Facilities will be topic of O-M community meetings

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Community and Economic Development team will facilitate three community discussions 6:30 p.m. May 22, 5 p.m. June 3 and 5 p.m. June 6 in the school’s gym. The discussions will be a place for the community to hear the ideas generated through a series of focus groups and interviews held during April and ensure the community has a voice in the decision-making process to determine the best use of the school buildings that will be closed with the dissolution of the Orient-Macksburg Community School District.

These discussion sessions are being funded by the Orient Betterment and Improvement Corporation via funding from the Helen and Virgil Speed and Family Orient, Iowa Charitable Fund. The community discussions are open to all community members and those from neighboring communities who have an interest in the future of the area.

Community members and other interested parties are asked to attend only one session as they will consist of the same information at each discussion.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Himar Hernandez, Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development,

“We are very excited to be able to facilitate this discussion for the Orient community. This is hard work but extremely important for the growth and future of the community and we appreciate the opportunity to assist,” ISU Extension and Outreach’s Assistant Director of Community and Economoic Development Himar Hernandez said.

The community of Orient will have access to a final report once the listening project has been completed at the end of June 2025.