The new Fayette County Economic Development & Tourism organization held its first official meeting on Wednesday, July 10, with potential partners from Fayette County cities, utilities, and banks gathering to meeting and ask questions of new Fayette County Economic Development Director Mallory Hanson. Chris DeBack photo
New FC Economic Development meets with potential partners
By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com
Fayette County Economic Development and Tourism (FCEDT) held its initial meeting on Wednesday, July 10, at its office at 101 North Vine Street in West Union.
Mallory Hanson, FCEDT director, invited previous partners of the now defunct Fayette County Economic Development, which includes cities, utilities, and banks in Fayette County. In attendance were representatives from the cities of Oelwein, Fayette, West Union, Hawkeye, and Elgin, as well as Allamakee-Clayton REC, East-Central REC, Oelwein Chamber & Area Development, First State Bank in Fayette and Sumner, Fidelity Bank & Trust in Oelwein, Community Bank of Oelwein and Bank Iowa in Waucoma.
Employees of Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development were also in attendance including Laura Friest, executive director, Paul Berland, who will be executive director when Friest retires, and Amanda Streeper, a RC&D program manager.
Hanson opened the meeting by introducing herself and the staff members from RC&D in attendance. She noted that the purpose of the meeting was to gather potential partners and let them know how economic development will move forward in Fayette County, as well as allow them to ask any questions or voice any concerns. Friest gave a little history on RC&D.