May 2024 Newsletter

June Member Meeting & Lunch

Please join us for the Member Meeting on Thursday, June 20 from 11:30AM to 1PM. The event will be held at the Ankeny Schools District Office, Cottonwood Conference Room, 1st Floor (406 SW School Street, Ankeny).

David Jones, Ankeny City Manager, and Derek Lord, Director of Economic Development, will give the "State of Ankeny." Please join us to learn what is happening in Ankeny!

Our thanks to John Deere Des Moines Works, our lunch sponsor!

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Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) & April 11 Member Meeting

On April 11, David Jones presented on the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) to members. At the end of the presentation and after taking questions from the group, the members in attendance were surveyed to gather their opinions on LOST.

98% of those surveyed supported and favored the Local Option Sales Tax moving forward to a ballot to allow the citizens of Ankeny to decide on this topic. The Ankeny Business & Industry Collaborative Board of Directors took an official position on behalf of our membership to support moving this to a referendum so non-citizens can help pay for city services, like all other communities in the Des Moines Metro area are already realizing thanks to the benefits of the 1% sales tax. We strongly encouraged the City Council to allow the people of Ankeny to vote on this matter as well.

On May 21, the Ankeny City Council unanimously voted against moving the Local Option Sales Tax to the ballot for Ankeny residents to vote on, citing this was not the right time due to the US economy.

Click here to view the presentation given by David Jones at the April 11 meeting.

SAVE THE DATE

Ankeny Business & Industry Collaborative's Salute to Industry will be held on Tuesday, October 8 from 5:00 - 7:00PM.

News from the City of Ankeny

The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) recently awarded the City a Revitalizing Iowa’s Sound Economy (RISE) grant in the amount of $767,640 for the extension of SE Creekview Drive in the Metro North Business Park. The approximately 1,200 foot extension will open up 85 acres of new development land, creating eight new lots north and east of the Tone’s facility. Lot sizes range from three acres to more than 60 acres. The project is being undertaken by a partnership between the City, Denny Elwell Company and the IDOT. The approximately $1.8 million project is expected to begin by early 2025, with completion expected later the same year. It's crucial for Ankeny to have a range of shovel-ready sites in different sizes. This ensures Ankeny is ideally positioned to attract new business investments from both new and existing businesses aiming to expand within the city.

Uptown Ankeny &
Main Street Iowa

Uptown Ankeny is applying for a Main Street Designation in the 2024 application cycle. This designation is awarded every two years to only two communities in Iowa. Main Street Iowa is a powerful change-agent for revitalization in historical downtown districts. The application is due Friday, May 24, 2024. If you can help, please go to Main Street Iowa | Uptown Ankeny to pledge your support.

DSM Intern Connection

The DSM Intern Connection event series returns to Greater Des Moines (DSM), fully in-person for the 2024 summer. The series will feature opportunities for interns and college-aged students to connect with community leaders and executives, as well as opportunities to network with fellow students while learning about what makes DSM unique and truly the place to be. For more information, go to DSM Intern Connection in Greater Des Moines, Iowa.