Members of the Iowa Lakes Corridor economic development team shared a bold vision for regional growth during Monday evening’s Storm Lake City Council meeting, spotlighting housing, workforce, and business expansion.
Affordable housing is front and center in the Corridor’s strategy to attract talent. Corridor President and CEO Kurt Strouth praised the city’s partnership with Kading Properties on a 76-unit townhome development:
The Corridor’s new Homegrown Talent Initiative is already making waves, says Strouth. Two $6,000 scholarships were awarded to young professionals returning to northwest Iowa, including BVU grad Taylor Kragor, a Peterson native who now resides in Lakeside and works at Farm Credit Services of America in Storm Lake.
A summer golf tournament raised $12,000 for future scholarships, with next year’s event planned at Buena Vista University Golf Course at Lake Creek.
The Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute saw its largest class since before COVID, and for the first time, students toured Storm Lake businesses, says Corridor Coordinator of Administration and Communication Alyssa Petersen.
Council member Meg McKeon urged the inclusion of Iowa Central Community College in future sessions:
Business expansion is on the rise, with numerous surveyed companies planning to grow in the next five years, says Corridor Business Retention & Workforce Partnership Coordinator Joanne Follon.
Still, the region, which includes Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, and Emmet counties, faces a talent crunch. A recent study found 383 open positions across the four counties, says Follon.
To support hiring, the Corridor launched a Wage and Benefits Survey and is preparing a Regional Laborshed Study, says Follon.
Council person Maggie Martinez raised concerns about weather-related setbacks for mid-size employers in the region. Strouth acknowledged the strain:
