Tuesday afternoon, Governor Kim Reynolds joined a big crowd gathered at Woodward City Hall to witness the reveal of the first certified green site in the United States.

Woodward Mayor Brian Devick led the proceedings and introduced the project, which has been in the works for more than a decade. Like the three other certified sites in Dallas County, Woodward’s is shovel-ready for any industry that wants to move in. However, Devick says their site is unique in that it’s completely environmentally friendly, utilizing the latest in renewable energy and conservation practices. It’s so unique, in fact, that the site certifiers essentially had to invent the process as they went.

Reynolds addressed the audience, talking about how impressed she is with the initiative shown by the City of Woodward. She told Raccoon Valley Radio she was especially excited the first green certified site in the country was created in small-town Iowa. “I really appreciate the forward thinking, and the community and the partnerships to really take a look at what they could do to help grow and bring business and industry to the area to help to sustain it and keep it vibrant. The determination and the dedication to stick with this is not easy, so it says a lot about the community, the leaders, and the partners that they were able to bring together.”

Other speakers at the event included Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Director Debi Durham, and Greater Dallas County Development Alliance (GDCDA) Executive Director Linda Wunsch. Devick said the project was largely possible thanks to the efforts and support from the two organizations, especially a grant provided by IEDA that jump started the project in 2015. Woodward now joins Perry, Dexter, and Van Meter as certified sites in Dallas County, which is the only county in Iowa with more than one.