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Lee County Economic Development presents five‑year plan, asks Keokuk to continue funding
Summary
Lee County Economic Development Group presented a five‑year strategic plan focused on workforce development, business retention and quality‑of‑life; its representative asked Keokuk to continue a $50,000 annual contribution and said LCEDG plans a $2 million capital campaign over five years.
A representative of the Lee County Economic Development Group (LCEDG) presented the organization’s five‑year strategic plan at a Keokuk City Council workshop immediately after the Jan. 2 meeting and requested continued city support at the existing funding level.
The presenter (identified in the meeting as Emily) said LCEDG is a public‑private partnership focused on three pillars: workforce development, business retention and attraction, and quality‑of‑life initiatives that make the region more attractive to residents and employers. "We aim to raise $2 million over the next 5 years," the presenter said, describing that capital campaign as part of sustaining operations and new initiatives.
Why it matters: The LCEDG plan ties directly to the council’s earlier discussion about downtown property management and tenant recruitment for the Southeast Iowa Developmental Center building. The presenter said LCEDG will work on tenant recruitment, real estate development and regional workforce strategies, and asked Keokuk to consider continuing its prior annual funding (the presenter referenced the $50,000 allocation and noted that part of those funds will flow through to the county economic development effort).
Staffing and regional approach
The LCEDG representative outlined recent staffing changes: the previous CEO retired in November and she said she stepped into that role temporarily; Tim Goble of Fort Madison Partners is now working in the LCEDG office focused on real estate. LCEDG said it will be hiring a workforce-and-community specialist to work partly in Keokuk and will partner with neighboring organizations to avoid overlapping programs.
Next steps
The presenter said LCEDG will report to the council at least twice a year on progress and metrics tied to their strategic priorities. Council members asked for copies of the full five‑year plan and discussed representation on LCEDG’s board if KEDC and other local entities become dormant; the presenter said bylaws currently identify sitting presidents of merging organizations on the board but that the organization can add city representatives in the future if the consolidated structure changes.
