Communities with a higher quality of life generally experience both higher employment and population growth. Our region’s elected officials and leaders understand this and have invested in improving the quality of life initiatives, such as trails, arts, and culture, and other such amenities.

Understanding that a vibrant business climate also impacts quality of life is in our wheelhouse at the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance. Having a solid business climate attracts customers, employs residents, and gives consumers more choice for buying everything from groceries to furniture to automobiles to a myriad of ancillary opportunity.

Reliable infrastructure is further a part of maintaining a good quality of life. Infrastructure covers everything from the physical assets like roads and bridges, to basic municipal needs like water, electricity, gas, and broadband. It also includes services like healthcare and specialized healthcare services, childcare, educational opportunities, and further amenities that support the necessary workforce which is also human infrastructure. Economic growth doesn’t happen without serious investments in that infrastructure. Without infrastructure support there are no new neighborhoods, shopping areas, office parks, or other quality of life support.

City and county leaders have understood the importance of and the complexities and have continued to make improvements when needed, and have invested and are continuing to invest when and where needed to support development for the area.

Giving people choices is important to a good quality of life. All of the factors mentioned are necessary, however, job fulfillment comes not just from new employees moving to Webster County, but from infilling those jobs from our existing residents.

One of the greatest allies of economic development is the educational opportunity available. Iowa Central Community College is part of our support infrastructure that is invaluable when it comes to offering options for adult learning, workforce education, and skills development. The more well-rounded and capable a local workforce is, the more attractive that location is to companies dependent on a trained and available workforce for their viability and success.

So, what actually is considered as, “quality of life” is constantly changing. Decades ago, the internet and access to it would not have been a part of the conversation, and now the City of Fort Dodge is preparing to offer broadband as a new alternative utility, understanding the importance access plays when companies are looking at locating or relocating, and to offer the citizens of Fort Dodge more choices. With these changes, we also further the need for educational opportunity. Iowa Central again provides those educational opportunities and support to our population and future population.

Economic development and quality of life initiatives only happen when collaboration occurs between stakeholders, Fort Dodge, and Webster County and we all understand that when one wins, we all win.

Dennis Plautz is the chief executive officer of the Greater Fort Dodge Growth Alliance.