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Pottawattamie County supervisors approve Rural Ready initiative to ready at least six industrial sites
Summary
The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 on July 7 to adopt Resolution No. 48-2026, authorizing the Pottawattamie Rural Ready (PRR) Initiative to identify and prepare a minimum of six rural industrial sites using residual RPCIC funds with ASWIC as program administrator.
The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors voted 4–1 on July 7 to adopt Resolution No. 48-2026, creating the Pottawattamie Rural Ready (PRR) Initiative to identify and advance industrial development sites in rural parts of the county.
Supervisor Keith Jones moved to approve the resolution, and Supervisor Susan Miller seconded. The roll-call vote showed AYES from Chairman Brian Shea, Miller, Jeff Jorgensen and Jones; Supervisor Tim Wichman voted NAY. The motion carried, and the resolution takes effect immediately.
Under the approved resolution, Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation (ASWIC) will serve as program administrator and project manager. The PRR Initiative directs ASWIC to run a competitive procurement for engineering and technical consulting services, manage consultant contracts, review and approve eligible invoices, coordinate with communities, utility providers and landowners, and submit reimbursement requests to the county. The resolution authorizes use of residual Rural Pottawattamie County Infrastructure Collaborative (RPCIC) funds for eligible PRR expenses, subject to county financial policies and procedures.
The resolution sets several specific program goals: retain a qualified engineering and technical consulting partner; identify a minimum of six industrial development sites in rural Pottawattamie County; prioritize sites by readiness and market competitiveness; advance selected sites through the GO! Ready Site Certification Program; develop site-readiness assessments and infrastructure investment recommendations; and strengthen competitiveness for state, regional and national economic development opportunities. The resolution also requires ASWIC to provide periodic progress updates to the Board, including site prioritization activities, expenditures and reimbursement status, due diligence findings, and progress toward GO! Ready certification.
Paula Hazlewood, chief executive officer of ASWIC, and Mark Norman, executive director of the Mills County Economic Development Foundation, appeared earlier in the meeting to discuss a partnership; that appearance was recorded as discussion only and prompted no separate board action.
The resolution authorizes the Board chair, with legal counsel approval if necessary, to execute agreements or reimbursement documents needed to implement PRR. The county did not specify dollar amounts or a detailed funding breakdown in the resolution text; use of RPCIC residual funds is authorized "for eligible expenses," and all expenditures remain subject to county financial policies.
Next steps identified in the resolution include ASWIC conducting procurement for consultants, advancing prioritized sites through due diligence and GO! Ready steps, and returning periodic status reports to the Board. The Board adjourned at 11:10 a.m.
