(Arnolds Park)– About 100 people from Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto and Sioux counties attended a REAP region three meeting Thursday evening in Arnolds Park.
The main purpose was to explore ways the D-N-R-administered program can be improved. Success stories about previous REAP projects in the region were also told.
Meetings to gather input on the REAP program are being held this year in regions throughout the state. Jeff Vonk, Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says attendance at all of the sessions so far is two to three times that of the last meetings that were held two years ago.
Ways to increase funding for REAP drew several recommendations. Among them is a program that would encourage the increased sale of REAP license plates and to reactivate REAP county committees.
Recommendations that were made will be forwarded to the REAP General Assembly this coming July 17th in Des Moines. Steve Pitt of Palo Alto county, Phil Petersen, Barb Tagami and Greg Drees all of Dickinson county and Ted Karousis of Clay county were elected as delegates to represent Region three at the state assembly.
