Public forum on downtown recovery set for Feb. 15

Key community leaders will speak at a public forum, “Moving Forward in Downtown Cedar Rapids,” that will focus on the economic development reasons for rebuilding post-flood downtown Cedar Rapids.

The event is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art Auditorium. Elevators to the forum will be accessible at the museum's rear entrance.

The Gazette, KCRG-TV9 and GazetteOnline.com are the event's sponsors.

Panelists who have agreed to participate are: Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett; Shannon Meyer, Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce president; Doug Neumann, CEO/president of the Cedar Rapids Downtown District; Dave Swenson, an Iowa State University economics researcher; Gary Ficken, president of the Cedar Rapids Small Business Recovery Group; and Amy Wyss, co-owner of Zins Restaurant.

Resource experts also will be available to answer questions and comment on ideas.

Moderators will be Jeff Tecklenburg, The Gazette's Opinion Page Editor, and Bruce Aune, KCRG-TV9 news anchor.

You will be able to watch the forum in a live stream on GazetteOnline.com, which also will host a live blog during the event.