MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — The Iowa Valley Community College District Board of Directors on Wednesday appointed Taylor Nederhoff of Iowa Falls to the District I seat and approved three Iowa Jobs Training Program (260F) agreements.
New director for District I
Taylor Nederhoff, an attorney in Iowa Falls, will serve through November 2027, completing the term of longtime Director Larry Johnson, who resigned in September. District I includes the AGWSR, Alden and Iowa Falls school districts and the portions of the Aplington-Parkersburg and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows districts within Iowa Valley's boundary.
Nederhoff took the oath of office at the meeting and will serve on the Board’s Personnel Committee. The Board also appointed Director Clark Lawler to the Property, Finance & Development Committee.
“Larry Johnson gave this district years of steady service, and we’re grateful,” said Board President Joanna Hofer. “Taylor brings a strong Iowa Falls connection to the board at a busy time for Ellsworth.”
Public hearing on ECC trades building renovation
The board will hold a public hearing at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, at Ellsworth Community College on the plans for the Trades & Industries Building renovation at ECC.
The project renovates two classrooms, the shop, and adjacent spaces in the building at 816 E. Elm St. Work includes new ceilings, flooring, lighting, and paint, along with electrical, mechanical, and dust collection improvements.
The board also approved a quote from England Contracting Inc. of Iowa Falls for $184,282 to build a Trades Storage Building next to the Trades & Industries Building. It was the lowest of three quotes and came in under the engineer's $200,000 estimate. Both projects are funded through ECC's $1 million Career Academy Incentive Fund (CAIF) grant.
“Students learn trades best in a shop that looks like the one they’ll work in, said Dr. Barb Klein, ECC Provost. “This renovation gets us there, and the grant means we can do it without asking local taxpayers to cover it.”
Training for three area employers
The Board approved three 260F program employee training that is managed by Iowa Valley Business and Community Solutions.
- Ritchie Industries Inc., Conrad — $25,881. Iowa farmer Thomas Ritchie invented an automatic livestock waterer in 1921 to keep his own animals supplied with fresh water. The company now employs about 73 people. Its ninth project with Iowa Valley covers production management and certification, warehouse technology and supply chain, refresher welding, AI, CPR and first aid, project management, facilities management, and crane and hoist training.
- Lennox Industries, Marshalltown — $20,125. Dave Lennox founded the company in Marshalltown in 1895. The local plant builds furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps and ships replacement parts nationwide. With about 750 full-time employees. This is its ninth 260F project with Iowa Valley.
- Mechdyne Corporation, Marshalltown — $20,125. Founded by Iowa State University graduates, Mechdyne builds audiovisual and virtual reality systems, engineered display structures and network infrastructure for clients in health care, education, research, government, and industry. It employs about 350 people worldwide, with 66 employees in Iowa. This is its third 260F contract with Iowa Valley.
“Two of these companies are on their ninth project with us,” said Jacque Goodman, vice president of Business and Community Solutions. “Employers come back when the training shows up in their operations, and these funds let them invest in their own people without carrying the full cost."
The Board’s next regular meeting is 4 p.m. on November 11, at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls.