By PETER HUSSMANN
A Grinnell man tapped by the Barack Obama administration in July to be the Iowa State Director for Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture had some laudatory words for Newton's efforts to rebound following the close of Maytag operations several years ago.
Bill Menner, who previously served as the executive director of Poweshiek Iowa Development, the county's non-profit economic development group, said on Iowa Public Radio's Talk@12 program Tuesdaythat Newton "comes to the forefront" when asked by host Greg Shanley to identify communities in Iowa that have transformed their economies in the face of changing global conditions.
"Newton comes to the forefront and it's not because I worked with them at my old job," Menner said. "It's because they've done such a remarkable things since Maytag was purchased by Whirlpool and then Whirlpool shut it down.
"What they have done with the wind industry and investing in the infrastructure and recruiting TPI and Trinity Towers there; the Career Academy that DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College) has developed; Iowa Telecom's decision to buy the Maytag headquarters and turn it into their headquarters and they're embracing arts and culture. They have the Iowa Sculpture Festival every year.
"I think Newton is a real model for other communities to look at how you rebound from a tough situation."
You can listen to the program here. Menner's comments on Newton start at approximately the 20:34 mark of the podcast.
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