OTTUMWA — This fall, the City of Ottumwa is partnering with more than 100 University of Iowa faculty, staff, and students on a variety of community-based projects through the Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities (IISC) at the University of Iowa. The collaboration brings together local leaders and university expertise to address priorities identified by the community while providing students with hands-on learning experiences.

Among the ten major projects in Ottumwa this year is the development of a Downtown Action Plan led by graduate students in the School of Planning & Public Affairs, which will establish a long-term vision for downtown revitalization. Additional projects include an Airport Area Master Plan to guide future development around the Ottumwa Regional Airport, and a buy-local initiative developed in partnership with students from the Tippie College of Business and the School of Journalism & Mass Communications to encourage residents to shop locally and support Ottumwa businesses.

Due to John Deere making major changes to its manufacturing sites, IISC and City of Ottumwa want to hear from community members on how to address the upcoming changes. Provide feedback and enter to win up to $50 in gift cards by taking the 8 to 10 minute survey: https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_becCbFGQEDGfg8K

More project details can be found here: https://iisc.uiowa.edu/partners/ottumwa.