Published: January 27, 2007 12:45 am            

Room for improvement

Assessments of the Lyons and Downtown business districts showed room for improvement but great potential.

Business leaders and city officials attended the annual Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce Business Forecast Luncheon on Thursday, at which speakers revealed the details of the assessment, which included thorough investigations by state economic development professionals last year.

In addition, Clinton Mayor LaMetta Wynn introduced U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, who spoke earlier Thursday at Clinton Community College.

Braley said he is excited to have been named to House infrastructure committees and will be helping to formulate policy regarding highways, railways and aviation. He said he hopes to be of benefit to his constituents, “so we can continue to make the best of the Mississippi River corridor.”

Braley added he received a waiver to be on a third committee, the small business committee. He said the committee will try to cut down on the red tape involved with starting a small business and shorten the process to economic growth.

Maureen Miller, Clinton Herald circulation director, gave a historical presentation on Lyons and Clinton.

She noted that the two towns grew into each other as time passed and remarked that some people resisted the changes happening in the area.

“The people that got things done said this is a great place to live and I want to make it better,” Miller said, pointing to citizens who raised money to travel to Des Moines and Washington, D.C., in order to meet with their legislators and state and federal agencies to ask for assistance.

After the assessment reports were presented, Miller closed by saying there is opportunity to make changes for those who would accept the challenge and make the vision for the city a reality.

Kathy Klahn, senior vice president of Clinton National Bank, thanked everyone for attending and encouraged anyone interested in helping with the revitalization of the Lyons or Downtown business districts to contact the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce.

        

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