Tips for vitalizing small-town Iowa

8 Sep 2021


News

IowaWatch asked leaders in several rural Iowa towns for ways those communities could be vital. Jobs are a given, although those interviewed said having jobs, alone, does not guarantee vitality if other dynamics are not present in town.

Have a happy community, growth and community involvement, Sara Slater, Audubon County economic development and tourism coordinator, said. “Your Main Street is full at the end of the day, weekends. I think those are, really, ways to say, ‘We’re doing OK.’”

“Surround yourself with people that believe in your community,” offered Jill Tueth, owner of the Snyder’s gift store in Humeston. “‘Debbie Downer’ does not do well.”

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