Author Archives: Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber

Clock Runs Out on Iowa Legislature

May Update from Professional Developers of Iowa Lobbiest

Friday, May 3rd was the 110th day of the 110-day 2013 legislative session. Pay for legislators officially stops after Friday. Any days spent doing legislative work after that are on their own dime.

This 16th week of the session has been the busiest in many ways as the final pieces of the legislative session are put into place. The goal of this past week for legislative leaders has been to move all remaining contentious issues – and there are a lot of them – into conference committees for further negotiation. Typically, legislation rarely advances to a conference committee, the format used when the House and Senate are not able to find compromise language through the typical amendment process. This year, they will have at least 9 bills in conference committee.

The beauty of the conference committee is that the final product that comes out is not amendable (unless it’s voted down, and then the process gets uglier). Each chamber will simply have a yes or no vote on each of the conference reports. In situations where the majority party in each chamber has a very small margin (like this year’s 26-24 in the Senate and 53-47 in the House), a small group of majority party members in a chamber could hold out for their own specific priorities. By using the conference committee process, they can bypass that possibility.

Currently in Conference Committee:

Education Reform, Property Tax Reform, Justice Appropriations,Economic Development Appropriations, Education Appropriations, Ag/Nat Res Appropriations, Admin/Reg Appropriations, Medicaid Expansion, Health Appropriations, Heading to Conference, Standing Appropriations, Infrastructure (RIIF) Appropriations.

Another benefit to using conference committees to enact legislation, and particularly the budget, is that a chamber cannot add a provision into a conference committee discussion that was not in either the House or the Senate’s bill. This year, the House and Senate each passed essentially their wish lists for each budget bill and will negotiate which portions of each bill to accept.

Unlike previous conference committees in previous sessions, this year’s conference committees will need to wait until the House, Senate and Governor can agree on an overall spending number for the next fiscal year. This will require first knowing whether property tax reform will advance to enactment or fall short like it has in so many sessions past, and whether or not Iowa will expand Medicaid or pursue a different option.

Once the legislative leadership and the Governor reach overall agreement, the conference committees will convene and each come to agreement on their individual bills. Then, at long last, the Legislature will adjourn sine die for the year.

IEDA Funding – Still In Jeopardy

As the Legislature officially starts the overtime period, it is absolutely critical that you don’t let up on your emails and phone calls. They are working! Whether final adjournment occurs this week (there IS a chance) or not for over a month, PDI members’ efforts to weigh in can greatly affect the outcome.

The Economic Development Budget is currently in conference committee. They will negotiate, among many other things, the IEDA Administration Budget and the IEDA Incentives Fund (which the House funded out of the Infrastructure Budget bill).

The Governor and the Senate provide roughly $18 million for IEDA Incentives and $16 million for IEDA Administration.
The House proposes $15.1 million for IEDA Incentives and $13.2 million for IEDA Administration.

In the days ahead, PDI members should CALL OR EMAIL legislators and ask them to support $18 Million for IEDA Incentives and $16 Million for IEDA Administration. Then, find 2 or 3 other people on your board, in your office or elsewhere in your work arena and ask them to email as well. If each legislator gets a handful of emails on this issue, it will make a HUGE difference. Do this TODAY!

A full update on all bills can be found using the BILL TRACKER

Lane Shifts and Ramp Closures Begin May 6 on I-380 Between Raymond and Evansdale in Black Hawk County

As part of the northbound Interstate 380 reconstruction, traffic will be shifted from the northbound to the southbound lanes in a two-lane, two-way pattern from U.S. 20 (exit 65) near Raymond to the west interchange of I-380 with U.S. 20, U.S. 218 and Iowa 27 (exit 71) near Evansdale beginning Monday morning, May 6, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s New Hampton construction office.

In addition to shifting all traffic to southbound I-380, the northbound on- and off-ramps at Black Hawk County Road V-49 (Raymond Road) and the off-ramp for northbound River Forest Road will be closed. The northbound on-ramp at River Forest Road, as well as the ramps at Evansdale Drive, will remain open.

With the traffic shift and ramp closures, this is likely to result in slow-moving traffic, traffic delays and congestion, especially during peak daytime hours when motorists are advised to take alternate routes.

The open lanes will have a 14-foot-6-inch width lane restriction in place. This project is expected to be completed by late September.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.

The Iowa DOT has developed a website at www.iowadot.gov/i380/ to provide ongoing information related to the I-380 revitalization project. The site includes project details, corridor facts, a project timeline, emergency detour routes, and photos of the project area and construction activities. Information about the I-380 project is also available on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IowaDOTI380.

For travel information online, anytime, visit www.511ia.org or call 511 (in Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide). Follow us on Twitter @CFWaterloo511 or @statewideia511.

Contact: Pete Hjelmstad at 641-422-9459 or pete.hjelmstad@dot.iowa.gov

Disaster Planning Seminar Offered by Hawkeye Community College

Are You Prepared for the Unexpected? Do You Have a Disaster Plan in Place?
A large percentage of businesses without a continuity plan fail within three years of an occurred disaster. Don’t let this be you!
Learn how to prepare your business for the unexpected. This free seminar will review:
• Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
• Prevention and practice
• Safeguard Iowa
• “What if” scenarios
• Disaster supply kits
• Coping with a flood
• Disaster preparedness plans
Bring your existing disaster plan to review during the question and answer forum.
Date: Wednesday, May 22
Time: 4:00-6:00pm
Cost: Free
Location: Hawkeye Main Campus – Tama Hall
Register online or call 319-296-4290.
Sponsors:
Black Hawk County Emergency Management
and Hawkeye Business and Community Education

Upper Iowa University names William Duffy as 22nd president

FAYETTE, Iowa (April 26, 2013) – The Upper Iowa University Board of Trustees has named William R. Duffy II, Ed.D., as the 22nd president of the Fayette-based University. Board Chair Bob Firth and Trustee Bill Cook, chair of the presidential search committee, made the announcement Friday at the end of its regular Board meeting.

“We have conducted a nationwide search for a new president, and recommended five candidates to the Board from which it could choose the three finalists to bring to campus for interviews,” said Cook. “The Board deliberated very carefully, but unanimously decided to forego further interviews and to select our internal candidate, who knows the University extremely well – especially its potential for growth through Academic Extension – and who has already proven that he shares the University’s mission and vision.”

“We are very grateful to the Search Committee for the excellence of the Search Process, and we are very grateful to Dr. Richard Patrick, who has done an excellent job of leading the University as acting president since last September,” Firth added. “We thank all the faculty and staff at UIU for working together without a hitch throughout this transition, and we are confident that we have found the right leader for our future.”

“I am deeply honored and humbled to have been chosen by the UIU Board,” Dr. Duffy said. “I am committed to the success of this University, and I believe fully in its ability to change the lives of students. I am especially honored to lead a University that proudly serves a large number of the U.S. military family and a wide diversity of international students.”

Dr. Duffy has served Upper Iowa as senior vice president for Academic Extension for four years. He has been responsible for all off-campus offerings, including 19 UIU education centers in the United States, and the UIU distance education programs, which include online and independent study. Since last fall, he has also assumed leadership of the UIU Integrated Enrollment Center that provides student services to all elements of the University from recruitment, through admissions, enrollment, financial aid, registration, matriculation and commencement.

Before joining UIU, Dr. Duffy served for 12 years as the executive director at the University of Tennessee at Martin, where he had similar responsibilities. Dr. Duffy is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army, in which he held numerous leadership positions that involved planning, organizing, managing resources/equipment and recruiting, among other responsibilities. He received his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy, a master’s degree and Education Specialist degree from Appalachian State University, and his Ed.D., from the University of Memphis.

Dr. Duffy assumes his new responsibilities as University President immediately.

Iowa Health System Changing Name to UnityPoint Health

Waterloo, IA—Iowa Health System (IHS), the nation’s fifth largest non-denominational health system, is now UnityPoint Health (www.unitypoint.org). The new name reflects the way its hospitals, physicians and home care entities are transforming health care delivery through patient-centered coordinated care. The new system name also includes the former Iowa Health Physicians & Clinics (now UnityPoint Clinic), and Iowa Health Home Care (now UnityPoint at Home and UnityPoint Hospice.) In the Cedar Valley, UnityPoint Health includes Allen Hospital in Waterloo, UnityPoint Clinic sites, and Unity Point at Home. It also includes Allen College, Allen Foundation, Community Memorial Hospital in Sumner and Grundy County Memorial Hospital in Grundy Center. The new system name and brand logo were unveiled today. The system name change marks the move from a hospital-centered health care process to one that addresses the total care of all patients, in clinics and hospitals and at home. The move to a physician-led organization focusing on patient care coordination is ongoing. The change to become UnityPoint Health follows several years of innovation and discussions among the organization’s regions, board of directors, physician leadership and management teams regarding health care changes and how to best position the organization for the future. The strategic plan of UnityPoint Health is focused on a new care coordination model, expansion and organizational growth at the system and local level. There will be no change in management, structure or staff involved in this brand change. UnityPoint Health employs more than 24,000 individuals throughout Iowa and Illinois, and each region will maintain its existing leadership and local boards of directors. UnityPoint Health is one of the nation’s most integrated health systems. It includes more than 900 physicians and providers working in more than 280 UnityPoint Clinics; 29 hospitals in metropolitan and rural communities; and home care services. UnityPoint Health includes eight regions named for the largest city within each region, including Des Moines, IA; Cedar Rapids, IA; Dubuque, IA; Fort Dodge, IA; Peoria, IL; the Quad Cities; Sioux City, IA; and Waterloo, IA. ###

Dust Optimistic About Cedar Valley Economy – Part 2

View the three part video of Steve Dust, CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber on KWWL’s Steele Report.

Click Here.

Dust Optimistic About Cedar Valley Economy – Part 1

View the three part video of Steve Dust, CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, on KWWL’s Steele Report here.

Click Here.

Vermeer CEO to speak at UNI

Vermeer CEO to speak at UNI

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Mary Vermeer Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer Corporation in Pella, Iowa will speak at the University of Northern Iowa at 2 p.m., Thursday, April 11, in the University Room, in Maucker Union. Andringa is part of UNI’s distinguished guest lecture series featuring top corporate leaders. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Andringa became president of Vermeer in 1989 and sole CEO in 2009. Andringa is the immediate past chair of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the nation’s largest manufacturing association. She was the first female to chair the NAM. Andringa is also one of 18 private sector members of President Obama’s Export Council, where she represents the manufacturing sector on important trade matters. She also serves on the Ex-Im Bank Advisory Committee and is a member of the US-Brazil CEO Forum.

“It’s a great honor to have Mary Vermeer Andringa on our campus to share her successes, innovation, and challenges working in a global society,” said UNI President Ben Allen. “Our campus and community will have an enriching opportunity to learn about the skills needed in today’s global world.”

Vermeer is an international, family-owned agricultural, construction, environmental and industrial equipment manufacturing company with more than 3,250 employees worldwide. Its products are used in more than 60 countries.

University of Northern Iowa and Hawkeye Community College to Introduce Covey’s 7 Habits

Leader Valley, an initiative of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, is excited to announce two new opportunities for area educators lead by University of Northern Iowa and Hawkeye Community College education faculty.

On April 20, 2013 all pre-service teachers from both UNI and HCC are invited to attend a 7 Habits introductory session. Led by Catharine Freeman from HCC, and Teri Lasswell and Mary Beth Rygh from UNI, the college students will be introduced to the world of Covey’s 7 Habits.

Additionally, June 26-28, a 7 Habits Signature Session will be offered for Leader Valley educators at Hawkeye Community College. UNI Grad credit will be offered for the three day session.

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Leader Valley Talent Initiative is an effort to make the Cedar Valley a better place for students to excel and become well prepared for citizenship and their future careers. This is achieved through high levels of community collaboration. Through Leader Valley, strong partnerships amongst Cedar Valley businesses, area school district administrators and school boards, parents and the community are being built. Leader in Me is a program of the Leader Valley Talent Initiative being implemented in schools throughout the region. More information can be found at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com/LeaderValley or by contacting Leader Valley Program Director, Melissa Reade by calling the Alliance & Chamber at 319-232-1156 or by email at mreade@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

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