CEDS 2018 Draft Report

tableofcontents executivesummary.................................................................................................................... 1 adjustmentstoecia’scomprehensiveeconomic developmentstrategy ................................... 2 Report on Changing Economic Conditions and Adjustments ................................................. 2 evaluationofprogress .......................................................................................................... 15 CEDS Goals and Measurable Benchmarks ..................................................................... 15 ECIA 2018 Annual Scope of Work and Measurable Progress ................................... 17 Disaster and Economic Recovery and Resiliency Measurable Progress ..................... 37 ECIA STRATEGY COMMITTEE AND PLANNING ROSTER ............................................. 42 FY 2019 SCOPE OF WORK – January 2019 to December 2020 ............................ 44 evaluationofprogress ........................................................................................................... 49 APPENDIX .............................................................................................................................. 49

executivesummary Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy 2018 Annual Report The completion of the 2018 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Annual Performance Report is intended to provide an update of East Central Intergovernmental Association’s 2015 through 2019 Five-Year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). The CEDS for the ECIA five-county region has been updated for the next five years, beginning January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2019 (2015-2019). The CEDS is being utilized in the region as a playbook for engaging in a collaborative region-wide effort to raise productivity, create wealth and increase prosperity for our citizens. The CEDS is used to monitor and evaluate our long-term economic goals and strategies and to coordinate the economic development activities in the region. It is the intent of the CEDS document and the process to be used as a tool for not only developing goals and strategies that guide the economic growth of the region but to track and benchmark our progress. ECIA’s full five-year CEDS can be found at http://www.ecia.org/publications/ index.cfm.

The purpose of this CEDS annual report is to outline the work and achievements that have been completed over the past twelve months toward accomplishing the goals and objectives outlined in the CEDS. This report also outlines any updates and changes in the goals and objectives and any revisions to the action plan. The 2018 Annual Performance Report covers the period from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018 and reflects work that has been done in regard to the Scope of Work for the current grant year. The following report describes the economic conditions in the region for Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson, Cedar, and Clinton Counties as well as outlines significant events and issues that have occurred over the past twelve months to shape and direct ECIA’s regional economic development planning program.

Overall, 2018 was full of economic activity in the region. This past year saw major expansion announcements from local manufactures such as Hirschbach Trucking, Mi-T-M, Modernfold, and Medline all in Dubuque, and ADM in Clinton. Entrepreneurialism saw a growth both in Iowa and the region this past year with the Small Business Development Center in Dubuque seeing a 50% increase in clients entering the center. The lay off and Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act Notices were few and far between in 2018. The region saw 5 total notices with under 200 total employees impacted regionally.

The CEDS goals and objectives, descriptions of ECIA’s progress toward the CEDS goals, and an updated list of vital projects to achieve the goals appear in this annual report. Input was received from the CEDS Strategy Committee and the ECIA Board of Directors as well as from the public. The CEDS strategy committee periodically meets to review the CEDS goals and the progress toward meeting the goals. Input to develop this annual report was received from local community leaders, economic developers, schools, and private business.

The CEDS Committee, with input from local representation, adopted the five-year CEDS in December of 2014 and at that time, created S.M.A.R.T. Goals: Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timebased. In addition to the S.M.A.R.T. Goals, specific tasks have been identified; performance measures developed; a schedule implemented; and evaluation indicators created for the region. The Strategy for Implementation has been adjusted to indicate projects that have a regional impact, whether directly or indirectly, in that they can be a model for other parts of the region. The jobs lost and gained in calendar year 2018 for the region have also been listed.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

adjustmentstoecia’scomprehensiveeconomic developmentstrategy Report on Changing Economic Conditions and Adjustments Business and Industry

A Dubuque based trucking firm has been rapidly expanding its workforce and added 50 employees to the Dubuque operation in the first five months of 2018 and added an additional 75 to close out 2018. Overall, they added 700 people nation-wide. Mi-T-M, a manufacturer in Peosta, has over 1,000,000 square feet of operations over multiple buildings and has increased its workforce by more than 50 employees in 2018. Medline Industries, Inc., also located in Dubuque, announced it is investing $20 million in a new Dubuque facility and will be adding 100 new jobs in 2018 and 2019. In Clinton ADM announced in February, 2018 a $196,000,000 expansion to modernize their facility. Their project is retaining 42 jobs. They employ over 700 people in Clinton. A Dyersville manufacturer, Modernfold, announced a 29,000 sq ft expansion of their facility and currently employ more than 200 people in production, logistics, and engineering jobs. With this expansion, their facility will grow to more than 200,000 sq ft. On a smaller scale, a local t-shirt printing business is expanding in Dubuque into a 36,000 sq. ft. facility and has added 10 new jobs. There were a few companies that downsized this past year including: Black Cat Wear Parts in DeWitt. They laid off 10 of its 17 employees and scaled back 80% of its productivity and capacity. Black Cat produced steel blades.

Due to the steel tariffs imposed in 2018, they have chosen to move its production rather than pay the increased costs. Another loss is the continued reduced workforce at IBM in Dubuque. As of January 1, 2018, they employed 405 workers in Dubuque and that was a 19% drop since February 2017. The 405-employee count is a 69% decline from its high of 1,302 employees in 2011. Dyersville saw a layoff of 20 employees from New-World Foods in July, 2018. The company employees 50 people.

Mercy Medical Center in Clinton reduced its employees by 50 in July, 2018 and Eurest Services in Dubuque has laid off 25 employees. Finally, on the retail aspect, Family Dollar Store opened in Bellevue this year and a long-time anchor store, Younkers Department Stores filed bankruptcy and closed throughout the Midwest leaving 90 people unemployed from their Dubuque store.

Entrepreneurialism has seen greater interest this year. In Iowa during fiscal year 2018, the State saw 23,649 new businesses created. That represents a 9% increase from the previous year.

Prior to 2016, the 20,000 mark had never been reached. Locally in the Dubuque market, the Small Business Development Center had 482 clients in fiscal year 2018, which is up 50% from the same timeframe last year. The SBDC believes the increased growth is due to the strong economy and the network of resources that have been developed to provide support for the new business owners.

The ECIA region has seen an increased interest in Business Incubators this year. Incubators are not just a place to be for a business but they are a place to grow. The incubators provide co-working facilities with common amenities and resources while offering space and infrastructure they require to start up or expand. Bellevue in Jackson County has an old vacant button factory building that has been purchased by a private developer that is using state, federal and local funding to develop a business incubator. Two other communities, Clinton and Maquoketa are discussing similar concepts in their communities. The Clinton Downtown Alliance purchased a CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

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vacant building tucked deep into Clinton’s downtown with the intent to renovate it and use it as a shared co-working space for entrepreneurs.

The City of Clinton, the second largest City in the ECIA region and considered one of Iowa’s 17 micropolitan areas, has continued to advocate and focus on the reuse and redevelopment of the Ashford University complex that was vacated back in 2015. City and County leaders have continued to meet and discuss plans for reuse with Clinton Community College and the three school districts in the area. The current owners have partnered with Pangaea International Academy to offer educational opportunities for the Asian population and attracting tuition paying Chinese students to financially support the school and also offer educational opportunities for Iowa students at a low-cost fee. For the fall of 2018, 15 high school teens from China are enrolled and living on the Ashford University Campus with the goal of hosting 300 total in future years. The students attend classes at the Clinton Hight School. The Ashford campus has been renamed the New Six Arts International Education Park.

Greater Dubuque Development Corporation completed 344 company visits form July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. 38% of the companies interviewed have plans to expand in the upcoming year.

59% of the companies indicated their biggest barrier to growth is workforce challenges. 63% of the companies interviewed indicated they are experiencing recruitment challenges. The top skills gap identified by the 344 employers was work ethic with 55% of the employers and 50% indicated communications skills being a barrier.

Workforce and Employment

Rural Iowa including our ECIA five county region, has a worker shortage, with low unemployment and high labor force participation. Our region is also experiencing a decline in population in three of the five counties between 2010 and 2016 with Dubuque County seeing the only increase of 3.6%. Areas where we are seeing growth are along the U.S. Highway 20 corridor just outside of Dubuque. Asbury’s population has grown 27.2% from 2010 to 2017 with a total population of 5586. A key to their growth has been the City embracing its identify as a bedroom community and offering excellent parks and retail opportunities. Peosta had the 15th highest growth rate in the State of Iowa with a population increase of 22% from 2010 to 2017 with an estimated population of 1,699. Other communities along the Highway 20 corridor that saw growth were Epworth at 4.5%, Farley at 9.2% and Dyersville at 4%. A concern for area employers is our region continues to lose people under the age of 55 but a gain in near retirement ages of 55-64.

While the working age population age 15 to 69 is projected to remain relatively flat nationally (-.6%), greater declines are projected in Iowa at (-2.3%) and in the Dubuque Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) (1.8%), with greatest decline projected for the region at (-4.5%).

Employment in the Dubuque MSA is projected to grow 12.2% at a rate slightly higher than the projections for the region of 10.7%, State of Iowa 11.0% and the Nation of 10.1%. (Data from DubuqueWorks Strategic Plan 2017-2022). The chart below illustrates the working age population in our region versus the jobs available and the labor force from 2017 to 2027. The working age population continues to decline with the jobs and the labor force colliding in 2027.

Virtually the ECIA region will not have enough labor force to fill the available jobs.

Unemployment rates have remained consistently lower than the state and national average throughout 2018 and have decreases since 2017. The charts on the following page illustrates the unemployment rate changes from May, 2017 to May 2018. (source LSA Legislative Agency).

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

A main barrier to employment emphasized in resarch conducted by MIT for the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (CFGD), is the lack of and the affordability of childcare in the region. A summit over over 100 employers and child care providers was held in the region in October 2018. In a survey conducated in 2016, the CFGD and the United Way discovered that nearly 50% of the respondents reported turning down a job or are working fewer hours due to child care responsibilities. The MIT researchers found that some cities in northeast Iowa, such as Bellevue and Dyersville, have low poverty rates but lack child care options. Other communities, such as Cascade, Dubuque and Maquoketa, experience higher poverty rates, but there is greater access to child care. In the former cities, the researchers recommended that people create professional employee organizations for child care providers. “(It) would be a network that would assist in-home providers with a menu of services, like a substitute pool to allow provider staff time off, training, consultation (and) connecting with peers,� Neises said.

To improve access to child care in the high-poverty cities, the researchers recommended that stakeholders take steps to ensure it is affordable. The average registered home child care provider in Dubuque County charges $ 151.69 per week, while licensed centers charge $187.93, according to Iowa Child Care Resource & Referral.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

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Employers could assist by offering child care financial assistance plans or even providing on-site child care, the researchers suggested. People also can lobby for the expansion of state child care assistance.

In Iowa, single parents lose subsidies if their household income exceeds 145 percent of the federal poverty rate, a fact that disincentivizes low wage-earners from seeking raises or more highly paid employment. Often the pay increase does not offset the loss in benefits, which totals nearly $4,900 annually for a single parent. The phenomenon is known as the “cliff effect.�

The United Way published their annual ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households report illustrating the need for affordable housing in the region. The report shows a rising number of residents in our region that are employed buy unable to meet the basic needs such as food and housing. A growing number of residents in the region are working but still struggle to afford the basic cost of living. The report published in July of 2018 states that 22% of Dubuque County households’ incomes are above the federal poverty line but are not enough to meet the basic needs such as housing, food and child care. Child Care has become a critical issue for working households in the region.

According to the ALICE report, the price for child care has jumped in our region from an average of $778/month in 2014 to $1086/month in 2016.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

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Agriculture

Iowa State University Land Value Survey shows 2.0% increase statewide since 2016. After having fallen in each of the three previous years, the average value of an acre of farmland in Iowa saw an increase in 2017. The average statewide value of an acre of farmland is now estimated to be $7,326. This represents an increase of 2%, or $143 per acre, from the 2016 estimate. The ECIA region, Dubuque County saw the largest increase in value with $335 per acre.

The most common positive factors influencing land prices were favorable interest rates, strong crop yields, limited land supply, strong demand, and the availability of cash and credit.

A report published by Iowa State University Extension in January, 2018, “Rural Iowa at a Glance, 2017 Edition”, summarizes the economic impacts various sectors in State of Iowa. Farm income was one sector published in the report that has a profound impact on Iowa as a whole. The report indicated a startling number that from 2006 to 2016, farm income dropped 46.6% in rural Iowa and 47.5% in micropolitan Iowa. The U.S. average was a net decrease of 35.1%.

Charts from: Iowa State University Extension in January, 2018, “Rural Iowa at a Glance, 2017 Edition”.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Freight Study

ECIA has partnered with Blackhawk Hills Regional Council, the Economic Development Administration, the Iowa Department of Transportation (IADOT), the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Dubuque Metropolitan Transportation Study (DMATS) and the Region 8 Regional Planning Affiliation (RPA) to conduct and eight county freight study for the ECIA region and four counites in Illinois. The study began in early 2017 and will be completed in the summer of 2018. The objective of the eight-county freight study is to develop a better understanding of the multimodal freight system in the region and to use that information to better inform policy and programming decisions. The efficiency of the transportation system affects the competitiveness and growth potential of the Region. In order to enable the competitiveness of existing, as well as attract new business, the Region must understand how the freight transportation system is linked to the local economy, identify needs on the transportation system and define opportunities to improve freight transportation in local planning and policy decisions.

Key Industries and their outputs have been identified for the region including the commodities that flow in and out of the region. Terms of specific commodities, bulk cereal grains (such as corn) are the number one commodity by tonnage (18 percent), and machinery is the number one commodity by value (eight percent). The figure below provides a visual of the top ten commodities by tonnage and value. As a result of these local industries, in 2014, the Region’s freight system carried 67.3 million tons of freight worth $50.4 billion. The most commonly used mode, truck, carried 73% of the region’s freight by tonnage, and 82% of its freight by value. While trucks carry the majority of the freight in the Eight County Region in terms of both value and tonnage, the Region also has extensive rail lines and major barge facilities. Rail carried the second largest tonnage (23 percent), and multiple-mode shipments (such as truck to barge or truck to rail, or containerized shipments), carried the second largest share of value (10 percent). In terms of specific commodities, bulk cereal grains (such as corn) are the number one commodity by tonnage (18 percent), and machinery is the number one commodity by value (eight percent). The figure below provides a visual of the top ten commodities by tonnage and value.

Freight-related industries are industries that rely heavily on the shipment of physical goods to support their operations. These industries include natural resources (agriculture and mineral extraction), manufacturing, retail, construction, transportation, and warehousing. Many of these industries, particularly, natural resources, agriculture, and transportation are often locationCEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

dependent (agricultural fields, mines, railroads, and rivers cannot be moved like factories), and thus they are reliant on the performance of the freight system to remain competitive. Freightrelated industries as a whole are especially relevant to the Region because they employ about 77,600 people, or almost 50 percent of the Region’s workforce.

Based on quantitative analysis and stakeholder consultations, a slate of strategic opportunities were identified for the Eight—County Region. These strategies were grouped in categories, 1.) projects, 2.) programs, 3.) policies, and 4.) partnerships.

Figure 3-8: Strategic Opportunities for the Eight-County Region

Projects

Programs

•

•

• • • •

Spot highway improvements to address congestion and safety Pavement improvements Bridge improvements New/improved intermodal, transload and/or port facilities Lock and dam improvements

• • •

Freight planning program to monitor needs, issues and progress Programs focused on highway and railway safety (including grade separations) Programs focused on technology applications to the (freight) transportation system Programs focused on enhancing skills of local workforce

Policies

Partnerships

•

•

•

Truck regulation harmonization between Iowa and Illinois Freight-appropriate design standards

Establish key partnerships to better understand freight system needs and work toward advancing strategies to improve the Eight-County Regional freight system and its connections

The Eight-County Freight Study recommended that ten (10) strategic actions be taken as result of the thorough quantitative and qualitative analysis conducted. These recommendations support and advance the Vision established for the freight system, and directly address the freight system needs, issues and challenges identified during Study development. These recommendations have been grouped within the categories of projects, programs, policies and partnerships.

•

Projects. Projects represent infrastructure-related recommendations.

Recommendation 1: Advance roadway projects that provide benefits to freight users.

Recommendation 2: Advocate for multimodal improvements to the Eight-County freight transportation system.

Recommendation 3: Advocate for adequate funding and investment to maintain and

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

improve the freight transportation system.

•

Programs. Programs represent recommendations where infrastructure projects have not been identified, but where a thoughtful, methodical approach should be considered in making investments.

Recommendation 4: Formalize a freight planning program as part of activities to identify and address freight system needs, and to ensure freight system stakeholders are an ongoing and integral part of regional transportation planning processes.

Recommendation 5: Ensure that highway and railway safety is considered as part of all freight planning activities.

Recommendation 6: Establish and incorporate freight guidelines to ensure infrastructure improvements consider all users of the transportation system

•

Policies. Policies support both project and program recommendations, as often the full benefits of those may not be achieved absent a guidance to ensure all parts of the system work together. This is particularly important in this bi-state Region that has policies established by multiple parties, and in some cases these policies are not harmonized.

Recommendation 7: Harmonize overall trucking regulations between Iowa and Illinois for seamless freight operations between the states.

Recommendation 8: Harmonize truck weight limits between Iowa and Illinois.

•

Partnerships. Stakeholders often find infrastructure-related recommendations to be the most tangible, however likely the most important category of recommendations is “partnerships.”

As much of the multimodal freight transportation system is not within the public (or ECIA’s or BHRC’s) domain, partnerships and collaboration will be critical to advancing any efforts off the highway system, or where the highway system intersects with other modes and developments. And, in most cases, even projects on the highway system require partnership due to the multiple jurisdictions that have interest, ownership or operations roles in a given project.

Recommendation 9: Coordinate with local public sector and industry partners to advocate for and improve the transportation system in the Eight-County Region Recommendation 10: Support workforce development programs to ensure local businesses have access to skilled employees.

Housing

The lack of housing inventory is beginning to catch up with the region’s housing market. The East Central Iowa Association of Realtors reported 144 homes sold in the month of July, 2018, which is down 7% from July, 2017. These sales are for homes in Dubuque, Delaware and Jackson Counties in our region.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

According to the Realtors Association, there are a lot of buyers out there but not enough properties particularly in the most in-demand price range of $100,000 to $220,000.

Additionally, construction costs have gone up so it is becoming increasingly difficult to build a home. The National Association of Home Builders indicates that inputs used for Residential construction have grown by 6% since the end of 2017.

In January, 2018, the year started with median home sale prices increasing by 4.2%. The median sale price in January, 2018 was $150,000 with the 2017 median sale price at $144,000.

evaluationofprogress CEDS Goals and Measurable Benchmarks The S.M.A.R.T. goals for the region were adopted with the ECIA 2015-2019 CEDS. Progress toward these goals is highlighted in the attached appendix based on the performance and benchmarks outlined in the five-year CEDS. The CEDS Strategy Committee and the ECIA Council reviewed the goals and did not adopt any changes for 2018. The document was made available for public comment in late November and December 2018. Please see the Appendix for an illustration of the progress toward achieving the goals below through 2018.

1.

Skilled Workers: Improve the quantity and quality of the region’s workforce to address employer demands Advanced Manufacturing; Healthcare; and Professional, Scientific, Technical Services by expanding the number of participants in regional training programs by 10% and increasing the number of trained skilled employees in these sectors by 10% by January 2020.

2.

Transportation Infrastructure: Improve highway and bridge transportation infrastructure funding to attract, retain, and expand business in the region by increasing the State and Federal funding to the region by 10% by January 2020.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

3.

Housing: Increase the number of workforce rental and single family housing units in the region by 2% to accommodate the industry demands by January, 2020.

4.

Community Development: Enhance community and public facility infrastructure and increase access to community services and amenities to meet the demands of regional employers and their employees by increasing the number of public and private funds to the region by 5% for January 2020.

5.

Business Development: Remain economically competitive by retaining businesses, encouraging expansion, and attracting new industry in the region by increasing SBA and RLF loan activity by 10%; increasing annual business retention calls to regional employers by 5%; increasing the total regional laborforce by .5%; increasing commercial construction by 10%, and increasing entrepreneurial start-ups by 5% total by January 2020.

Note: The base data was collected for January 1, 2015 using the most recent data available through Stats America, Census, Assessors office and internal data. Annually data will be collected as a benchmark for progress as part of the CEDS Annual Reporting requirements to track regional progress. Data can be found in the back of this document in the Appendix.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

evaluationofprogress(continued) ECIA 2018 Annual Scope of Work and Measurable Progress

On the following pages is the 2018 Scope of Work that was submitted with the 2017 CEDS Annual Report. The report on the following pages outlines the scope of work progress.

A. LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP MEETINGS: ECIA staff regularly attends meetings of local governments and local economic development groups to provide information and facilitate program implementation.

1. ECIA participates and sits on the Board of the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and attends their regular board meetings at least quarterly.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

Staff attended four Greater Dubuque Development Corporation Board meetings in 2018. The ECIA Executive Director is on the Board of Directors and attended their regular board meetings. Attending the meetings maintains relationships with local businesses and with Greater Dubuque Development staff and keeps ECIA involved in economic development priorities in the Dubuque area.

Difficulties There were no difficulties encountered.

2. ECIA facilitates a county-wide economic development group in Clinton County and will participate in at least six meetings this year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

ECIA staff attended 6 meetings Clinton County Coordinating Council in partnership with State Senator Hart in 2018.

Difficulties No difficulties encountered.

3. ECIA facilitates a county-wide Mayors group in Clinton County and will participate in at least four meetings this year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

ECIA staff hosted the Clinton County Mayors group and facilitated six meetings in 2018 with the Mayors. The meetings have been in partnership with Keep Iowa Beautiful Home Town Pride program and the full-time coach. ECIA sits on their Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride steering committee and will continue to meet with the mayors and the community representatives six times per year.

Difficulties Attendance at meetings and trainings, and requests for input on agendas and opportunities is still difficult to obtain. One difficulty is getting the mayors from each community to attend the meetings regularly. Most mayors in small communities have other full-time jobs and have difficulty finding time to add another meeting in their schedule but those that have attended have found the meetings to be very beneficial. We have attempted to add a training agenda item on each CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

agenda to encourage participation.

4. ECIA staff has joined efforts with the Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride program in Clinton County and will participate in the county-wide steering committee and meet six times a year to move forward community economic development projects.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

ECIA staff participated in five Keep Iowa Beautiful meetings to assist in moving the initiative forward including hosting and teaching a grant writing training and a fundraising training for community development and economic development projects for Clinton County communities and Keep Iowa Beautiful committees.

Difficulties Attendance by community members at the Keep Iowa Beautiful meetings is not constant and is sporadic. Again, people have full-time jobs and are busy and involved in too many committees.

We have begun to incorporate training items on the agenda to encourage participation.

5. ECIA staff regularly hosts and participates in City Clerk meetings in Delaware, Dubuque and Cedar Counties. ECIA hosts one annual meeting a year of the regional city clerks.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

ECIA hosted two regional City Clerk meetings and provided training and speakers on relevant topics pertaining to city business. The group decided to return to the two times per year for this event. b.

ECIA staff attended nine Delaware County Clerk meetings in 2018, four Dubuque County Clerk meetings, and one Cedar County Clerks meeting and two Jackson County Clerks meeting and one Clinton County Clerks meeting. The meetings with the Clerks were all well attended and beneficial for everyone in attendance. The meetings serve as both networking meetings and educational sessions. Several speakers attend the regional meeting at ECIA and presented on topics such as planning and zoning resources, health insurance for small communities, derelict and nuisance properties, public records and cyber security, and water and sewer rates.

In 2018, ECIA initiated clerks’ meetings in Jackson and Clinton Counties as a way to encourage participation and to keep in touch regularly with the clerks.

Difficulties

Finding a good time of day for the Clerks meetings is difficult. Most clerks work full-time jobs and do this work on the side. We have had to move the times around from lunch to evenings to accommodate the various work schedules.

6. ECIA staff regularly attends and acts as the secretary for the Jackson County Mayors.

Meetings are held monthly in Jackson County. ECIA attends and participates in the Mayors monthly meetings in Cedar County.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA Staff attended four Jackson County Mayors meetings and provided speakers for each meeting. Staff attended and took the minutes for all of the Jackson Mayors meeting this past year. ECIA staff prepared agendas and arranged for speakers at each meeting. Speakers included small cities transportation funding, housing trust fund, business loans for small business, emergency management.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Difficulties

One difficulty is getting the mayors from each community to attend the meetings regularly. Most mayors in small communities have other full-time jobs and have difficulty finding time to add another meeting in their schedule but those that have attended have found the meetings to be very beneficial.

7. ECIA staff will continue with regular roundtable discussions within each county in 2017 on an annual basis with ED groups, Clerks, Mayors and Boards of Supervisors to discuss potential projects, needs for their county, etc.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff hosted four meetings with Cedar County communities and economic development entities to facilitate the meetings for the successful Great Places designation and to begin writing the grant application for the program. ECIA partnered with the University of Iowa Sustainable Communities program and Cedar County to update the county-wide Comprehensive plan and worked with the U of I students to develop a county-wide Great Places vision plan. b.

ECIA staff have worked closely with the City of Maquoketa and Jackson County Economic Alliance in 2018 and held several meetings with to discuss workforce housing needs and a downtown revitalization program. A $500,000 downtown CDBG grant was awarded for Maquoketa and the county donated land for a pocket neighborhood in Maquoketa.

Difficulties

With limited staff time, it is difficult to hold roundtable meetings regularly in every county. With Jackson and Cedar County moving forward on particular projects that grew from the roundtable discussions, ECIA staff are now project focused to assist in moving those initiatives forward.

8. ECIA staff will finalize a regional freight study in 2018 and will develop an implementation committee to ensure the freight study priorities continue to move forward and make progress and to secure funding for priority projects. ECIA staff expects to participate in at least four meetings this year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

The eight-county freight study concluded in May of 2018. Since the study was completed we have worked with a core group from the freight study to move forward a grant application to the IADOT and ILDOT for a port study in the Dubuque and East Dubuque ports.

This group also visited the ILDOT office in Springfield and was able to convince the ILDOT to complete a safety audit on U.S. Hwy 20 from Dubuque to Freeport. That study concluded in August of 2018.

Difficulties No difficulties were encountered.

9. ECIA holds six meetings a year with Prosperity Eastern Iowa local economic developers. ECIA provides staff for their regional economic development efforts.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff hosted six Prosperity meetings, as well as several training sessions.

b.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa in conjunction with Iowa works staff is hosting quarterly workforce meetings that addressed employment issues for Cascade businesses. This group is CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

comprised of the schools, local community colleges, ECIA, employers and the local economic development group.

Difficulties

ECIA staff did not experience any difficulties.

10. ECIA staff participates in the Start-Up Dubuque quarterly meetings with the Small Business Development Center, Greater Dubuque Development, and ECIA Business Growth to discuss entrepreneurial activity in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff participate in monthly meetings with GDDC and if available, Start-Up Dubuque staff. Entrepreneurial activity has increased with Start-Up Dubuque. Start-UP Dubuque has experienced a 50% increase in clients served in 2018 compared to the same stretch of time in 2017. The center served 482 clients this year.

Difficulties

An initial challenge for Start-Up Dubuque is identifying new start-up businesses in the area and outreaching to those businesses and getting them to come in and utilize the services. Another issue is the lack of equity capital for young businesses and the loan programs that we offer at ECIA are for larger companies not small start-up companies. Our minimum loan has to be $50,000.

11. ECIA staff participates in the Grant Wood Loop Parks to People Community and Economic Development initiative in Jackson, Dubuque and Jones Counties. This group meets at least every other month and ECIA provides staffing support for their efforts including ECIA staff acting as a community coach in Dubuque County for the Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride program for the Grant Wood Loop.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff have continued its partnership with both the Grant Wood Loop Hometown pride program partnering with Keep Iowa Beautiful. ECIA is acting as a community coach in 4 communities in Dubuque County. ECIA has also continued its partnership with the Clinton County Keep Iowa Beautiful program and has attended 4 meetings this year.

Difficulties

No difficulties were encountered.

12. ECIA staff participates in the City of Dubuque’s Project Hope meetings. The group is focused on defining poverty in the Dubuque area and finding solutions to the barriers that people experience in finding and maintaining long term employment. The group meets six times per year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

ECIA/IowaWORKS staff attended all of the scheduled Project HOPE meetings

coordinated by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque in FY18. The group continues to identify workforce issues in the community and discuss success model strategies for the recruitment, assessment, career development, education, training, and job placement of unemployed and underemployed individuals. In addition, they support several different local and state Initiatives such as Opportunity Dubuque, Re-engage Dubuque, Future Ready Iowa, Home Base Iowa, Skilled Iowa, Sector Boards/Partnerships, and Career Pathways. b.

Project HOPE has developed a Local College Access Network (LCAN) in the Dubuque CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

area which is a community-based college access alliance supported by a team of community and education leaders representing K-12, higher education, workforce, the nonprofit sector, government, business, and philanthropy. These coalitions are committed to dramatically increasing college readiness, participation, and completion rates. This group is coordinating and expanding programs, services and resources that lower barriers preventing students from pursuing postsecondary educational opportunities while focusing on Future Ready Iowa goals.

Difficulties

Low unemployment rate, high number of job openings currently available, lack of affordable quality childcare, and rising college debt for college graduates.

13. ECIA staff participates in the DubuqueWorks, Opportunity Dubuque, and the Re-Engagement Center committees. The three groups are focused on workforce solutions for the Dubuque area.

The groups meet monthly and quarterly.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA/IowaWORKS staff attended all of the scheduled Dubuque Works meetings coordinated by Greater Dubuque Development Corporation in FY18. This group continues to collaborate on a variety of programs that connect students and underrepresented populations, recruit talent, develop necessary skills, and retain a skilled workforce. b.

Dubuque Works developed a strategic plan to increase funding for critical workforce programs, increase retention of local college graduates, increase access to local public transportation, support career pathways for individuals with significant barriers, increase student exposure to high-demand and high-wage occupations, expand opportunities for high school dropouts, support integrated partnerships, and support community development ,and establish marketing strategies.

Difficulties

We continue to look for funding to keep the initiatives moving forward.

14. ECIA staff will hold trainings pertinent to local government priorities through the USDA RCDI grant funding. Trainings to local governments include topics such as Tax Abatement, Housing Finance, Economic Development Deal structuring, web site design, Community Outreach and Participation, Capital Improvement planning, Entrepreneurship, Budgeting, etc. ECIA anticipates holding 6 events in 2018.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

ECIA held 21 group trainings on various topics in 2018. b.

ECIA was also selected as a Fiscal Year 2018 Grantee for the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Program. The amount received through the grant totals $133,000 over three years. This funding will be used for ECIA to establish a Rural Prosperity Training Institute (RPTI) that provides training and technical assistance to rural government leaders and economic development organizations in the areas of improving quality of life, supporting a rural workforce and technology and innovation. This grant is in addition to ECIA’s current USDA grant that provides training and technical assistance to low income communities.

Difficulties

The largest difficulty with this service is planning around schedules of elected officials, city staff and economic developers. It’s a challenge to get individuals to commit time out of the office, even CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

though the training is of high quality, applicable to their roles and is a free service.

B. TRAINING AND CONFERENCE: Attend and participate in meetings of national, state, and local organizations affecting regional strategy policies and programs.

1. ECIA staff will continue to participate in the annual trip of the Clinton and the Dubuque communities to meet with federal officials concerning local needs. Trips are scheduled for February and May, 2018.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Clinton did not travel to Washington D.C. in 2018. ECIA staff attended the Clinton Days in Des Moines at the Capitol in February 2018 and also attended the Highway 30 Coalition meeting in May of 2018. ECIA staff attended the Dubuque Washington D.C. trip in March, 2018.

Staff attended the meetings with Federal Departments related to programming and funding.

Difficulties

It becomes more and more expensive each year to attend the Washington D.C. events. Unless there is more content than the meetings with legislative staff, we are not sure we can continue to budget for the Dubuque Washington, D.C. 2.

ECIA staff will attend the Iowa League of Cities meeting.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Two ECIA staff attended the Iowa League Meeting in September 2018. ECIA staff attended meetings on Fundamentals of TIF, Downtown Revitalization, Wastewater Infrastructure Needs, Nuisance Abatement best practices. This information is valuable to ECIA’s every day work and can be used with our member governments.

Difficulties

No difficulties were encountered.

3.

ECIA staff will attend Iowa DNR meetings in Des Moines.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

The Director of Community Development regularly attends these meetings in Des Moines and participated in two meetings in 2018.

Difficulties

No difficulties were encountered.

4.

ECIA staff will attend regional meeting hosted by the EDA.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Executive Director attended a meeting at the Iowa Council of Governments and EDA Denver and EDA Kansas City staff in October of 2018. ECIA and the City of Dubuque are hosting a REDS Summit with EDA in November of 2018 focusing on workforce issues and shortages in the region.

Difficulties

There were no difficulties encountered.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

5. ECIA staff will attend two national meetings - either NADO, NARC, NADCO or the IEDC meetings.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA’s Director of Transportation and Senior Planner attended the National Association of Regional Council’s Annual meeting in June of 2018. b.

ECIA’s Executive Director was a speaker for IEDC’s webinar on rural housing trends in August of 2018. Over 115 people participated on the webinar.

The annual conferences provide great networking opportunities and opportunities to hear national speakers and best practices in housing, community and economic development and planning. Staff are able to bring back best practices and new ideas to be implemented in the ECIA region.

Difficulties

We continue to budget for these meetings as the budgets allow and hope that we can continue to attend as budgets become tighter and tighter every year. Professional development is important to keep staff up to date on new trends and best practices and fresh with ideas that can be implemented in the region.

6.

ECIA staff will attend training related to local government finance and municipal finance.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables - LISA WILL PROVIDE INFO ECIA’s Director of Finance attends Difficulties

C. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION: Disseminate census, economic, statistical and program information by telephone, e-mail, letter, newsletter, personal contact, and training programs. Maintain a database for use in program development and implementation.

1. ECIA staff prepares six newsletters each year that is emailed out to over 800 individuals and/or entities in the region and archived on our website.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff sent out six newsletters to our member governments and mailing list.

Newsletters remained available on the ECIA website for anyone to access that visits the website.

The newsletter covers pertinent stories and examples of best practices from around the region as well as news highlights and important events. b.

ECIA staff emailed out 12 Grant Alerts in 2018 to our member governments and mailing list providing up to date information on grant programs and deadlines related to private, State and Federal grant programs.

Six newsletters and 12 grant alerts were distributed to over 800 people on the mailing list. This outreach keeps ECIA in touch with our member governments and provides information on best practices in the region and opportunities for programming and funding.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Difficulties

No difficulties were encountered.

2. ECIA staff maintains the websites for ECIA, Prosperity Eastern Iowa (PEI), the Regional Transit Authority, and the Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority/Corporation and the Eastern Iowa Regional Utility Service Systems, Buyers Supplier Connection, Petal Project, Dubuque Metropolitan Transportation Study, and Accessmyfuture.com.

Accomplishments Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA Staff are in the process of revamping the ECIA and PEI websites.

b.

ECIA Staff are in the process of redesigning the main ECIA website which will go live in January of 2019.

Difficulties

No difficulties were encountered.

3. ECIA staff responds to approximately 150-200 requests for information each year pertaining to grant applications, TIF districts, enterprise zone, city finance, business loan programs, ordinances, etc.

Accomplishments Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff from all departments regularly take calls and emails from our member governments and economic development partners and provide technical assistance related to their questions. Staff responded to over 220 inquiries in 2018 with topics varying from code enforcement, derelict buildings, nuisances, budgeting, zoning, grants, downtown redevelopment, grant writing, and transportation. From the inquiries ECIA is able to gain additional contracts for work with our communities. We have worked on numerous city codes and ordinances related to inquiries from our member governments.

Difficulties

There were no difficulties encountered.

4. ECIA staff participates in local, regional and national meetings discussing programs, projects and successes in our region related to economic and community development.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff participated in three trainings and public input events with the Federal Reserve Bank from Chicago discussing the importance of Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) investments in local projects. The third event locally we were able to discuss priority projects with local banks. b.

In July of 2018, ECIA received notice that we were successful in securing another USDA RCDI grant to offer trainings in the region to build the capacity of our member communities in the same areas as above. This is the third USDA grant awarded for trainings in the last 3 years.

c.

ECIA provided 21 USDA trainings in 2018 with over 150 attendees. Trainings included diversity and inclusion, tax increment financing, audits, personnel policies, workforce strategies, etc.

Difficulties

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

No difficulties were encountered.

D. GRANT/LOAN APPLICATIONS: Assist local governments in the preparation of grant/loan for funding of projects of local and regional concern.

1. ECIA staff regularly prepare grant applications and loan applications for CDBG projects such as water, sewer, community centers, child care centers, etc.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

CDBG – public works: The following projects were applied for and submitted on behalf of the cities: • Sabula – water and sewer system improvements –funded 2016 – Total budget $992,750 ($300K + $692,750 local) – project under construction 2018.

• St. Donatus– Wastewater System Improvement Project – Application funded in 2017 -Total budget $637,703 ($135K CDBG + $503K local) Project completed Sept.

2018/ • Lowden – wastewater plant improvements – Applied for a CDBG in October 2018 with awards to be announced in December, 2018.

• Preston – water system improvements – Total budget $410,300 ($205K +$205,300 local) – anticipate a CDBG application in spring, 2019.

• Mechanicsville – Wastewater System Improvement Project – Considering submission of application in January of 2019.

• Stanwood – Wastewater System Improvement Project – Total Budget is $2,923,000 and the City was awarded $330,000 CDBG in 2018.

• Bellevue – Water System Expansion Project – Considering submission of application in 2019 with total budget of $1,216,000.

• CLINTON – Wastewater System Improvement Project – CDBG AWARDED 2018 - CDBG $600,000; LOCAL MATCH $3,423,000 TOTAL = $4,023,000 • DELAWARE (CITY) – Water System Improvement Project – CDBG AWARDED 2018 - CDBG $159,000; LOCAL MATCH $177,425 TOTAL = $336,425

b.

CDBG – housing rehabilitation: The following projects were applied for and submitted on behalf of the cities: • DeWitt – owner-occupied rehab – target 10 houses – funded in 2015 - total budget • $405,000 ($395K + $10K local) Budget allows for one additional house (#11) to be completed, Project completed in 2018.

• Lowden - owner-occupied rehab – target 6 houses – total budget $251,000 ($245K + $6K local) – will apply for CDBG in 2019.

• Maquoketa - owner-occupied rehab – target 6 houses – funded in 2016 - total budget • $247,500 ($227K + $20K local) – In progress to be completed in 2019.

• Edgewood - owner-occupied rehab – target 6 houses – applied in 2018 –total budget • $247,500 ($247,500 + $18,000 local) not funded – to reapply in 2019.

• DeWitt – owner-occupied rehab – target 6-10 houses – applied in 2018 – not awarded and will reapply in 2019.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

• •

Clinton – owner-occupied rehab – target 6-10 houses –applied and awarded in 2018 – CDBG $251,000, local match $42,000 total $293,000.

Clinton – Pilot Project Acquisition, Gut Rehab of Deteriorated homes – target 6 houses with initial award for 2 houses – applied and awarded in 2018 – CDBG $200,000, $20,000 local match total project $220,000

c.

CDBG Community Facilities & Services: The following projects were applied for and submitted on behalf of the cities: •

• • •

Clinton County – on behalf of Skyline Center – expansion of Day Habilitation Program facility – funded in 2016 – Total budget $2,400,000 ($800,000 + $1,600,000 local provided by Skyline Center) - – Skyline Center has opted not to complete the project at this time and the grant is being returned. – Grant was returned in 2018 and project cancelled.

Clinton – on behalf of ASAC/Nee Directions – replace roof on Multi-Services Campus. Considering submission of an application in 2018 – Did project on their own without CDBG funds.

Bellevue– Considering an application in 2018 (or later) in support of a childcare center – budget TBD – explored project in 2018 and are continuing discussions.

Maquoketa Downtown Revitalization – Façade rehabilitation of 10 buildings – CDBG applied for and awarded in 2018 – CDBG $500,000, local match $500,000 total project $1,000,000

Difficulties

The CDBG federal budget has been cut over the past ten years to the point where there is simply not enough funding available in the state program to fund all eligible and needed projects. The HMGP Program does not have adequate funding available to fund all planning grant applications and is proposing to fund multi-county Planning projects.

2.

ECIA staff regularly prepare applications for State economic development programs.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Staff prepare applications to the Iowa DOT for financing of new streets into industrial parks through their RISE (Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy) grant program. There were no RISE applications submitted in 2018.

Difficulties

Funding for the RISE program is only 50% of the project so the community must come up with 50% and that can be a challenge for many communities.

3. ECIA staff regularly prepare federal and state grant program applications for programs such as RISE, EPA Brownfield, USDA programs, and BUILD. ECIA staff will continue to pursue these grant programs annually for communities in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff prepared a CDBG downtown revitalization grant application for the City of Maquoketa in 2018 and they were awarded a $500,000 for their “Downtown Maquoketa Building Façade” program.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

b.

ECIA staff prepared in 2018 a Youth Drug Awareness Grant and their Coalition was awarded $625,000 over five years to promote drug awareness in schools. c.

ECIA staff did a cost-benefit analysis for the City of Dubuque BUILD grant application.

d.

ECIA continued its fundraising efforts for the following contracts into 2018: Miracle League of Dubuque to build an all-inclusive baseball field and playground; Crescent Community Health Center for their relocation efforts to a new building which will need renovation. e.

ECIA submitted and was awarded an $800,000 EPA Brownfields Revolving Loan Fund grant in May, 2018. The grant will award funds to clean-up brownfield sites in the region. f.

ECIA submitted an Emergency Shelter Grant in late 2017 and again in 2018 and was awarded funding to provide emergency assistance to those we do not have a place to live.

Difficulties

There were no unusual difficulties encountered however, grants are becoming more and more competitive.

4.

ECIA staff regularly prepare and review private foundation grants for our member governments.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA worked with Cedar County Economic Development Corporation and a steering committee from Cedar County to submit a Great Places designation application to the Iowa Dept. of Cultural Affairs. The designation was awarded in August of 2018. ECIA is working with the same partners and submitted a $400,000 grant application for the Great Places projects in Cedar County. We are waiting for award announcements. b.

ECIA prepared and submitted a McDonough Foundation grant and was awarded $10,000 toward the construction of the Pocket Neighborhood homes in Maquoketa. ECIA also submitted a Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Application for the $20,000 a unit to assist with construction costs. We are waiting for award announcements.

Difficulties

No difficulties encountered however grant funding becomes more and more competitive.

5. ECIA staff prepare Community Attraction and Tourism grant applications for communities. We anticipate 1 application per year for this funding.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA prepared and submitted a Community Attraction and Tourism Grant to the Iowa Department of Economic Development on behalf of the Miracle League for their ball park.

Grants are pending.

Difficulties

Applicants finding project match from varied resources; applicants willing to jump through the required hoops after grant submission. Grant funding shrinking and becoming more competitive.

E.

DATA CENTER: Collect data and program information on economic development

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

trends and conditions including finance, labor, business development, industrial development, and the agricultural economy.

1.

ECIA maintains data for grants and reports which is used in applications.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA regularly collects data in its transportation department for its mapping, model and grant related work. This data is readily available for all staff to utilize in their grant and loan related work. b.

ECIA purchased IMPLAN data and have used it to determine the economic impact of a Pocket Neighborhood in Maquoketa and for one in Dubuque.

Difficulties

Data is expensive and developing our own data dashboard would be expensive. It appears there are many sources of data and costs vary. Rather than developing our own tool as we originally wanted to pursue, partnering is more economical and efficient.

2. ECIA maintains the Location One Information System for the region to track the available sites and buildings through the Prosperity Eastern Iowa web site. This is updated on an ongoing basis.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa members are responsible for updating their community sites and buildings, with ECIA staff providing the region wide statistics and community information. b.

ECIA Regional Economic Development Coordinator periodically checks the sites and buildings in Location One and reports any errors to the regional PEI partners and ensures corrections are made if needed.

Difficulties

There were no difficulties encountered.

3. ECIA works closely with Northeast Iowa Community College on economic development (NICC) projects and has access to EMSI data and can produce regional workforce data reports. ECIA anticipates requesting reports at least two reports from NICC in 2018 related to upcoming projects.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA requested workforce reports for the City of Cascade and the City of Dubuque in 2018. Data was used to examine workforce patterns and shortages.

Difficulties

None at this time.

4. ECIA and its Prosperity Eastern Iowa partners purchased IMPLAN data for the region and will utilize data to run economic impact reports for our members. We anticipate completing two reports for our members in 2018.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA provided four IMPLAN reports in late 2017/2018: • Miracle League Field – September 2018

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

• • •

Dubuque Pocket Neighborhood – August 2018 Peosta EDA Application - July 2018 Maquoketa Pocket Neighborhood November 2017

Difficulties

There were no difficulties encountered.

F. DEVELOPMENT STUDIES: Assist local governments and economic development entities in preparing Community Builder Plans.

1. ECIA staff will prepare strategic plans for development groups, chambers or cities in the upcoming year.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA in partnership with the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC) completed a visioning process with Cedar County and was awarded an Iowa Great Places designation. b.

ECIA worked with Clinton Downtown Alliance on defining their scope of work for a downtown needs assessment. c.

ECIA worked with Cascade Economic Development Corporation on their updated three year strategic plan.

Difficulties

ECIA has not encountered any difficulties.

2. ECIA has implemented a new program and are working with small communities and nonprofits on feasibility plans for community and economic development projects. ECIA staff prepare feasibility studies for the community projects and provide oversight and assistance to communities in conducting their community-wide fundraising efforts for community projects. We plan to do two feasibility plans in 2017.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA has seen a greater interest in the fundraising initiative. ECIA continued its work with the Miracle League of Dubuque for their capital campaign. b.

ECIA finished its work in 2018 on the Crescent Community Health Center feasibility study and they are now pursuing a capital campaign. c.

ECIA worked with the Dubuque YM/YWCA on their feasibility study with focus groups for their capital campaign to raise money to construct a new facility.

Difficulties

Feasibility studies have become very popular throughout the region with donor fatigue being a concern. There needs to be more coordinated efforts in the region to avoid this happening.

People only have so much money to donate and only so much free time to give to a project.

Asking people multiple times for multiple priorities can be very annoying to the donor.

3.

ECIA staff work closely with local governments in preparing Comprehensive Plans, Economic

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Development Plans, Housing Needs Assessments, etc. We plan to do at least two plans in 2018.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables a.

Staff worked on the Maquoketa Comprehensive Plan, Farley Housing Needs Assessment, Cascade Housing Needs Assessment in 2018.

Difficulties No difficulties encountered.

G. EASTERN IOWA RURAL UTILITIES, INC.: Provide technical assistance to local governments and coordinate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) in the efforts to administer the 28E organization that provides water and sewer services to cities and rural residents.

1. ECIA will continue work with counties in the region in the design and application plans for funding for un- sewered-communities in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Staff are working via EIRUSS with Delaware County to address the wastewater needs of the unincorporated Petersburg community. A Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) was prepared with an Iowa DNR State Revolving Fund (SRF) Development Planning and Design loan.

Staff are working with County Supervisors for land procurement; and for construction funding through various sources including USDA Rural Development. b.

Staff are also working via EIRUSS with Jackson County address the water needs of the unincorporated Droessler Subdivision and Spruce Creek Park. The City of Bellevue is investigating the expansion of their water system to that area; they have submitted a State Revolving Fund (SRF) for project funds. Staff will continue to work with various entities for a viable water system. c.

Staff are working via EIRUSS with Delaware County to address the wastewater needs of the unincorporated Lake Delhi community. The University of Iowa – Iowa Initiatives for Sustainability Communities (IISC) recently completed a report offering various smaller feasible systems within the difficult terrain of the community. Staff will continue to work with the County and homeowners for solutions. d.

Staff are working via EIRUSS with Jones County to address the wastewater needs of the City of Morley. Funding possibilities to install a system are being investigated, including USDA Rural Development, for solutions. e.

Staff are working via EIRUSS with Clinton County to address the wastewater needs of the unincorporated Elvira community. Several proposals have been investigated, with the County Supervisors deciding to install the wastewater system and management provided by ECIA staff through EIRUSS. f.

Staff are working via EIRUSS with Jackson County to expand the current wastewater system to additional users in Leisure Lake. Funding through USDA Rural Development has been obtained, with staff and the engineering firm working on the bidding and construction phase.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Difficulties

Funding for these water and sewer projects are complicated and takes several years to secure.

The State IDNR had allocated funding to the rural water and sewer organizations for five years but in the last four years the funding was not appropriated by the State. It is very difficult for ECIA to staff the EIRUSS without planning funding. Currently the State association is working closely with the legislature to secure funding for future years to continue serving rural areas. ECIA has been able to work with our counties and secure planning funding on an as needed basis and bill for services are projects occur.

2. ECIA staff will work to secure funding for staff and preliminary engineering costs to continue doing water and sewer projects in underserved communities.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Staff will continue to work with the Iowa Utility Management Organizations (IUMO) group to secure funding via the legislature to provide for staffing and preliminary project related costs of the IUMO entities.

Difficulties

State budgets are tight and legislators are supportive but struggle to find funds.

H. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Provide technical assistance to local governments, development corporations, chambers of commerce, businesses, and individuals, in the ongoing implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. ECIA has traditionally provided technical assistance to local governments via a Municipal Relations Coordinator and the Regional Economic Development Coordinator and has extended this to economic development technical assistance. The association will provide technical expertise in financing and deal packaging.

1.

ECIA will assist with Tax Increment Financing in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA has been working with the City of Maquoketa and their bond attorney to amend its Urban Renewal Plan in 2018 for several housing development projects and for a downtown development project. ECIA has also requested the City to use Tax Increment Financing for the pocket neighborhood workforce housing development in Maquoketa for the project infrastructure. Finally, ECIA, offered a Tax Increment Financing ½ day training to all communities in the region through a bond attorney in Des Moines. Over 50 people attended the event in August of 2018.

Difficulties

It can be difficult for smaller communities to understand the uses and benefits of Tax Increment Financing especially for new council members that are not familiar with its benefits or uses.

2.

ECIA will assist in writing ordinances and in developing zoning plans.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA works with member communities in updating their city codes and individual ordinances every year, using a Model Code that is updated by an attorney.

This year, staff completed four full city code updates, assisted five communities with city code updates that are still in progress, and wrote three individual ordinances.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

b.

ECIA contracted with the City of Clinton in 2017 and 2018 to act as their zoning administrator providing technical expertise and guidance on zoning requests and review.

Difficulties

No difficulties encountered.

3.

ECIA will assist with RISE applications for roadways in to business parks.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

There were no RISE grants applied for in 2018.

Difficulties

None at this time.

4. ECIA will assist communities in preparing Urban Revitalization plans and Urban Renewal Plans.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

The Community Development and Transportation Planning departments did not do any Urban Renewal plans or comprehensive plans this year. However, we have been working with the City of Maquoketa in updating their Urban Renewal Plan for several projects in the community. The City is working closely with their bond attorney and hope to have the new plan approved by January, 2019.

Difficulties

With city and county budgets tight, completing these typesofplanshas been pushed back to later years.

Cities do not have the resources to complete the plans as often as they would like to.

5. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding and programs to address the workforce shortage in the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa obtained funding from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to provide business sponsorships for programming that addresses workforce challenges. b.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa obtained funding to provide “Business After School” workshops with local economic development partners. c.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa obtained funding to provide education to employers in regards to veteran recruitment. d.

ECIA staff working with Cascade Economic Development and Iowa Workforce Development has been hosting an employer workforce committee meeting on a quarterly basis in Cascade to discuss rural workforce issues. At least four meetings were held in 2018. The group intends to hold a “Business After School” program in 2019 and is planning for the event in conjunction with the Cascade high school and Western Dubuque Schools.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

e.

Cascade Economic Development and the Regional Transit Authority has partnered to address transportation barriers for the workforce at Cascade companies.

The RTA applied for a grant to provide van pool services to a company in Cascade and if awarded will begin in 2019. f.

The Regional Transit Authority has partnered with several businesses in Peosta to implement a pilot route in 2018 from Dubuque to Peosta businesses providing workforce transportation. The RTA also applied for a grant to assist with route costs and is partnering with the City of Dubuque transit system in providing services in Dubuque too.

If the grant is awarded, routes will continue into 2019. g.

ECIA staff is working with the City of Dubuque on a REDS Summit with the EDA. The Summit will focus on regional workforce strategies and is being held in Dubuque in November, 2019.

Difficulties

Funding is always an issue to provide transportation services to address workforce challenges.

Securing grant funding and local support from businesses to help fund the routes is imperative.

6. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding options to develop a pocket neighborhood in the region to develop a replicable model in the region and to address the workforce housing needs of the region.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff continued to work with the City of Maquoketa and Jackson County Economic Alliance on the Pocket Neighborhood project. Jackson County Supervisors agreed to donate the land for the project and signed an Option with ECIA. ECIA submitted a grant request to the Federal Home Loan Bank and the Housing Trust Fund to assist with the development costs to make the homes affordable to moderate income buyers. The goal is to break ground in early 2019. b.

Received one grant this year for development costs. Total grants are $10,000 secured in 2018. c.

Met with the City of Dubuque on a 28 unit Pocket Neighborhood. The City will donate the land for the project and use TIF for the public infrastructure. Met with the City Development Review team and will continue to work with them closely on the project as it moves forward. Timeline appears to be development to start in 2021 and continue to 2023.

Difficulties

Pricing of land and homes continue to be the obstacle and keeping the costs down below $160,000 to maintain affordability for 80% of the CMI buyers.

7. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding options to address the derelict building needs of the region to secure resources for our member governments.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff worked with two communities to apply for and receive Iowa CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Department of Natural Resources Derelict Building Grant Funds. Staff continues to meet with communities to address the derelict and nuisance building/properties that communities are dealing with and inform them of the resources available to deal with these types of properties. Staff attended trainings with Iowa League of Cities on nuisance abatement and derelict buildings. ECIA is working on a nuisance abatement package for small cities to assist with the enforcement of problem properties in the smaller communities with limited staff capabilities. A draft is complete with the final package to be announced in January of 2019. b.

In 2018, ECIA collaborated with the University of Iowa Law Clinic through the Sustainable Communities program to research and outline best practices for a Land Bank in the ECIA region. Several presentations have been given to economic developers, cities, counties, ECIA Board, etc. on the uses and benefits of a regional land bank. The law students are developing legislation and ECIA is partnering with the Iowa League of Cities to introduce legislation for the 2019 session providing for the development of land banks in Iowa.

Difficulties

Several difficulties are encountered when dealing with derelict buildings in rural communities including the lack of funding for demolition, uncooperative property owners, unwillingness of communities to adopt and enforce nuisance laws, and lack of interest from private developers.

ECIA continues to work with communities, state and federal agency staff, legislators and economic developers to find workable solutions for rural communities to address their derelict building issues.

8.

ECIA will assist with EDA, EPA, IDNR and IDED Brownfield grant applications.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA prepared and submitted a $3,000,000 EDA public works disaster application for the City of Peosta Waste Water Treatment Facility expansion. Grant was awarded in 2018 for $3,000,000 of a total project cost of $8,000,000. b.

ECIA is preparing and will submit a $2,000,000 EDA public works disaster application for the City of Dubuque for their flood gates upgrade/replacement. Grant will be submitted in November of 2018. c.

ECIA submitted an EPA Brownfields Coalition Revolving Loan Fund application in November of 2017. ECIA was award $800,000 (beginning October 1, 2018) to help with brownfield site clean-up throughout the region. d.

ECIA staff prepared and was awarded two IDNR derelict building grants (City of Earlville and City of Ryan) in 2018.

Difficulties

Grants for brownfields are highly competitive and have different requirements for ownership and redevelopment depending on the program.

9. ECIA staff through the Prosperity Eastern Iowa entity will continue to provide expertise developing and submitting proposals to leads and inquiries in the region and providing technical assistance to the economic development partners in the region.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA staff received two leads from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Those leads were disbursed to Prosperity Eastern Iowa partners. Additionally, ECIA staff assisted the Cascade Economic Development Corporation with submittal of two proposals. One of the proposals led to a company, “Premium Plant Services” to permanently locate in Cascade.

Difficulties It seems as if leads are not coming in as often as years passed. Many businesses are working with site selectors and other entities to secure locations.

I. PROSPERITY EASTERN IOWA COLLABORATIVE MARKETING: Administer and conduct the activities identified by the Prosperity Eastern Iowa Economic Development Partnership to further business retention and expansion in ECIA’s three of ECIA’s Counties, Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson and then Jones County. Key projects and activities that will be conducted include: 1. ECIA implemented the local industry business retention and expansion program and regional compiling of this data.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA provided business retention and expansion training to the PEI partners and compiles the number of synchronist calls made by partners to local businesses. ECIA held an entrepreneur event in DeWitt Iowa to educate the economic developers, city officials and community members on what is available to current and future entrepreneurs. In addition, ECIA made business calls to over 20 business over 2018 and has worked with the local economic development group and city officials to address the needs of these businesses. In addition, a workforce sector board group meets quarterly to discuss issues and services available to local businesses. These meetings focus on retention and attraction of new employees.

Difficulties

Since workforce continues to be an issue within the State of Iowa; the unemployment rate is hovering around 2%, businesses are finding it difficult to hire a sufficient amount of skilled workers to fill positions. In addition, many workers are lacking soft skills, unable to pass prerequisites of the position (ie. drug test); or have other barriers to employment, such as child care or transportation issues. ECIA has helped address the needs of transportation to local manufacturers in Peosta. The Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has started a route from the City of Dubuque to Peosta. In addition, the RTA has been working with a group of Cascade, Farley and Dyersville businesses to secure grant funding to provide more transportation related services to these areas.

2.

Continue updating the regional website Prosperity Eastern Iowa.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

Prosperity Eastern Iowa has secured funding to deliver a new, refreshed website with updated data. Additionally, a region-wide video is also being produced and will be made available on the PEI website as well as the partner sites.

Difficulties There were no difficulties encountered.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

3.

Continue to seek partners and raise funds for the Prosperity priorities and projects.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

PEI seeks partner funding on a yearly basis. PEI also applies for applicable grants through IEDA, EDA, USDA and other organizations to sustain its mission. Staff received grant funds from the Iowa Economic Development Authority in 2016 that runs through 2018. A grant from the USDA for a Rural Development Initiative was awarded in 2017 and again in 2018. ECIA Staff are working with ECIA member communities and the Prosperity Eastern Iowa members and providing training opportunities on economic development, community development, brownfields, quality of life initiatives, placemaking, etc. Additionally, staff received an EDA grant to work with the City of Clinton partners to produce and economic development plan.

Difficulties

Budgets are tight for local economic development groups and at the state level which makes the grant process more competitive and maintaining membership and local match a concern.

4.

Continue to partner with the NICC to produce reports using EMSI data as needed.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA works closely with Northeast Iowa Community College on economic development (NICC) projects and has access to EMSI data and can produce regional workforce data reports. In 2018, ECIA did request a report for the City of Clinton to determine future and current needs of the Clinton employers. This report was then compared to the local community college course offerings.

Difficulties

No difficulties encountered.

5. Continue to work on workforce recruitment and retention strategies for the region to address the workforce shortage in the areas of advanced manufacturing, healthcare, over the road drivers, and technology.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

PEI partnered with the Jackson County Veteran’s Affairs office to recruit retiring military personnel through the Home-Based Iowa initiatives. b.

PEI partnered with the Clinton Regional Development Corporation on creating marketing materials to distribute on the Home Base Iowa website as well as educate the public, local relators and banks on the Clinton County incentives available for veterans who relocate to Clinton. c. a job fair.

PEI partnered with the local newspaper, the Telegraph Herald and hosted

d.

PEI partnered with the Jackson County Economic Alliance and hosted a high school level and general public job fair. e.

ECIA in Partnership with PEI, the city of Dubuque and the Economic Development Administration hosted a Regional Workforce Summit in November, 2018 and CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

highlighted workforce retention and attraction, workforce training and workforce housing. This was a well-attended conference.

Difficulties

The unemployment rate is so low in our region, that many employers cannot find suitable applicants.

6. Provide training opportunities to the Prosperity partners through the USDA RCDI grant in economic development priorities and tools. Anticipate holding at least 6 trainings in 2018.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

a.

ECIA held 21 group trainings on various topics in 2018 such as tax increment financing, personnel practices, sexual harassment, quality drinking water, fraud prevention, inclusivity and diversity, etc. b.

ECIA was also selected as a Fiscal Year 2018 Grantee for the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) Program. The amount received through the grant totals $133,000 over three years. This funding will be used for ECIA to establish a Rural Prosperity Training Institute (RPTI) that provides training and technical assistance to rural government leaders and economic development organizations in the areas of improving quality of life, supporting a rural workforce and technology and innovation. This grant is in addition to ECIA’s current USDA grant that provides training and technical assistance to low income communities.

Difficulties

The largest difficulty with this service is planning around schedules of elected officials, city staff and economic developers. It’s a challenge to get individuals to commit time out of the office, even though the training is of high quality, applicable to their roles and is a free service.

Disaster and Economic Recovery and Resiliency Measurable Progress Disaster Resiliency

The ECIA region is committed to being a resilient region with respect to disaster mitigation and preparedness. Disasters know no boundaries and cast an immediate need for cooperation and collaboration across city and county borders. There has to be an integration of responses and resources to support those areas that have weak capacity. ECIA coordinates with county governments as lead jurisdictions and local emergency management coordinators and will ensure that all jurisdictions, including school districts, participate. ECIA assists cities in implementing plan recommendations in current planning processes and evaluating the effectiveness of those actions and overall planning process. Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans (MJHMP) have been completed for all counties in the ECIA region. A multi- jurisdictional plan is important because it: offers an opportunity to cooperate on mutual concerns; allows economies of scale by leveraging individual capabilities and sharing costs and resources; avoids duplication of efforts; and imposes an external discipline on the process. The multi-jurisdictional plans for each county within the ECIA region can be found on the ECIA website at www.ecia.org/resiliency.

In 2018, the ECIA region experienced heavy rains in the summery and fall of 2018 causing flooding in Delaware County and Cedar County. A federal declaration was issued in August 2018 for Delaware County for storms from June 6 to July 2nd, 2018. State disaster declarations have been issued for Cedar, Dubuque and Delaware Counties for severe storms in October of 2018 and a State declaration for Clinton County for storms in August, 2018.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Regional Implementation Strategy This strategy for governments and business is a resource to utilize before and after a disaster. The Strategy is used as a guiding process and resource document for those wishing to perform predisaster planning and post-disaster recovery. Revisiting the Strategy will be done throughout the course of the five-year CEDS to reflect changing resources, potential disaster scenarios and general government and business landscapes. The Regional Implementation Strategy is intended to serve as a framework for ongoing recovery and mitigation activities. The goals and objectives of the regional strategy are as follows: Goal 1: Increase capabilities within the region to mitigate the effects of hazards by enhancing existing or designing and adopting new policies that will reduce the damaging effects of hazards.

1.1. Reduce repetitive property losses due to flood, wildfire, winter storms, and other hazards.

1.2. Protect critical facilities, infrastructure, and utility systems.

1.3. Improve the integrity and resiliency of infrastructure within the region by applying for funding for previously identified recovery and mitigation projects. These projects include road repair, the enhancement of back-up generators, storm and sanitary sewer systems, wastewater treatment facilities, power transmission, among others.

1.4. Encourage the incorporation of mitigation measures into repairs, redevelopment, and capital improvement projects for governments, businesses, education institutions, and the public.

1.5. Identify funding opportunities for future mitigation measures.

1.6. Prepare and Update of Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plans.

1.7. Encourage local governments and community school districts to pursue FEMA Funding for safe rooms at public facilities.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

All of the above strategies are addressed in the ECIA region countywide, Multi-Jurisdictional Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plans. The plans identify potential hazards, identify and map critical facilities, identify projects to address and mitigate damages from hazards and apply for funding when appropriate for projects. Local governments incorporate mitigation measures and emergency responses into their local policies and implement projects whenever feasible. Two communities in 2018 have submitted letters of interest for safe room funding for public facility projects.

Difficulties

HMGP funding is limited and may delay the updates of some plans in a timely manner. Without an approved plan, communities are not eligible for FEMA funding for HMGP projects. The HUD competition will be extremely competitive for a limited amount of available funding.

Goal 2: Protect the most vulnerable populations, buildings, and critical facilities within the region through the implementation of cost effective and technically feasible mitigation projects.

2.1. Educate property and business owners on affordable mitigation and preparedness measures that can be taken to reduce property loss.

2.2. Assure that vulnerable buildings and critical facilities within the region are identified and cataloged, and that vulnerability assessments are completed for each identified facility.

2.3. Assure that vulnerable populations such as the elderly, homeless, low income or those with limited English proficiency are included in educational programs regarding preparedness or mitigation.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

2.4. Enhance the capabilities to collect, analyze, update, and exchange data and information to support risk assessment and mitigation needs.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

Current Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans included components to educate the public regarding potential hazards and opportunities to make properties resilient to disasters.

Vulnerable populations were identified and locations documented to allow for contacts and assistance as may be necessary following disasters.

The City of Dubuque was awarded over $32 million in 2016 through a CDBG National Disaster Resiliency grant through the State of Iowa to make improvements in the Bee Branch area housing and infrastructure to repair existing housing and mitigate future flooding. Two years into the Disaster Resiliency project, over 40 homes have been assisted with Resiliency funding with a goal of 276-320 housing units by the end of the five-year grant in 2021. Resiliency funding has been used to install sump pumps and pits, repair leaking roofs, basement and foundation repairs, replace down spouts and gutters, basement windows, etc. all with the intent to make a home more resilient and prepared for future weather events. The Housing project includes an $8.9 million CDBG grant with $400,000 of local leveraged funds. The infrastructure projects also continue as part of the Resiliency program with 2017-2018 installation of box culverts to drain greater volumes of storm water to alleviate flooding on and near 17th St./West Locust and also on 22nd Street/Kaufmann Avenue. The completed first phase of the 17th Street included approximately 275’ of culvert. The second phase includes approximately 1,200’ of culvert. The last phase(s) will extend the culvert up West 17th to West Locust Street and northwest on West Locust to the point allowed with the remaining budget. Phase 1 of the 22nd Street project is installing approximately 900’ of culvert on 22nd Street. The next phase(s) will install culverts approximately 3,600’ of culvert on 22nd Street and extending out Kaufmann Avenue to Kane Street. The final project of the storm sewer project includes the installation of six 8’ diameter culverts under the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks on Garfield Avenue between the upper and lower Bee Branch Creek segments. The Infrastructure projects include a $23.3 million CDBG grant and $21.6 million of local leveraged funds.

Difficulties

Current Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans completed over the past three-four years. Funding is limited to update plans and local governments do not want to fund updates with local budgets.

Goal 3: Continue to replace and protect housing stock damaged and lost by 2008 and 2011 flooding.

3.1 Encourage local governments and private developers to partner to construct new affordable single-family housing in the region.

3.2 Promote the Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Corporation’s Housing Trust Fund program to private developers, cities, counties and local citizens. The mission of the EIRHC Housing Trust Fund is to assist in the provision of providing decent, safe and affordable housing, as well as providing access to the resources for creating housing opportunities to the families served in eastern Iowa.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

The Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Corporation HTF was awarded $361,865.00 from the Iowa Finance Authority in 2018 to create or preserve housing for LMI individuals, and to promote homeownership opportunities. The 2018 funds will be used to Rehabilitate 43 rental properties, preserve 6 existing owner-occupied housing units, and to promote 3 new homeownership opportunity.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

In 2018 the Housing Trust Fund awarded $ 361,865.00 to the following Agencies; Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Corporation – down payment assistance for 3 households City of Durant – City wide rental rehabilitation program for 6 households ECIA – Lead reduction in 5 households Catholic Charities – Rental Rehabilitation in 28 units in Maquoketa Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Corporation - Rental Rehabilitation in 10 units, 4 in Worthington and 6 in Grand Mound In 2018 the Housing Trust Fund submitted the 2019 application requesting an additional $326,554 from the Iowa Finance Authority to create, preserve housing units and promote new homeownership opportunities for 25 LMI individuals.

The projects included in the 2019 application include: $30,000.00 - EIRHC – Down Payment Assistance $15,009.00 – Owner-Occupied Rehab $123,895.00 – Area Substance Abuse – Rental Rehab $124,995.00 – ECIA – Housing Development Difficulties

The Housing Trust Fund‘s 2018 application for the 2019 funding round, we had to eliminate or put on hold 4 other agencies or homeowners applications, that applied for funding, but because of Funding Limitation, we will not be able to assist.

Goal 4: Improve the level of responder, government, business, and citizen awareness and preparedness for disaster.

4.1 Identify and develop needed training and exercises for targeted responder, government and citizen audiences.

4.2 Strengthen outreach and partnerships with the private sector, nonprofit organizations and the public.

4.3 Improve public understanding of hazards and risk by providing public awareness, preparedness, and mitigation information through various channels of communication.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

Current Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans included components to educate the public regarding potential hazards and opportunities to make properties resilient to disasters.

Vulnerable populations were identified and locations documented to allow for contacts and assistance as may be necessary following disasters.

Difficulties

No difficulties were encountered Goal 5: Develop programs to assure that response agencies, governments, educational institutions, and local businesses are able to operate during times of disaster.

5.1 Promote the development of emergency response plans, including continuity of operations plans, among local response agencies, governments, educational institutions and local businesses.

5.2 Provide education, training, and exercise opportunities for local entities to prepare for and test their ability to operate during times of disaster.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

Current Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans included components to educate the public regarding potential hazards and opportunities to make properties resilient to disasters.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Vulnerable populations were identified and locations documented to allow for contacts and assistance as may be necessary following disasters. We have experienced several rain events in 2018 that have lead to State of Iowa as well as federal disaster declarations. With the hazard mitigation plans adopted and based on the experiences from the 2008 and 2011 flooding, our region experienced less damage from the 2018 rain events than they would have back in the 2008 and 2011 time frame.

Difficulties

No difficulties were encountered.

Goal 6: Coordinate future transportation plans with appropriate hazard mitigation plans.

6.1 Prioritize which roads and bridges that shall remain passable during an emergency or evacuation.

6.2 Identify alternative routes if prioritized roads and bridges become impassible.

6.3 Establish ongoing means of redundant communication with fire, sheriff, and police departments and the County Emergency Management Agency to ensure sharing of crime and security information among all concerned.

6.4 Work with public safety agencies including law enforcement, fire, emergency medical services, and emergency management regarding security and emergency preparedness plans.

Define transit system’s role in non-transit emergencies.

6.5 Review evacuation plans in the region, focusing on transit security plans.

Accomplishments and Quantifiable Deliverables

Multi-Jurisdictional, Multi-Hazard Mitigation plans are incorporated into land use planning by local governments. Development in potential hazard areas (e.g. – floodplains) are discouraged.

The plans include the identification of floodplains and critical facilities that must be protected in any development efforts. Hazard mitigation plans are included in Dubuque County Regional Comprehensive Plan. Hazard mitigation plans are included in Long Range transportation Plans for Dubuque Metro and Regional Planning Affiliation 8 Transportation. Staff works with MultiDisciplinary Safety Teams (MDST) in Dubuque and Clinton and address hazard mitigation planning process. Staff will coordinate with MDST groups when updating the Hazard Mitigation plans Transportation Staff meets with MDST group every two months to address Safety, Security and Hazard Mitigation issues.

Difficulties

Staff takes into consideration Hazard Mitigations issues while ranking transportation project but it is hard to quantify the impact.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

ECIA STRATEGY COMMITTEE AND PLANNING ROSTER 1. GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES Elected officials and/or employees of a general purpose unit of state, local or Indian tribal government who have been appointed to represent the government.

Name Government Position Female Minority Brad Gaul Cedar Co. Supervisor Supervisor Tom Determann Clinton Co. Supervisor Supervisor Don Thiltgen City of DeWitt Mayor Milt Kramer City of Manchester Mayor Linda Gaul City of Earlville City Clerk X Jeff Madlom Delaware Co Supervisor Supervisor Dave Baker Dubuque Co Supervisor Supervisor Karen Lyons City of Peosta City Council X Beth Bonz City of Asbury City Administrator X Mike Van Milligen City of Dubuque City Manager Paul Konrardy City of LaMotte Mayor Peggy Sellnau City of Charlotte Mayor X Mark Vulich City of Clinton Mayor Jeff Kaufmann Cedar Co Supervisor Supervisor Brian Wagner City of Tipton City Manager Jay Wickham Dubuque Co Supervisor Supervisor Jack Willey Jackson Co Supervisor Supervisor Gerald Smith City of Maquoketa City Manager Roger Michels City of Bellevue Mayor Pete Buschmann Delaware Co Supervisor Supervisor 2. NON-GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES Private Sector and Stakeholder Representatives: Community leaders, representatives of workforce development boards, institutions of higher education, minority and labor groups, and private individuals.

Name Company / Enterprise Position Female Minority Dave Gaylor Dubuque Bank & Trust Senior Credit Officer Bill Rediger Eastern IA Develpmnt Co President Shannon SanderYWCA Clinton Executive Director X Welzien Donna Boss Delaware Co Econ Develop President X Roy Buol University of Dubuque Dir Facilities Mgmt (Executive) Elise Bergan Edgewood Chamber Director X Patti Hoffman Preston Growth & Develop.

President X Tim Cottle EICC-Clinton Co College Associate Director Dave Heiar Jackson Co Economic Dev. Senior Advisor Shirley Helmrichs Ag Business Owner Owner X Rod Ness Cedar Co Econ Development Executive Director Derek Olberding Fidelity Bank Asst Vice President Caryssa Philgreen Delaware County Tourism Director X

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

ALTERNATES - GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES Name Company/Enterprise Position Steve Lindner City of DeWitt City Administrator Timothy Vick City of Maquoketa City Manager Judy Carr City of Maquoketa City Clerk Larry McDevitt Jackson Co Sup. Supervisor Don Recker City of Sageville Mayor Nick Jackson Co ED ED Director Hockenberry Jeff Kaufmann Cedar Co Sup. Supervisor

CALCULATIONS

Female

Minority X

1. Government Representatives (51-65%)

Number Percent 20 61%

2. Non- Government Representatives (35-49%)

13

39%

Total Board Membership

33

100%

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS– December 19, 2014 13 CFR Part 304.2(c): (2) The District Organization must demonstrate that its governing body is broadly representative of the principal economic interests of the Region, including the private sector, public officials, community leaders, representatives of workforce development boards, institutions of higher education, minority and labor groups, and private individuals. In addition, the governing body must demonstrate the capacity to implement the EDA-approved CEDS.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

FY 2019 SCOPE OF WORK – January 2019 to December 2020 Grantee: East Central Intergovernmental Association Project Number: 05-83-04375-02 EDA Planning funds will support the implementation of an Economic Development program designed to create and retain jobs throughout the region. An updated five-year Economic Development Strategy was adopted for the region beginning January, 2015 and runs through December, 2019. ECIA intends to perform the following activities as part of our annual EDA Planning Grant: A. LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEETINGS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUP MEETINGS: ECIA staff regularly attends meetings of local governments and local economic development groups to provide information and facilitate program implementation.

1. ECIA participates and sits on the Board of the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation and the Greater Dubuque Upcoming Leaders’ Board and attends their regular board meetings at least quarterly.

2. ECIA facilitates are county-wide economic development group and mayors’ group in Clinton County and will participate in at least six meetings this year of the ED Group and will participate in at least four mayors’ meetings this year.

3. ECIA staff has joined efforts with the Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride program in Clinton County and will participate in the county-wide steering committee and meet six times a year to move forward community economic development projects.

4. ECIA staff regularly hosts and participates in City Clerk meetings in Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson and Cedar Counties. ECIA hosts one meeting a year of the regional city clerks.

5. ECIA staff regularly attends and acts as the secretary for the Jackson County Mayors.

Meetings are held monthly in Jackson County. ECIA attends and participates in the Mayors monthly meetings in Cedar County.

6. ECIA staff will continue working with the freight study committee to move forward the 2018 Freight Study recommendations. We anticipate 2 to 3 meetings a year.

7. ECIA staff will continue to meet with Cedar County to implement their Great Places designation. We anticipate 3 to 4 meetings a year.

8. ECIA holds six meetings a year with Prosperity Eastern Iowa local economic developers. ECIA provides staff for their regional economic development efforts.

9. ECIA ED staff to meet with GDDC and Start-Up Dubuque staff on a monthly basis to discuss local and regional ED projects related to retention and expansion of local businesses.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

10. ECIA staff participates in the Grant Wood Loop Parks to People Community and Economic Development initiative in Jackson, Dubuque and Jones Counties. This group meets at least every other month and ECIA provides staffing support for their efforts including ECIA staff acting as a community coach in Dubuque County for the Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride program for the Grant Wood Loop.

11. ECIA staff participates in the City of Dubuque’s Project Hope meetings. The group is focused on defining poverty in the Dubuque area and finding solutions to the barriers that people experience in finding and maintaining long term employment. The group meets six times a year.

12. ECIA staff participates in the DubuqueWorks, Opportunity Dubuque, and the Re-Engagement Center committees. The three groups are focused on workforce solutions for the Dubuque area.

The groups meet monthly and quarterly.

13. ECIA staff will hold trainings pertinent to local government priorities through the USDA RCDI grant funding. Trainings to local governments include topics such as Tax Abatement, Housing Finance and development, Workforce strategies, Childcare and its impact on workforce recruitment, Economic Development Deal structuring, quality drinking water, Capital Improvement planning, Entrepreneurship, Budgeting, etc. ECIA anticipates holding 36 events in 2019.

B. TRAINING AND CONFERENCE: Attend and participate in meetings of national, state, and local organizations affecting regional strategy policies and programs.

1. ECIA staff will continue to participate in the Dubuque annual trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with federal officials concerning local needs. Trip is scheduled for March, 2019.

2. ECIA staff will continue to participate in the Legislative Des Moines Day trips such as the Clinton Days, ICOG Days, etc. to discuss local needs and priorities.

3.

ECIA staff will attend the Iowa League of Cities meeting.

4.

ECIA staff will attend Iowa DNR meetings in Des Moines.

5.

ECIA staff will attend regional and national meeting hosted by the EDA.

6. ECIA staff will attend two national meetings - either NADO, NARC, NADCO or the IEDC meetings.

7.

ECIA staff will attend training related to local government finance and municipal finance.

C. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION: Disseminate census, economic, statistical and program information by telephone, e-mail, letter, newsletter, personal contact, and training programs. Maintain a database for use in program development and implementation.

1. ECIA staff prepares six e-newsletters and six e-grant alerts each year that is emailed out to over 800 individuals and/or entities in the region and archived on our website.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

2. ECIA staff maintains the websites for ECIA, Prosperity Eastern Iowa, the Regional Transit Authority, and the Eastern Iowa Regional Housing Authority/Corporation and the Eastern Iowa Regional Utility Service Systems, and Dubuque Metropolitan Transportation Study.

3. ECIA staff responds to approximately 150-200 requests for information each year pertaining to grant applications, TIF districts, enterprise zone, city finance, business loan programs, ordinances, etc.

4. ECIA staff participates in local, regional and national meetings discussing programs, projects and successes in our region related to economic and community development.

D. GRANT/LOAN APPLICATIONS: Assist local governments in the preparation of grant/loan applications for funding of projects of local and regional concern.

1. ECIA staff regularly prepare grant applications and loan applications for CDBG projects such as water, sewer, community centers, child care centers, etc.

2.

ECIA staff regularly prepare applications for State economic development programs.

3. ECIA staff regularly prepare federal and state grant program applications for programs such as RISE, EPA Brownfield, USDA programs, and BUILD. ECIA staff will continue to pursue these grant programs annually for communities in the region.

4. ECIA staff regularly prepare and review state, federal, local and private foundation grants for our member governments.

5. ECIA staff prepare Community Attraction and Tourism grant applications for communities. We anticipate 1 application per year for this funding.

E. DEVELOPMENT STUDIES: Assist local governments and economic development entities in preparing Community Plans, Workforce Housing Plans, Comprehensive Plans, etc.

1. ECIA staff will prepare strategic plans for development groups, chambers or cities in the upcoming year.

2. ECIA staff will work with small communities and non-profits on feasibility plans for community and economic development projects. ECIA staff prepare feasibility studies for the community projects and provide oversight and assistance to communities in conducting their community-wide fundraising efforts for community projects. We plan to do two feasibility plans in 2019.

3. ECIA staff work closely with local governments in preparing Comprehensive Plans, Economic Development Plans, Housing Needs Assessments, etc. We plan to do two plans in 2019.

F. EASTERN IOWA RURAL UTILITIES, INC.: Provide technical assistance to local governments and coordinate with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) in the efforts to administer the 28E organization that provides water and sewer services to cities and rural residents.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

1. ECIA will continue work with counties in the region in the design and application plans for funding for unsewered communities in the region.

2. ECIA will continue to look for funding opportunities to support staff time and preliminary engineering work for potential sewer and water projects in underserved communities.

G. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Provide technical assistance to local governments, development corporations, chambers of commerce, businesses, and individuals, in the ongoing implementation of the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy with providing technical expertise in community and project planning, financing and deal packaging.

1.

ECIA will assist with Tax Increment Financing in the region.

2.

ECIA will assist in writing ordinances and in developing zoning plans.

3.

ECIA will assist with RISE applications for roadways in to business parks.

4. ECIA will assist communities in preparing Urban Revitalization plans and Urban Renewal Plans.

5. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding and programs to address the workforce shortage in the region.

6. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding options to develop a pocket neighborhood in the region to develop a replicable model in the region and to address the workforce housing needs of the region.

7. ECIA staff will continue to explore funding options to address the derelict building needs of the region to secure resources for our member governments.

8.

ECIA will assist with EPA, IDNR and IDED Brownfield grant applications, Catalyst Grant, etc.

H. PROSPERITY EASTERN IOWA COLLABORATIVE MARKETING: Administer and conduct the activities identified by the Prosperity Eastern Iowa Economic Development Partnership to further business retention and expansion in ECIA’s three of ECIA’s Counties, Dubuque, Delaware, Jackson and then Jones County. Key projects and activities that will be conducted include:

1. ECIA implemented the local industry business retention and expansion program and regional compiling of this data.

2.

Continue updating the regional websites, Prosperity Eastern Iowa.

3.

Continue to seek partners and raise funds for the Prosperity priorities and projects.

4.

Continue to partner with the NICC to produce reports using EMSI data.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

5. Continue to work on workforce recruitment and retention strategies for the region to address the workforce shortage in the areas of advanced manufacturing, healthcare, over the road drivers, and technology.

6. Provide training opportunities to the Prosperity partners through the USDA RCDI grant in economic development priorities and tools. Anticipate holding at least 6 trainings in 2018.

7. Continue to provide expertise developing and submitting proposals to leads and inquiries in the region and providing technical assistance to the economic development partners in the region.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

evaluationofprogress APPENDIX CEDS Goals from page 11 including benchmark data on the following pages.

1.

Skilled Workers: Improve the quantity and quality of the region’s workforce to address employer de- mands in Advanced Manufacturing; Healthcare; and Professional, Scientific, Technical Services by expanding the number of participants in regional training programs by 10% and increasing the number of trained skilled employees in these sectors by 10% by January 2020.

Base Data: • Number of skilled employees in high demand jobs related to Advanced Manufacturing; Healthcare; and Professional, Scientific, Technical Services.

• Number of job openings in the region in Advanced Manufacturing; Healthcare; and Professional, Scientific, Technical Services • Number of participants in training programs in the areas of Advanced Manufacturing; Healthcare; and Professional, Scientific, Technical Services.

*Data tabulation method was changed for 2018

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Goal 1 Signature Projects Project

Project Description

Project Location

Dubuque Works Strategic Plan

Develop a strategic work plan for the Dubuque area to address impending workforce shortage

Dubuque County

Opportunity Dubuque

Long term, community generated and sustained initiative to equip unemployed and under employed with the skills necessary to advance to career track, high wage jobs with full benefits.

PEI will be marketing the Home Base Iowa initiative in order to be apart of the statewide effort of veteran recruitment.

Dubuque County

Regional Approach to Veteran recruitment

PEI Region

People /Organization Responsible Dubuque Works; Greater Dubuque Development Corporation; Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, ECIA Economic Development, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Dubuque Area Labor Management City of Dubuque, Project Hope, NICC, Dubuque Community Schools, ECIA Region 1 Workforce and Development, local businesses

ECIA, Prosperity Eastern Iowa

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Schedule

Cost Estimates

Evaluative Measures

Key Project Contact

Ongoing

n/a

This local collaborative of sixteen partners developed a 2017-2022 Strategic Plan comprised of nine objectives with proven strategies that was released this year to direct funding to initiatives that recruit, develop, and retain talent in the Greater Dubuque area.

Ron Axtell, Manager of Employment & Training, Ron.Axtell@i wd.iowa.gov

Ongoing

$200,800

Since 2012, 609 students have been enrolled in this program with 81% completing an indemand career pathway certificate and 95% of those graduates continuing their education or employed six months after graduation

Ron Axtell, Manager of Employment & Training, Ron.Axtell@i wd.iowa.gov

20152017

$16,500

Launched in 2016 in the PEI Region, (2016 - 2017: secured $6,000 through IEDA) Marketing materials developed, attended 3 total veteran career fairs. (2017-2018 secured $10,500 through IEDA for

Holly McPherson, Regional Economic Development & Sustainability Coordinator, hmcperson@e cia.org

vereran recruitment) IowaWORKS/WIA Youth Program

IowaWORKS/WIA Adult Program

Assist lowincome or at-risk youth obtain employment or improve their employment potential.

Assist lowincome adults obtain employment.

Region 1

ECIA Region 1 Workforce and Development

Ongoing

n/a

In FY17, 76.9% placed in education/employ ment and 68.8% attained a degree/certificate

Ron Axtell, Manager of Employment & Training, Ron.Axtell@i wd.iowa.gov

Region 1

ECIA Region 1 Workforce and Development

Ongoing

n/a

In FY17, 70.1% obtained employment, 87.4% retained employment, and their average six month earnings after exit was $13,130

Ron Axtell, Manager of Employment & Training, Ron.Axtell@i wd.iowa.gov

Jobs Gained and Lost Company Name

City

County

HUSCO International Maquoketa Web Printing American Customer Care Dupaco Community Credit Union Hormel John Deere Dubuque Works XL Trailers TMK IPSCO Kendrick Forest Products Camso Manufacturing LyondellBasell Theisen’s Home-Farm-Auto Kmart

Maquoketa Maquoketa Dubuque Dubuque Dubuque Dubuque Manchester Camanche Edgewood Peosta Clinton Dyersville Dubuque

Jackson Jackson Dubuque Dubuque Dubuque Dubuque Delaware Clinton Delaware Dubuque Clinton Dubuque Dubuque

Jobs Jobs Gained Lost 40 180 60 86 45 25 50 40

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Reason expansion 43 lack of ownership succession, decline and consolidation of printing industry nationwide relocation over the course of the next two years between October 2015 and May 2017

call back expansion relocation expansion new store 40 store closed

2.

Transportation Infrastructure: Improve highway and bridge transportation infrastructure funding to attract, retain, and expand business in the region by increasing the State and Federal funding to the region by 10% by January 2020.

Base Data: • Federal dollars spent by IADOT, cities and counties in DMATS and RPA 8 including NHS, ICAAP, TAP, HBP, PRF, NHPP, etc.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Goal 2 Signature Projects Project

Project Description

Project Location

People /Organiz ation Responsibl e ECIA Transporta tion and Planning, ECIA Economic Developm ent

Eight County Freight Plan Study

The objective of the Eight County Freight Plan (Plan) is to develop a better understanding of the multimodal freight system in the bi-state region and to use that information to better inform policy and programming decisions.

ECIA Region

ILDOT US 20 Safety Audit

The US 20 Road Safety Audit (RSA) is designed to identify locations with greatest opportunities for safety enhancements from US 20 Bridge to Freeport. Identify Safety risks and suggest countermeasures.

DMATS

ECIA Transporta tion and Planning

EastWest Corrid or Improv ements

East-West corridor improvements is designed to provide connectivity between the western growth areas and downtown Dubuque by improve safety and efficiency.

DMATS

ECIA Transporta tion and Planning

Schedule

Evaluative Measures

Key Project Contact

Freight performance areas that will be assessed to identify multimodal system needs include safety, efficiency, reliability and connectivity. The results of this quantitative assessment will be compared against qualitative feedback received from the Steering Committee and other Regional stakeholders engaged during consultations and an online survey. The goal is to gather 200 one on one consultations/surveys.

Chandra Ravada, Director of Transportat ion, cravada@ ecia.org

20182019

The Study will be provided improvements that will help to improve safety on US 20 corridor from US 20 Bridge to Freeport.

Chandra Ravada, Director of Transportat ion, cravada@ ecia.org

20182021

The improvements will remove traffic bottlenecks, reduce congestion on US 20 and improve safety on East-West corridors.

Chandra Ravada, Director of Transportat ion, cravada@ ecia.org

20162017

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Cost Estimates

$300,00 0

STREET S

Manuf acturin g Drive/ Bluff Boulev ard Reconst ruction

The goal of the Smart Traffic Routing with Efficient and Effective Traffic Signals (STREETS) project is to develop a smart, next-generation, traffic management and control system. This system will use traffic control strategies recommended through Systems Engineering to enable dynamic traffic routing on nine corridors (65 signalized intersections) to maximize the use of existing roadway capacities in the Dubuque metro area and reduce delay on all major corridors. Having efficient traffic signal system and informing public helping them to make better trip decisions will improve the distribution of trips making the system more efficient.

Reconstruction of Manufacturing Drive/Bluff Boulevard

DMATS

ECIA Transporta tion and Planning

20182021

$5.2 Million

The STREETS project will enable more equalized utilization of the available infrastructure.

Reducing delays and pollutant output at all major corridors.

Provide information to drivers to make their route choices by choosing alternative routes by time of day which they are unaware if an alternate route could reduce their travel time. This system, first of its kind, will help ability drivers to reduce their commuting time by efficiently utilizing existing road capacity. The project will use the existing system to reduce congestion in the metro area by rerouting traffic on the roads with extra capacities dynamically.

Chandra Ravada, Director of Transportat ion, cravada@ ecia.org

City of Clinton

City of Clinton

20182021

$23 Million

Completing the Manufacturing Drive and Bluff Boulevard reconstruction project – a total reconstruction and enhancement of the alignment from US Route 30 to 7th Avenue North – will ensure the safe, efficient movement of people and goods on the system.

Jason Craft, P.E., City Engineer, City of Clinton; jasoncraft @cityofclint oniowa.us

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

3.

Housing: Increase the number of workforce rental and single family housing units in the region by 2% to accommodate the industry demands by January, 2020. • •

Base Data: Number of occupied rental units in the region.

Number of single-familyhousing units in the region and number of housing units constructed after the year 2000.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Housing information obtained from US Census (Selected Housing Characteristics 2014 & 2015 estimated) and (Profile of General Demographics Characteristics 2000 100% Data)

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Goal 3 Signature Projects Project

Project Description

Project Location

People /Organiz ation Responsibl e ECIA Housing, JCEA

Schedul e

Pocket Neighborho od

The pocket neighborhood concept features clusters of homes gathered around a landscaped common area with recreational amenities in a safe environment, where neighbors live in a community setting and interact on a daily basis with a shared common outdoor space; Goal is to construct 10 homes in Maquoketa.

Jackson County

20172019

Pocket Neighborho od

The pocket neighborhood concept features clusters of homes gathered around a landscaped common area with recreational amenities in a safe environment, where neighbors live in a community setting and interact on a daily basis with a shared common outdoor space; Goal is to construct two sets of 14 homes in Dubuque.

Dubuqu e County

ECIA Housing, City of Dubuque

20212024

Housing Tax Credit Developme nt

City of Dubuque Senior Housing Tax Credit development old Nativity School location.

Dubuqu e County

City of Dubuque

20192020

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Cost Estimates

Evaluative Measures

Key Project Contact

$1,600,000

Planning money ($70,000) secured; Preliminary plans drafted; Preliminary cost estimates obtained; Presented concept in Preston and Maquoketa.

Kelley Deutmeyer, ECIA Executive Director, kdeutmeyer @ecia.org

$2,500,000

Preliminary plans drafted; Preliminary cost estimates obtained; Presented concept in Dubuque.

Kelley Deutmeyer, ECIA Executive Director, kdeutmeyer @ecia.org

Funding is private with also LIHTC.

Housing Tax Credit Developme nt

City of Dubuque family Housing Tax Credit development on Radford Road.

Dubuqu e County

City of Dubuque

20192020

Housing Expansion

Expanded Luther Manor assisted living development

Dubuqu e County

City of Asbury; Luther Manor

20192020

$10,000,00 0

60 new units

Housing Rehabilitati on

True North initiative – 50 homes in 5 to 7 years rehab and sell for workforce housing in the targeted neighborhood of Dubuque North End.

Dubuqu e County

City of Dubuque; GDDC

20192025

$1,500,000

Funds secured are City TIF funding.

Dyersville Rental Developme nts

New development no details released yet

Dubuqu e County

City of Dyersville

20172020

Final numbers pending

New development no details released yet

Jacque Rahe, Dyersville Economic Developme nt Executive Director, jrahe@dye rsville.com

Peosta Senior Living Developme nt

The Views - Senior Living Development - will include a memory-care unit and facilities for equestrian therapy.

Dubuqu e County

City of Peosta

20172019

$41,000,00 0

13 acre site identified; two 50unit seniorcooperative housing buildings and one 42-unit assistedliving facility planned

Karen Snyder, Peosta City Clerk, ksnyder@ci tyofpeosta. org

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Laura Nissen, Director of Marketing, Luther Manor Communitie s Ed Raber, GDDC Director of Dubuque's True North; edr@great erdubuque. org

4.

Community Development: Enhance community and public facility infrastructure and increase access to community services and amenities to meet the demands of regional employers and their employees by in- creasing the number of public and private funds to the region by 20% and completing 15 projects by January 2020.

Base Data: • Total funds secured in ECIA’s community development department annually in CDBG grants, RISE grants, emergency grants, etc. and the total funds secured in fundraising related grants, donations, etc. for projects in the region.

In 2016, the City of Dubuque was awarded two State CDBG National Disaster Resiliency grants: 1) over $23 million to make improvements in the Bee Branch area infrastructure to mitigate future flooding; 2) $8.6 million for 320 property owners to make repairs and implement stormwater management principles to decrease environmental health and safety issues from flooding (the program began in 2012).

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Goal 4 Signature Projects Project

Project Description

Project Location

People /Organizatio n Responsible

Schedule

Wastew ater System

New wastewater system

Delawar e County

Lake Delhi, EIRUSS

Regional Brownfiel d Revolving Loan Fund

Develop RLF for brownfield redevelopme nt

ECIA Region

City of Dubuque; E.C.I.A. Business Growth, ECIA Community Services, ECIA Administration

20172021

Bee Branch Flood Mitigatio n

A multiphased, fiscally responsible investment to mitigate flooding, improve water quality, stimulate investment, and enhance quality of life within the Bee Branch Watershed.

Dubuque County

City of Dubuque

20042030

Ongoing

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Cost Estimates

Evaluative Measures

Key Project Contact

Final numbers pending

Preliminary engineering report completed. Initial analysis completed

by University of Iowa Students in Fall 2017; follow up will be in Spring 2018.

Mark Jobgen, ECIA EIRUSS Project Manager, mjobgen@e cia.org

$1,000,000

Grant Awarded in 2018 and grant procedure manual and scope of work written. Loan committee appointed.

Nicole Turpin, ECIA Community Services Manager, nturpin@eci a.org

$23,000,00 0

2017 activities: Elm St. between E. 14th St. and E. 20th St. completed; Community input session held on Bee Branch Creek portion for recreation options; 16th St Basin Overlook complete; Bee Branch Creek Greenway Opening Celebration

Kristin Hill, City of Dubuque Communicati ons Specialist, beebranch @cityofdubu que.org

Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program

East Central Brownfiel ds Coalition

The Bee Branch Healthy Homes Resiliency Program includes $8.4 million in the form of forgivable loans to improve 320 housing units, including owneroccupied homes, singleunit rentals, and small, multi-family residential units.

This project will assist ECIA's rural local government members with brownfields revitalization from beginning to end.

Dubuque County

City of Dubuque, ECIA Community Development

ECIA Region

ECIA Administration

20162021

$8,400,000

Funds awarded; program established; 320 will be assisted.

Mark Schneider, ECIA Director of Community Development /Public Works, mschneider @ecia.org

Ongoing

$550,000

Applied for $600,000 in the FY16 round for rural counties in the ECIA region with a focus on Clinton and Jackson Counties.

Was awarded $550,000 from 2016-2019.

Nicole Turpin, ECIA Community Services Manager, nturpin@eci a.org

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Pedersen Valley Park : recreatio nal complex

Community Center, Library, and ballfields, including: Gymnasium, fitness rooms, weightlifting and cardiovascula r equipment, racquetball court, locker rooms, elevated track, meeting rooms, kitchen, council chambers, and a future pool.

Cedar County

City of West Branch, West Branch Park Commission

20142019

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Final numbers pending

Site selected, land is being acquired, grants applied for and then a possible tax levy may take place; City purchased 22 acres of park land in Summer of 2013.

Public planning process competed in June of 2014. In the process of conducting a feasiblity study and fundraising plan for the project; Three baseball and softball fields with concessions in progress.

Melissa Russell, City of West Branch Parks and Rec Director, recdirector @westbranc hiowa.org

Millwork District Revitaliz ation Strategy

Preserve and sustain the Millwork District by providing commercial, housing, and employment opportunities in 29 vacant buildings

Dubuque County

City of Dubuque/Mill work District

Ongoing

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

$200,000,0 00

Plan adopted by city council; historic tax credits secured for the CARADCO building, other buildings in progress; New market tax credits received for CARADCO building; 72 units of workforce housing in the CARADCO building (complete); two additional buildings constructed; Linseed Oil Building - 16 energy efficient apartments - CDBG NP 5 funds awarded to rehab apartments - private money, loans and enterprise zone, $4 million; Bob Johnson building - private money, loans, historic tax credits, and enterprise zone, 76 units at full build-out estimated at $27 million. Novelty Iron Works Project ($33 million plus) Phase I: A total of 16 residential units completed in January 2015; and 30,000 sq ft of commercial space completed in 2015, Phase II: the addition of 30 more apartments, and another 20,000 square-feet of commercial space.

Maurice Jones, City of Dubuque Economic Development Director, mjones@city ofdubuque.o rg

South Port redevelo pment

Retail Develop ment

Schmitt Island Redevelo pment

Redevelop South Port, which is southeast of downtown Dubuque, into a new vibrant neighborhood including a hotel, boardwalk, spraypad, restaurant, retail, playground, residential, and other amenities.

Develop a 30-acre retail site at old Farmland Foods location

Dubuque County

City of Dubuque, ECIA Economic Development

Dubuque County

Greater Dubuque Development Corporation (GDDC)

Redevelop Schmitt Island to include more walking trails, more recreational opportunities, and more retail with the goal to make the island not only a tourist destination, but a more cohesive experience as well.

Dubuque County

City of Dubuque

20162025

20122020

20152020

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

$23 million to $40 million for all public work

Conceptual plan released; $200,000 brownfields grant secured for site assessments;

Maurice Jones, City of Dubuque Economic Development Director, mjones@city ofdubuque.o rg

Final numbers pending

Bee Branch improvements have been completed; 250,000 sq ft shopping center to be constructed.

Rick Dickinson, GDDC President & CEO, rickd@great erdubuque.o rg

Final numbers pending

Schmitt Island master plan completed for $100,000; Dubuque City Council approved a planned unit development rezoning.

Maurice Jones, City of Dubuque Economic Development Director, mjones@city ofdubuque.o rg

Grant Wood Mississip pi River Region

A partnership comprised stakeholders from Dubuque, Jackson, and Jones Counties, working together to “enhance, promote, sustain, and connect” the region’s cultural, natural and park assets.

ECIA Region

Jackson County Economic Alliance (JCEA), ECIA Aministration

Downtow n Revitaliz ation

Downtown Revitalization project for 10 commercial building façade improvements.

Jackson County

City of Maquoketa, ECIA

Leisure Lake EIRUSS expansion with USDA funding.

Jackson County

Cedar County Great Places program and grant app for $408,000 leveraging $408,000 in private investment.

Cedar County

Park Enhance ments and Murals

Cedar County Economic Development; Cedar County Communities; ECIA

20172022

20182021

2019

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

$20,000,00 0

$1.9 million allocated by the legislature to the Iowa Parks Foundation for parks infrastructure projects; Board of Directors selected; strategic planning conducted; seven public input sessions; $20 million in projects identified; four Priority Initiatives identified; Grant Wood Loop name created; brand developed; Facebook page and website developed/launched ; marketing plan developed.

Dave Heiar, JCEA Executive Director, heiar@thejc ea.org

$1,000,000

Maquoketa awarded Downtown Revitalization grant for $500,000 in 2018 with $500,000 match

Mark Schneider, ECIA Director of Community Development /Public Works, mschneider @ecia.org Mark Jobgen, ECIA EIRUSS Project Manager, mjobgen@e cia.org

$816,000

Application submitted. Will know December 2018

Rod Ness, CCEDCo Director, rness44@ou tlook.com

Flood Gates Update

Update Dubuque Flood Gates on Mississippi River

Dubuque County

City of Dubuque, ECIA

20192021

$5,000,000

Applying for EDA PW grant in 2018 for $2,5M

Wastew ater Treatmen t Facility Update

Update facility in Peosta Industrial Park

Dubuque County

City of Peosta, ECIA

20192021

$7,000,000

Received $3M EDA PW Disaster grant in 2018

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Mark Schneider, ECIA Director of Community Development /Public Works, mschneider @ecia.org Mark Schneider, ECIA Director of Community Development /Public Works, mschneider @ecia.org

• • •

5.

Business Development: Remain economically competitive by retaining businesses, encouraging expansion, and attracting new industry in the region by increasing SBA and RLF loan activity by 10%; increasing annual business retention calls to regional employers by 5%; increasing the total regional labor force by .5%; increasing commercial construction by 10%, and increasing entrepreneurial start-ups by 5% total by January 2020.

Base Data: Annual average over 5 years in SBA 504 loans and RLF loans in the region.

Total labor force in the region in all sectors Total entrepreneurial start-ups in the region annually

Information provided by ECIA’s Economic Development Department

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Information obtained from the Eastern Iowa Small Business Development Center and America’s SBDC.

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

City Building Permits

YEAR FY FY FY FY FY

14 15 16 17 18

MISC. PERMITS

BLDG PERMITS 74 129 115 99 132

1,587 1,327 1,446 1,376 1,270

TOTAL PERMITS 1,661 1,456 1,561 1,475 1,402

FEES

VALUATIONS 341,647 334,832 395,839 455,808 495,710

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

113,205,470 113,132,353 90,214,555 122,605,092 143,139,314

NEW CONSTRUCTION # Bldgs Multi-Family Single Fam Comm. # Units 100 14 77 12 104 21 63 19 84 72 -

-

2 14

Source: City of Dubuque Building Services

Fees 600,000 500,000 400,000

455,808 395,839 341,647

334,832

495,710 FY 14 FY 15

300,000

FY 16

200,000

FY 17

100,000

FY 18

FEES

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Goal 5 Signature Projects Project

Project Description

Project Location

Incubato r for New Startups

Incubator program for small new startup businesses, flexible space, small business support center.

To attract jobs that pay 20 percent more than the current median wage.

Cedar County

Clinton County

Develop Lincolnway Rail Port Industrial Park to accommodat e industries requiring 50 acres or more.

Clinton County

Job Creation and Private Sector Improve ments

Lincolnw ay Rail Port Industria l Park

People /Organiz ation Responsibl e Cedar County Economic Developm ent Commissio n

Schedule

Cost Estimates

Evaluative Measures

Key Project Contact

Ongoing

n/a

In thought stages

Cedar County Economic Development Commission, info@cedarco untyia.org

Clinton Regional Developm ent Corporati on, City of Clinton

Ongoing

n/a

Create 1,250 jobs and generate $130 million in new private sector improvements.

Jenelle Wolber, Clinton Regional Development Corporation, Business Development Manager, jwolber@clinto ndevelopment. com

Clinton Regional Developm ent Corporati on, City of Clinton

Ongoing

$30,000, 000+

Phase 1 completed; awarded RISE grant; Accommodate both rail and non-rail industries; 2012 city approved building spur track into park; City of Low Moor has pledged to provide water service to the industrial park; RAIL.ONE, Nevada Rail Materials, and Data Dimensions are open.

Jenelle Wolber, Clinton Regional Development Corporation, Business Development Manager, jwolber@clinto ndevelopment. com

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Pangea /6 Arts Educatio n Center (formerl y Ashford)

Redevelop Ashford University into a high school academy for Iowa students and students from abroad

Clinton County

Clinton Catalyst, LLC, City of Clinton; Clinton County Clinton School District

Downto wn Low Interest Loan Progra m

JCEA has teamed up with financial institutions across the county to establish a low-interest loan program targeted at interior and exterior projects to help revitalize downtowns.

Jackson County

Jackson County Economic Alliance (JCEA)

20172020

20152018

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

Final numbers pending

Development agreement between Clinton County and Clinton Catalyst for a property tax incentive. The school is currently using part of this facility for housing 15-20 Chinese students. Classes will eventually take place at this center.

However, classes right now are all being held at the Clinton High School.

Currently the school is trying to get accreditation from the Board of Education so they can issue visas for an extended period of time.

Brian Clem, Co-Owner, Clinton Catalyst, LLC, brian@briancl em.com

$4,000,0 00+

Six financial institutions – Bellevue State Bank, Maquoketa State Bank, DuTrac Community Credit Union, Fidelity Bank & Trust, Clinton National Bank and U.S. Band – have collectively committed $3.75 million dollars to this loan program; Applying for a 2018 Downtown CDBG Revite grant for $500,000

Dave Heiar, JCEA Senior Advisor, heiar@thejcea .org

Greater Dubuqu e Develop ment (GDDC) Campai gn Goals 2022

Business Incubato r or Maker Space

Façade Improve ment

Greater Dubuque 2022 builds on the success of past campaigns to implement our most ambitious economic development strategy yet.

Pushing onward together, we can ensure a flourishing and robust future for our businesses and citizens alike.

Business Incubator or maker space in Maquoketa – conduct a feasibility study to determine the type of incubator to open; ownership structure; management options; tenants; etc. and apply for grant funding for the study. $500,000 grant plus $500,000 local commitment to rehab the facades of 10 Maquoketa downtown properties.

Dubuque County

GDDC

Jackson County

Jackson County

20172022

$800,00 0,000

20182022

City of Maquoket a; ECIA

20192022

CEDS Annual Report January 2018 - December 2018

$1,000,0 00

Create 4,000 new jobs; Spur and promote $800,000,000 in residential/commer cial construction; Increase median household income to $60,000; Grow Dubuque Metropolitan Statistical Area population to 100,000.

Rick Dickinson, GDDC President and CEO, rickd@greater dubuque.org

Conduct a feasibility study to determine the type of incubator to open; ownership structure; management options; tenants; etc. and apply for grant funding for the study.

Nic Hockenberry, JCEA Director, hockenberry@ thejcea.org

Downtown CDBG grant awarded in 2018

Mark Schneider, ECIA Director of Community Development/ Public Works, mschneider@e cia.org