ECIA Annual Report 2009

ECI E ECIA CIA IA

Helping People, Strengthening Communities

Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Report

This past fiscal year was defined by economy and weather. We started the fiscal year immediately following the floods. Since then staff have been engaged with our communities and the State administering State and Federal flood programs. On the heels of this natural disaster, was the official declaration that the Country was in the worst recession since the Great Depression. In response to the economic crisis, the federal government responded with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the State responded with IJOBS. Both stimulus programs and flood programs have kept staff busier than I’ve ever seen in all my years at ECIA! Staff have been responding to stimulus grant competitions, inquiries, and additional program funding at the Federal and State levels. We hope to see results of both stimulus programs and additional funding come to the region next fiscal year.

Kelley H. Deutmeyer

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Our employment and training staff was also busy with flood related funding, assisting more than 18 dislocated workers in Delaware and Dubuque Counties in flood cleanup positions.

As we look to fiscal year 2010, our staff will remain focused on providing excellent services to our members in the region and we will continue to look for new funding opportunities for our members. Thank you to our member governments, board members, and our partners for your continued support!

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Region-wide flood related funding to date administered through our community development program totaled $4 million. Staff continue to work diligently to assist households displaced by the disaster. The Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority received $289,892 in additional Capital Fund program funding for public housing related improvements. The Regional Transit Authority received $195,000 in stimulus funds for three new buses relieving some of the maintenance costs and enable RTA to use that savings for route expansions. The RTA was also very successful in its fundraising, raising nearly $50,000 in local match for the purchase of new buses. The Dubuque Metropolitan Transportation Study received $2,900,00 in ARRA funds, with the Board earmarking all the funds for the SW Arterial project.

The Region 8 Regional Planning Affiliation received $4,291,730 in ARRA funds and funded 11 regional projects. Business Growth was awarded $500,000 in a revolving loan through EDA disaster funds to recapitalize its loan program. Business Growth also assisted nine businesses through the Business Jumpstart Flood program. $240,375 in forgivable loans were provided to these businesses.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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1. HUD - 31.7% 2. DOL - 12.1% 3. DOT - 10.2% 4. Special Contracts - 7.5% 5. HHS - 6.5% 6. CDBG/EDSA Administration - 8.0% 7. Business Growth - 6.4% 8. Service Fees & Assessments - 5.3% 9. State Funds - 4.5% 10. USDC - 3.1% 11. Membership Fees - 2.4% 12. IA DNR - 1.1% 13. County/Local Funds - 0.5% 14. DED - 0.4% 15. DHS (FEMA) - 0.4%

Since July 1, 2003, the Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (EIRHA) has operated the Housing Choice Voucher Home Ownership program. The plan states that EIRHA will assist 25 current voucher recipients with home ownership. To date, 16 families have been assisted with purchasing their home through the program.

Last year, EIRHA was awarded a $204,000 three-year grant to fund a Family and Homeownership Program. The program is designed to help families currently on the rental program to gain the skills they need to become self-sufficient with the ultimate goal of homeownership. To date, 17 families have been enrolled into the program, two families repaired their credit history, and one family purchased a home.

A new and exciting project was developed this year to teach residents about gardening and home grown foods. Community gardens were planted and maintained by staff and residents at Asbury and Evergreen Meadows during the fiscal year. Throughout the growing season, staff discussed the importance of watering and weeding the gardens, and healthy eating with residents and their children and keeping track of the progress of the produce.

When my husband and I met, we were both living with our parents, working, he was going to school full time, and expecting our first child. With both of us only working part time we knew we would need some extra help getting out on our own. We applied and were accepted for housing through ECIA. It was only after we moved to Evergreen Meadows in Peosta, we were finally on the road to growing up, being responsible for ourselves and figuring things out. The housing program kept us from being in the constant circle that many people are in by paying out more money in bills than you make in a month. With help from the housing program we were able to maintain paying all of our bills on time and in return that helped maintain our credit scores.

During our year on the housing program we got married, had a baby, and my husband continued college. Our next step is buying our first home. We feel we wouldn’t have been able to get to this step if it wasn’t for all the help and support we had received.

- FSS Program Participant

EASTERN IOWA REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY

This was an exciting year for Prosperity Eastern Iowa. Our career exploration website, AccessMyFuture.com, went live in May 2009 and has had over 340 unique visitors from across the country. AccessmyFuture.com is an online resource, targeted toward 14-25 year olds, providing information about careers, educational opportunities and fun things to do in Eastern Iowa.

The site includes an interactive career exploration experience as well as a “build your mode to the future� game.

The Buyer Supplier Program received a makeover and has seen a 60% increase in signups in the past year bringing the total number of companies registered to 110. In the coming year, Prosperity will complete an analysis of the program to include estimates of purchasing shifted into the region.

A newly funded initiative, the Petal Project, will assist businesses participating in the Buyer Supplier program to adopt environmental practices that are sustainable as well as profitable. Prosperity staff have developed green business certification criteria, will provide technical assistance to participating businesses, and publicly recognize and promote green businesses with a Petal Project logo that enables customers to shop in keeping with their values.

PROSPERITY EASTERN IOWA

Senior citizens, persons with disabilities and low income individuals and families all rely on the RTA for access to essential services within their communities and beyond. And while funding support for public transportation has struggled, the RTA has responded to growing demands for service through efficiency and innovation.

Inadequate Medicare reimbursements for dialysis treatment have forced several satellite dialysis units to close in the RTA service area and neighboring counties. In conjunction with the remaining dialysis treatment services, the RTA has redesigned routes to accommodate the unique and sensitive needs of dialysis patients. The RTA has also worked closely with nursing staff who schedule treatment to maximize the efficiency of routes that require transportation to the dialysis unit three times per week. A Saturday route has been implemented to expand the options for patients and dialysis providers as well. The aging population in Delaware, Dubuque and Jackson counties has also increased demands on access to medical services within and between all three counties. By creating fixed intercity and inter-county routes at rates subsidized by Scenic Valley Area Agency on Aging, the RTA continues to grow and expand service to seniors for medical appointments, meal sites and other essential services. Fundraising efforts continue to provide additional non-traditional subsidy to low income individuals and families who do not meet eligibility requirements of current funding sources.

The creation of a Mobility Coordinator position through a state grant will extend outreach and educational services within the communities and to human service organizations. Through persistence and patience, the RTA continues to grow within the communities we service to meet the ever changing needs of residents in Delaware, Dubuque and Jackson Counties.

REGION 8 REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY

Theo C. Egging founded the Egging Company in 1957 on his farm in Western Nebraska.

Later, he was joined by his wife Mary and his brother John. Growing steadily, the company pioneered the development and manufacture of a controlled environment cab for farm and construction tractors. In 1991, the company began moving away from custom tractor modification and assembly, towards custom manufacturing of standard tractor components with a steadier demand. These products utilize all of the heavy fabrication processes developed through the 1980s: cutting, forming, welding, machining and painting with some assembly. The company then expanded into the fabrication of components for the heavy construction industry.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, several of Theo and Mary’s sons joined the business and leadership of the company passed to the second generation: Lou Egging became President, with Donald and Ted Jr. holding other offices. In 1998, the Company expanded its operations by opening a new manufacturing facility in eastern Iowa; North of 1-80 in Clinton. Lou Egging moved his family to the area to oversee the operation of the new production facility. Over the years, Business Growth worked with the Egging Company to approve two SBA 504 loans for the construction of a 40,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility and equipment, assisted in obtaining State funding which resulted in 80 new jobs in Clinton, and provided an additional EDA-RLF loan for additional equipment. Recently the Board of Directors approved a third SBA 504 loan for $491,000 which the company used to finance the construction of a 10,000 sq. ft. addition and a second machining center.

Also this past fiscal year, Business Growth was awarded $500,000 in a revolving loan through EDA disaster funds to recapitalize its loan program. Business Growth also assisted nine businesses through the Business Jumpstart Flood program. $240,375 in forgivable loans were provided to these businesses. During the fiscal year, the Business Growth Board approved nine loans totaling $2,653,000, resulting in 45 new or retained jobs.

ECIA BUSINESS GROWTH INC

Region 1 used a significant part of their Youth funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to implement a Summer Youth Program. The total amount of ARRA funds received for the region were $802,682 Youth ages 16 through 24 were placed at public and private non-profit agencies for up to 40 hours per week. All wages, FICA, and workers compensation insurance was paid through WIA. Work sites provided work activities and adequate supervision for the youth. One Manchester youth worked as a receptionist/office assistant at the Manchester Operation: New View office this summer through the WIA Summer Youth program. She was given an opportunity to develop new skills and to build on the office skills she already possessed. The Operation: New View supervisor stated, “Operation: New View staff in Manchester had a wonderful experience with our summer youth worker. She was great to work with and open to learning new things. She had 100% attendance for the summer.” Because Operation: New View is a community action agency, many of the customers who apply for services are in need of some type of financial assistance.

Our youth worker further developed her customer service skills when answering the phone and directing customers to the appropriate programs. “I am glad to have an opportunity to join the (Summer Youth) program. I learned so much and the money helped me toward raising my 15-month old son and schooling. She currently attends Northeast Iowa Community College.

Region 1 was affected significantly by the 2008 floods in Iowa. All eight counties were declared a presidential disaster for public assistance. As part of a coordinated effort to repair flood damage and employ dislocated workers, Region 1 is participating in a state-wide National Emergency Grant for Emergency Public Jobs. To date 42 dislocated workers and long term unemployed individuals have been hired to assist in flood cleanup efforts at a variety of sites including: county parks; hiking trails; libraries; and; public campgrounds. This program has been tremendously successful, locally, contributing greatly to the flood restoration efforts, and providing employment and new skills to residents in need of work.

REGION 1 EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING

Where to begin to clean up from a flood to your home or business is overwhelming and emotional. The devastating floods that hit Iowa in 2008 came on the heels of a brutal winter that saw record snow falls in the ECIA region. In response to the disastrous floods of 2008, the ECIA Community Development department took the lead in the recovery efforts in eastern Iowa through special federal appropriations. The ECIA region experienced damages ranging from homes being washed away in Cedar County to major and minor damages to individual homes throughout the region.

During the last fiscal year, through the Jumpstart Iowa Recovery Initiative, Community Development staff assisted 16 property owners in Cedar, Delaware, Dubuque and Jackson counties with recovery efforts. A total of 66 households have applied for assistance. Many of these property owners have never been through an experience like this and during fiscal year 2009, Community Development staff has spent countless hours assisting them through the process.

In other fiscal year activities, through CDBG public works administration, and the Eastern Iowa Rural Utility Service Systems, seven communities are either replacing or upgrading main water or sewer systems. One of those communities, Greeley, is connected to the Central Iowa Water Association System (CIWA). CIWA owns the system and water to Greeley originates near Waverly. The system also serves Dundee, rural Delaware County and communities west of Delaware County along the route. Through the IDED Housing Fund, six individuals in DeWitt, Clinton, Manchester and Maquoketa received home rehabilitation or home ownership assistance.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The Safe Routes to School program in the DMATS and RPA 8 planning areas is taking steps to increase the number of children walking and biking to school by leading a planning process for the development of safe routes to school. Public and private elementary, middle and high schools in the cities of Clinton and Dubuque were studied in FY 2009 and a Safe Routes to School Steering Committee in each community comprised of school district staff, interested parents/PTA, community residents, police, city engineering, city planning, teachers, bike/pedestrian groups and others was formed.

The next step was to survey parents and students to gather data about the routes children are currently taking to school as well as impediments to walking or biking. Of the 13,447 surveys that were distributed, 9,191 were returned and compiled. Once this information was input and analyzed, school administrators, local police, city officials, and members of neighborhood associations (where available) were asked to weigh in on problems facing individual schools. These meetings were essential to the development of a list of improvements for the routes most traveled by students on their way to and from school. Future plans will be to implement the recommendations and build public awareness and educate students on pedestrian/bicycle laws, rules and safety tips with the help of Safe Routes to School Steering Committee.

Other fiscal year activities for the Transportation and Planning Department include assisting a local citizen group with returning Amtrak rail service to the region, hosting the second annual TriState Alliance Summit in Dubuque. Overall Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (DMATS) & Regional Planning Affiliation 8 (RPA 8) received a total of $7,191,730 combined through Transportation ARRA Stimulus funds. The funds should be obligated no later than January 2010. One major project DMATS funded was the SW Arterial.

TRANSPORTATION AND PLANNING

In recent years there has been an attitudinal shift toward a more environmentally conscious society but despite that, many new people and companies are still uncertain as to what they can do and if anything they do actually has a significant impact. This past fiscal year, ECIA as an agency took a proactive approach and has adopted a sustainability plan that includes becoming more eco-friendly to the environment. We have reusable plates, flatware, glasses and cups for staff to use as well as reusable water bottles. Recyclable products are used for all board meetings and visitors to our office. We also have a small compost bin for food waste. We implemented an internet program called skype with our ECIA Council members in Cedar County so they can join us by video conference for council meetings rather than drive 90 minutes each way to Dubuque. ECIA is also emailing many of the board meeting packets for various meetings and is cutting down on copying and printing through using electronic formats and double sided copying. And, as the lease expires on our existing fleet of agency vehicles, we plan to replace them with more fuel efficient, hybrid vehicles.

We hope to do the same for the RTA’s fleet of buses, to replace them with hybrid buses. A staff sustainability committee will be assembled and meet regularly to research and discuss other sustainability efforts to implement in the future.

It will be this committee’s role to promote sustainable practices that will make a difference in the environment for the agency as a whole.

AGENCY SUSTAINABILITY

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPPORT Kelley H. Deutmeyer, Executive Director Lisa Weinhold, Director of Finance and Human Resources Marla Quinn, Grants and Development Coordinator Sharon Nesteby, Executive Assistant Gail Kuhle, Supportive Services Manager Stacey Carpenter, Administrative Assistant Christine Mergen, Finance Assistant Denise Hefel, Finance Assistant Bob Krayer, Special Projects

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TRANSPORTATION AND PLANNING Mark Schneider, Director of Community Development and Public Works Larry M. Nagle, Manager of Government Relations Nicole Turpin, Regional Planning Coordinator Tim Crabb, Housing Rehab Specialist/Building Code Inspector Darwin Polk, Grants & Public Works/Project Manager Ryan Walter, Project Manager Jennifer Walker, Project Manager Chandra Ravada, Transportation Director Jake Ironside, GIS Specialist/IT Coordinator

HOUSING SERVICES Michelle Schnier, Director of Housing & Support Services Jenny Schrobilgen, Housing Coordinator Carl Reimer, Homeownership/Housing Development Specialist Maria Elgin, Housing Manager Lori Joester, Housing Manager Debbie Maier, Housing Manager Holly Specht, Housing Manager Mindy Meyers, Family Support Coordinator/Site Manager Mindy Wiley, Family Support Coordinator/Site Manager Jim Loney, Maintenance Manager Tom Simpson, Maintenance Manager Leonard O’Connell, Maintenance Manager

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Jerome Schroeder, Economic Development Director Candace Eudaley, Regional Economic Development and Sustainability Coordinator Matt Specht, Business Development Coordinator

TRANSIT Mark Munson, Director of Transit Stacie Scott, Dispatcher/Scheduler Gary Wagner, Dispatcher/Scheduler Bridgett Bartlett, Mobility Coordinator

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING Dave Leary, Regional Area Coordinator/ Director of Employment and Training Ron Axtell, Assistant Director of Employment and Training Lori McKinley, Promise Jobs Supervisor Michelle Huseman, Employment and Training Specialist Susann Voelker, Employment and Training Specialist Kathy Baker, Employment and Training Specialist JoAnne Kipper, Employment and Training Specialist Ami Johnson, Administrative/Financial Assistant

2009-2010

Merrill Smock, Chair, Dubuque County Rodger Holm, Vice Chair, Clinton County Doug Boldt, Cedar County Donna Boss, Delaware County Roy Buol (Exec.), Dubuque County Judy Carr (Alternate), Jackson County Bob Cummins, Cedar County Wayne Deerberg, Cedar County Steven Flynn (Alternate), Jackson County Linda Gaul, Delaware County David Gaylor, Dubuque County Dave Heiar (Alternate), Dubuque County Mike Hein (Alternate), Cedar County Shirley Helmrichs, Delaware County Shirley Kepford, Cedar County Paul Konrardy, Jackson County Larry “Buck” Koos, Jackson County Milt Kramer, Delaware County Steve Lindner (Alternate), Clinton County Jeff Madlom, Delaware County Neil Morehead, Jackson County Eric Newton, Cedar County Mike Reynolds, Clinton County Donna L. Smith, Dubuque County John Staszewski, Clinton County Ray Stephan, Dubuque County Roger Stewart, Jackson County Linda Sturtz-Pickup, Jackson County Donna Sweeney, Dubuque County Donald J. Thiltgen, Clinton County Michael Van Milligen, Dubuque County Jim Vermazen (Exec.), Delaware County Timothy Vick (Alternate), Delaware County Angela Vosler, Clinton County Brian Wagner, Jackson County Dennis Weih (Alternate), Cedar County