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Economic development group asks Wapello County for increased funding; supervisors take no immediate action
Summary
Representatives of Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress asked supervisors to increase county funding from about $13,000 to a proposed $50,000 per year (three-year proposal) with accountable deliverables; board members discussed funding sources and budget process and agreed to continue the conversation later.
Leaders of Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress (GoPIP) asked Wapello County supervisors to increase the county's annual contribution for economic-development work and discussed measurable deliverables, but supervisors did not act at the meeting.
Mark Rowe, speaking for GoPIP, said the organization seeks more county support to expand economic-development activities countywide and proposed a draft contract for $50,000 per year for three years with CPI-based increases. Rowe said the organization had previously received an incremental increase and that GoPIP would accept accountability measures tied to deliverables. "We're not going to be the organization that comes and asks for money without having some accountability attached to it," Rowe said.
Rowe noted comparable county contracts in other Iowa counties and said GoPIP's lower threshold to earn a board seat would be $35,000; the draft contract given to county staff suggested $50,000 per year for three years. County board members asked how the increased contribution would be paid and whether the general-basic fund or local-option sales tax would be appropriate. County accountant/auditor Kelly said prior payments classified as local-option sales-tax expenditures had been reviewed during an audit and required recalculation; she said general-basic is the typical funding source for a membership-type contribution. Kelly also said the county's general-basic revenues and expenditures have constraints and that the board might need to amend the budget if it approves additional recurring funding.
Several GoPIP board members and local partners, including David Will of John Deere and Phil Rath of the City of Ottumwa, spoke in favor of the organization and described deliverables such as housing work, agricultural economy initiatives and shared regional projects. Rowe also reported a Phase II environmental survey for a county investment at 312 East Alta Vista produced no contaminants in the report.
Supervisors said they would continue the discussion and that no formal action would be taken at the meeting; they asked staff to draft potential contract language and to check budget options for the next fiscal year.
Ending
The board did not vote on funding. Supervisors asked staff to review funding sources and to return with a resolution or contract language for future consideration.
