The Webster City Transformation Council met Thursday to examine the needs of the community in the wake of Electrolux's closing announcement.
Members looked at how Newton coped with Maytag's closing, especially in their recruitment of business and industry.
"We have to do some quick recruitment for new businesses and industry to come to our area, and in the meantime re-train the workforce that is here," Kelly Wirtz, Director of the Iowa Central's Webster City campus.
Shelly Blunk, Economic Development Director at Iowa Central Community College said, "We need to also look at our current industry and survey their needs for the next few years. For example, we need to ask businesses if they will be needing employees, and if so, what kinds of skill sets will employees need. Then we can look at the supply of workers in the area and funnel them through training programs to serve our current industries."
The council's focus is on communicating information to the internal community and external audiences, Webster City's supply of workers, to stimulate investment in new and existing businesses and create entrepreneurial opportunities.
Blunk pointed to the entrepreneurial aspect and said, "Maytag's R&D group spun off and started their own engineering company and now they employ 40 plus people."
"We need to get people retrained with the help of Iowa Workforce Development, the State Government and Iowa Central. But unfortunately, people are being shuffled back and forth from one place to the other," Wirtz said. "Our desire is to have a one-stop shop, to help those that are currently unemployed and for those who know that they will be unemployed, so that they have a place to start and get involved with the process."
The committee discussed possible buildings in the area that may suit the needs of community members such as the existing hospital building, Beam Industries facility and the old post office.
Wirtz added, "Also, we need to attract more business and industry to provide jobs. We don't want to lose our workforce from this area, as that doesn't help attract other business and industry."
Committee members discussed conducting a new income survey in the community. Black Hills Energy said that it might be able to fund such a survey. Survey results might indicate Webster City is eligible for grant funding to promote economic development in the community.
The transformation council is planning on hosting Tom Milligan and his one-man play "American Dreamer: The Life and Times of Henry A. Wallace" at the Webster City Community Theatre in January. Milligan has agreed to volunteer his time and efforts for this event. This will be a kickoff for community forums that the group is planning on holding.
While community leaders try to figure out how to make a brighter future for area citizens now, Justin Jones, director of Upper Des Moines Opportunity, had a somber end note for the committee.
"We cannot keep food on the shelves at the food pantry. Our clients have doubled in the last month. The need is absolutely there," he said.