ITC Midwest contributes $5,000 in grant funding to support city hall evaluation and facilities space needs assessment in Waukon

ITC Midwest has contributed $5,000 through a Power of Connection grant to support the City of Waukon’s evaluation of its historic city hall building and a comprehensive facilities space needs assessment. The effort will help city leaders understand current facility conditions, long-term operational needs, and opportunities to consolidate municipal functions to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

The City of Waukon has engaged a construction and historic preservation firm to conduct a structural and exterior assessment of the city hall building, originally constructed in 1902. The building, which has undergone various modifications over time, was recently vacated due to structural concerns identified in a professional evaluation. A broader space needs assessment of city hall and other municipal facilities will also be conducted to support the city’s long-term planning initiative focused on streamlining operations and maximizing taxpayer value.

“This grant will help the City of Waukon take an important step toward planning for its future,” said ITC Midwest President Dusky Terry. “By supporting this assessment, we are helping the community thoughtfully evaluate how to best use its facilities to serve residents today and for years to come.”

The assessment will provide city council members and the community with a transparent, data-driven framework to guide decision-making. By evaluating existing conditions, identifying future needs and exploring feasible options, the process will help determine whether to reinvest in the historic city hall structure or pursue alternative solutions that better support municipal operations.

“As we look closely at the condition of our historic city hall and the long-term needs of our municipal operations, transparency and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars are our top priorities,” said Waukon City Manager Grayson Rowlet. “This grant from ITC Midwest allows us to gather the information we need to make sound decisions that enhance our operations and provide long-term, cost-effective facilities solutions.”

The city’s long-term planning initiative includes exploring opportunities to consolidate facilities, improve service delivery and create a more functional, cost-effective municipal footprint. The Power of Connection grant will help offset the cost of this work.

The Power of Connection community grant program is an initiative of ITC Midwest and the Iowa Rural Development Council (IRDC). This innovative economic development program is designed to pair rural communities seeking assistance with IRDC resource teams. Those teams drive both community conversations and solution development for problems or projects.

Communities eligible for the Power of Connection program must have populations of under 10,000 and be outside of a metropolitan area. Power of Connection grant dollars cannot be used for construction, real estate or equipment.
ITC Midwest LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITC Holdings Corp., the nation’s largest independent electricity transmission company. ITC Midwest operates more than 6,600 circuit miles of transmission lines in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin. ITC Midwest is headquartered in Cedar Rapids and maintains regional operating facilities in Dubuque, Iowa City and Perry in Iowa; and in Albert Lea and Lakefield in Minnesota. For further information visit www.itcmidwest.com. ITC is a subsidiary of Fortis Inc., a leader in the North American regulated electric and gas utility industry. For further information visit www.fortisinc.com.