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MT. PLEASANT – The Mt. Pleasant Area Development Commission has embarked on an ambitious plan to raise $1 million in private funds to support the area’s long-term prosperity, and it’s already more than half-way there.

The Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance hosted a campaign kick-off Wednesday morning, Feb. 11, for this strategic plan called “Together for Tomorrow” at the Union Block. Led by the Mt. Pleasant Area Development Commission and supported by the Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Mt. Pleasant and Henry County Tourism, the capital campaign is a “collaborative effort focused on economic vitality, business development, and an enhanced quality of life throughout the county.”

Willy Amos, one of the two campaign co-chairs along with Kevin Dameron, shared the good news with those gathered for Wednesday’s kick-off that, thanks to 24 “visionary investors,” the campaign had raised 78 percent of its goal, $775,000 of the $1 million strategic plan.

Mt. Pleasant Chamber Alliance Executive Vice President Rachel Lindeen said money from the campaign will go toward four key priorities: workforce development, housing, business park development, and strategic expansion. Lindeen told The Union that the “Together for Tomorrow” capital campaign is unlike any previous fundraiser.

“This is the first time that we've had the private sector invest in economic development with a five-year strategic plan,” she said.

Lindeen said the idea to create a capital campaign for economic development was spurred by the closure of Iowa Wesleyan University in 2023, leaving the area’s leaders to ponder “now what?” The following year, the boards within the chamber alliance met to discuss the town’s future, and later agreed to work with Convergent Nonprofit Solutions to create a feasibility study on a capital campaign and strategic plan.

Attendees at Wednesday’s kick-off were handed a brochure from the Mt. Pleasant Area Development Commission detailing the “Together for Tomorrow” campaign and its four priorities. For instance, under workforce development, the strategic plan calls for training 50 new leaders over five years in the Henry County Leadership Program, and facilitating 10 summer internships each year through the Intern Connect program. Under housing, the plan calls for launching a targeted attraction campaign aimed at young families. The commission plans to develop funding strategies to acquire land and upgrade infrastructure for a future 60-acre business park.

Mt. Pleasant Mayor Steve Brimhall is chair of the Mt. Pleasant Area Development Commission, and said the commission has been talking about a capital campaign for the last decade. He said the city has done its best to invest in land, and now it’s time to focus on attracting workers. One important piece in that puzzle will be building enough housing for those workers. He mentioned that Joe Mitchell had built 30 housing units in recent years, and all of them are full. He said that focusing on only jobs or only housing leads to a “chicken or egg” problem.

“Does the job come first or does the housing come first?” he asked. “They have to come together.”

Brimhall said one of the most exciting pieces of workforce news he’s heard is that Continental ContiTech in Mt. Pleasant has signed an agreement promising a $65 million expansion, including 50 high-quality jobs.