Jackson County approves fiscal sponsorship for JCEA capstone project with Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities

The Jackson County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to authorize a fiscal sponsorship agreement enabling the Jackson County Economic Alliance (JCEA) to participate in a capstone project through the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities, and to permit county officials to sign the required resolution. Kelly Brown, director of the JCEA, presented the project and requested the approvals.

The capstone will be carried out by master's students who will spend a year interviewing local businesses, chambers and city governments to produce recommendations for regional economic development and business succession planning. "This is their master's project," Kelly Brown said; when asked onstage about the student team, board members confirmed there would be three students assigned.

The matter drew brief discussion about the county's role. Brown described the county's action as fiscal sponsorship — a role that would allow the Community Foundation of Jackson County to write a grant check and endorse funds through the county. Supervisor Don Sminker asked whether the county would be asked to contribute money; Brown responded the county would act as a fiscal agent and "you're just a fiscal agent, so I'm not asking a dime from you." County officials said the Community Foundation would serve as the funding provider and the county's obligation would be administrative oversight of the grant funds.

Board members moved two related items onto the record and approved both: agreeing to the fiscal sponsorship arrangement and authorizing signatures on resolution 11 45‑09‑23‑2025 approving the JCEA application to the Community Foundation and the county's role in partnership with the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities. A voice vote was recorded and the motions carried.

Brown also summarized recent JCEA grant activity during her update: completion of a child care grant; completion of a Bellevue downtown assessment (report returned in August, with a follow‑up meeting scheduled for two weeks); a Dakota downtown assessment; receipt of a "boost" workforce/succession planning grant and an additional $15,000 DRA (Delta Regional Authority) grant to support that effort; and work to certify the Highway 61 Industrial Park as a state certified site (files submitted, further fine‑tuning requested, expected designation within about 60 days). Brown said certification would place the site in the state's searchable database for site selectors.

Board members expressed general support and asked Brown to proceed with the capstone arrangement with the Community Foundation acting as the funding conduit; the board approved the resolution and authorized signatures during the meeting. There was no formal fiscal appropriation tied to the county in the motions recorded at the meeting; supervisors said the county's role was to accept fiscal sponsorship and provide signature authorization for the resolution.

The project timetable described by Brown is academic‑year length; board members requested periodic updates. Brown said the student team will interview businesses, chambers and municipal officials and then provide recommendations the county and its partners can act on.

Kelly Brown is available to county staff for follow‑up and the board asked that the JCEA keep the supervisors informed as the capstone work proceeds.