The following is a brief overview of economic development activities for the month of January 2002.

Family Dollar: We have been advised by Brian Bivona, Regional Vice President for Family Dollar Stores, that 20 employees began duties at the Family Dollar facility on January 14 and they will be adding employees every two weeks with plans to be at 400 by April and 500 by the end of the year. He said this is very exciting because they are a little over a month ahead of schedule.

We were informed by John Wandsnider of IIW Engineering, the City’s engineering firm, that Family Dollar’s insurance provider has approved the new industrial park water system improvement constructed for the Family Dollar facility. All tests were successful with regard to Family Dollar’s stringent fire protection requirements. This was a huge requirement in order for Family Dollar to even consider Maquoketa as an option for locating their new distribution center.

Housing: The Housing Committee has invited Mr. Martin Shukert, the Maquoketa housing assessment surveyor, to make a return visit to Maquoketa to review the assessment survey that he completed in July of last year. He will meet with the committee on February 18 and 19 and assist in program implementation of the recommendations previously made.

New Developments on East Platt Street: Dick Hoover, owner of Hoover Heating, Cooling, and Fireplaces, has opened a business storefront at 117 E. Platt Street. He will display the fireplaces that he sells and installs. New Choices, a non-profit organization, is remodeling office space at 111 East Platt Street and will open soon. The former United Building Center building at 508 East Platt was sold to Paul Hahle of Lansing, Iowa, and formerly of Maquoketa. He plans to lease out the building for the time being.

Timber City Golf Course and Housing Subdivision: Jim Holtz, the new owner of the Timber City Golf Course, has informed us that the golf course has been renamed "Prairie Creek Golf Course". Holtz brings a great deal of golf course experience with him to Maquoketa. He presently has three golf courses: Hidden Hills in Bettendorf, the Edgewood Golf Course in Edgewood, Iowa, and one in northern Missouri. He has taken several steps to groom the Maquoketa course for spring opening, which is planned for May 1, and he has discussed several promotions that will be held this spring.

The Timber City housing subdivision has been renamed "Bluffs at Prairie Creek". There are 17 building lots within this subdivision. Holtz plans to begin building a new upscale home for resale on the course this spring.

Economic development continues to be very strong in Maquoketa with many commercial ventures interested in the area.

100 New Jobs Announced: Schneider National, Inc., a national trucking company, has announced the awarding of a trucking contract with Family Dollar Stores’ new distribution center in Maquoketa. They plan to hire 100 truck drivers from the area in the next 60 days. Inexperienced drivers will receive a $500 sign-on bonus and an average wage of between $27,500 and $32,500 in their first year. Experienced drivers will receive a $1,000 sign-on bonus and earn $33,000 - $41,000 per year.