The Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission (MRPC) will meet Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, at the Hurstville Interpretive Center, 18670 63rd St., in Maquoketa.

Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission Agenda

10 a.m.

Welcome and introductions

Roll call with commissioners’ updates on 2017 MRPC Annual Report distribution to county stakeholders, legislators, and interpretive centers

*Approval of Oct. 19, 2017, meeting minutes

*Review of Nov. 16, 2017, informal meeting notes.

10:15 a.m.

*Treasurer report and approval

*Budget planning for 2018

Interpretative center staff update

*Future meeting schedule

-Third Thursday, third Monday, or first Monday in March, May, and June.

-National MRPC semiannual meeting April 13 in Quincy, Ill.

10:30 a.m.

National and State MRPC Committee reports

-Culture and Heritage

-Marketing: Iowa Byways Travel Guide update and approval of:

   *Additional Travel Iowa media buys.

   *New banner design, materials, and printing.

   *Passport design, materials, and printing.

   *Other advertising opportunities.

-Transportation – road updates regarding shoulders

-Environment, Recreation, and Agriculture

  · 2018 Bike Ride on the Iowa Great River Road date and plan

  · National MRPC Stewardship Award nomination due April 1, 2018  

11:20 a.m.

Chairwoman’s report

-Iowa Byways program monthly sustainability call update

-Byways of Iowa Coalition report

-Byways of Iowa Foundation report

-Iowa Travel Federation Day in Des Moines, Jan. 30, 2018

-Submit county lists for 2018 National MRPC Year of Art, Culture, and Music on the Great River Road

-2018 finance letter

-December National MRPC board meeting report

11:30 a.m.

Ex officio member and other reports

-Mary Stahlhut, Iowa DOT

-Ron Deiss, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

-Shawna Lode, Iowa Tourism Office

-Mike Moran, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs

-Todd Coffelt, Iowa Department of Natural Resources

11:45 a.m.

Adjourn for lunch

1 p.m.

Corridor Management Plan interpretation implementation

-Review of the Schmeeckle Reserve interpreters presentation on Iowa Byways information hubs

2 p.m.

2015 Iowa Great River Road Corridor Management Plan

-FY 2018 goals, priorities, resources, challenges, and partnering opportunities

3 p.m.

Adjourn

*Action item

Note: The Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission Inc., a 501 (c) (4) tax-exempt fundraising organization, will meet at this location immediately following the meeting of the Iowa Mississippi River Parkway Commission.

For more information, contact Mary Stahlhut, Iowa DOT, by phone at 515-239-1369 or email mary.stahlhut@iowadot.us.

The MRPC is a multistate organization that works collectively to preserve, promote, and enhance the scenic, historic, and recreational resources of the Mississippi River; to foster the economic growth of the corridor; and to develop the national, scenic, and historic parkway known as the Great River Road.

As part of the MRPC, the Iowa MRPC focuses on the same mission objectives in relation to Iowa's portions of the National Scenic Byway, the Iowa Great River Road, and the Mississippi River Valley. The governor appoints members to the Iowa MRPC from each of the 10 counties that border the Mississippi River. These include Allamakee, Clayton, Dubuque, Jackson, Clinton, Scott, Muscatine, Louisa, Des Moines, and Lee counties. The Iowa MRPC also includes ex officio members from the Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, and Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Iowa Tourism Office.