Iowa State University students could ride a shuttle to work at a part-time job in Jefferson if a project of Greene County Development Corporation comes to fruition.
GCDC executive director Ken Paxton told the county board of supervisors Monday that he is working with Region XII Council of Governments to implement the shuttle service. Region XII has busses available that it would like to utilize. Paxton said students would work at either Hy-Vee Grocery or Wild Rose Jefferson.
Paxton also told the supervisors he is close to having a retailer committed to using the current Hy-Vee Drugstore when it is vacated last this winter. “If it works out like I hope it does, it would be a really good traffic generator. That’s the goal, with such a prime location on the square. I want to have somebody who is going to get a good flow of traffic through,” Paxton said.
Paxton also mentioned the tour of empty buildings that is being planned for April. The tour will feature buildings in the Jefferson downtown district that are available for rent or purchase, with information about utilities, rehab costs, history and more available. He said that after the Jefferson tour, GCDC will assist in planning similar tours in any of the county towns.
Paxton said he plans in 2015 to continue working toward building a covered horse arena at the fairgrounds, saying “It’s a pet project. It’s one I’m going to get done.”
“A covered horse arena and a casino, the amount of money they’d bring into this town, it would blow you away,” Paxton said.
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph reminded Paxton that new barns would also be required the horse owners who would use a covered arena, and that parking and drainage would be issues as well. Supervisor Tom Contner asked where Paxton hopes to get funding for the project. “We’re hoping a lot of that’s going to come from Grow Greene County,” Paxton answered. “It’s a big project,” Paxton said, and added that he’s talked with members of the fair board and they’re supportive of it.
