in Taylor County where 10-15 blocks were heavily damaged and another 20 blocks received moderate damage. In April of 2012 the City of Creston in Union County was struck with a damaging tornado that heavily damaged some major facilities in the northern part of the city. The local hospital, community college, area education agency, YMCA, low-income apartment buildings and homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. SICOG’s efforts to assist in the recovery from the devastation have included utilizing hazard mitigation plans, working with homeowners to repair damage, assisting cities and counties with infrastructure repairs and improvements, expanding our revolving loan program for disaster recovery and future business development, new production upper story housing, and new housing construction. SICOG has encouraged and assisted communities within the region to apply for available funding in order to aid the region. SICOG has administered a variety of state and federal disaster recovery programs for homeowners and businesses to assist in the recovery process in recent years. Disaster mitigation planning proved very beneficial to the region during these events and has helped prepare SICOG staff and the area for future disasters.

Establishing Information Networks Local pre-disaster recovery plans and Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Division have worked together to establish an information network to be utilized under disaster conditions. The amount of local resources and state resources differ with each disaster. Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor, and Union County each have a county emergency management coordinator. They do not



provide any direct financial assistance to disaster-affected areas. They typically take a lead role in the FEMA public assistance with the Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management office. They are the front line resources that assist during the event – coordinating the immediate response to the events. It is important to note that local resources have not been readily available during past disasters. Local city and county budgets are tight. When a disaster occurs, they still have to operate within those budgets. Federal or state resources are required in order to assist. There have been many types of disasters and disaster declaration dates across the region. Historically, the most common events have included flooding, drought, winter ice and snowstorms, and straight-line winds. Locally, county emergency management operates as the first responders during emergencies. With each disaster event, the type and amount of resources differ greatly. The resources differ due to the amount and type of damages, and congressional appropriations that are disaster specific. The region responds to the regional local government needs based upon the type of resources available. The Iowa Homeland Security & Emergency Management Division, together with FEMA, takes the most consistent federal leadership role in these events. With the 2008 floods, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) also took a very strong role due to large supplemental congressional appropriations. SICOG together with our statewide partners assisted the IEDA with delivering federal supplemental US Department of Housing & Urban Development funds. Funds were available for housing repairs, acquisitions, housing development, mitigating future events, and infrastructure improvements. Following the 2008 floods, the Economic Development Administration provided some assistance with regional fund coordination and awareness. Supplemental disaster funds were approved so that each region in Iowa could hire a regional staff person to coordinate available resources. These resources helped the region better understand local flooding problems and needs, develop mitigation projects for future events, develop community support for projects, and deliver some of the initial flood coordination services. The region feels that these funds are critical for large future events, especially those with any supplemental congressional appropriations. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has different types of disaster resources available. If the disaster is of sufficient size FEMA will bring in a team of people to provide disaster assistance. This assistance typically includes individual assistance for housing repairs and public assistance for public infrastructure. If the disaster is not of sufficient size, this assistance will not be available. Each disaster is different. FEMA also offers disaster mitigation funds. These funds are a percentage of payouts with disasters within the state. FEMA mitigation projects have historically included – property acquisitions and demolitions, flood proofing critical facilities, sometimes property relocations outside flood hazard areas, and tornado safe rooms. SICOG, as the economic development district, responds to disasters. The amount and type of assistance varies with each disaster. With some disasters SICOG provides almost no assistance. Following the 2008 floods, SICOG was actively involved in the response for many years after the events. There were other disasters that were not presidentially declared but required some assistance to low income homeowners for the unique event. Iowa Economic Development Authority may have some assistance for non-congressional supplemental appropriation events. The state sets aside some of the annual Community Development Block Grant program funds for disaster related activities. These funds must be used to assist low and moderate-income people typically. The other federal condition is relieving slum and blight, but that is typically not a disaster



related issue. With the low and moderate income standard, the recipients and/or the community must have an income under 80% of the county median as defined by HUD. US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration may have funding through the regular budget process for disaster related projects. If there is a disaster related need, SICOG will review the project with the assigned Economic Development Representative for Iowa. US Small Business Administration. For some disasters they offer loans for households, non-profits, and businesses. During disasters, FEMA typically has information available for these sources. Again with major disasters, SICOG may hear about these needs and will inform the proper agency. USDA Rural Development may offer some farm related disaster assistance. SICOG has had little direct farm involvement in the past disasters. The State of Iowa’s type and level of assistance has varied by disaster. That assistance has included aiding with cleanup. In other disasters, the state has provided some gap assistance to homeowners with housing repairs or buyout assistance. However, that assistance has not been available with every disaster.

Pre-Disaster Recovery Planning See Appendix 3 for the SICOG Disaster Recovery Implementation Plan.

Measuring Resilience Measuring the economic resilience of a community or region, including the actions taken to foster resilience, varies depending on the assets and vulnerabilities of each region. Two common measures are the degree of regional income equality (i.e., how evenly income is distributed across a regional population) and the degree of regional economic diversification (i.e., degree to which economic activity is spread across sectors). Identifying trends related to these measures can assist the region in the development of key strategies. Economic diversity within the SICOG region plays a large and positive role in its ability to respond to and recover from economic or natural disasters. Additionally, studies have shown that slower growth regions actually have more capacity to withstand shock. (See Table 1: County Population Changes 1960 – 2010 on page 27.) It may appear counter-intuitive, but slower growth regions tend to be more stable. They’re often more affordable also. (Cost of doing business in Iowa has been reported to be the second lowest in the country over a recent five-year period.) These regions typically have higher rates of homeownership and they tend to have greater income equality. Each is a strength for the SICOG region. Southwest Iowa occupation distribution reflects that there is no one occupation that makes up the majority of the employment sectors. A crisis or severe downturn in one specific sector would likely have a negative impact on the of some significance to the region. However, the majority of the occupations in the region are spread across a number of areas and thus less likely to be affected by a downturn in just one specific industry. This diversity helps to make the region more resilient. The measurement of resilience is important because it enables us to evaluate an important strategy for reducing economic losses from disasters. Failure to include resilience in policy-making will result in missed opportunities to further reduce losses. Measuring resilience is important in determining the most effective interventions. However, doing so with metrics that are sensitive, measurable, and collectable at a low cost presents a challenge. Further, much of the data is lacking in rural regions.



The more valuable information is what can be measured before a disaster that will dictate the response and recovery after. Increasing the quality and quantity of resilience data at the community level will enable practitioners to make necessary reallocations of aid toward more effective use. This reallocation can support a more targeted approach to building the adaptive capacities needed to create resilience and sustainable growth. As a result, communities will become more resilient, less aid will be needed for response and recovery, and the aid that is allocated will be put to better use.



Chapter 6 – Evaluation Framework

Projects & Progress Implementing 2018 Regional Priorities

This chapter identifies the efforts and main accomplishments made by the Southern Iowa Council of Governments to reach the goals in the 2018 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) in and for the Southern Iowa EDD. This review of accomplishments enables area decision makers to evaluate previous goals and objectives while planning improvements for the quality of life in southern Iowa. Each deliverable is discussed in the order of the 2018 program year’s official priority rank, with 2018 accomplishments shown in bold.

Priority 1: Economic Development Invigorate the regional economy through local development. A. A grant for development planning in Area XIV was applied for and received by the Southern

Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG) from the Economic Development Administration (EDA). The 2017 EDA grant was for $70,000 with SICOG’s match of $70,000, for a total of $140,000

B. The housing, transportation, sewer, community services, water resources, local planning and

management, recreation, solid waste, energy, elderly, youth, rural health, value-added agriculture, and social services projects listed under these priorities aid and promote economic development throughout the region. Infrastructure upgrades, access to high-speed telecommunications, and improvements to water and transportation resources enable current industries to expand, assist in the recruitment of new industry, support the local economy and assist with job creation. Other projects and accomplishments undertaken during Program Year 2018 included housing, recreation, tourism, and other services that enhance the quality of life in the region.

C. SICOG offers technical assistance to and has partnered with many local development

corporations: • Adams Community Economic Development Corporation • Clarke County Development Corporation • Community Development Corporation of Greenfield • Decatur County Development Corporation



• Lamoni Development Corporation • Lenox Development Corporation • Lorimor Community Development Corporation • Madison County Development Group • Midwest Partnership Development Corporation • Murray Development Corporation • Ringgold County Development and Tourism • Union County Development Association

D. SICOG assists communities in the region to expand their job base by locating or expanding businesses/industries or related economic development projects. In addition, the SICOG Revolving Loan Fund provides low interest loans to assist new and expanding businesses. Seventeen (17) loans are currently under administration.

E. SICOG provided technical assistance regarding industrial or business expansion projects, new business prospects, industrial growth planning, funding, retention, development, and RLF assistance to businesses in the following communities during 2018: • Adair County • Adams County • Clarke County • Decatur County • Madison County • Ringgold County • Taylor County • Union County • Adair • Corning • Creston • Mount Ayr • Osceola

F. SICOG provided technical assistance to the following related to the preparation of or amendments to Urban Revitalization Plans: Cities of Creston and Diagonal.

G. SICOG offers United States Department of Agriculture – Rural Business Development Grant (USDA-RBDG) technical assistance throughout the region.

H. SICOG provided technical assistance to the Cities of Lamoni and Leon related to downtown improvements and derelict buildings.

I. SICOG provided technical assistance with Community Catalyst Building Remediation Grant applications for the Cities of Adair, Afton, Bedford, Clearfield, Creston, Greenfield, Lenox and Winterset for the redevelopment, rehabilitation or deconstruction of buildings to stimulate economic development or reinvestment in their communities.

J. SICOG provided administration for downtown revitalization programs for downtown façade improvements in the Cities of Adair, Winterset, and Creston.

K. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Creston regarding uptown projects and funding.

L. SICOG maintains a webpage that offers access to economic development information, documents and services.

M. SICOG publishes a monthly newsletter sent to cities, counties, economic development organizations, elected officials, and other interested parties that provides information about SICOG programs, services, plans and grant opportunities.



N. SICOG staff participation in SICOG county project board meetings throughout the region in order to identify and better understand local economic development activities, needs and plans and to help establish priorities for the organization. SICOG also facilitated a SWOT analysis and distributed surveys among economic development stakeholders at these meetings.

O. SICOG continued to implement and follow the recommendations of a rural economic development infrastructure and site study prepared by SICOG through contract with Southern Iowa Rural Association (SIRWA).

Priority 2: Transportation Develop the regional transportation system to enhance regional economic development and stability and foster effective transportation access.

A. SICOG continued to provide planning and administration services for the RPA 14/ATURA

Transportation Planning Affiliation. The RPA 14/ATURA region includes Adair, Taylor, Union, Ringgold and Adams Counties. SICOG was responsible for implementing Fixing America’s Surface Transport Act (FAST) federal transportation act in the five-county region. (Clarke, Decatur and Madison counties are administered by another regional transportation planning affiliations.) SICOG is under contract with the Iowa Department of Transportation for the development and execution of the following programs and documents: a. Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – four-year funding program for the region.

The TIP is submitted annually to the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) as part of the Iowa Statewide Transportation Improvement Program.

b. Passenger Transportation Plan (PTP) – five-year planning guide for the ATURA region analyzing the passenger transportation needs of the region. The plan is coordinated with human service providers and transportation providers.

c. Transportation Planning Work Program (TPWP) – fiscal year work program for the ATURA region.

d. Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) – 20-year transportation planning guidance for the ATURA region. The region approved and adopted the RPA 14/ATURA Long Range Transportation Plan – Looking Ahead to 2045 in November of 2016. This plan was developed with the assistance of extensive public input and a 45-day public review period allowing for public comments. This document is being utilized by the region and updated information gathered during the five-year period until a new Plan will be prepared.

e. Public Participation Plan (PPP) – organizational guidelines for public participation. f. Program Administration – SICOG is responsible for preparation of planning documents,

organizing and publicizing all meetings of RPA 14/ATURA, representing the region, providing information to the public, administering funds, providing technical assistance and carrying out planning duties and obtaining public input on projects and programs.

g. SICOG provides GIS mapping services to the RPA 14/ATURA organization for use in its Plans.

h. SICOG participates in regional local roads safety workshops sponsored by the Iowa DOT.

i. SICOG provides technical assistance for RPA 14/ATURA Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG) and Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) recipients and applicants, including Southern Iowa Trolley, the City of Adair and City of Lenox.

B. SICOG provided technical assistance for project planning, funding, project development, or funding to the following:

1. Adair – 5th Street Bridge (Adair Viaduct) TAP funding



2. Clearfield – Sidewalks; funding options 3. Corning – Sidewalk trail connections; funding options 4. Creston – Adams Street Bridge 5. Fontanelle – Radar speed signs 6. Lamoni – Trail projects; funding options 7. Lenox – Trail project TAP funding and other funding options 8. Prescott – Dump truck/Snow plow 9. Winterset – Trails; funding options 10. Madison County – Researched funding for Cedar Bridge; CAT Grant Application

C. SICOG participates in and provided transportation related technical assistance to the following RPA 14/ATURA related groups:

1. Family Ties/Family Support Council – PTP Advisory Group 2. Ringgold Co. Interagency Group – PTP Advisory Group

D. SICOG provided planning technical assistance to Southern Iowa Trolley, the local transit agency, related to transportation planning and the use of federal funds for vehicle purchases, equipment, software, and facilities.

E. SICOG houses and maintains traffic counters for use by cities and counties in the ATURA region.

F. SICOG assisted Union County in a CDBG application for alley improvements.

Priority 3: Housing Ensure adequate housing for all citizens of southern Iowa, with emphasis on persons with low and moderate income, the elderly, and the disabled.

A. SICOG's grant from the Iowa Finance Authority for the Housing Revolving Loan Fund (H-RLF) was designed to encourage new home ownership and improve the regional housing stock. All member counties and cities in the SICOG service area are eligible for participation in the H-RLF. The H-RLF program has made 692 loans of up to $5,000 each towards the purchase of over $31 million worth of homes in the SICOG region since 1990. Three (3) new loans were made to first-time homebuyers during 2018.

B. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) offers a competitive grant program to communities to finance housing rehabilitation for low and moderate-income homeowners. Owner-occupied Housing Sustainability (rehabilitation) grants have been awarded and SICOG administered Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Housing Rehabilitation funds and provided technical services for the following cities during 2018: • Bedford #4 – 5 homes • Bedford #5 – 6 homes • Earlham #2 – 5 homes • Lamoni #2 – 6 homes • Lamoni #3 – 6 homes • Mount Ayr #4 – 6 homes • Murray #1 – 6 homes • Creston #4 – 6 homes

SICOG provided technical assistance related to preparation of 2018 and 2019 Housing Fund (CDBG) applications for owner-occupied housing sustainability (rehabilitation) on behalf of the following Cities during calendar year 2018. • Fontanelle • Lamoni



• Leon • Murray • Bedford • Dexter

C. The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) offered a competitive, disaster-funded

grant program to communities to finance housing projects. A multi-family housing program grant was awarded to the Cities of Norwalk, Carlisle, Bloomfield, and Ottumwa. This CDBG Disaster Recovery Grant is being administered by SICOG through Union County.

D. In 2006, SICOG received funds from Iowa Finance Authority to establish and develop a permanent housing trust fund, the Southern Iowa COG Housing Trust Fund, Inc. (SICOGHTF). The trust fund provides opportunities for affordable housing to the low and very low-income residents of the region through planned activities and leveraged resources. The fund also supplies a permanent, but flexible endowment dedicated to housing needs, and thus reduces reliance upon state, federal and foundation sources from outside our region. In 2018, the SICOGHTF received an additional grant of $253,673 from the Iowa Finance Authority for expansion of the trust fund. The SICOG Housing Trust Fund expended GAP funds during 2018 in the following counties: Adair County, Clarke County, Decatur County, Madison County, Ringgold County, and Union County. Additional SICOGHTF funds were expended in Bedford, Creston, Earlham, Lenox, and Mount Ayr and also for a regional weatherization program through MATURA. SICOGHTF also provided funds to be used for local match for a CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Program in Mount Ayr, Earlham, and Bedford.

E. SICOG Staff maintain lead paint certifications and receive periodic training in order to maintain their licensure to conduct lead inspections.

F. SICOG continues to provide representation on the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (SIRHA) Self-sufficiency Committee and on the State Housing Trust Fund Advisory Board.

G. SICOG provided technical assistance related to a planned housing unit development in Creston.

H. SICOG provided technical assistance for the City of Lenox on housing issues. I. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Greenfield for a Federal Home Loan Bank

application for housing J. SICOG helps provide administration for an Inflow and Infiltration (I & I) sewer hardship

assistance program to assist City of Creston homeowners in complying with new I & I ordinances for sewers.

K. SICOG conducted a housing conditions survey for the City of Greenfield. L. SICOG provided technical assistance to the Cities of Lamoni and Leon regarding derelict

and dilapidated buildings. M. SICOG assisted the City of Davis City with derelict building asbestos testing and removal;

funding secured. N. SICOG conducted rental property inspections and disaster recovery housing inspections

throughout the region. O. SICOG provided technical assistance regarding senior housing in the City of Lamoni. P. SICOG provided technical assistance regarding senior housing renovations and funding in

City of Greenfield. Q. SICOG staff have undergone radon test training in order to implement radon testing into

their housing sustainability programs.

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy -- Program Year 2019

Southern Iowa Council of Governments Page 80

Priority 4: Local Planning and Management Develop and implement planning and management activities that improve the operations of local governments.

A. SICOG provided technical assistance and administration support to local governments regarding

numerous federal and state programs. This assistance includes providing budget, census and program information, referrals to various agencies, identification of funding sources, consultation on planning processes and practices, and providing grant-related information.

B. Information on federal and state programs and legislation affecting local communities was disseminated through The Windmill (SICOG's monthly newsletter), the SICOG website (www.sicog.com), direct contact, newspaper coverage and public informational meetings. The newsletter is distributed by the postal service and electronically through e-mail to the cities and counties in the region and to other stakeholders and interested parties.

C. SICOG monitored state and federal legislation and initiatives that impact community development, local budgets, and local policies.

D. SICOG Staff provided on technical assistance to Ringgold County regarding a hazard mitigation plan update and assisted Region XII COG in amending Adair County’s plan to be a part of a two-county plan with Guthrie County.

E. SICOG provided technical assistance to Mount Ayr Community Schools, Ringgold County Hospital, and the City of Corning regarding regional planning for USDA applications.

F. SICOG provided technical assistance to Adair County regarding flood plain management and their funding options.

G. SICOG provided technical assistance to Clarke County regarding zoning and flood plainmanagementordinanceupdates

H. SICOG prepared zoning maps for the City of Lenox. I. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Leon regarding spot zoning. J. SICOG provided technical assistance to the Cities of Bedford, Lamoni, and Leon regarding

downtown improvements and/or derelict buildings.

Priority 5: Community Services Improve existing facilities and public protection services and develop or improve social, cultural and educational opportunities for southern Iowa residents. A. SICOG staff has become experienced with the Department of Homeland Security and the Iowa

Homeland Security and hazard (pre-disaster) mitigation planning process in order to facilitate jurisdictions in meeting the requirements of completing a Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) compliant plan.

B. SICOG provided technical assistance to the following communities regarding funding for historic facilities or projects during 2018:

1. Madison County Cedar Bridge reconstruction 2. Creston Downtown façade improvement (CDBG administration) 3. Creston Historic Preservation Commission 4. Winterset Downtown façade improvement (CDBG administration)

C. SICOG provided technical assistance to the following communities regarding funding or project development for community facilities and services projects in 2018:

1. Clarke County East Lake Campground improvements 2. Clarke County Sheriff’spatrolcar 3. Clarke County Ambulance 4. Clearfield Library equipment



5. Creston Additional police officer 6. Creston Police car 7. Creston Swimming pool improvements 8. Davis City Derelict Building 9. Osceola Police vehicle 10. Fontanelle City projects 11. Fontanelle Radar speed signs 12. Garden Grove Fire equipment/truck 13. Lamoni Fire equipment 14. Lenox Precious People Learning Center renovations (CDBG administration) 15. Lenox Library equipment 16. Mount Ayr Fire truck 17. Murray Communityprojects 18. Murray Sports Complex 19. Prescott Citybuilding/libraryrenovations 20. Prescott PPE and fire equipment 21. Shannon City City Hall upgrades

D. SICOG through SIDG provides a Community Investment Revolving Loan Fund (CIRF) that makes loans available for short-term, unplanned community improvements. In 2018 a $20,000 loan was made to the City of Prescott for a dump truck/snow plow.

E. SICOG began work on Census Data Mapping.

Priority 6: Recreation Develop new and enhance existing recreational facilities.

A. SICOG provided technical assistance for funding, project development and/or grant preparation to the following:

• Clarke Co. – East Lake Park improvement funding • Creston – Youth Baseball/Softball League • Lamoni – Trails • Murray – Sports Complex • Lenox – Trails

B. SICOG monitored progress on various state and regional initiatives related to recreation and tourism.

C. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Creston regarding swimming pool improvements.

Priority 7: Sewer/Wastewater Treatment Systems Protect the environmental quality of life in southern Iowa.

A. SICOG provided CDBG Grant administration services to the following communities for

sewer/wastewater treatment system improvements during 2018: 1. Davis City 2. Lenox 3. Mount Ayr 4. Osceola 5. Lamoni

B. SICOG assisted the City of Creston in applying for a CDBG Sewer Grant for wastewater treatment facility improvements.



C. SICOG assisted Union County with Amendment to TIF Plan for sewer line. D. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Adair regarding a water plant upgrade and

assisted with a successful USDA grant/loan application. E. SICOG secured funding to the City of Lamoni regarding funding of a water tower and sewer

plant upgrades. F. SICOG helps provide administration for an Inflow and Infiltration (I & I) sewer hardship

assistance program to assist City of Creston homeowners in complying with new I & I ordinances for sewers.

Priority 8: Water Resources Complete a regional water supply system.

A. SICOG provided CDBG administration for the following water projects during 2017:

• City of Mount Ayr – Water system improvements • City of Murray – Storm water project • City of Murray – Water main improvements

B. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Creston regarding storm water and water line projects.

C. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Earlham regarding water main improvement funding options.

D. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Lamoni regarding funding of a water tower and sewer plant upgrades.

Priority 9: Elderly Provide for the housing, transportation, and health care needs of elderly persons and groups in southern Iowa. A. SICOG maintains a Passenger Transportation Plan Update for the ATURA region (Adams,

Taylor, Union, Ringgold and Adair Counties). This coordinated human services/transportation plan examined the services of all transportation providers (including nursing homes, Area Agency on Aging, the regional transit agency, and human service agencies that serve the elderly) and took into specific consideration the transportation needs of the elderly.

B. SICOG provided technical assistance regarding development and funding for trails in the Cities of Lenox, Winterset, and Osceola. Trails often provide a safe place for the elderly to walk for exercise.

Priority 10: Comprehensive Planning Develop and implement local and regional comprehensive planning practices. A. SICOG continued development and preparation of Comprehensive Plans for the Cities of

Lenox, Creston, and Leon and for Clarke County. B. SICOG prepared zoning maps or updates to zoning maps for the City of Lenox. C. SICOG provided technical assistance to the Cities of Osceola and Creston and to Madison

County regarding comprehensive planning. D. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Leon regarding spot zoning.

Priority 11: Youth Provide programs and facilities to enrich the lives of youth in southern Iowa.



A. SICOG provided technical assistance and/or grant writing to Clarke County and the Cities of

Creston, Clearfield, Lenox, Osceola, Winterset, and Murray regarding funding for improvement projects to parks and for the construction of recreation facilities, trails, sports venues, campgrounds, and park improvements related to quality of life activities, many of which target youth.

B. SICOG assisted the City of Lenox with administration for CDBG funds for Precious People Learning Center building renovations.

C. SICOG provided technical assistance to the City of Creston regarding swimming pool improvements.

D. SICOG maintains a Passenger Transportation Plan for Adams, Taylor, Union, Ringgold and Adair Counties that examined the services of all transportation providers in the area, including school districts and transit agencies. This plan addresses transportation for pre-school, Head Start, and school-age youth within the community, and seeks ways to better meet their needs.

Priority 12: Rural Health Improve access to and delivery of primary health services to all citizens in southern Iowa. A. SICOG staff assists communities in our region with the preparation of multijurisdictional disaster

mitigation planning and with funding for such plans. These plans address planning and preparation by medical facilities and health care providers for medical emergencies.

B. SICOG assisted the Cities of Lenox, Winterset, and Osceola with trail funding. C. SICOG participated in the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative. D. SICOG administered the Iowa 5-2-1-0 Grant for the City of Mount Ayr

Priority 13: Solid Waste Reduce solid waste consumption to comply with Federal and State environmental regulations. A. SICOG promoted Brownfield development and Iowa DNR and EPA programs related to solid

waste and recycling to the region, by promoting their programs to cities and counties and including articles about funding opportunities in the SICOG newsletter, The Windmill.

Priority 14: Energy Encourage the conservation of energy and the use of alternative energy sources in southern Iowa. A. SICOG explored and sought funding opportunities for solar, wind energy, and alternative fuels

projects for public entities in the region. B. SICOG continues to support and encourage green energy alternatives and ways to develop

renewable energy and energy efficient projects. C. SICOG provides technical assistance on energy efficiency grant opportunities. Priority 15: Value-Added Agriculture Encourage the development of agriculture-related processing operations, new crop choices, and local foods development in southern Iowa. A. SICOG promotes crop development efforts, such as bioenergy or pharmaceuticals and expansion

of new crop choices and local foods development. B. SICOG continues promoting USDA Value-Added Agriculture programs.



Priority 16: Other Provide assistance to communities in areas that are not currently addressed by other priorities. SICOG assisted many of its member communities on smaller projects and other items that required minimal technical assistance. Examples would include the exploration of new priority areas, general technical assistance, and exploration of capacity-building efforts (expansion of local non-profit foundations, venture capital, etc.). SICOG’s efforts in recent years have primarily focused on the highest priorities. Further, SICOG expends some of its resources doing “basic technical services” that help our members accomplish short-term goals that are not necessarily related to the CEDS priorities but help members get to the level where they can themselves, or with further assistance, begin to accomplish the key economic goals of the community and region. These other activities often do not fall under any specific priority category.

Priority 17: Social Services Encourage the development and implementation of local education, training, and prevention programs to benefit the welfare of communities. A. As part of the Passenger Transportation Plan process, ATURA surveys area social service agencies

and nursing homes relative to the transportation needs of those served, gathers inventories of vehicles used for transportation, and completes an analysis and plan to identify and meet transportation needs of citizens who are served by those organizations.

B. SICOG staff participates in Family Ties and Ringgold County Inter-Agency organization meetings that are composed of representatives of regional social service agencies.

C. The SICOG Housing Trust Fund contributes to each of the SICOG region counties to assist low-income residents in crisis by providing funds to assist with emergency rent or mortgage and utility payments.



2018 Grantsmanship In addition to planning and providing technical services, grantsmanship is a very important component of our development program. Few of our area’s initiatives and priorities would be met without grants. SICOG maintains a database of grants for our members and staff is knowledgeable about a wide variety of grant opportunities for a variety of projects. Research into new grant opportunities is ongoing. The following tables illustrate SICOG grant activity in 2018. In this one year alone, over $2.7 million in grant funding was brought into the region through grant applications submitted with the assistance of SICOG staff. Over $166 million has been awarded through the work of SICOG since 1972.

Table 12: Grant Funding Received During 2018

COUNTY ADAIR ADAMS CLARKE DECATUR MADISON RINGGOLD TAYLOR UNION

County/City Grants $1,200,000 $9,325 $2,500 $252,000 $22,000 $200,000 $502,000 County/City Grants $10,000 $45,390 $10,000 $25,000 $27,000 $252,000 $65,000 County/City Grants $252,000 $295,000 $79,976 $500,000 County/City Grants County/City Grants $25,000 $1,500,000 County/City Grants $95,232 Regional Grants $8,750 $8,750 $8,750 $8,750 $8,750 $8,750 $8,750 $8,750

TOTAL $1,218,750 $63,465 $393,482 $580,750 $8,750 $57,750 $540,726 $2,575750

2018 Grant Activity Summary

Total Pending $1,002,287 Total Funded $2,377,871 Total Denied $2,377,871 Total Applications Submitted $9,055,977

Pending11%

Funded63%

Denied26%

SouthernIowaCouncilofGovernmentsGRANTACTIVITYFORTHEAPPLICATIONYEAR2017



Table 13: Grants Funded in 2018

Location (City/County) Project Source Amount Prescott City Hall Library Adams County Foundation $9,325.00 SICOG Planning EDA $70,000.00 City of Afton Recreation field renovations BNSF Foundation $2,000.00 Clarke Co Conservation Board East Lake Campground BNSF $2,500.00 Clearfield Community Catalyst IEDA $100,000.00 Lenox Community Catalyst IEDA $100,000.00 Murray Housing Rehab CDBG HSG $252,000.00 Lamoni Housing Rehab CDBG HSG $252,000.00 Bedford Housing Rehab CDBG HSG $252,000.00 Mt Ayr 5-2-1-0 Grant IDPH $22,000.00

Creston DTR Downtown Revitalization CDBG $500,000.00

Clarke Co. Conservation East Lake Campground Schildberg Foundation $10,000.00 Mount Ayr Cemetery Schildberg Found $2,000.00

Shannon City City Hall Community Building Union SCICF $5,000.00

Mount Ayr Fire Truck USDA $25,000.00

Creston McKinley Park Aquatic Center Union SCICF $5,000.00

Creston Extrication Equipment Union SCICF $5,000.00 UCDA Creston Building Renovations USDA $50,000.00 Prescott Fire Dept Fire Equipment & PPE FEMA $45,390.00

Lamoni Recreational trail extension Wellmark Foundation Small Grants Program $25,000.00

Clarke Co. Conservation Recreational trails

Wellmark Foundation Small Grants Program $25,000.00

City of Adair Water Treatment Plant USDA $1,200,000.00 City of Creston School Safety Equipment C.O.P.S (DOJ) $500,000.00 Lamoni WWTF Improvements IEDA $295,000.00 Bridgewater Park Improvements Empower Adair $10,000.00

Creston McKinley Park Aquatic Center Dekko $1,500,000.00

Murray Recreational trail development

TAP application from Chariton Valley Transportation $95,232.00

Lenox Dev BUNN Building Iowa Redevelopment Tax $79,976.00 SICOG HTF Capitalization SICOG HTF $236,396.00



CDBG Grant Administration During 2018, SICOG provided administration for the following Community Development Block (CDBG) Grants: Owner Occupied Housing Sustainability (Rehabilitation) Bedford #4 Bedford #5 Creston #4 Earlham #2

Lamoni #2 Lamoni #3

Mount Ayr #4 Murray #1 Sewer Davis City Lenox Lamoni Water Mount Ayr Murray Murray (storm water) Community Facilities Lenox Downtown Revitalization Adair Winterset Creston

Disaster Union County – Disaster 2/Bloomfield-Carlisle-Norwalk-Ottumwa

2018 SICOG Planning Activities

SICOG has the staff, experience, and planning programs that perform a wide variety of planning activities that include the following:

• General land use and community planning • Housing planning • Economic development and site assessment planning • Hazard mitigation planning • Recreation and historic preservation planning • Water, sewer, and community facilities and services planning • Revitalization assistance • Public meeting facilitation, networking, and visioning • Capital improvements planning • Strategic planning

The following are some of the major programs and services delivered to our membership and other regional and local organizations in our effort to serve the diverse and broad needs of the entire region.



Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Updated annually, the SICOG Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) is an official public document adopted by local citizens and units of government as a policy guide to decision-making regarding the social, economic, and physical development of the area. The CEDS contains information about Area XIV’s social, economic, and physical trends. This annual update is part of a strategic economic development plan. The plan includes the consideration of past, present, and future population trends, housing, land use, community service, community development and environmental influences. EDA Planning SICOG received a planning grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). The use of this grant is to stimulate economic development in Area XIV. Directed on three fronts, the work program for the Southern Iowa Economic Development District is as follows: (a) expanding the existing job base; (b) developing the area’s assets to encourage new job development; and (c) direct marketing of the area to increase the possibility of creating more quality jobs. The EDA planning grant is crucial to our technical assistance projects. SICOG publishes and distributes a monthly newsletter, The Windmill, which provides information to area cities, counties, partners, business and financial institutions, elected officials, organizations, and other interested parties on the types of services provided by local, state and federal agencies, as well as private institutions and organizations. SICOG also prepares and distributes informational brochures about its services and programs to members of the region and other interested parties. The SICOG office acts as an area economic development resource to local development corporations, chambers of commerce, banks, and other service providers. Census Data SICOG acts as a regional census data center. In this capacity, due to planning and finance expertise, SICOG assists various member communities and civic leaders with information needed for their own in-house planning and strategic efforts. SICOG provided census information throughout the region during 2018 and worked on initial efforts for the 2020 Census. Community Development SICOG promotes a regional voice in the economic development process by providing our own revolving loan funds, assistance with outside funding, and business planning services. Results include new business referrals to communities seeking business, expansion/retention of existing businesses and infrastructure leading to economic development. SICOG assists communities in applying for funds and developing projects that improve the quality of life in member communities. During 2018, SICOG assisted our member communities in applying for funds from federal, state, and local public and private funding sources. Projects relate to building rehabilitation, historic rehabilitation, transportation, housing assistance, civic improvements, police and fire equipment and staffing, as well as many other projects. Community Facilities and Services Communities require various community facilities and services to survive. SICOG assists with planning and funding for such facilities as senior centers, child day care centers, water and sewer projects, fire plans, hazard mitigation, and geographic information systems. Comprehensive/Smart Planning Comprehensive planning is an extensive process, which enables local governments to plan for the orderly growth and development of their county or city. SMART planning principals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time bound) have been incorporated into this process. Smart



Planning is a process for envisioning and planning for the long-term well being of communities. It provides a framework that helps communities plan for their own needs while ensuring that the needs of future generations can be met. Smart Planning emphasizes:

• Long-term thinking • Broad scope • Integration • Collaboration • Public engagement and education • Implementation • Monitoring and evaluation

During 2018 SICOG worked with the Cities of Creston, Lenox, and Leon and with Clarke County in developing SMART Comprehensive Plans. Enterprise Zone Assistance SICOG offers assistance in the planning and use of Enterprise Zones. Enterprise Zones are a tool enacted by the Iowa Legislature in 1997 to promote new economic development in economically distressed areas. In 1998, housing enterprise zone legislation was approved. There are two entities that may create enterprise zones: cities over 24,000 and counties. In the SICOG area, Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor, and Union counties may create enterprise zones. Criteria for eligibility are based on wages, poverty rates, population, and age of population. Following the establishment of the county's enterprise zone program, businesses wishing to apply for enterprise zone designation must meet requirements, including job creation and capital investment. Housing must be community oriented. Geographic Information System SICOG has a state-of-the-art geographic information system (GIS). In addition to completion of a regional corridor study (see Rural Economic Development Study detailed below), SICOG has worked on GIS mapping and data projects for area communities and has provided assistance to other member organizations during 2018. GIS is helpful for housing planning, infrastructure planning, transportation planning, hazard mitigation planning, and comprehensive planning. SICOG sees GIS as a means to improve housing, planning, transportation, hazard mitigation, and utility development and to assist in management decisions. Hazard Mitigation Planning SICOG staff has become familiar with the Department of Homeland Security and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management hazard mitigation planning process in order to understand the requirements of completing a Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) compliant plan. They continue to participate in training opportunities. SICOG continued work on an update to Ringgold County’s hazard mitigation plan in 2018. During 2018 SICOG also assisted Region XII COG in amending Adair County’s plan to be part of a two-county plan with Guthrie County. Housing Assessments and Surveys SICOG participated in housing related planning activities during 2018 updating information to assist various communities that have indicated interest in applying for CDBG housing rehabilitation funds. Recreation, Tourism & Downtown Revitalization Recreation projects impact the region significantly. SICOG has been instrumental in assisting communities and non-profit organizations with grant applications and service provisions related to recreation and tourism development. SICOG also provides communities, chambers, and non-profits with assistance and pre-planning related to historic preservation projects, recreation, and tourism,



typically as part of grant development projects. During 2018 SICOG administered a Downtown Revitalization CDBG Grant for the Cities of Adair, Winterset and Creston. Solid Waste SICOG is available to assist in solid waste planning, recycling, promotion, and grant programs and has worked on recycling education programs. Tax Abatement (Urban Revitalization Plan) The Urban Revitalization Plan (URP) is prepared to enable the city and local property owners to take advantage of opportunities to influence its growth by stimulating investment from the private sector. The tax exemptions induce investment by reducing the tax increases that would normally result from making improvements to real estate. After the completion of an exemption schedule, the individual property will become fully taxed. This completes the philosophy that tax incentives encourage individuals to improve their property with the long-term city goal of increasing the tax base. In 2018 SICOG provided technical assistance on Urban Revitalization Plans for the cities of : Creston and Diagonal. Tax Increment Financing (Urban Renewal Plan)

A. Tax Increment Financing (TIF) enables a city/county to use the property tax dollars produced from new private development. The use of these funds is intended to pay for certain public improvements, and to provide assistance for private development within an urban renewal area. The urban renewal area is designated in the Urban Renewal Plan (URP). SICOG provided technical assistance in 2018 to the City of Creston with the East Howard Street project TIF and the North Side Hotel Urban Renewal Plan.

Transportation Planning SICOG continues to provide transportation planning services to the RPA 14/ATURA Transportation Planning Affiliation. ATURA was created in February 1994 to implement the transportation planning guidelines required under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA). ATURA's name is derived from the counties it serves (using the first initial of each county name): Adair, Taylor, Union, Ringgold and Adams. Creston, because it has a population in excess of 5,000, also has representation on the board and is eligible for Surface Transportation Program (STP) funding. As part of the Federal FY 2018 (October 1, 2017 – September 30, 2018) and the Federal FY 2019 (Oct 1, 2018 – September 30, 2019) planning contracts, SICOG prepared and provided technical assistance on the FY 2018 and 2019 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), FY 2017 Passenger Transportation Plan (PTP) Update, Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) 2045, FY 2018 and 2019 Transportation Planning Work Programs (TPWP), and provided general administrative support, technical assistance and GIS capabilities. Zoning and Subdivision Regulations Zoning and subdivision regulations control growth and development in order to protect the public’s interest. These regulations help guide growth and development into suitable patterns rather than haphazard parcels with different development uses. SICOG assists member communities with zoning issues. During 2018 SICOG staff provided technical assistance to Leon regarding spot zoning, technical assistance to Creston and Earlham about general zoning issues, and prepared zoning maps or updates to zoning maps for the City of Lenox and Clarke County.



2018 Technical Assistance SICOG provides staff assistance for background work, such as data research, community forums, educational meetings, referrals for services, funds seeking, and information dissemination from state and federal agencies. SICOG also expends a large amount of time completing technical assistance for members and other clients in order for planning, grant writing, special projects, and other local projects to move smoothly. SICOG provides a myriad of technical assistance activities, including: Grants management (administration) Budgeting assistance Organizational planning Housing assistance Assistance with public services rate planning Community needs & development assistance

Site selection assistance Referrals to other technical assistance providers Census data library and clearinghouse Community and rural advocacy Service sharing facilitation Grant seeking and recommendation of grant or loan sources

2018 Housing Assistance SICOG offers assistance to communities with a variety of programs that address the housing needs of the area. Our programs address the following needs:

• Rehabilitation - Funds may be used to rehabilitate both owner-occupied and rental homes for income eligible households. These funds are used to assist home owners/occupants in bringing their dwellings up to Iowa Housing Rehabilitation Standards. Items that may be included are structural and deferred maintenance work, finish carpentry, mechanical systems including heating and electrical, and items needed for weatherization. Additionally, items that pose physical hazards, both inside and outside of the structure, are corrected or eliminated.

• New Construction - New construction of single and multi-family (rental or owner-occupied) housing.

• Housing Needs Assessments - SICOG provides grant writing and assistance to communities needing to assess the needs of various kinds of housing in their area.

• Housing Financial Assistance - SICOG provides funds through a revolving loan fund, which may be used to assist first-time homebuyers in financing the purchase of a home. SICOG also provides financial assistance for various housing projects through the Southern Iowa COG Housing Trust Fund, Inc.

Housing Revolving Loan Fund The Housing Revolving Loan Fund was designed to encourage new home-ownership in the Southern Iowa Economic Development District. The main objective of the program is to assist first time homebuyers with their down payment and thus be able to purchase a home by offering low-interest loans of up to $5,000. 58% of the loans made through this program have gone to low-to-moderate income households. The intention of the H-RLF is not to compete with the local lending institutions. However, by providing financial assistance for housing opportunities, the H-RLF does bridge the "financial gap" that exists between the amount individuals are able to afford and the total amount needed to attain home ownership. SICOG has made 692 loans at 2% interest since the beginning of the SICOG H-RLF. The total amount of funds used from the Iowa Finance Authority is $255,000. This loan program has helped first-time homebuyers purchase homes valued at $31,473,733 in the SICOG region. Three (3) new loans were made during 2018. The number of loans at the end of 2018 had been distributed among the participating entities as follows:


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Adair County – 53 Decatur County - 15 Taylor County - 60 Adams County - 28 Madison County - 71 Union County - 321 Clarke County - 109 Ringgold County - 35 Southern Iowa COG Housing Trust Fund In 2007, SICOG established a 501 (c)(3) Housing Trust Fund organization to provide a permanent endowment for housing on a regional level. The Southern Iowa COG Housing Trust Fund has become an increasingly valuable resource to the region. In 2018 the Housing Trust Fund received an additional grant $253,673 from Iowa Finance Authority and $63,419 in match, for a total of $317,092 for the trust fund. During 2018, the Housing Trust Fund disbursed funds on the following projects:

Adair County - GAP $7,497.27 Clarke County - GAP $8,000.00 Decatur County - GAP $1,810.26 Madison County - GAP $6,177.50 Ringgold County - GAP $4,397.23 Taylor County - GAP $1,639.62 Union County - GAP $8,000.00 Bedford - Grant for CDBG housing rehabilitation $7,500.00 Creston - (2) Grants for Home Base Iowa $4,000.00 Creston - Grant for Chamber paint program $3,258.09 Creston - Grant for Pursuit of Independence $42,500.00 Creston - Loan for Pursuit of Independence $42,500.00 Earlham - Grant for CDBG housing rehabilitation $7,500.00 Lenox - Connections /AAA - repairs $5,357.00 Lenox - Grant for Lenox Dev. Group / BUNN Bldg. $50,000.00 Lenox - Grant for Lenox Dev. Group / BUNN Bldg. $50,000.00 Mount Ayr - Grant for CDBG housing rehabilitation $9,000.00 Regional - MATURA / weatherization $133,000.00

Total $392,136.00

2018 SICOG/SIDG Industrial & Community Revolving Loan Funds SICOG has become the leader in stimulating southern Iowa's economic stability and viability. Through SICOG's assistance, hundreds of jobs have been created over the years through programs such as the Economic Development Administration programs, HUD Development Programs, the USDA-RD Business and Industry Program, the Community Economic Betterment Account, the CDBG funded Economic Development and Public Facilities Set Aside Programs, and the SICOG Revolving Loan Fund. SICOG packages community marketing plans, development projects, and facilitates financial packaging structured to meet the size and needs of each business.

Industrial Revolving Loan Fund SICOG received funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to establish a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). An affiliate organization, the Southern Iowa Development Group (SIDG), implements and promotes all Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) programs. This program has made a total of 78 loans. Listed below are projects assisted through the RLF program that were under administration in 2018, shown with projected jobs created or retained: Industrial Hardfacing - 25 jobs & retain 64 (3 loans)


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Union County Development Association – 10 jobs & 25 retained (3 loans) Kirkpatrick Locker – retain 6 jobs Osceola Farm & Home – 3 jobs & retain 17 jobs Covered Bridges Winery – 2 jobs & retain 2 jobs RE: Home of Des Moines – 2 jobs & 1 retained Tater’s Welding, Pipe & Steel – 6 jobs & 9 retained TEK Builders – 9 jobs & 12 retained Gilbert True Value – 4 jobs & 20 retained (2 loans) Primrose Corning – 15 jobs Fleetside Ford – 5 jobs Zipp Pizzaria – 15 jobs

During 2018, SICOG/SIDG administered 12 open industrial loans from this EDA Revolving loan fund. USDA Rural Development Revolving Loan Fund Over a decade ago SICOG/SIDG also received funding from the FmHA (now USDA Rural Development) for $70,000 to be set up as a revolving loan fund. Eleven (11) loans have been made through this fund, with 416 jobs created and 58 jobs retained. All USDA Rural Development loans have been repaid and none were under administration in 2018. Community Investment Revolving Fund The Community Investment Revolving Fund (CIRF) is available to communities with a population under 3,500 in all eight counties of the SICOG region. The eligible communities are able to use the funds to repair, expand or modernize the community's buildings and equipment in emergency or other unforeseen situations. A number of communities in this region do not have a very large operating budget and many times do not have enough funds to make needed repairs or replacements. Eligible communities may access the CIRF for a minimum loan of $1,000 and a maximum loan amount of $20,000. The interest rate on the loan is a fixed rate of 3% with a term not to exceed sixty months. Five total loans have been made from this fund. The following loan made through the Community Investment Revolving Fund (CIRF) program was under administration during 2018: Borrower Loan Amount Purpose of Loan City of Prescott $20,000 dump truck & snow plow

Special/Regional Projects and Programs SICOG continues to grow in the provision of special projects. Many of the regional projects are housing-related. SICOG offers regional programs for economic development and facilitates meetings with local officials and community development corporation representatives. SICOG staff attends various conferences and training seminars on a variety of economic development topics in order to stay abreast of the latest programs and methods. SICOG has been researching various other projects and opportunities, with routine communications to members and regional service providers. Efforts monitored for development during 2018 included: • Wind and other alternative energy sources • Brownfields (abandoned contaminated former industrial and commercial sites) re-development • Solid waste and recycling programs


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• Regional community and economic asset marketing SICOG strives to stay up to date on legislative issues for the benefit of members and partners. SICOG helps accomplish this by networking with other Councils of Governments through the Iowa Association of Regional Councils and by actively participating as a member of national development organizations in order to have a larger voice in the issues that affect this region. SICOG partners with a variety of local, state and national organizations in order to accomplish shared goals. SICOG continually seeks to find new projects and programs to implement in our region.

Quantifiable Deliverables

This chapter evaluates and discusses the efforts and main accomplishments made to reach the goals in the 2018 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). This evaluation of the effectiveness of the 2018 CEDS enables area decision makers to adjust the various techniques used in planning improvements to the quality of life in southern Iowa and to promote efficiency and effectiveness of the CEDS in the economic development of the region. A review of the accomplishments being made in carrying out the CEDS Priorities, and its effectiveness in meeting goals is made on an annual basis by SICOG staff and the CEDS Committee. Aided by input from a variety of sources, including the surveys completed by stakeholders, SICOG staff prepares a draft Annual CEDS for presentation to the CEDS Committee. This document addresses the accomplishments or advancements being made; changes in economic conditions; changes in resources and funding; and other factors that may affect performance of the plan. The desired outcome of this review will be to determine what strategies are working and which are not; where we are getting the best return on investment of staff time and resources; improvements needed in the strategy design or effort placed; relevancy of goals and strategies to current situations; revisions needed in the priority order; and improvements or revisions needed in the evaluation criteria or the process itself. Following the review and input from the CEDS Strategy Committee, and any revisions or updates made to the plan, a final CEDS document will be prepared and submitted to EDA. In addition, staff also prepares annual Progress Reports for the EDA Planning Grant work program. One of the purposes of the goals survey and priorities questionnaires sent annually to each city, county, economic development group and county project board, is to maintain an ongoing dialogue about the needs of our region and gain feedback regarding member satisfaction with services provided to SICOG’s eight counties and fifty-six (56) cities, 19 area economic development groups, 47 county project board members, and 15 executive board members. One hundred forty-five (145) surveys were distributed beginning in the fall of 2018 and sixty-four (64) responses were received by February 15, 2019 for a 44% response rate. The survey results enable the SICOG organization to systematically address issues brought to our attention by our members and establish a plan of action to better meet the needs of those we serve. As indicated in Chapter 6 (Projects & Progress Implementing 2018 Regional Priorities), the activities in the region supporting the goals and objectives have been numerous. The quality of life in the region has been enhanced by the work done through the SICOG organization. A key to the success of the region and to the progress of these many activities is partnerships. Private and public partnerships have been developed to implement many of the projects, especially the larger scale projects. Without these partnerships, the region would not experience such success. SICOG has acted as a liaison in these public/private partnerships and has worked behind the scenes on grant applications, general technical


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assistance, and in many cases, provided financing through our loan programs. The information presented in Chapter 6 spells out the successes of the region and the effective implementation of the CEDS goals and objectives.

Performance Measures Performance measurement yields benefits to SICOG by providing a structured approach for focusing on our strategic plan, goals and performance. Our members and partners use measurement information to help us and to help them to: • Set goals and standards; • Detect and correct problems; • Manage, describe and improve processes; and • Document accomplishments The most relevant method of identifying and measuring success is an account of SICOG’s accomplishments or advancements made in achieving project priority objectives, and/or successful implementation of prioritized projects and strategic programs. Identifying progress towards each of the goals set by the region most clearly identifies the successes that SICOG has had in the region. The benchmarks accomplished during 2018 (see items in bold within Chapter 6) relate to activities performed and progress made in each priority category. The services provided to our member cities and counties, such as grantwriting, planning, providing funding through RLF loans and grants, administering projects, and participation in activities with our development partners that expand the job base within the region are quantifiable verification of achievement in attaining goals set out for the region. The activities described in Chapter 6 clearly address specific quantifiable undertakings by SICOG that have assisted the region in reaching or progressing towards each of its priority goals. The annual update of these accomplishments serves to measure SICOG’s performance in the priority areas. A similar method will be used to measure the success of the 2019 CEDS priorities, goals and accomplishments in the 2019 CEDS document.

Evaluation Form An evaluation form is included in this CEDS document (Appendix 6). Everyone reading this document is invited to respond. The form may be completed and either mailed or faxed as directed on the survey. Comments may also be made by E-mail sent to [email protected] or by phone to 641-782-8491. SICOG understands the importance of receiving comments from the public, particularly from those parties that utilize this document to assist in the future development of area. The draft CEDS was vetted throughout the region in order to solicit public comment. Comments received were incorporated into the Final CEDS document and submitted to the Federal Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA). Appendix 6 documents all comments received from the public and the action taken by SICOG in response to each comment. SICOG’s CEDS has been an evolving document that takes into account continuous, ongoing review by staff and comments received on draft and previous year documents. SICOG distributes draft CEDS documents to interested parties in hardcopy form and electronically through its newsletter and website. We actively seek comments that might improve it during our thirty-day review period. SICOG strives to accomplish all items listed in the Scope of Work attachment to its EDA award agreement and believes that these activities have been thoroughly addressed in this document and in our Progress Report.


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We continue to look for feedback not only on our CEDS documents, but also on our professional delivery of services. “Are we doing a good job meeting the requests given to us?” This question is important in our evaluation of EDA’s mandate for SICOG. Over the past year we have continued to refine our services and expand our successes. While we have not solved all of the region’s problems or advanced in all areas, we feel that we strive to continue to improve, become more effective, and be a successful and valuable source of services and information. We believe SICOG is the primary community and economic development link between members and their government and that our presence in the region encourages and enhances economic development of the region.


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Appendices Appendix 1 – Historic & Archeological Resources Appendix 2 – Surveys/Questionnaires/SWOT Analysis Memo to Cities/Counties/Boards (City) Priorities Questionnaire (City) Short-Long Range Priorities Survey (City) SWOT Analysis Questionnaire Online Survey (City) Priority Calculator Appendix 3 – SICOG Disaster Recovery Implementation Plan Appendix 4 – 2018 Priority Projects, Strategies & Programs (by Priority Category) Appendix 5 –Regional Employment & Laborshed Profile Appendix 6 – Evaluation Form & Public Comments

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