ALGONA-During a work session of the Algona City Council, Maureen Elbert of Kossuth County Economic Development Corporation came to address several of the questions that have been proposed by members Kim Weaver and Terri Von Ruden over the past month in city council meetings.
Elbert began by talking about the amount of work that KCEDC does to help promote Kossuth County and Algona to outlying areas.
"A lot of our time goes to updating the Location 1 information statements and Synchronist databases about our area," Elbert said. "If we don't touch the Location 1 database on a quarterly basis, we get flagged and that affects the amount of money we draw from the state."
Elbert took time to address the answers to prepared questions by the council.
Elbert addressed how the joint venture of Kossuth County Economic Development Corporation with Palo Alto County Economic Development Corporation has benefitted the businesses in both counties.
"A focus on regionalism is the only way things are going to work in the future," Elbert said. "I've talked with businesses in Palo Alto county that talk about how if we would have lost Snap-On, the impact that would have on their county. We work with Palo Alto and Kossuth to retain businesses in the county, as well as try to attract new businesses to the area."
Von Ruden and Weaver asked how the separation of Palo Alto and Kossuth County offices worked out.
Elbert explained that the offices are under a contractual agreement and run from two separate books.
"When we first started working with Palo Alto, it took a lot of time," Elbert said. "They didn't have any data when we started, so that was a lot of weekends and mornings spent collecting that data. They also didn't have the leadership pool that we find in Algona, either."
Because no money from Palo Alto county can mix with Kossuth county, due to the casino and restrictions with that money administered by the state, Elbert also said she has to keep track of the paper that employees are using.
"We keep separate books for both entities," Elbert said. "If someone is working for stuff for Palo Alto county, they log in the hours they worked for them on a sheet of paper, and for Kossuth county on another. At the end off the month, we go to the log books, add up the hours from each and cut a check to reimburse our employees. If employees use any Kossuth county paper when working on a Palo Alto project, they have to make sure to credit Kossuth county to reimburse them for the usage. We have to keep the books as separate as possible."
Elbert also cleared up that the money received from Kossuth county does not go to any work on Palo Alto projects, and vice versa.
Elbert said she has been approached by other counties to possibly add to the Economic development corporation, but the workload is enough for her and employees at the moment to handle.
As for IPERS, John Bilsten, board president of the Kossuth County Economic Development Corporation, explained that KCEDC did receive IPERS and he looked into that when they applied for it originally.
"Economic development corporations are covered by IPERS," Bilsten said. "Even though they deal with public and private dollars, according to Iowa code Chapter 22, they don't have to be a public entity to receive IPERS."
Bilsten and Elbert also explained that their budget was available to anyone who asked to see it.
The council also held a meeting following the work session.
They heard from Algona Chamber of Commerce contact Scott Curtis about upcoming events in Algona over the next month, including the Annual Craft Show on Saturday, Oct. 24 and a Halloween costume parade to be held on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 4 p.m.
They also discussed the trail project, which construction is underway on. Currently, areas have been graded and prepared to pour concrete and are waiting for the weather to line the trail.
The council also approved a Class C liquor license for the Perky Parrot.