Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission ReportIowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission
Explore Iowa's Great River Road
sue Stirn August 13, 2009 ~ ~
Allamakee County --
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M.J. Smith ~ C~ ~7 ~ ~!~
Clayton County Dubuque City Council - . ~~
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john Goodmann 50 West 13tH c-' `~
Dubuque County Dubuque IA 52001 ~ ~~ ~ ; ' ~
Marian Meyer CD ~~
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Jackson County
Dear Council Members -
Art Ollie
Clinton County
Patsy L. Ramacitti On behalf of the entire Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission
Scott county I am please to enclose our 2008/2009 annual report. Please review
at your convenience. If you should have any questions or
John Oberhaus comments please communicate them to me or any member of the
Muscatine County
commission.
Jay Schweitzer
Louisa County Thank you very much for your ongoing support. We will continue to
do our level best to promote and enhance the great river road.
Elaine Baxter
Des Moines County
Sincerely,
John E. Goodmann
Iowa Chairman
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Iowa Mississippi River Parkway
Commission
2008/2009 Annual Report
July 2009
4
IOWA MISSISSIPPI RIVER PARKWAY COMMISSION
2008/2009 ANNUAL REPORT
AUGUST 2009
John Goodmann
Chair
IOWA MISSISIPPI RIVER PARKWAY COMMISSION
Table of Contents
SECTION 1: Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission
2008/2009 Annual Report
SECTION 2: Iowa MRPC Commission & Technical Members
SECTION 3: Minutes of Meetings
SECTION 4: Iowa MRPC Newsletter
"Along The Byways"
MISSION STATEMENT
The Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission (IAMRPC) was organized to:
• Preserve, promote and enhance the scenic, historic, natural, archaeological, cultural
and recreation resources of the National Scenic Byway (NSB)/Iowa Great River Road
(GRR) and the Iowa Mississippi River Valley.
• Foster economic growth of the Mississippi River corridor.
• Develop the National Scenic Byway/Great River Road.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
• Assist in coordinating the increase of investment and awareness of the National Scenic
Byway/Iowa Great River Road and its amenities with roadside parks, scenic
overlooks, educational experiences and opportunities and historic information.
• Increase the awareness for stakeholders of funding through transportation
enhancement funds.
• Develop communication opportunities to tell the stories of the National Scenic
Byway/Great River Road.
• Arrange community involvement meetings and workshops.
• Advocate for the Great River Road development studies.
• Advocate for transportation related projects that incorporate the principles of context
sensitive design.
• Advocate for the use of sustainable design principles such as L.E.E.D. (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental Design.)
A major factor in achieving these goals and objectives is partnering with area and national
groups and associations that have similar goals and interests. By networking with other
organizations, we can best utilize all our assets, including financial, contacts, and personnel.
IOWA MRPC COMMISSION MEETINGS
The Iowa MRPC Commission has met three times this year. Two of the meetings were held
in Bettendorf, Iowa based on its central location along the river. Minutes of the September
26, 2008 meeting in Bettendorf and the Apri12009 meeting at the semi-annual national
meeting in Memphis are attached. The committee also met informally on May 20, 2009 to
participate in a long term planning session for the Iowa MRPC.
At the commission meetings, commissioners and technical members share information from
the counties they represent and organization activities that relate to and may impact the Iowa
Great River Road. Iowa MRPC project work plans, initiatives and partnership initiatives are
discussed and appropriate action taken.
IOWA MRPC STRUCTURE
The Iowa Commission consists often commissioners appointed by the Governor of Iowa
representing the ten counties that border the Mississippi River. The commission by Iowa
statue is gender and politically balanced. In addition, there are five technical members
representing: Iowa Department of Transportation, Department of Economic Development,
Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Office of Tourism, and U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
One new commission member was appointed by Governor Culver. Sue Stirn of Allamakee
County was appointed in June of 2009. Additionally, 4 members were reappointed to new 4
year terms. M.J. Smith of Clayton County, Jay Schweizer of Louisa county, John Oberhaus
of Muscatine County and Patsy Ramacitti of Scott County.
An updated Iowa MRPC commission list is attached.
IOWA MRPC BUDGET
_ The FY2010 budget for the Iowa MRPC was approved by the Iowa DOT for $40,000. (see
highlights). The budget includes 2010 National MRPC dues, National Scenic Byway Grants
~ matching funds, MRPC conferences and Iowa Commission meetings and travel expenses,
office expenses, mailings, and telephone long distance expenses.
IOWA ACTIVITIES AND WORK PLAN
Iowa MRPC Website Development
The Iowa MRP website continues to evolve. www.iowagreatriverroad.com
The host, Dubuque365.com continues to add content to the site. Additionally the Iowa
MRPC applies to the Internal Revenue Service for a SOIc(3) status in order to allow for
sponsorships on the website. The IRS suggested that the commission file fora 501 c(4) status
instead based on the mission of the organization, and the commission is in the process of
completing this filing.
Features of the website include:
For the Traveler:
• A history of the MRPC, biographies of members and mission statement.
• A history of the river, towns, and counties with appropriate photography.
• Fantastic photography and panoramic photos of the Mississippi River.
• Schedule of events that can be sorted by date, location, type, etc.
• Mapping ability and ability to zoom in on maps and select location links.
• An itinerary or trip planner that prints anagenda - by city, type of event, etc.
• Ability to feature links with maps and icons and print a route with mileage.
For the Iowa Stakeholder:
• Easy to use and update with 100% immunity to viruses.
• Unlimited addition and editing of pictures and text.
• Fully managed, Tier-1, secure fiber-optic website and email hosting facilities.
• Ability to support advertising or sponsors for maintaining the site.
The Iowa MRPC will incorporate a proposed Historical Great Place brochure into the website
that will list historical and cultural places to visit in Iowa along the Great River Road in the
ten counties. Also, will include festivals and annual special events.
NSB Grants submitted by Iowa Stakeholders
The Iowa MRPC reviewed five (5) NSB grants submitted for the Iowa Great River Road
funding and sent recommendations for funding to the Iowa DOT. The Iowa DOT evaluation
committee prioritized all Iowa NSB grants and recommended (5) GRR grants for funding by
the Federal Highway Administration.
Iowa Participation in Meetings and Events
The Iowa Chair participated in all National MRPC Board meetings and Executive Board
meetings, as well as the Semi-Annual and Annual Meetings. The majority of Iowa
Commissioners also participated in the National MRPC meetings.
MRPC 2008 70th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Meeting September 25-28, 2008
The Iowa MRPC 2008 Annual Meeting was held in Bettendorf, Iowa at the Isle of Capri new
Paradise Hotel and Isle Center. This was also the 70th Anniversary of the establishment of the
Great River Road and the Mississippi River Parkway Commission. Some highlights included:
Four Applied Mobile Learning Workshops were included to provide members with an
opportunity to have a learning experience as well as a fun activity. There was an old style
family picnic with a Dixieland Band in the hotel courtyard. This is a first time event for the
MRPC.
MRPC Semi-annual meeting
This meeting took place in Memphis, TN on April 17th and 18th with members from all 10
states as a part of the national MRPC meeting structure. Highlights of the meeting included
presentations from a number of organizations including .the Audubon Society and Memphis
Port Authority. There was also an off-site visit to the Memphis River Museum.
Iowa MRPC Planning Session
The May 20th meeting of the commission included a long term planning session for the Iowa
MRPC with an emphasis on setting priorities for the present and future commissioners.
Priority items included a goal to rework the Iowa Great River Road corridor plan, web-site
enhancement, and increased numbers of membership in and involvement of technical
committee members.
Iowa MRPC "Along the Byway" Newsletter
The Iowa commission published two newsletters for our stakeholders this year. The
publication, which is still mailed to recipients, highlights grant opportunities for river
communities, tells the success stories of river projects, and communicates the advocacy role
of the Iowa volunteers and technical advisors of the MRPC. A copy of the June 2009
newsletter is included in this packet.
Iowa MRPC Stakeholder Meetings
Stakeholder meetings for 2009 have been scheduled for October 14th in Guttenberg and
October 15th in Bettendorf and Ft. Madison.
National MRPC Interpretive Center Exhibit
The National table top exhibit was first used at the MRPC Annual meeting in St. Louis and
has since been exhibited at three additional meetings. This exhibit is available for use by all
states and costs about $50 to ship.
Iowa MRPC 2007 Grant Applications
1. Iowa's Byways Website Development, $56,189
2. George M. Verity Preservation Project, $222,200
3. Mississippi River Bluff-Top Observation Deck, $132,000
4. Louisa Interpretive Center Along the GRR, $720,000
5. GRR at Montrose Pavilion Project, $90,600
Final NSB approval has not been received.
Iowa ZOOS Grant applications are still awaiting final priority.
Awards
Iowa Commission member M. J. Smith received the MRPC Distinguished Service Award.
The award was based on M.J.'s many years of sustained service and leadership to both the
Iowa MRPC and the National MRPC.
IOWA MISSISSIPPI RIVER PARKWAY COMMISSION
Appointed Commissioners National Committee Electronic Address
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY:
_ Sue Stirn Environment ssrental@sbtek.net
- PO Box 36 Ag, Rec Home phone: 563-538-4454
Lansing, IA 52151 Cell phone: 563-568-8087
CLAYTON COUNTY:
M. J. Smith, Secretary Marketing mismithna,alpinecom.net
207 Lorenz Lane Work phone: 563-252-3283
Guttenberg, IA 52052 FAX: 563-252-1275
CLINTON COUNTY:
C. Arthur Ollie,
413 Ruth Place
Clinton, IA 52732
DES MOINES COUNTY:
Elaine Baxter
1016 N. Fourth St.
Burlington, IA 52601
DUBUQUE COUNTY:
John E. Goodmann
Goodmann Insurance Services
2744 University Ave.
P.O. Box 1088
Dubuque, IA 52004-1088
JACKSON COUNTY:
Marian Meyer
106 N. 3~d Street
Bellevue, IA 52031
Bylaws Committee
Culture & Heritage
j.a.ollie(a,mchsi.com
Home phone: 563-243-5477
elainbax(a,msn.com
Home phone: 319-754-4372
FAX: 319-754-4372
Term Expires
Marketing .i~oodmannnu,real-good.com
Work phone: 563-556-3232
FAX: 563-556-1142
Environment, Recreation Marianmeyer4(a~aol.com
& Agriculture Work phone: 563-872-4991
Home phone: 563-672-9666
FAX: 563-872-4094
2013
2013
2011
2011
2011
2011
LEE COUNTY:
Gene Enke
1002 Denmark Hilltop
Fort Madison, IA 52627
Nominating Committee
g_enke@yahoo.com
Home phone: 319-372-7935
Cell phone: 319-470-1133
2011
LOUISA COUNTY:
Jay Schweitzer Transportation
P. O. Box 112
Columbus Junction, IA 52738
MUSCATINE COUNTY:
John Oberhaus
2581 Jasper Ave.
Letts, IA 52754
Environment, Recreation
& Agriculture
snwlaw(a,lisco.com
Work Phone: 319-728-2219
Home phone: 319-728-3180
FAX: 319-728-8449
iloberhaus(a,lisco.com
Home phone: 319-726-5395
2013
2013
SCOTT COUNTY:
Patsy L. Ramacitti, Chair
4674 Kynnelworth Drive
Bettendorf, IA 52722
Pilot
Board of Directors
Executive Board
Bettnlr(a~,aol.com
Home phone: 563-332-5446
2013
TECHNICAL MEMBERS
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION:
Troy Siefert Transportation
Iowa Scenic Byways Program Manager
800 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50010
Troy. S iefert(a,dot.iowa.~ov
Work phone: 515-239-1369
800-262-0003, ext. 1369
FAX: 515-233-7857
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT•
Cali Beals Marketing Cali.beals(a~iowalifechan~ing.com
21202 Pheasant Run Work phone: 515-242-4822
Anamosa, IA 52205 Home phone: 319-462-6944
IOWA OFFICE OF TOURISM:
Director Nancy Landes Marketing nancy.landessna,iowalifechangin~.com
200 E. Grand Ave. Work phone: 5`15-242-4702
Des Moines, IA 50309 FAX: 515-242-4718
IOWA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES:
Janell Rettig janellerettig@aol.com
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS:
Ron Deiss Environment, Recreation Ronald.w.deiss(a,usace.army.mil
Economic & Environment & Agriculture Work phone: 309-794-5185
Analysis Branch FAX: 309-794-5157
Clock Tower Building, C. of E.
Box 2004
Rock Island, IL 60204-2004
NATIONAL MRPC:
Susanne Thiede-Barnet Susannena,pilchbarnet.com
222 State St., Suite 400 Work phone: 608-242-8895
Madison, WI 53703 FAX: 608-242-8896
Lyn Pilch lynna,nilchbarnet.com
222 State St., Suite 400 Work phone: 608-242-8895
Madison, WI 53703 FAX: 608-242-8896
Updated: July 09
-2-
Iowa MRPC Minutes
Sept. 26, 2008
The Isle of Capri
Bettendorf, Iowa
In attendance: Pilot Patsy Ramacitti, Scott County; Chair John Goodman, Dubuque
County; Gene Enke, Lee County; MJ Smith, Clayton County, Art Ollie, Clinton County;
Elaine Baxter, Des Moines County; Marian Meyer, Jackson County; John Oberhaus,
Muscatine County; Jay Schweitzer, Louisa County; Cali Beals, Iowa DEDRon Deiss,
Corps of Engineers; and Troy Siefert, Iowa DOT.
The group convened at 7:30 a.m.
Agenda Items
Action items bold
1. Aug. Meeting Minutes -The minutes were approved as submitted. Motion by
Oberhaus/Enke.
2. Troy Siefert announced an opportunity for training set for Oct. 29 in Ames. The
content will focus on uniform signage to promote both Statoe of Iowa and the two
National Scenic Byways. Patsy and Art will attend. The commission will discuss the
signing opportunity following their report of the meeting.
3. MJ Smith presented a letter from Northeast Iowa Resource and Conservation
Development Director Lora Friest. The letter invited the MRPC to become a partner
in GIS/GPS mapping along the GRR. The commission voted to endorse the
partnership and a letter of support will be sent by Chair Goodmann. Motion by
Schweitzer/Enke.
4. Agri-tourism Inventory -County Commissioners will be asked to complete an
inventory of agri-tourism resources. Watch US Mail for copy and deadlines from
Chair Goodmann.
5. Website Accounting -The commission discussed and approved a budget for
Marian Meyer to process revenue and disbursements for the MRPC website at a rate
of $10 per hour not to exceed 10 hours each week. John Goodmann and MJ Smith
were appointed to sign checks for the website account.
6. The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 a.m.
Minutes submitted by M.J. Smith, Secretary
Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission
State Meeting
Semi Annual National Meeting
Memphis, Tennessee
April 18, 2009
Meeting called to order: 7:35 A.M.
Present: Elaine Baxter, Gene Enke, John Goodman, John Oberhaus, Art Ollie, Patsy Ramacitti, Jay
Schweitzer
1. Geocaching: Re: M.J. This project was judged successful and is being renewed. The Iowa
Geocaching organization will place caches if we provide the kits. Each state is asked to provide a
$100 incentive for successful geocachers. Approved
2. Quad City Convention and Visitor Bureau Annual guide - ad space offered. We apparently did
not advertize last year. No action taken
3. Memo from DOT- Recovery Act $ available for Ferry improvement. As the Iowa landing of the
Cassville - Millville Ferry needs attention, we want to make sure Iowa DOT seeks funding. John
Goodman needs to be kept informed of any action on this funding.
4. Bridge in Burlington -carries the GRR, and is on the route of a city street. Due to its poor
condition it has been closed. If it is not repaired, the GRR needs to be rerouted and re-mapped.
Elaine will write a letter to go out over John Goodman's signature calling the attention of the
City of Burlington and the DOT about this.
5. Byway signage project. Graphics were passed around showing the unified Iowa Byway signage
and information about the project was shared. A desire was expressed that we want to see the
final design before the project is implemented. (A subsequent memo from Patsy reminded us
that permission of the National MRPC needs to be obtained in order to utilize our logo.)
6. Web site: A marketing person has been retained to solicit ads. John will clarify details of the
budget for the web site and a-mail it to commissioners.
7. Letters to the Editor: John urged commissioners to write to their local papers concerning the
semi-annual meeting and to urge people to visit our website. John will circulate his letter as a
template for us to follow
8. Strategic planning session: John will set a date later this Spring. Patsy will reserve the Lodge
as Bettendorf is more centrally located.
9. Hospitality room expenses. The DOT will not reimburse for the cost of the beer and wine. Art
will submit the bills to Patsy to request the national office to do so.
10. NSB grants: Concern was expressed that so many state byway corridor management plans were
funded ahead of projects on the national byways. John will request a breakdown of the
amounts allocated to each project for further analysis.
Meeting adjourned at 8:30 A.M.
Respectfully submitted, Art Ollie, temp. sec.
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You can publish!
Iowa Great River Road events & stories
The Iowa Mississippi Parkway Commission hosts a
fabulous website at www.iowagreatriverroad.com
The highly interactive site invites Great River Road
stakeholders to publish stories and events. The first
thing to do is register. This takes less than a minute,
is completely private, and unlocks several tools for
users, including a Turbo Search option.
Next, look under the Home tab at the far left side of
the opening page under Home and Info and select
Publish.
The real strength of this site is its ability to collect
the stories of the people who live on, visit and
simply love the Mississippi.
Promoting an event along the river's edge? Simply
fill in the event name, location, date and time.
Describe the event and upload a photo to promote
your community. Add a caption to describe the
scene in more detail.
Iowa Mississippi River Parkway
Commission Newsletter
VOLUME 1$ JUNE ZOOS
If your community is working to promote its
birding adventures, publish a feature story about
your morning walk with the local fowl from that
same link under Home and Info on the opening
page.
Everyone is able to contribute content to the Iowa
Great River Road Web site. You do not need to be
registered to contribute, but is recommended for
use of all the site's tools. Besides events and stories,
you may even list your tourism-based business for
website visitors to discover when they visit your
community.
All content posted to the site is moderated,
therefore no postings will appear instantly. The staff
of the IowaGreatRiverRoad.com website will
review, edit if necessary, and make sure all content
is being posted to the correct areas.
They will attempt to ensure that all postings are
verified as correct, but as it is not always possible,
the honor system will do some governing,
assuming that the content you post is accurate and
relevant. Your events should appear online within
a couple days of posting.
and daughters connect to catch up and enjoy the river.
The perfect destination for a daytrip from anywhere
on the Iowa Great River Road is the Quad Cities.
The MPRC is proud to partner with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers Rock Island District in a shared
mission to respect and protect the Mississippi River.
While in the Quad Cities, one can discover river
history from the early 1800's at the Col. Davenport
Home.
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From early April through mid December, visitors
from around the world come to the visitor's center
to watch boats pass through the lock.
The visitor's center welcomes over 60,000 people
annually and is handicap accessible. It is open
seven days a week with the exception of Christmas
and New Year's Day. Hours of operation are 9 am
to 5 pm.
The Visitor Center is located on the west end of
Arsenal Island in Rock Island, Illinois. Access to
the Visitor Center must be made through the
Moline gate on weekends. Security personnel will
meet you at the gate, and may inspect your vehicle
and ask for picture ID for persons over 16 years of
age. Parking is available in the Visitor Center
parking lot. For more information: call 309-794-
5338
~~~
Tour guides will take you through Davenport's
careers as a U.S. soldier, fur trader with Native
Americans, and developer of local communities.
The home was constructed in 1833-34, and is
decorated with furnishings of that period.
Admission is very reasonable, and all proceeds go
back into the house. It is located at the North
Shore of Arsenal Island at Hillman Street. For
more information, call 309-786-7336.
Mississippi River Visitor's Center
A second stop is the Mississippi River Visitor's
Center at Lock and Dam 15, overlooking the
Upper Mississippi River, which is operated by the
Mississippi River Project, of the Rock Island District,
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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Iowa MRPC commissioners, considering the Great
River Road to be a national treasure, are working
together with the national MPRC to build an
endowment to preserve it forever.
Visit:
http://www.experiencem iss i ssi ppi river. com/pdf/M R
PCEndowmentBrochure.pdf
2
Col. Davenport home
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Lock and Dam 15 at the Quad Cities
HUNTING GRR TREASURE
The Great River Road and the ten Mississippi River
states provide incredible geocaching opportunities.
Like a great national treasure hunt, hundreds of
caches are hidden at points along the entire Great
River Road and thousands more caches are hidden
throughout each Mississippi River state.
Caches are hidden in some of the regions most
historic, culturally-significant and scenic locations.
For those unfamiliar with geocaching, it is an
exciting outdoor game in which players use a
handheld GPS unit to find hidden treasures, called
"caches."
Once you find a cache, participants are invited to
share experiences online at www.geocaching.com
Geocaching is enjoyed by people from all age
groups, with a strong sense of community and
support for the environment.
To find geocaches along the Great River Road,
visit:
http://www.experiencemississippiriver.com/geocac
hing.cfm
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AVOID ~titISTAKES ON NSBP GRANTS i
As you begin to think about your next National
Scenic Byway grant submission, consider this list of
commonly made mistakes:
AMERICA'S
BYYVAYS
The project exhibits no clear relationship to the
byway. Remember you're applying for National
Scenic Byways Program (NSBP) funding, so
establishing the project's relationship to the byway,
its intrinsic qualities and describing how the project
will enhance the byway traveler experience are all
important to convey in your application. A
project's proximity to the byway or its inclusion in
the corridor management plan does not necessarily
make it eligible for NSBP funding.
Not making a compelling case for why the project
should be considered for funding. Convey the
necessary information as succinctly as possible.
Unfocused project abstracts. Think of this as a
snapshot. This is the reviewer's first view of your
project and it is important to provide awell-
focused and defined picture. In this section of the
application you will need to concisely summarize
what the project will do.
Rambling Narrative/Project Summary. Think of
this as awide-angle, panorama shot.
Eligibility category selection. When deciding
which eligibility category, please take care to
determine that the project you are advancing is
eligible for funding under that specific category.
For more advice on writing a winning grant, visit:
http://www.bywayson I i ne.org/grants/articles/73499
3
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• ~ AMERICA'S
BYWAYS
Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission
PO Box 1088
Dubuque, IA 520041008
Along the Byway is published twice annually for
stakeholders of the Great River Road.
Chair John Goodmann, Dubuque County
Email: jgoodmann@real-good.com
Vice Chair Marion Meyer, Jackson County
Email: marianmeyer4@aol.com
Secretary M.J. Smith, Clayton County
Email: mjsmith@alpinecom.net
Art Ollie, Clinton County
Email: caollie@sanays.com
Patsy Ramacitti, Scott County
Email: BettPLR@aol.com
John Oberhaus, Muscatine County
Email: jloberhaus@lisco.com
Jay Schweitzer, Louisa County
Email: snwlaw@lisco.com
Elaine Baxter, Des Moines County
Email: elainbax@msn.com
Gene Enke, Lee County
Email: enke1002@ .com
John Goodmann, of Dubuque, is chair of the
Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission.
Following a spring strategic planning meeting
for the group, Goodmann reflected: Recently
the Iowa MRPC met as a group for a planning
session to identify both the strengths and
weaknesses of our organization. We intend to
make use of the knowledge and talents of our
very experienced commission to try and lay the
groundwork for the next 100 years of the Iowa
MRPC and are excited to set in place a plan of
action to do just that. Please note, we will be
setting dates and locations soon for our fall
stakeholder meetings.~.You are our stakeholder,
so watch for this news and plan to attend!
4