A Grassroots
Rural
Issues
Organization

representing 16 Southwest Iowa Counties

Adair

Adams

Audubon

Clarke

Cass

Decatur

Fremont

Guthrie

Mills

Montgomery

Page

Pottawattamie

Ringgold

Shelby

Taylor

Union

Commonality of SWICO members lie with their shared rural challenges involving transportation, housing, water, communications, distance learning, physician recruitment, Iowa Department of Economic Development allocations, agriculture, and community-specific topics. The need to address these issues is what spawned the organization and motivates it to continue.

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2010 Membership Drive Underway! The recent threat to the Clarinda Mental Health Institute of late is a sobering reminder of the continued value for a strong regional coalition. The rally by members and supporters for advocacy aid when alerted through the SWICO e-mail news list has been phenomenal!

Page County leadership is doing its job well coordinating salient talking points and getting leadership at the capitol to engage legislators. Its advocacy, however, has been incredibly expanded by SWICO's communication structure and member dedication.

Thank you for sending your messages in support of Clarinda. Thank you as well for using your professional and personal communication networks to forward messages calling for increased support.

And, thank you greatly to all of the members who support SWICO annually through membership dues

2010 Members To-Date:
Mark your calendars for activities and events during 2010! SCHEDULE

Denny Bloom
Dan Morgan
Alec Turner
Bedford Area Development Center
Camblin Mechanical, Inc.
Cass County Board of Supervisors
Cass-Atlantic Development Corporation
City of Red Oak
Farmers Mutual Telephone Co
Farmers Trust & Savings Bank
First National Bank - Fontanelle
First National Bank – Greenfield
First National Bank – Massena
First National Bank - Anita
Fremont Economic Development Corporation
Glenwood State Bank
Glenwood/Mills Co Chamber of Com and Ec Dev Found
Greenfield Chamber/Mainstreet & Development Corp.
Grow Iowa Foundation, Inc.
Grundman Insurance
Houghton State Bank
Iowa Area Development Group
Iowa State Savings Bank - Shenandoah
Iowa State Savings Bank - Creston
Iowa State Savings Bank - Lenox
Iowa Telecom
McGrath North Mullin & Kratz, PC LLO
McMahon Drug Store
Midwest Opportunities
Midwest Partnership Development Corporation
Mills County Farm Bureau
Montgomery Co Development Corp
Montgomery County Farm Bureau
Montgomery County Memorial Hosp
Page County Federal Savings Association
Page County State Bank
Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association
Red Oak Chrysler Dodge Jeep
Ringgold Co Development Corp
Ringgold County Board of Supervisors
Shelby County State Bank
Titan Machinery
Wallace Foundation for Rural Research & Development
Wash Haus, LLC
Western Iowa Tourism

Board Meeting/Retreat Update: The board met for its annual year-end retreat in November and would like to share the following notes to members and supporters.

  • The membership survey revealed a desire by many for a couple of day meetings/events that would provide larger group opportunities for networking and gathering of information. 2010 will have two SWICO Summits; one in June and one in September. A committee will be formed to plan the event using, in part, survey data. So mark your calendars now. There will also be 4 working membership meetings hosted throughout the region. The board will meet monthly in Red Oak. Members are encouraged to attend these board meetings and actively participate in planning. Time for open discussion will be on each agenda, and a member can request additional time for an item of discussion by contacting the office.
  • The projected budget for 2010 to cover regular, annual activities and financial obligations was projected at $19,000. Membership dues income trend between $16 - $17,500. Additional income from the golf tournament has helped in past years offset the gap. Members are encouraged to approach local businesses, local governments and economic development leadership about joining.
  • The board encourages members to invite guests to attend meetings. We will be drawing from the names of guests at each meeting for a FREE one year trial membership. Only non-members will be included in the drawing.
  • The slate of 2010 board members was approved by the board and will be presented at the annual meeting for membership approval. Martin Olive, from Adams County, has agreed to serve if approved by the membership.
  • Reports on the regional, collaborative projects were submitted. The Rural Development Center is showing steady and healthy progress. Organizational functionality and service delivery mechanisms have been an emphasis for the Advisory Committee. The Committee is now advising strategic planning sessions with members to begin a focus for the Center on product development beginning with value-added ag products. Buy Iowa Online doubled its seller base and had a successful holiday shopping season.
  • Thank you to all the members who responded to the 2009 survey. You can browse through the results here SURVEY

 

Legislative Committee: Sitting Board Members: Steve Adams, Joe Blankenship, Twila Larson, Dale McAllister, Gwen Trullinger

Infrstructure Committee: Sitting Board Members: Keith Harlan, Clarence Mosier, Curt Shaha & Linda Washburn

Business & Industry Committee: Sitting Board Members: Bill Henderson, Russell Joyce, George Maher & Ken Pangburn

Regional Development Committee: Sitting Board Members: Kenner Baxter, Margaret Gregory, Ruth Smith & Adam Snodgrass

 UPDATES:
forumLegislative Forum: Thank you to Linda Washburn and the Glenwood/Mills Chamber & ED for locally hosting the 2009 Legislative Forum. The final draft of the agenda was presented to legislators present, and the board and members will vote on the agenda at the October 15th meetings. Be present and be counted! Thank you to: Senator Grassley's and Rep. King's office for having representation and state legislators Rep. Anderson, Rep. Forristall, Rep. Drake for taking time out of their busy schedules.
 
Micro-enterprise Funding Packages: Thank you to everyone who submitted a letter of support for the proposal for funds to provide microenterprise services through the Rural Development Center. Unfortunately, it is unclear at this time if actual funding will be forthcoming or substituted with forms training experiences for those who are/may provide services. The RDC staff had been seeking (and will continue to seek) funds for these types of services, but at this time, IDED will not be funding any awards. More information can be provided at the October 15th meeting.

Thank you to all the players, sponsors and contributors who made our
4th Annual Golf Tournament a success!

The 2009 tournament winners who now will house the coveted traveling trophy is the McGrath North Mullin & Kratz team our newest Nebraska member. The team decided that scratching the statues head prior to heading to court might give them a little edge in that venue as well. Congratulations! Read More

Proceeds from the tournament are used to continue the Coalitions rural economic development advocacy work throughout its 16-county membership region.

The players: Jim Jansen, Kris Covi, Patrick Pepper and Rod Kestel

golf winners

The 5th Annual Tournament is now being scheduled for 2010. Interested golfers throughout southwest Iowa can contact the Coalition office to ensure that details for registration are sent to them.

As most members are aware, SWICO applied for and recieved funding for a Business Accelerator. It is operated through the Rural Development Resource Center and is the only state Accelerator rurally based. We are fortunate to have this funding to provide additional technical assistance to our entrepreneurs throughout the region - especially during these challenging economic times.

The funding packages were for $75K per year for two years with a potential of $25K at the three year mark. The Southwest Iowa Business Accelerator has used its first year of funding and has now been awarded its second year of funding based on appropriate project progress and activities.

The annual report for the Rural Development Resource Center and SW IA Business Accelerator can be downloanded here -RDRC Report Hard copies will be available at the membership meeting.

Thank You to FREDCO for hosting the October SWICO meeting at Sugar Clay Winery.

meeting

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Directors
Martin Olive
Adams

Clarence Moshier
Adair

Keith Harlan
Cass

Russell Joyce
Cass

Kenner Baxter
Cass

Ruth Smith
Decatur

Margaret Johnson
Fremont

Twila Larsen
Fremont

Joe Blankenship
Mills

Steve Adams
Montgomery

George Maher
Montgomery

Dale McAllister
Page

Gwen Trullinger
Ringgold

Kurt Shaha,
Ringgold

Bill Henderson
Taylor

 

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Grow Iowa Foundation

Wallace Foundation

ISU Extension - Community Economic Development


SWICO OFFICERS - 2009
Bill Henderson, President
Margaret Johnson, Vice-President
George Maher, Secretary

Steve Adams, Treasurer

 

Term Expires 2009
Ken Pangburn - Adams
Keith Harlan - Cass
Russell Joyce - Cass
Margaret Johnson - Fremont

SWICO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Term Expires 2010
Steve Adams - Montgomery
Gwen Trullinger- Ringgold
Adams Snodgrass - Union

 

Term Expires 2011
Clarence Moshier - Adair
Kenner Baxter - Cass
Ruth Smith - Decatur
Twila Larsen - Fremong
Joe Blankenship - Mills
George Maher - Montgomery
Dale McAllister - Page
Kurt Shaha - Ringgold
Bill Henderson - Taylor
Jason Reynolds - Taylor

Seats are open and available for nominations of up to 22 board members.
Counties not represented should contact the office to seat a board member.

2009 Southwest Iowa Coalition Members

Ronald Abbott
Denny Bloom
Don Brantz
Mike Cheese
David Davis
Dan Morgan
Ken Pangburn
Guy Powell
Jerry Putnam
Ruth Smith
Alec Turner
A.M. Cohron & Sons, Inc.
Adair County Farm Bureau
Adams Community Chamber of Commerce
Adams Community Economic Development Corp
Adams County Board of Supervisors
Adams County Farm Bureau
Agri-solutions
Akin Building Centers: Corning, Atlantic, Clarinda, Creston
Alliant Energy
A-Plus Designs
Bateman's Services
Bedford Area Development Group
Camblin Mechanical, Inc.
Cass County Board of Supervisors
Cass County Supervisors
Cass-Atlantic Development Corporation
City National Bank - Shenandoah
City of Fontanelle
City of Griswold



City of Red Oak
City of Shenandoah
City of Stanton
City of Villisca

Clarinda Chamber of Commerce
Corning Community School District
Corning Nursing & Rehab Center
Diagonal Community Development Corporation
Farmers Mutual Telephone Co
Farmers Trust & Savings Bank
First National Bank - Fontanelle,Greenfield,Massena,Anita
Fremont County Farm Bureau
Fremont Economic Development Corporation
Fremont Economic Development Corporation
Glenwood State Bank
Glenwood/Mills Co Chamber of Com and Ec Dev Found
Great Western Bank - Bedford
Great Western Bank - Creston
Great Western Bank - Hamburg
Great Western Bank - Leon
Great Western Bank - Mount Ayr
Great Western Bank - Osceola
Great Western Bank - Red Oak
Great Western Bank - Sidney
Great Western Bank - Stanton
Greenfield Chamber/Mainstreet & Development Corp.
Grow Iowa Foundation, Inc.
Grundman Insurance
Houghton State Bank
Iowa Area Development Group
Iowa State Savings Bank
Iowa State Savings Bank - Creston
Iowa State Savings Bank - Lenox
Iowa Telecom

Lenox Development Corporation
Lenox Municipal Utilities
McGrath North Mullin & Kratz, PC LLO
McMahon Drug Store
Midwest Opportunities
Midwest Partnership Corporation
Mills County Board of Supervisors
Mills County Farm Bureau
Montgomery Co Development Corp
Montgomery County Farm Bureau
Montgomery County Supervisors
Oakview Construction
Okey Vernon First National Bank
P.R.I.D.E. - Cass County
Page County Farm Bureau
Page County Federal Savings Association
Panora Communications Coop
Red Oak Chamber of Commerce
Red Oak Chrysler Dodge Jeep
Red Oak Industrial Foundation
Ringgold Co Development Corp
Ringgold County Board of Supervisors
Ringgold County Development
Shelby County State Bank
Southwest Iowa Planning Council
Southwest Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative
Taylor County Farm Bureau
Union County Board of Supervisors
Van Ginkel Law Office
Wallace Foundation for Rural Research & Development

Wells Fargo Bank - Atlantic

 

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