From Benton Development Group

A delegation from Benton County attended the third annual Iowa Rural Development Summit in Grinnell on April 10 and 12. Governor Kim Reynolds and Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg were on hand for the Iowa Economic Development Agency’s Community Catalyst Awards.

Shellsburg received a grant of $100,000 for renovation and redevelopment of the former State Bank building in the middle of Pearl Street on the west side. Receiving the grant on behalf of Shellsburg were Kate Robertson, Director of Benton Development Group, Mayor Lonnie Speckner, and Council member Nancy Thorkildson. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the City of Shellsburg to partner with a building owner to help rehabilitate a historic building, said Robertson.” “In addition to the renovating the State Bank building into an eatery, Shellsburg is making things happen; The City is also in the process of their downtown sidewalk improvement project.”

Vinton and Belle Plaine were also represented at the Summit. Topics explored in various meetings included constructing high-speed broadband networks, best practices for encouraging new housing, rural child care challenges and solutions and strategies for recruiting and sustaining retail establishments in rural communities. “I was very pleased that Benton County was so well-represented at the Summit,” said Robertson. “The annual Summit is where leaders from around the state gather to share ideas and to gain energy for creating transformative changes for rural Iowa. As rural Iowans we are also impressed that Governor Reynolds and IDEA Director Debi Durham have made improving our rural communities a top priority.”

Ashley Hesson from Vinton also attended the Summit and said she found inspiration in how some Iowa communities have made training leaders a top priority. “A deep and varied network of volunteers and leaders are vital to the survival and health of any community but are particularly essential for rural communities. We don’t have the resources to pay everyone we need to accomplish essential goals, community goals or to provide essential services like fire-fighting. It was interesting to learn of programs like the one developed in Madison County that has formal processes for recruiting and training volunteers to serve in a wide variety of roles.”

“I was impressed that so many leaders throughout Benton County would take time from their busy schedules to attend this event,” explained BDG Director Robertson. “We need all of our communities to work together so we can all grow and prosper. I hope next year to have even more of our communities represented and that Benton County will improve every year.”

If you would like to receive information about next year’s Summit as it becomes available, email Kate Robertson at Benton Development Group. Her email address is Kate@bdgia.com.