East Central Iowa News

The Mahaska Chamber & Development Group was recently formed by the merger of the Oskaloosa Area Chamber and Development Group and the Makasha Community Development Group, according to Oskaloosa News.

"It is exciting to see that many months of hard work by both groups have now culminated into one organization," James Feudner, regional president of Bank of Iowa and the first president of the new board, said to Oskaloosa News. "It is equally exciting to be located in a part of Iowa where so many opportunities exist, and it is the Chamber’s goal to make sure we promote the Mahaska County community to make others aware of the great things happening here."

The two groups merged to pool their resources together so they could be managed more effectively, the news agency reported.

The two groups noticed they were constantly competing for the same resources, both with money and volunteers. The groups decided in 2018 to start discussing a merger. In 2019, the groups' members voted and approved the merger.

The Makasha Community Development group was a 15-year-old group that focused on economic development, the news agency reported. It was supported and organized by larger businesses.

The Oskaloosa Area Chamber and Development Group began in 1944 and focused on promoting the vibrancy of the downtown district, while also supporting rural and smaller areas in the county, according to the news agency.

The newly formed agency's Board of Directors will represent the city of Oskaloosa, Mahaska County Ag and Rural Development, the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors and Oskaloosa Main Street. Other seats on the board will be filled by community members, the news agency reported.