The Greene County Development Corporation Board met yesterday for its regular monthly session.
Leslie Conning, John Deere Paton factory manager, gave an update to the Board about their recent developments. She said that since Deere and Company acquired parts of the Bauer Built Manufacturing business in October, they have hired 17 new positions at the Paton facility and will continue to work with the existing Bauer Built business to manufacture farming equipment. John Deere Paton is also a Home Base Iowa supporter.
The Board discussed the 2014 proposed budget. The expected income for this year is $139,310 compared to last year’s $144,437.28. Some of the changes were from the billboard payment to have it removed in the selling of property to Kingdom Hall on Highway 4 in Jefferson and reimbursement to Grow Greene County activities. The expected expenses for 2014 are $138,301.95 compared to 2013’s $141,820.88. Some of the biggest impacts on expenses are from Grow Greene County expenses for bus trips to Wild Rose Casino in Emmetsburg. No action was taken on the topic due to not enough people at the meeting to have a quorum.
President Norm Fandel reviewed the March 6th meeting at Prairie Meadows Casino in Altoona with the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. He shared parts of the video that Wild Rose Entertainment had as part of its presentation to the Commission on Thursday. He also noted that April 3rd is when the Commission will make their site visit to Cedar Rapids for their proposed casino and then April 17th is when they will vote on it. He said May 29th is when the Commission will make its site visit to Jefferson in the morning followed by an open public forum at 12:30pm at the Sierra Community Theatre.
Economic Development Director Ken Paxton gave a monthly update to the Board. He talked about Thursday’s event involving the governor’s visit to Jefferson. He said that there will be a veterans motorcycle escort into American Athletic Incorporated’s showroom for the presentation along with introductions involving all the veterans and the various city councils and mayors of the county. He added that there will be a commemorative coin of the event made for the governor as well.
Greene County Chamber Board President Ben Yoder gave an update to the Board. He told the Board about redefining what it met to have a Chamber for the County. He also talked about the welcome center project on the southeast corner of the downtown square and that there has been some work done on the inside of the building and he is anticipating some work to be done later on the outside of the building as well.
Sarah Gomez with Midwest Partnership told the Board that Mark Lane, vice-president of operations at AAI/Spalding/Russell Athletic will be one of the keynote speakers at this year’s Western Iowa Advantage annual dinner scheduled for Tuesday, April 8th at the Carrollton Centre in Carroll. Tickets at $20 each with a social hour to begin at 5:30pm and the public is invited to attend. To reserve a seat, call 712-792-9914.