Organizers of the 2021 southwest Iowa Legislative Coffees are collaborating this year. The coffees will be held together via Zoom, Saturday, February 13, Saturday, March 13, and Saturday, April 10. The February coffee will take place from 9 – 10:30 a.m., with the option to continue longer, should conversation and participation encourage extending discussion.
Collaborating counties are Adams, Cass, and Union.

Ellen Gerharz, executive director of the Creston Chamber of Commerce, says “It makes sense for safety and convenience this year to hold our legislative time together online. We have space for 100 total participants. People may join on their phones to listen in and participate. Depending on how many join, we may adapt the March meeting for time.” Nancy Turner, organizer for the Corning coffee event, says “We asked Senator Tom Shipley and Representative Tom Moore, who agreed to this format. It also saves travel time, safety, and cost for our state legislators, enabling them to devote their morning engaging with residents.”

Kim Spillers, representative for the Progressive Rural Iowa Development Enterprise economic, says “We’re excited to use Zoom, because of the potential for greater participation. Connecting with our state legislators is valuable for them to hear what’s important to us as they discuss and make decisions on our behalf at the state Capitol.”

To be efficient in this format, people with questions for Senator Shipley or Representative Moore are asked to submit them AHEAD, by noon on Thursday, February 11. Questions will be given to our legislators to be prepared to answer. For those not submitting questions ahead, participants may ask in the “chat” feature of Zoom during the coffee, and will be taken as time allows. The coffee will begin with a brief update by each legislator of the work taking place in his chamber.

If you plan to attend the February 13 coffee, please send questions and requests for the Zoom link to any of the following organizers (listed below). Be sure to leave a message, if no answer to a phone call.

• Ellen Gerharz, chamber@crestoniowachamber.com, 641-782-7021
• Marti Gebbie, chamber@adamscountyiowa.com, 641-322-3243
• Kimberlee Spillers, kim@ghorizons.com, 712-250-0275