Supervisors Commit To Des Moines Partnership Agreement

September 8, 2022

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday morning due to the Labor Day weekend.

A proposal to join the Greater Des Moines Partnership for ongoing economic development was one of the topics for the morning.

The partnership is an 11-county region that says they help use the resources of the larger region to help attract, expand, retain, and work with start-up companies.

The partnership also has 24 chambers of commerce representing approximately 6500 businesses across the central Iowa region.

Another focus of the group is developing the workforce and helping central Iowa become a place where people want to live.

The partnership also provides legislative advocacy that reaches out during the session and a federal policy arm to monitor and advocate for its membership.

Another area the partnership says they provide marketing of the central Iowa region when they travel to various metro areas around the country to attract new business to the area.

The board indicated they are interested in joining the partnership but are waiting on formal language before writing the check.

Also approved was hiring an outside legal counsel to assist the county as it works towards finalizing a countywide broadband agreement. The total for legal services was estimated at $10,000.

A contract with Central Iowa Tourism in the amount of $600 was approved.