Bi-State Regional Commission

July 27, 2016 – Liz Hogan from the Davenport FoodHub stated that there are over 30 FoodHubs in Iowa, including the Davenport branch located in the Freight House.  The FoodHub exists to connect local farmers and producers to commercial distribution centers and to consumers.  The FoodHub identifies local food sources and helps to get them sold locally to reduce the amount of imported goods, thereby creating sustainability in the local economy.  The movement of keeping locally-grown food local started with the Detroit Eastern Market.  The City of Davenport and the Regional Development Authority were instrumental in securing federal funding to start the FoodHub, as well as providing the facility at the Freight House.  Starting with four growers, the FoodHub has now grown to involve 100 farmers in the region.

August 24, 2016 – The 2015 edition of the popular Quad Cities Area Street Map is still available through Bi-State Regional Commission.  The map covers the metropolitan area and reflects changes to streets, corporate boundaries, landmarks, and other features that have occurred in the last four to five years.  Two maps are available:  a wall-sized (51” x 42”) full-color map on heavy paper; and a smaller (40” x 28”) color, folded version, which includes insets for the outlying communities of Aledo, Blue Grass, Clinton, Cordova, DeWitt, Eldridge, Geneseo, Kewanee, Muscatine, Port Byron, Princeton, and Walcott.  Both maps are fully indexed for streets and places of interest.

Cost to the public for the wall maps is $25.00 each and the folded maps are $5.00 each.  Member Governments may receive a free copy of each map.  Both maps are available at the Bi-State Regional Commission office, and folded maps are available at the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitors Centers, www.visitquadcities.com or the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, www.quadcitieschamber.com.

August 24, 2016 – Tim Frye with the Rock Island Arsenal Development Group (RIADG) reported to the Commission on the Arsenal Support Program Initiative (ASPI).  Rock Island Arsenal Development Group is a not-for-profit 501(C)6 incorporated in July 2003.  They received a facility use contract in September 2003 and hired one full-time and two part-time employees in 2004.  The RIADG Board of Directors is made up of elected officials and community leaders from both Iowa and Illinois.

• Wednesday, October 19, 2016 — 2:00-3:00 p.m.
  Intersections that Work for Walkers and Bicyclists

All conferences will be held on the Third Floor of Rock Island County Office Building, 1504 Third Avenue, Rock Island.  The public entrance to the building is from Third Avenue.

Contact Bryan Schmid at (309) 793-6302, Ext. 123 or via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register or for questions.  For those calling long distance, use the toll-free number at 1-888-BISTATE.

June 22, 2016 – Joe Taylor of the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) informed Commissioners that hotel revenue hit $100 million during the April 2015 to May 2016 time period.  Much of that revenue is due to the Quad Cities hosting such events as the Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament.  Other large tourism-driving events include the Great Race, the John Deere Classic, the Bix 7 Race, and many more.

June 22, 2016 – Scott County Representative Scott Tunnicliff from the Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC) said that the MRPC was formed in 1938 by President Franklin Roosevelt to develop highways and amenities along the Great River Road and to promote tourism.  The Great River Road includes 3,500 miles of designated roads along the Mississippi and is the third most popular travel destination in the United States.

June 22, 2016 – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has $6 million available for the Nuisance Property and Abandoned Building Remediation program.  Currently, one-third of the available funds for 2016 are set aside for communities with populations under 10,000 until September 1, 2016, after which time any uncommitted funds will be made available to communities of all sizes.  The program operates in the form of a loan, with terms ranging from 12 to 36 months and interest rates from 0% to 3%, based on the loan term.  Funds may be utilized for the demolition or remediation and reuse of residential, commercial, or industrial structures.  All buildings must be documented as representing a public nuisance.  More details can be found at www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com.

May 16, 2016 – The Iowa Department of Transportation will be accepting applications through July 1, 2016 for the State Recreational Trails (SRT) Program for State Fiscal Year 2017 (SFY 2017).  A total of $2.5 million will be available to be awarded.  A local match of 25% is required for awarded projects.  Any local government agency, municipal corporation, county or nonprofit organization is eligible to apply.  More information, including the application form and instructions, can be found on the Iowa DOT’s webpage.

June 22, 2016 – Denise Bulat, Executive Director, reviewed the FY 2017 Budget as recommended by the Finance and Personnel Committee.  The document was presented at the May 25 meeting for review and adopted at the June 22 meeting.
She reported revenues for FY 2017 are projected to be down 2.1% from the current year, primarily due to the completion of the Henry County Rural Jobs Accelerator grant.

June 22, 2016 – The adoption of the FY2017 budget brings to mind the question of what the first budget looked like in 1966.  During the time period of December 1, 1966 to November 30, 1967, total expenditures were anticipated at $145,130 with $149,382 of income.  Member dues were not broken out by community but administered by county, which included only Rock Island and Scott Counties.  The largest expenditures went to personnel salaries at $71,700 and consulting fees at $29,830.

Comparatively, the FY2017 budget accounts for $2,073,608 in expenditures with $2,005,928 in income.  (Discrepancy in funds is due to $80,423 allocated from the State of Illinois that is on hold due to the state’s budget impasse.)  Major expenditures go to personnel and professional services.  Member dues come from four counties and 43 municipalities.