|  | SICOG 21st Annual Golf Invitational Held September 13, 2023 at the Lenox Municipal Golf Course | SICOG held our 21st Annual golf tournament at the Lenox Municipal Golf Course on Wednesday, September 13. We were blessed with a beautiful, sunny day as we welcomed fourteen teams from our eight county region! The day consisted of eighteen holes of golf with a slight twist, and for lunch, SICOG provided a ham sandwich, chips, a cookie, and water.
As a specialty hole this year, we had "Take a Gamble". The teams had to test their luck by rolling a pair of lawn dice. If the player rolled any set of numbers that weren’t doubles, then they teed off per usual, and played best ball. If the player rolled a set of doubles, they were dealt one of the following hands: Double 1’s “Snake Eyes”- Your team had to play worst ball Double 2’s- Your team teed off from the “Pro” tee Double 3’s- Your team teed off from the “Men’s” tee Double 4’s & 5’s- Your team teed off from the “Women’s” tee Double 6’s- Your team received a hole in one!!
After seeing your fate from the dice, the teams were able to pay the dealer $5 to reroll the dice for a better outcome!
The day concluded with: dinner provided by the Lenox Golf Course, handing out door prizes, and lots of laughs! Team Lenox Municipal Utilities won first place in the first flight, and Team Snyder & Associates won first place in the second flight! Congratulations to all!
We want to thank everyone who donated prizes or food or came and spent the day with us! We truly couldn't have done it without you! Please, enjoy some of the pictures taken that day, below, and we hope to see you next year! |  |  |  | |  | As always, SICOG provides an un-exhaustive list of grants to generate ideas about possible projects and provide funding guidance. Grant funding sources are increasingly interested in creative solutions to problems and many are willing to support not just construction but also operations. If your community has a problem that outside funding might address, then please contact your SICOG office. We would be glad to help and can attend a local meeting at no cost to discuss the project or idea. There are many other sources, so if you have project, please contact us. | | | | 10 Iowa Smart Planning Principles |
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| In the coming issues of The Windmill, I’ll cover the 10 Iowa Smart Planning Principles, now codified in Iowa Code Chapter 18B. This month, we’ll cover the fifth one: revitalization. The Code reads as follows:
“Revitalization – Planning, zoning, development, and resource management should facilitate the revitalization of established town centers and neighborhoods by promoting development that conserves land, protects historic resources, promotes pedestrian accessibility, and integrates different uses of property. Remediation and reuse of existing sites, structures, and infrastructure is preferred over new construction in undeveloped areas.”
The Code states that the local government shall consider and may apply the 10 principles in appropriate planning, zoning, development, and resource management decisions. The question becomes how to consider and apply them. When SICOG works on these issues, we like to take on the principles directly. We evaluate possible planning goals, objectives, actions, and policies in terms of how these may impact, positively or negatively, each of the 10 principles.
Revitalization is exceptionally important to rural Iowa. There is so much infrastructure and so many buildings that have been around for many years. As our towns have stagnated in population, naturally there is limited new development. This means extra effort is needed to preserve what exists. Revitalization starts with the physical environment, and from that the economic environment will improve. That means that we need to find the scarce resources available and marshal them into projects that all value to what is existing. This means modernizing a home, getting a business space ready for a modern type of retail or office use, and ensuring existing infrastructure can meet changing needs. |
| Some new development is needed, but it should be focused in existing areas, so land values in those areas grow. Infill development is there use of an existing previously developed property by building a new structure. This is a smart strategy for several reasons: It reduces the need for expensive infrastructure extensions and then maintenance of excess infrastructure.
It provides a growth in tax base to support infrastructure maintenance where infrastructure is anyway.
It encourages owners of surrounding older properties to invest in their properties, thus increasing the tax base and desirability of the community.
It saves the city money in the long run.
Revitalization also goes hand-in-hand with a sense of place (community character), historic preservation, and fun. Everyone wants to visit and spend time (and money) in a place that seems to be alive and that has a future. It should be an active goal of any community to find the resources to revitalize what is available.
This planning principle can show up in planning documents through goals, strategies, and policies adopted locally, codes such as zoning adopted locally, and operating procedures created and standardized for local staff and officials. |
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| | IEDA Community Catalyst Building Remediation Program Opens for 2024 Projects | Recently IEDA held a series of workshops around Iowa to introduce the next Community Catalyst Grant opportunity. This year, like in the past, the grant can fund up to $100,000, with 40% set aside for small towns under 1,500 people. SICOG encourages every town that has a downtown building in disrepair or that is underused to consider applying.
It is important that the following are true of any project: Is a building owned by a private individual with a potential for commercial use on the main floor.
Has an owner willing to invest some of his/her own money in the project.
If renovated, has the potential of catalytic economic growth in the community – including a solid commitment to put commercial (preferably retail or food service) on the main floor.
Improves appearance and safety.
Makes use of underutilized property.
Exhibits appropriate design standards –appropriate for the downtown it is in.
Preferably (but not required) has potential for upper-story apartments.
With the City willing to invest some cash and, if relevant, in-kind.
While the grant is competitive, IEDA is likely to fund 25 or more projects. Further, this grant does not have all the strings of a federal program, such as income limits, environmental reviews, Davis-Bacon, and others. The program is relatively easy to use.
SICOG is more than happy to visit your town and tour the building with the City and property owner or to talk with your city council about how to promote this program to building owners. Each city can submit one pre-application between now and January 29. If the State selects your project for a full application, we can assist with that as well. If the State declines a pre-application and time remains, another project can be submitted. The full application is due April 15, 2024.
New this year is that the City can own the building as longas, after work is done, the plan is to sell it for private ownership. No longer will “white boxing” be competitive. Now IEDA wants to see a strong commitment for retail or food service in the building.
Contact Jeremy for assistance or with questions. | | | The Best Development Awards, brought to you by 1000 Friends of Iowa, recognizes Iowa’s thoughtfully considered projects and programs that connect building, land, natural resources, development, positive community impact, and quality of life as well as the organizations and individuals responsible for those projects and programs. With a mission focused on responsible land use, 1000 Friends of Iowa promotes smart growth and smart shrink planning principles that help achieve socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable communities around the state.
There is a $25 fee to submit a nomination, and anyone can nominate (or self-nominate) a great project or program. The nomination deadline is November 17, 2023.
Winners will be chosen by independent jurors in December, and an awards ceremony is slated to occur over the lunch hour on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, for the following categories: | New Civic
Renovated Civic
New Commercial
Renovated Commercial
Innovative Leadership
Mixed Use
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| Held at the Capitol Rotunda during the state’s legislative session, the awards ceremony is a unique opportunity to let lawmakers know the positive impact that sustainable practices have on Iowa’s communities. Contact Jeremy at SICOG for assistance if needed. | | | Keep Iowa Beautiful Hometown Pride Program Seeks New Communities | Your hometown can join the 100+ communities who have used Hometown Pride to help grow local leadership, create new community amenities, enhance civic pride, and increase economic vitality. New communities typically join as a group of 7-10 towns in a county/region.
Contact Jeremy at SICOG with any questions. | | | | This is the time of year when FEMA launches the Assistance to Firefighters Grants. This grant is popular but increasingly competitive. Therefore, SICOG wants our member departments to get ready before the grant opens, which will likely be in November. Here are some things you can and should do today to get ready: Gather your call volume information that you report to the State, so we know the number and types of calls for the past three years.
Hold a risk assessment meeting of your members and identify your greatest needs, problems, five-year goals, and put these things in writing.
Inventory your equipment, training, and vehicles. Determine what needs replaced or upgraded the most.
Begin to get quotes for that equipment. If you wait until the grant opens to ask fora quote, good luck, as vendors will be slammed. Three quotes are ideal, if possible.
Contact Jeremy at SICOG to share information and ask questions.
We hope to help at least a half dozen fire departments and non-affiliated (not part of a hospital or other entity) EMS agencies with grants this year. | | SICOG Partnerships 2023 | Platinum ($2,500) *Creston City Water Works *Clarke County Development Corporation *City of Osceola *John Wayne Birthplace Society, LTD of Winterset
Diamond ($1,500) *First National Bank of Creston & Afton *Iowa State Savings Bank of Creston & Lenox *Lenox Municipal Utilities
Gold ($1,000) *Corning Municipal Utilities *Garden & Associates, LTD of Creston & Oskaloosa *Greater Regional Health *PCSB of Clarinda, Corning, Creston, Lenox and Mount Ayr
Silver ($500) *American State Bank of Lamoni, Osceola & Winterset *JEO Consulting Group of Ankeny *North Stone Apartments & Corkrean Construction of Winterset *Snyder & Associates, Inc of Ankeny & Atlantic *Southwest Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative of Corning, Mount Ayr & Stanton *Tyler Insurance Services of Creston & Mount Ayr *Veenstra & Kimm, INC of West Des Moines |
| Bronze ($250) *Adams Community Economic Development Corporation *Afton Development Corporation *Akin Building Center of Corning & Creston *City State Bank of Mount Ayr *Clarke County Hospital *Clarke Electrical Cooperative of Osceola *Community Development Corp of Greenfield *Farmers & Merchants State Bank of Orient, St. Charles & Winterset *First National Bank of Osceola *FNB of Fontanelle & Greenfield *Grundman Insurance Agency of Corning *Lenox Chamber of Commerce *Lenox Development Corporation *R Realty of Creston *Rainbow International of Winterset *Ringgold County Development Corporation *Saylor Realty, LLC of Osceola *Southwestern Community College *State Bank of Brooks of Corning *Subway of Corning *TS Bank of Treynor in Corning *Union County Development Association *Union State Bank of Greenfield *Union State Bank of Winterset |
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| Interested in becoming a partner?! Call us today at (641) 782-8491 or go to the Partnership page on the SICOG website and fill out the form at the bottom of the page! | | | SICOG Executive Board Minutes- September 14, 2023 | Chairman Jerry Walker called the meeting to order at 1:00p.m. at the SICOG office. The following members were present: Dunbar, Fitch, Friday, Geist, Holmes, Risser, Walker and Zabel.
Staff present: Waddle, Brimm, and Comstock.
Zabel made a motion to approve the agenda. Risser seconded the motion, all ayes. Motion carried.
Holmes made a motion to approve the minutes of the August 1, 2023, meeting. Dunbar seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion carried.
Risser made a motion to approve the financial reports as presented for the months of July and August. Fitch seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion carried.
Fitch made a motion to approve the bank resolution as presented. Holmes seconded the motion. Roll call votes as follows: Akin- Absent, Davidson- Absent, Dunbar- Aye, Fitch- Aye, Friday- Aye, Geist- Aye, Holmes- Aye, Leners- Absent, Pantini- Absent, Risser- Aye, Walker-Aye, Wengryn- Absent, and Zabel- Aye. Motion Carried. |
| Other items discussed included: grant report, NICRA, and golf.
Risser made a motion to approve the Executive Director’s Contract as presented. The contract includes the board decision on paid time off for the Executive Director. Contract is effective-beginning October 1, 2023. Friday seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion carried.
Holmes made a motion to approve the Finance Assistant job description as presented. Dunbar seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion carried.
Zabel made a motion to approve the2023-24 Budget which includes membership dues of $1.70 along with the new payroll package effective October 1, 2023, as presented. Fitch seconded the motion. All ayes. Motion carried.
Holmes made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 1:42 p.m. Risser seconded the motion, all ayes. Motion carried.
Minutes Submitted by Comstock |
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| | SICOG Executive Board Meeting- Tuesday, November 7
SICOG Closed Friday, November 10 in Observance of Veterans Day
ATURA Board Meeting- Tuesday, November 14
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| | SICOG Executive Board Jerry Walker, Chairperson, Adair County Diane Fitch, Vice Chairperson, Madison County Karen Zabel, Secretary, Taylor County Scott Akin, Treasurer, Adams County Randy Dunbar, Clarke County Sam Wengryn, Decatur County Colby Holmes, Ringgold County Rick Friday, Union County Doug Davidson, Private Sector Tom Leners, Private Sector Raelynne Risser, Private Sector Jodie Geist, Private Sector Wayne Pantini, Member-At-Large |
| SICOG Staff Beth Waddle, Executive Director Judy Brimm, Finance Director Jeremy Rounds, Regional Planner Jessica Hagen, Transportation Planner Terry Niestadt, Regional Planner Kendra Comstock, Planning Tech |
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