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Economic development official tours Washington County
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WASHINGTON — Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham spent much of Wednesday last week on a trip through Washington County, attending a bus tour in Kalona, a meeting at the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, and a walk-through of Washington’s YMCA and Brava Roof Tile.
The day showcased a variety of goings-on around the county, including recreational developments in Kalona’s Southtown neighborhood, renovations at the casino in Riverside and a new pool at the Washington Y.
“I try to get Debi here at least once a year,” Washington Economic Development Group Director Mary Audia said. “Just to see all the changes that we make, because there’s so many going on. And holy cow, there’s a lot! She’s going to get to see the pool today, and we can’t wait to show her.”
While the spotlight on county amenities made for a feel-good moment in front of Iowa’s top official at an agency that coordinates billions of dollars in community-building grants, it’s also a valuable opportunity for local change makers.
Audia said there were countless sidebar conversations throughout the day, giving locals a better shot at some of those statewide grant dollars.
“She’s able to see what’s happening, and when, all of a sudden, she gets a grant application from us, it’s a lot more personal,” Audia said. “It’s like, ‘Oh, I’ve seen that, I’ve been there.’ It’s more of a personal touch, than anything.”
For Durham, trips like last week’s are a major part of the job. The state official said community tours helped her department brainstorm ideas, using local success stories as models for other communities.
She added that her outside perspective, as someone who visits Washington County towns rather infrequently, also offered insight for locals, who have watched their communities change gradually with time.
“We do this, actually, two to three days a week, we’re in communities of all sizes,” she said. “It is inspirational for me to get out in communities … I can’t tell you the number of projects they talk about where, ‘This is an enhance Iowa grant, or this is a catalyst grant, or this is that, or this company received this high-quality jobs award.’ It reinforces, for us, the programs that are working and those that are not.”
Durham’s reacts to bills limiting IEDA fund eligibility
Wednesday’s flurry of activity coincided with debates in Des Moines over the efforts of Durham’s office.
House Study Bill 310 was discussed in a subcommittee meeting March 19, where lawmakers suggested approval for legislation that would bar Iowa’s four most populous counties — Johnson, Linn, Scott and Polk — from accessing IEDA funds from summer of 2025 through 2028.
As some lawmakers argued the bill would ensure more funds for cash-strapped smaller communities, Durham declined to comment on the proposals potential economic impact, though she said she had doubts about its ability to hold up to a vote.
“There’s 1,500 bills filed, so I don’t get too worked up,” she said. “At the end of the day, I don’t know the likelihood of something like that passing. But for us to weigh in on every bill that’s proposed, it would take a lot of energy.”
The director did say much of her agency’s funding was already directed toward micropolitan and rural communities, suggesting there may not be a need to shake up the distribution of funds.
“The vast majority of our projects (are) in communities of 35,000 and less,” she said. “Manufacturing is our largest gross state product, followed by the bioeconomy, and these are projects that need land mass … you don’t find those as much in the urban centers. I think when you look at the facts, they’ll find it’s really well-distributed.”
Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com
