Article Photos

Many of the players who will help devise a plan for bringing new business and jobs to the community gathered for a meeting with the Webster City City Council Tuesday morning.

Representatives of the Department of Economic Development, Iowa Central Community College and Webster City Area Development told those in attendance what their agencies could bring to the table in as the city plans for the closing of Electrolux.

Gary Sandholm of Webster City Area Development said, "The role we may play ties in heavily with Iowa State University Extension, the Department of Economic Development, regional and local loan programs. We'll also be working closely with the city and county, SEED, the Mid-Iowa Growth Partnership, ICCC, and Rep. McKinley Bailey, and Sen. Rich Olive."

Sandholm reminded those present that the Mid-Iowa Growth Partnership, of which Webster City is a member, recently was awarded a Regional Innovation Grant offered by the Department of Labor. This will provide $250,000 for planning a recovery strategy from the announced plant closure of Electrolux.

"The first Regional Innovation Grant in the country went to Newton," he said. "This is basically a planning grant to get us ready for other federal assistance," he said.

Sandholm said WCAD would also continue to work with existing industries. He also said that Electrolux appeared to be open to possibly providing office space for Workforce Development and training space.

"Workforce Development will have a bigger foot print in Webster City than they have had before, working with those to be laid-off," he said.

"We'll be working with Gary and Ed (Sadler) and we also work with companies that might have expansion projects planned that are looking for available space in Iowa," said Beth Balzer, Department of Economic Development representative.

"Our message is - we'll work with you, with Gary, hand-in-hand," she said. Balzer added that her department has 11 project managers and 10 of those managers work with recruitment through direct marketing and by attending trade shows.

"They work globally, selling Iowa. We want to keep Iowa on those companies' short lists," she noted.

Jim Kersten of Iowa Central Community College told the council that he and Kelly Wirtz would work closely with IWD and the DED to provide training opportunities to workers.

Currently, Kersten said the college is working with the union officials to conduct a survey of the workers' skills.

"Then we can determine the types of training necessary to develop short term courses. Likely, those will involve basic math and computer skills courses," he said.

"We want to do as much training in Webster City as possible and we will look at working with the DART buses to possibly transport students to other sites if necessary," he said.

Kersten said that about 256 workers had indicated they would like to start their own business.

In information provided to the council by City Manager Ed Sadler, 293 employees, or 35 percent of the 845 total facing job loss at Electrolux are from Webster City. Sadler also identified about $1.7 million in city funds that could be available to the council to use as incentives, to pay for a consultant or other uses relating to bringing new jobs to the community.

"When we lose out to other cities on businesses it's usually because of money," said Council member Janet Adams.

"Through this whole thing, I want you to leave no stone unturned, pull out all the stops and have no regrets," Sadler said. He said the funds might allow the city to "make ourselves a little more noticeable."

The council members also considered whether to pursue bringing in a consulting firm to assist in the search for new business and jobs.

"Any assistance would be a complement," Balzer told the council. "I think this makes sense. You will need to determine what you want that company to do, and we can help guide you to companies with that expertise."

Sadler said he would begin to look at consulting services including the scope of work available and the costs.

A meeting with Electrolux officials is scheduled for Monday, according to Sadler. He said that many of key players in the room Tuesday would be attending the meeting. He offered the council a list of questions that he planned to ask Electrolux.

The council reminded tthose present that it was not just the laundry facility that was closing, but also the floor care division (formerly Beam Industries) is also ceasing production.

The issue of where Electrolux was planning to locate its tech center was also discussed.

"I know Electrolux has made contact with other cities and other cites have contacted them," according Sen. Rich Olive.

"We need to find out their needs, their time frames, where they are in the decision making process, but I think it's good to have some parameters in mind when we talk to them, " Sadler said.

"We'll just keep working on this and we'll try to find some more answers for you," he said.

Contact Anne Blankenship at editor@freemanjournal.net or call 832-4350.