Development in Iowa County includes 3 trails

MARENGO — Iowa County Community Development helped businesses and organizations win $241,000 in grant funding during 2025, Laura Sauser, director of the organization, told Iowa County Supervisors last month.

Sauser also reported to the Williamsburg and Marengo City Councils how much money Iowa County Community Development has brought in to their communities.

That’s the most important role of ICCD, said Sauser, bringing funding into the communities. “And that is actually holding steady from last year,” she told county supervisors.

Sauser would like to see that amount trend up, she said, but that depends on what is available and what she can get. “You have to be realistic,” Sauser said.

Nine of her 14 grant applications were successful. “I’m pretty happy with that considering the projects that I’m getting.”

Sauser said her job is to know what projects are in the communities and to see if there are any pools of funding that can be used.

Not all of the funding that was awarded came to Iowa County last year, said Sauser. Williamsburg was awarded a catalyst grant for $100,000, but the business had to back out of the project. “It was an unforeseen circumstance from the business owner,” said Sauser.

“I still want to highlight what could have been brought in.”

A project that received funding a couple of years ago fell through also, said Sauser. “That’s kind of the gamble of this job.”

Even without the 2025 catalyst grant, the county received $141,000, which Sauser said is good.

Millstream Brewery received a Choose Iowa Value-Added grant for $25,000; Marengo and Williamsburg trail projects each received $20,000; Pickleball Iowa County received $5,000; the Gateway Improvement Group in Marengo, $5,200; and the North English trail project, $12,000, Sauser said.

“It shows that you’re not focusing on one area,” said Iowa County Supervisor Kevin Heitshusen. “That’s what I want people to know.”

North English used to be overlooked, said Supervisor Abby Maas, but it’s seeing growth with the help of ICCD.

Sauser is hopeful that the City of Victor will benefit from having its city clerk added to the ICCD board.

ICCD will be awarding sign and facade grants again this year, said Sauser. The program was successful in its first year, she said. ICCD awarded three $10,000 grants, though one project was not completed. That money will roll back into this year, Sauser said.

Ten businesses applied for the grant, said Sauser. She was encouraged — and surprised — that many of the businesses that were not awarded the grants completed the projects anyway. That shows the value in encouraging businesses to look at improvements they might otherwise not see, she said.

The facade projects completed with grant money were both in Marengo: Iowa County Abstract and Switzer and Wilson Counseling Service on Court Avenue near the Marengo square.

Part of Sauser’s job is connecting communities, she said. She’s in every community every month. She’s also a point of contact for investors and is regularly in touch with East Central Iowa Council of Governments.

“We have noticed a huge difference having Laura as an asset here,” said Karen Kurt, ECICOG director.

Sauser also serves on the East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund board. It’s good to know what projects are going on in her region, Kurt said.

Often when Sauser finds grants that might help businesses and organizations, they have no one to write it. She’s taken on that duty herself and has been able to save businesses money, she said.

Three trail projects are currently underway in Iowa County — Marengo, Williamsburg and North English. Another great need is financial help for day cares, said Sauser.

“I’m surprised at how many of our day cares are operating at a deficit,” Sauser said.

Day cares have been used to money from COVID programs, said Sauser. That money has run out, and day cares are looking for ways to make up that funding.

ICCD continues to look at residential expansions and revitalizing downtown spaces. Three people asked about the catalyst grant in January, said Sauser, but Iowa County can only apply for two.

The Claypool law office is one of the buildings Sauser is putting forward for a catalyst grant, she told the Williamsburg City Council last month. The owner wants to make apartments on the upper floor, which is currently vacant, and extend the law office on the lower floor.

The project must be completed in two years.

The City of Williamsburg gives $10,000 a year to catalyst grant recipients, a 20% match that raises the total for the project to $120,000.

“It's going to bring in more property tax revenue,” said Williamsburg City Manager Aaron Sandersfeld.

Sauser helped the Williamsburg trail committee get a $20,000 Community Foundation grant and arranged for a roundup at Brothers Market in Williamsburg which brought in $1,300. A 5k run brought in another $25,000 for the trail, she said.

Sauser said she applied for $50,000 in grants in January, so she’s starting the year with a bang. She’s got her eye on two grants she can apply for this month for trail funding, and all three day care facilities in Williamsburg have contacted her looking for grants.