March 29, 2024

Get connected

Reynolds designates Clarke County as Connect Iowa community

It’s like Clarke County is going for the triple crown — in economic development.

Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, whose hometown is Osceola, designated Clarke County as a Connect Iowa community during Clarke County Development Corporation’s (CCDC) fall community development forum at the Lyric Theater Monday, Nov. 10.

“You are part of an important movement in Iowa to really connect broadband to everyone,” Reynolds said.

Connect Iowa, in partnership with the Iowa Economic Development Authority, is working to ensure that all Iowans can experience the benefits of broadband. The goal is to have technology, especially widespread access, use and adoption of broadband, improve all areas of life.

Two recent honors

Recently, Clarke County was designated with two other economic development honors — Home Base Iowa and Skilled Iowa Initiative.

Home Base Iowa designated communities serve as centers of opportunity for military veterans. Home Base Iowa is a non-profit, private-public partnership that focuses on recruiting veterans and active duty service members for quality, well-paying private-sector jobs in Iowa.

The other designation, the Skilled Iowa Initiative, is working to match up Iowa workers with unfilled positions across the state. Skilled Iowa encourages workers to earn the National Career Readiness Certificate, a certificate that demonstrates a worker’s knowledge and skills in several workplace areas.

“Again, you’re one of a very few, so you can be really proud of it,” Reynolds said.

The lieutenant governor was also present during Clarke County’s designation of Home Base Iowa in late August.

Seventh community

Osceola (Clarke County) becomes Iowa’s seventh certified Connect Iowa community.

“Osceola should be very proud,” Reynolds said. “They scored 112 out of 120 points, is what I’m being told, in the areas of broadband availability, as well as adoption and use.”

Clarke County joins Webster City, Indianola, West Des Moines, Black Hawk County, Creston and Fairfield in the Connect Iowa communities.

“It’s clear that the market place is changing, and to remain competitive, we must remain connected,” Reynolds said, “and we know that communities that will thrive in the new economy are those that take every opportunity to organize, plan, continue to improving their technological capabilities, and you’ve certainly proven that is precisely what Osceola is doing.”

Group effort

Reynolds said it’s apparent that no individual or single organization can spearhead the cause of economic expansion in south central Iowa alone, it’s a group effort.

“We know that that’s the only way that we can get something done in rural Iowa, it’s when we’re all in the sandbox making it happen,” she said.