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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Linn County pauses plans to hire rural economic development director
County leaders will revisit the position in the future after opting to prioritize other staffing needs in the coming fiscal year.
Feb. 3, 2026 3:18 pm
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CEDAR RAPIDS — Linn County leaders are pressing pause on plans to hire an in-house rural economic development director, stating they need more time to evaluate how the position can best serve rural residents.
The Linn County Board of Supervisors last week approved a list of new and expanded county positions for the upcoming fiscal year. Notably absent was a rural economic development position originally approved last fall.
Rather than move forward with the position at this time, board Chair Kirsten Running-Marquardt said the county is reevaluating the role to better determine how and where it should operate within the county’s overall staffing model.
“We’re trying to put together a position that will serve the county and its rural and unincorporated areas in the best way possible,” she said. “I absolutely believe it’s a position we need moving forward, we’re just trying to learn and formulate the best way to do that for our county.”
The board in November voted to create the position in an effort to leverage the “strategic leadership and professional expertise” of a dedicated staff member to help guide economic development in rural Linn County.
The position was of particular interest given a surge in economic development proposals in the area, between the planned restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center and a Google-backed data center proposal near Palo, among other corporate inquiries.
The economic development director would have taken lead on those projects, as well as served as an adviser and networking contact for Linn County’s smaller communities to promote development beyond the Cedar Rapids metro.
Money for the position was set aside at that time, although the role was later added back into budget discussions for further consideration after a preliminary search for applicants proved fruitless.
In revisiting the topic late last week, District 3 Supervisor Brandy Z. Meisheid pushed for the role to be filled sooner rather than later. Meisheid, the board’s sole Republican, represents the county’s only majority-rural district.
“Any opportunity that we have to support our small towns — many of which could never afford a position like this — that would build them up and help them with grants, economic development and finding incentives, that’s something I’m always passionate about,” she said.
Her argument failed to sway her fellow board members, Running-Marquardt and District 2 Supervisor Sami Scheetz, however, who both asserted the county has other, more pressing staffing needs to address.
“I went through the list in terms of what the county needs today, … and I don’t think (a rural economic development director) is an immediate need,” said Scheetz, who said he still believes such a position would be positive “long-term.”
The board ultimately voted unanimously on creating or expanding the following positions for the coming fiscal year:
- Adding a full-time deputy director of policy and community relations within the Policy and Administration Division
- Adding one full-time civil attorney, Linn County Attorney’s Office
- Adding one full-time recruitment coordinator, Linn County Human Resources
- Adding one full-time environmental manager, Linn County Public Health
- Adding one part-time custodial position
- Expanding the hours of one Linn County Community Services account technician
- Putting funds toward a watershed support fund within Linn County Soil Conservation to support ongoing collaborations with area watershed management groups. This was found to be less costly than adding a position to the department.
Meisheid ultimately voted in favor of the list given broader agreement on most of its personnel recommendations, although she said she remained “disappointed” the economic development position would not move forward at this time.
Running-Marquardt said work will continue internally to plan and outline the rural development role and that the matter will return to the board for consideration if and when funding becomes available.
Comments: grace.nieland@thegazette.com
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