DUBUQUE INDUSTRIAL BUREAU

DUBUQUE INDUSTRIAL BUREAU. Prior to 1962 no one governmental of independen agency acted to promote new industrial efforts for the city or to coordinate the existing industries. The closing of the FARLEY AND LOETSCHER MANUFACTURING COMPANY that year added 800 people of the unemployment rolls. The number of job vacancies had risen to 2,000 and the unemployment rate ras 4.5 % of the work force.

A committee of twenty-one business and civic leaders named an executive committee to open a Dubuque Industrial Bureau office, plan an implement a program of action, and recommend future policy to the Board of Directors. (1)

In May 1962 an agreement was announced on a united effort to promote industrial development in Dubuque. The Chamber of Commerce established a Dubuque Industrial Bureau headed by the mayor's nine-member committee and nine representatives of the Chamber's industrial expansion committee. Members had staggered terms, and replacements were selected by the committee. (2)

Heading the Bureau, which would be independent of the Chamber, was a six-member executive committee selected by the full eighteen-member committee. The executive committee would be composed of three people selected by the Chamber's group and three by the mayor's group. A seventh person was to be selected after the executive committee was named. Appointments to the executive committee were for one year with each person's performance evaluated at the end of the year. The executive committee hired an industrial coordinator. (3) To raise the initial operating revenue, a "Boost Dubuque" campaign was carried out with citizen and businesses contributing over $30,000 to operate the Bureau for the first year. (4)

The Bureau submitted a budget to the Chamber which paid for as much of the cost of the organization as it could afford. The balance of the funds needed for special projects like purchasing land would be raised by public subscription. Previously the Chamber had spent approximately one-third of its annual budget on industrial expansion. This amounted to between $15,000 and $20,000 annually. (5)

The Bureau operated with three goals: dedication to servicing existing industries, seeking and servicing new industries, and building a better business climate. The first annual report detailed efforts to achieve these goals. These operations included periodical inspection of local industry, maintenance of industrial index directories, formation of an ambassadors program with "raids" on industries in other cities, building awareness of industry's value, and community recognition of old and new industries. (6)

The 1966 Annual Report found that the Industrial Bureau had "cured" many of the city's problems. The report noted that 53 firms in the city had "expanded" adding 222 acres, 626,466 square feet of plant space, $5.26 million in new machines and 808 new employees. The first "Community Livability Plaques" were awarded to the DUBUQUE CONTAINER COMPANY and the JOHN DEERE DUBUQUE WORKS.

The 1966 Dubuque City Directory listed 601 FISCHER BUILDING.

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Source:

1. "Industry," Progress Edition, Telegraph-Herald, April 5, 1970, p. 61

2. "Chamber, City Unit Combined," Telegraph Herald, May 1, 1962, p. 1

3. Ibid.

4. "Industry..."

5. "Chamber, City..."

6. "Industry..."