Upcoming Events

Open Modal

CADC Director Outlines Priorities And Funding Gaps For Next Fiscal Year

Each year, not-for-profit entities from all over Carroll County discuss their funding needs for the next Fiscal Year with the County Supervisors. Representatives with the Carroll Area Development Corporation (CADC) took their turn on Monday. Executive Director, Shannon Landauer, says they are asking for a four and half percent increase over Fiscal Year 2019, a total of $75,500. She also wanted to review what they were able to accomplish over the last year, including their biennial Business Retention and Expansion Program.

The results of these interviews provide data that reflects the voices of Carroll County businesses and provides a benchmark with the Western Iowa Advantage region and the rest of the state. The major areas of focus are community services and infrastructure. They also look at county and city services, accomplishments, leadership, expansion potential, workforce and technology.

The CADC is taking what they have learned and partners with school districts and Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) to address workforce issues. She says another key factor came out of the program, with 62 percent of businesses interviewed talking about expansion in one form or another in the near future. The CADC also partners in some projects with neighboring counties. Plans for the next year include one to two corporate visits, but their recruitment efforts have been hindered by a reduction of about $50,000 in marketing grants from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

They are reducing trade show activity in accordance, but will continue to participate in Community Venture Network (CVN) in Minneapolis, Minn. Three times per year, eight to 12 businesses pitch to communities, searching for their base of operations or an expansion. She says the CADC is also exploring options with a shovel-ready project, mainly because they do not have sites to present when there is a request for proposals. They are working with JEO Consulting to identify two sites.

They will also continue pushing for a Highway 30 expansion, take part in the Access Washington trip in June this year and continue the city/county roundtables. She says they have reduced CADC staff by one, from five to four, and are not currently looking to fill that role. The supervisors do not make decisions during these presentations, but must determine a funding amount in the next several weeks to complete their budget, which is required to be filed with the state by March 15.

Recommended Posts

Loading...