Archive for: August 2010

January 6, 1918 – August 21, 2010
Martha Ella Moffit, 92, of North English, Iowa, died at the English Valley Care Center in North English Saturday, August 21, 2010. A Celebration of Life Service was held Tuesday, August 24, 2010, in …

August 13, 1920 – August 20, 2010
Geraldine “Gerry” M. Schlabaugh, 90, of Kalona, Iowa, died Friday, August 20, 2010, at the Pleasantview Home in Kalona following a lingering illness.
Funeral services were held Monday, August 23, 2010, in Lower Deer Creek …

July 13, 1925 – August 19, 2010
Charles Roger Johnson, 85, of Wellman, Iowa, died Thursday, August 19, 2010, at his home in rural Wellman. Celebration of life services are Tuesday, September 7 at 10 a.m. at the Peterseim Funeral Home, …

March 31, 1922 – August 19, 2010
Menno Helmuth, 88, of Kalona, Iowa, died Thursday, August 19, 2010, at Pleasantview Home in Kalona following a lingering illness. Celebration of life services were held Sunday, August 22, 2010, in the East Union …

May 26, 1915 – August 16, 2010
Ervin R. Schrock, 95, of Wellman, Iowa, died Monday, August 16, 2010, at Parkview Manor in Wellman. Funeral services were Wednesday, August 18, 2010, at the Yoder-Powell Funeral Home in Kalona. Burial was in …

August 27, 1925 – August 9, 2010
Funeral services for Earl R. Wagamon, 84, of Kalona, Iowa, were Friday, August 13, 2010, at 10 a.m. at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona with Pastor David L. Yoder officiating. Burial was in …

October 31, 1970 – August 12, 2010
Sgt. Bradford Lee Miller, 39, formerly of Kalona, Iowa, died Thursday, August 12, 2010, in Thrapston, England.
Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, August 27, 2010, in St. Peter’s Catholic Church in …

By Mary Zielinski
Work on the Wellman Golf Course’s $75,000 sewer relining project likely will start in September after the order to proceed is approved at the September 7 council meeting. The key step for the project, a resolution for a $75,00 loan agreement, was approved by the council Monday, following a brief public hearing for the agreement. An equally brief public hearing regarding the plans and specifications also was held.
However, the second reading of the ordinance to amend city zoning along Madison Avenue, between 14th and 15th Streets from R-1 (low density, single family residential) to C1-B (peripheral business district commercial was tabled to the August 23 meeting. The tabling was to allow the reading to go before the full council; there were only three present Monday.
The rezoning has raised a few objections from some residents, although the commercial aspect, at present, is only the construction of a rental storage facility.
In other business, the council:

July 15, 1939 – August 2, 2010
Eric Thirtle, 71, of Kalona, Iowa, died Monday, August 2, 2010, at Pleasantview Home in Kalona following a brief illness.
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 6, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. in the …

October 1, 1925 – August 1, 2010
Bette M. Moore, 84, of Washington, Iowa, died Sunday, August 1, 2010, at the United Presbyterian Home in Washington following a lengthy illness.
A memorial service was held Wednesday, August 4, in the …

By Mary Zielinski
The second reading Monday for the Kalona ordinance to establish a Storm Water Drainage Utility drew criticism from resident Greg Van Egdon that it was just another form of taxation that residents “have no right to vote on it.”
The ordinance calls for a $3 monthly utility fee that would be added to the current monthly water/sewer and recycling bill.
Van Egdon said that the council could call the $3 a fee, “but it is nothing more than a tax. Are you afraid to call it a tax?”
Council member Ken Herington explained the fee system was the “fairest” approach, that all users would pay the same. Van Egdon objected, that obviously some users, such as commercial businesses, ran far more through the system.
Van Egdon also said that the city did not provide information or publication of the ordinance, suggesting there were secret meetings.
Herington said, “There were no secret meetings,” that the finance committee and council sessions are all open meetings. The ordinance is not published, as a legal, until it is passed.
Van Egdon added that Kalona’s property tax already is “so high,” that it compares to Iowa City. He also indicated that few residents knew about the ordinance.
Council members Claudine Miller-Zahradnek, Steve Lafaurie and Herington said they had many phone calls about it and met with people on the street. They indicated that most thought the fee was fair and wanted to know if it was sufficient to maintain the system.
The ordinance, in essence, provides for building, operating and maintaining storm water facilities and initially would raise more than $40,000. Funds will go to a special fund used only for the storm water management.

Residents along 1st, 2nd, 3rd Streets and 10th Avenue in Wellman, were notified at 2 a.m. that Smith Creek was out of its banks and flooding was imminent.
Wellman Volunteer Fire Fighters, despite having …