The Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce approached the Marshalltown City Council with a request to help fund a study on how to reduce the number of commuters living out of town and working in Marshalltown. The goal is to reduce that rate by 50 percent. The Council was initially asked for seventeen and a half thousand dollars. At Large City Councilor, Gary Thompson proposed taking it a step further and adding some additional dollars for implementation of the plan after the study was completed

The rest of the council agreed and passed the amendment to help fund half the study and half of the implementation of that study. The Council also approved a catalyst grant of $75,000 for the renovation of the Marshalltown Senior Residences on East Main Street.