The board Governor Culver appointed to hand out $165 million in state "I-JOBS" grants goes on the road this week.
Iowa Finance Authority spokeswoman Shawna Lode says the regional meetings will help educate the public about the various parts of the I-JOBS initiative.
"We want to make sure that Iowans around the state are familiar with those and can learn how they can take advantage of them," she says, "so over the next two weeks we’ll be on the road at 10 regional meetings heling people understand what I-JOBS is and, again, learning how they can access it."
Legislators approved $830 million in borrowing for a variety of projects. One-hundred million is dedicated for flood-related repairs on the University of Iowa campus.
The I-JOBS board of directors will hand out $165 million to cities, counties and non-profit agencies for flood recovery and prevention. The bulk of the money, however, will be handed out by state agencies, like the Department of Tranportation — for repair and construction of roads and bridges.
"It is an $830 million initiative, with several components, so there’s a lot for people to know and understand," Lode says.
The I-JOBS board will meet at 10 to noon tomorrow at the Holiday Inn in Mason City. The board will meet Wednesday morning in Sioux City and Wednesday afternoon in Council Bluffs. On Thursday, the I-JOBS board will hold a public forum in Ankeny.
Next week’s meetings are scheduled for Ottumwa on the 22nd, Burlington on the 23rd, Davenport on the 23rd, Waverly on the 24th and Storm Lake on the 25th.