Secretary Pate’s new Fast Track Filing system makes it easier for Iowans to start a business
 
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announces the statewide launch of the Fast Track Filing system for new businesses. The new, innovative application greatly enhances the speed and efficiency of the filing process. New businesses using Fast Track Filing will have their documents processed within a maximum of two days, and a minimum of five minutes. 
 
“My office is Iowa’s business portal. I pledged to Iowa’s business community that we would offer service at the speed of business, not the speed of government. We have achieved that for new businesses with the Fast Track Filing system,” Secretary Pate said. “Entrepreneurs will be able to get their new business ventures up and running much quicker.”
 
The system is accessible online 24 hours a day at filings.sos.iowa.gov.
 
Early projections also show Fast Track Filing will save the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office more than 4,000 staff hours annually.
 
“It greatly reduces or eliminate processes my staff currently handles, like scanning documents, serving as cashiers, and extended correspondence with filers. Fast Track Filing enables us to offer Iowa’s business community the customer service it deserves,” Secretary Pate added.
 
The Iowa Secretary of State’s Business Services Division has processed a record amount of new business filings during each of the past three years, surpassing 20,000 filings annually. The office handles more than 60,000 phone calls and approximately 12,500 walk-in customers each year.
 
Several business entities tested the Fast Track Filing system over the past few weeks. The response is overwhelmingly positive:
 
What They’re Saying
 

• “I am very, very happy with how quickly the documents are filed and available to view. That is exactly what we needed.” – Rebecca Rupp, Hogan Law Office in Des Moines

 

• “One client called me a miracle worker but it was actually Fast Track Filing that was the miracle. This is perfect!  Can’t wait until we can file more forms with FTF.” – Elizabeth Brandt; Simmons, Perrine, Moyer, Bergman, P.L.C. in Cedar Rapids

 

• “I filed articles of incorporation after 4:30 p.m. and had confirm of filing by 7:30 the next morning. This was amazing.” – Jacquelyn K. Arthur; Heiny, McManigal, Duffy, Stambaugh, & Anderson, P.L.C. in Mason City 

 

• “I love this process! It has been very easy to use and extremely efficient.” – Kathleen Nolan; Meardon, Sueppel & Downer, P.L.C. in Iowa City

 

• “I find the platform to be very straightforward and user-friendly and turnaround time for my filings has been outstanding!” – Kaycee J. Schippers; Davis Brown Law Firm in Des Moines

 

• “In the past, in order to have a document filed right away we had to use a delivery service and pay a fee of $75.00 to $125 per filing in order to have the filings walked in for same day service.  I have made several filings using the Fast Track Filing and find it very easy to work with and the turnaround is amazing!” – Kelly Christman; Crary, Huff, Ringgenberg, Hartnett & Storm, P.C. in Sioux City

 
The Fast Track Filing system was made possible through the Iowa Legislature’s creation of the Technology Modernization Fund in 2017.
 
“It was designed by the Information Technology Division in my office, with assistance from QCI, a West Des Moines-based technology consulting firm. Our I.T. specialist Kyle Phillips deserves most of the credit for the technological aspects. He did a great job,” Secretary Pate said. 
 
Fast Track Filing is currently available for new business filings only, but will expand to handle other types of business filings with the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office in the future. 

The Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce would like to invite area businesses to be involved in the 2018 Barnyard Bash. There are many sponsorship opportunities! 

This free family- friendly event will be held on Friday, June 22 from 5:00-9:00pm at the Maasdam Barns. A mix of new and traditional country music with a hint of classic rock will be played by the Harvest Band from 6:00-9:00pm. Other entertainment will begin at 5:00pm which includes various area businesses with agriculture related booths and activities! Bounce Houses, a Tractor-cade, horse drawn wagon rides, and many more displays and demonstrations will take place throughout the evening. 

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor or reserving a booth, please take advantage of online registration. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns! We are looking forward to celebrating our vibrant agriculture sector with the entire community! If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Chamber at 641-472-2111 or Events@FairfieldIowa.com.

The Sustainable Living Coalition will be hosting a Business After Hours on Thursday, June 14 from 5:00-7:00 pm. Light appetizers and adult beverages will be served. The Sustainable Living Coalition operates out of the Eco Barn Event Center located at 2143 185 Street just south of Abundance Eco Village.  The Eco Barn lane is the first left on Lotus Lane leading into the Eco Village.
The Sustainable Living Coalition is a 501c3 formed in 2004 as part of an Iowa Great Places grant awarded to the Town of Fairfield. This grant allowed for the purchase of our 12 acre campus and the eventual development of the Eco Barn facility. The mission of the organization is to empower individuals and communities to live fully rooted in the abundant flows of natural systems. The focus is building our local food system and regenerative agriculture practices, promoting adoption of renewable energy, tackling the challenge of food insecurity, and becoming a physical hub for education and community engagement at the Eco Barn Event Center. Monthly Pot Luck and Community discussions with speakers from around the country have been held since fall of 2017 and the Earth Day at the Eco Barn celebration attracted over 200 participants. The Eco Barn is a net energy positive facility melding state of the art energy, water and waste  systems with refined, rustic charm.
The Chamber Business After Hours is a free, monthly networking event open to Chamber Members, their guests and the general public.  If you are interested in hosting a Business After Hours, please contact the Chamber at 641-472-2111 or by email at Chamber@FairfieldIowa.com.

​Coming back to your roots allows time to think about who you are and the journey you have taken to get there. In January of 2017 the opportunity opened up which allowed me to do two things that I love: plan events and serve our community. My younger self would have been surprised to find she would become the Event Coordinator at the Chamber of Commerce.  In fact, I’m not sure I even knew what a Chamber of Commerce was! In my new role, I have had the great pleasure to serve our members and give back to the community which has been supportive every step of the way. I think about all the people who have invested their time, energy, and talents into me. Talk about humbling! 

Here I sit with another opportunity which would have surprised my younger self. You will now be able to find me as a Lender at the Washington State Bank here in Fairfield. I am excited to help make home buying & business building dreams come true by fulfilling their moto ‘Invested in You’! 

As I conclude my final weeks as a Chamber staff member, I am grateful for what each of our members, Board Members, Ambassadors, and volunteers have taught me along the way. It has been a joy to see our community connect, engage, and prosper together. Cheers to another chapter!

Mark your calendars for the 2018 Blast Off Golf Tournaments! The Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to have Iowa State Bank as the Presenting Sponsor for both the Women’s and Men’s Blast Off Golf Tournaments in addition to the Par-Tee! The Women’s and Men’s Blast Off Golf Tournaments will take place on Friday, June 8th. Registration will begin at 7:30am with Tee-Off to follow an hour later at 8:30am. The Women’s Tournament will be held at Walton Club while the Men play at the Fairfield Golf & Country Club.  

Don’t miss the Silent Auction and Raffles at the Par-Tee on Thursday, June 7th at the Fairfield Area Golf & Country Club. The fun starts at 5:30 pm with fun, food, and drinks! Registered golfers have free admission to the Par-Tee, non-golfers have a registration fee of $25. For registered golfers, the ParTee is included in the tournament package at no extra cost, however reservations are still required. Par-Tee admission includes complimentary beer, Jefferson County Cider Works cider, and heavy appetizers. 

The Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce is now accepting registrations for teams of 4 for both the Men’s and Women’s Blast-Off Tournaments. The cost is $65 per golfer which includes entry to the ParTee, 18 holes of golf, lunch and prizes. Early bird reservations for the Golf Tournaments and the Par-Tee are due Friday, June 1st at 5:00pm. All Par-tee reservations for non-golfers will increase to $30 after this date. Golf registration will increase to $70 per person after this date.  

To register a team or attend the ParTee, contact the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce at 641-472-2111 or email Events@FairfieldIowa.com.