A committee continues to move forward to increase the workforce in Greene County.

The Greene County Diversity Project is intended to attract the Latino population to help fulfill the over 200 available jobs in the county. Greene County Development Corporation is working with Carlos Aurgello with Latino IQ to develop strategies and ways to make that come to fruition. Chuck Offenburger is the chair of the steering committee and said at this past Tuesday’s Community Appreciation Night with Jefferson Matters: A Main Street and Chamber Community how they are working with several employers in the county on this topic.

“This will be a genuinely big deal. We think at first it’s going to be people that we help bus in here, transport in here because they’re going to be coming from close by because, big challenge, we have no housing available. That’s going to become a big, big deal and is part of this is we probably need to build 50, 75, 100 new homes in Greene County.”  

When Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg stopped in Jefferson for an Empower Rural Iowa meeting earlier this month, he shared his thoughts on Greene County’s new venture.

“What I appreciate is the idea of let’s think outside the box, let’s find new ways to attract and recruit Iowans, and incorporate them into the community. If I know anything about Jefferson, Jefferson is going to find a way to be successful in that. We need an ‘all hands on deck approach’ to meet some of the workforce shortages that we’ve seen. I again appreciate Jefferson’s leadership.”      

The committee is developing a survey, based on questionnaires that the employers answered, for a transportation system with Region XII Council of Governments. They are also putting together an incentive package to help Latinos work and live in Greene County. Finally, there are some town hall meetings scheduled for next month to further educate the public about the Diversity Project.