King and USDA Rural
Development Present
Grant to
Coon Rapids business
for Economic
Development Planning
COON RAPIDS - Iowa
Congressman Steve
King and Mark
Reisinger, USDA
Rural Development
State Director in
Iowa were in Coon
Rapids today to
present M&M Divide
Resource
Conservation &
Development, Inc.
with a $50,000 Rural
Business Opportunity
Grant.
M&M Divide will use
the funds to support
the planning effort
for the $26 million
Coon Rapids-White
Rock Great Places
initiative.
The Coon
Rapids-White Rock
project was one the
first three pilot
communities selected
out of 146 to be
part of the State of
Iowa's "Great
Places" program. The
project's goal is to
grow local
businesses, create
tourism from local
natural resources
and foster a climate
for supporting local
entrepreneurship, as
most economic growth
will come from
within the
communities.
Liz Garst drove King
on a tour through
the area of Garst
family land holdings
that are in the
process of being
donated to the White
Rock Conservancy.
"She delivered a
compelling narrative
of the generations
of Garst on this
land," said King.
"It is among the
most unique and
valuable of the land
holdings in the
entire state. I look
forward to watching
the development of
White Rock; it
reflects the nearly
identical terrain
that I roamed for
years as a child."
"This represents the
beginnings of an
ambitious project
that has the support
of the Coon Rapids
community," added
King.
"USDA Rural
Development is
excited to join with
M&M Divide to
support this
community wide
effort that will
improve the quality
of life for
residents,"
Reisinger said.
"It's also very
appropriate that
Congressman King is
here, because
without his strong
support in
Washington, D.C.,
Rural Development
would not be able to
participate in
projects like this
one."
King represents
western Iowans on
the House
Subcommittee on
Conservation,
Credit, Rural
Development and
Research of the
House Agriculture
Committee and the
Subcommittee
on Rural
Enterprises,
Agriculture, and
Technology of the
House Small Business
Committee, as well
as on the Rural
Caucus.
Further information
on rural programs is
available at the
local USDA Rural
Development office
in Storm Lake, which
can be reached at
(712) 732-1851, or
by visiting USDA's
web site at
www.rurdev.usda.gov/ia.
