Heath Kellogg Tama County Economic development Executive Director

“Fourteen million dollars in new capital investment. Not bad for a county with a population of 17,767,” Heath Kellogg, executive director of the Tama County Economic Development Commission told the Tama City Council on Monday night, April 18.

Kellogg presented an annual review of activity in the county during the regular council meeting.

He listed agricultural and urban residential and agricultural and commercial buildings among those in a new construction report which totaled an actual $14,041,401 in value added in 2015.

The report, which Kellogg admitted was non-inclusive, listed 11 new businesses and six business expansions in the county in 2015.

Kellogg said a major accomplishment for Tama County last year was the move of the U.S. 30 Expressway construction from Tama eastward into the Iowa Department of Transportation 5-Year Plan.

The current Expressway ends at the east side of Tama and continues as two-lane U.S. 30 to the U.S. 218 intersection in Benton County.

At a public meeting earlier this year in Toledo, DOT officials announced the advancement of the program.

Local business activity recorded by Tama County Economic Development in 2015:

Expansions- Deimco, Van Wall Equipment, Otter Creek Lake and Park, Ross Street Roasting, ALFS BBQ and Iowa Premium.

New businesses- Youngblut Ag, RHM Technology, Sleigh Runners Village, Tama Ballroom and events Center, Xtra innings Training Facility, Barb Wire Ranch, Hobart historic Restoration, JPJ Fishing Innovations and 1901 Chop Haus.

In addition to direct business and industry activities, Tama County Economic Development also is associated with the Tama County Tourism Committee and Tama County Historic Preservation Commission.