Senator Joni Ernst visited Jefferson Tuesday as part of her 99-County Tour and was briefed on Nueva Vida en Greene County, the Diversity Project.
Her appearance was not open to the public, but was held in an upstairs conference room at Home State Bank. Carlos Arguello, paid consultant for the Diversity Project, attended remotely. Also present to tell Ernst about the employment needs in the county and how the Diversity Project can meet those needs were Greene County Development Corporation board president Sid Jones and director Ken Paxton, Diversity Project steering committee chair Chuck Offenburger, Scranton Manufacturing vice president of operations Jim Ober, Wild Rose Casino general manager Travis Dvorak, Greene County Medical Center CEO Chad Butterfield and human resources director Mary Nieto, four members of the press, and two Ernst staffers.
The information Ernst received has been shared locally through the media and town hall meetings.
After hearing Arguello’s information, Ernst keyed in on housing, school enrollment, and the need for childcare. She also suggested that efforts to increase the workforce need to include women. “Women need to be part of the equation. They are great employees….” she said.
Ernst spoke of the need to bring doctors and nurses to smaller communities, particularly those who will stay after all recruitment incentives have been received.
Nieto of the medical center reported that seven Latinos have been hired there since October, and that several would take advantage of public transportation if it were available. CEO Butterfield said the most important factor in recruiting employees is to have good job candidates. “Whether it’s Latinos, Ukrainians, Afghans, or whatever, we just want to be sure we’re getting the best candidates we can so we can provide the best care that we can,” he said.
Paxton thanked Ernst for her letter of support for a $700,000 federal Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) grant application. He said he expects to hear if the grant is funded Sept. 15. He said funding has been secured to start the project. “It’s still moving forward. If the grant doesn’t come through, we’re going to try for another one and we’ll keep this thing going. We’re not going to give up. This needs to be done. If we don’t get it done we’re going to be in serious trouble long term and short term,” Paxton said.
In closing, Offenburger told Ernst there are big challenges, “but the opportunity here is unbelievable.” He said “a multi-cultural workforce using the Iowa work ethic building for the global market is what we need today everywhere. I think we can model that here.”
“It’s exciting for me to see that you’re engaging in this. The opportunity is ripe. Now is the time to do it. So many people want to expand,” Ernst said.
“I don’t believe that great solutions come from the federal government. I think it’s our communities that are the ones that are finding these solutions. We can help with the policy and some of the grant opportunities and things like that, but solutions really need to be driven by our communities. That’s why I think this project is going to work…. I think the project can work, and it is going to be fun,” the senator said.
She did say she’s worried that the project calls for “poaching” employees from other Iowa communities. “I hate to rob Peter and pay Paul. Can we rob from Nebraska, Missouri and Minnesota? I’m OK doing that,” she said.
