Community News

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.

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Editor’s Note: St. Mary’s Catholic Church is one of the cluster parishes that includes St. Joseph’s in Wellman and Holy Trinity in Richmond.

Removing the former St. Mary’s Convent, part of the complex of buildings for St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Riverside, started Monday morning with total site clearance expected by Wednesday. ?The demolition of the approximate 120 year old structure is part of the parish’s $2 million Education/Conference Center project that will be attached to St. Mary’s Hall, the original church. ?The south part of the convent building is believed to have been the original parochial school, said Pastor Rich Adam. ??Building lines indicate that the north convent part was built later, and the demolition revealed the clear outline of an original chimney in the south (school) part.
The convent, as well as the parish’s other four buildings, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Prior to the razing, three historic bricks, bearing the name of the Swift brick and tile factory that built a lot of Riverside’s early buildings, were removed. ?One will be kept and installed in a memorial wall, using original bricks from the building and the other two are set to be auction during the church’s Labor Day Festival.
“They are very rare,” said Adam.
The Center is expected to be done possibly by late spring.

The Keota School District, which has a sharing agreement with the Mid-Prairie District, is one of an additional 150 school districts receiving state grants for the statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for 4-Year-Old Children.
State officials estimate that during the 2010-11 academic year, some 21,354 4-year-olds will be served by the preschool program in 326 school districts across the state. Mid-Prairie was one of the original districts in the program.
This year is the final installment of the Governor’s four year, $60 million commitment to expand the opportunity for Iowa’s young children to access quality preschool environments and enter school ready to learn. The statewide program was established May 10,2007.
The Iowa Department of Education received 146 applications representing 150 districts across the state. The program’s funding will allow the districts to offer at least 10 hours a week of quality preschool education.
Estimated amount of funds for each district is based on approximately 37 percent of their kindergarten enrollment from October 2009. Funding for the first year comes from an appropriation from the state legislature. Selected districts did not need to reapply for the next school year.

This year’s Fourth of July celebration will start with fireworks instead of ending with them this year due to several conflicts.
The Wellman Volunteer Firemen will shoot off fireworks Sunday, July 4 at 9:30 p.m. following the entertainment in the bandshell at the North Park.
The annual parade will be held Monday, July 5 starting at 9:30 a.m. with the Kiddie Parade followed by the main parade at 10 a.m. Entrants for the Kiddie Parade may sign up starting at 9 a.m. on the north end of City Hall (corner of 4th Street and 8th Avenue).
Parade entrants may start signing up at 8 a.m. at the bottom of main street with Tony and Angela Stutzman or Sherry and Randy Crow (corner of 2nd Street and 8th Avenue).
Following the parade there will be activities in the North Park including the National Guard Climbing wall, barrel train rides, Windy Acres Pony Rides, Bingo and numerous activites planned by the YMCA.
The Heritage Museum, in downtown Wellman, will be open Saturday, July 3 - Monday, July 5.
There will also be a car show sponsored by the Wellman Ball Association at the North Park Sunday, July 4 from 8-12.
Saturday, July 3 is the Wellman High School Reunion. The Lone Tree Pullers will be in the South Park for a garden tractor pull starting at 2 p.m.
A street dance is planned for Saturday evening with Hard Barney performing 70s and 80s rock music from 9 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Watch The Advance for more details.

By Mary Zielinski
As a way of building, operating and maintaining storm water facilities, the proposed Storm Water Drainage Utility for Kalona would be financed by a $3 monthly fee for each utility customer. The proposed amendment that would add a chapter to the existing ordinance, had a first reading at Monday’s council meeting. The council will hold two more readings during its August meetings.
The proposed measure is very similar to what other cities have done, explained City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh, noting that the Kalona one “is three-quarters of what Wellman’s is.”
The new utility and the charges for it are expected to generate about $40,500 and will now aid with storm water management facilities such as detention and retention basins, storm water sewers, inlets, ditches and drains, curbs and gutters and cleaning of the streets (to help water flow).
The funds will go to a special fund used only for the storm water management, Schlabaugh said.
Council member Ken Herington, acknowledging the extra fee, said that the storm sewer work should have been addressed 25 years ago. It is also a move to see that the extensive infrastructure work now underway will be maintained, he noted.
Schlabaugh stressed that the city will provide information to the public about the new utility. The proposed amendment would have the extra fee added to the monthly water and sewer bills that also have recycling fees.
In a nearly-related matter,

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By Mary Zielinski
The Kalona City Council Monday approved a $292,439 payment to All-American Concrete of West Liberty for paving of the west parking lot at the Kalona Community Center. The project, part of the city’s downtown revitalization plan, is nearing completion. The second phase, dealing with alleyway improvements and drainage for A Place, continues.
In a related matter, the council also approved a Professional Services Agreement with MMS Consultants, Inc. of Iowa city for construction surveying and layout staking for $33,000 and Project Administration services, not to exceed $30,000. MMS is the designer and planner for the revitalization project.
The council appointed Mark Robe, currently a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission, to fill the council vacancy created by the resignation of Dave Kempf in April. The term runs through December, 2011, and the seat will be on the November, 2011 ballot. Robe will also remain with P & Z until a replacement is found, although he will abstain from voting.

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By Mary Zielinski

As part of the Washington County zoning ordinance that takes effect July 1, the county zoning map had a second reading Monday and will go on to a third reading and passage June 15. Monday’s meeting saw a modification approved to the ordinance regarding the Urban Reserve District for the city of Riverside.
According to Assistant County Engineer Jacob Thorius, the Urban Reserve District created by Riverside would have been nearly 14,000 acres, about 15 times larger than Riverside is right now.
The change reduced the area to about 6,300 acres. In comparison, the city of Washington reserve is 13,700 acres; Kalona, 5,200 and Wellman, 4,200. If the municipalities did not created the reserves, the cities would relinquish their rights to the two-mile jurisdiction.
Monday, the supervisors made a further modification for Wellman’s urban reserve district, removing the two small segments that went north of the English River. The two parcels will remain agricultural residential. The change was unanimously approved.
The zoning map is an an important part of the new zoning ordinance, clearly delineating the different zoning districts, including an industrial one north of Ainsworth.
Copies are available from the engineer’s office.

By Mary Zielinski
County preservation efforts got a boost Tuesday when the Washington County Historic Preservation Commission distributed $4,700 in grants to five county non-profit groups. The awards were given during the county board of supervisors meeting by Commission member Wanita Zieglowsky. “We appreciate the money from the supervisors,” said Mike Zahs, Commission president, referring to the county’s allocation that will help with everything from preserving an historic American flag to saving a unique hog building. The Commission, whose members are appointed by the supervisors, solicits grant applications from county groups, then reviews requests and awards the grants. The formal presentation is always at a board meeting in May, National Historic Preservation Month.
This year the awards went to the Washington County Historical Society, $1,100 to help with repairs at the Conger House Museum; Kalona Historical Society, $400 to help preserve and display an historic 1876 American Centennial flag; Riverside History Center, $500 to help with its railroad history project that includes scale model trains; Washington DAR Chapter, $1,200 for repairs and restoration of the Alexander Young Log House, and the Washington County Fair Association, $1,500 to aid with moving and restoration of an octagonal hog building that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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By Mary Zielinski
With bids just about ten percent over estimate for Kalona’s Downtown Revitalization Project, council action was tabled to a special meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 26, in the city hall. In the meantime planning committee and the city’s finance committee will review plans to see where cuts can be made.
“We will not rebid the project,” City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh said Monday.
He said that the price of concrete accounts for much of the discrepancy between the estimate and the bids.
Bids, opened April 13, were All American Concrete of West Liberty, $2,298,681 base bid with $308,530 for the Community Center parking lot for a total of $2,607,211; J & L Construction of Washington, base bid $2,342,569 with $285,998 for parking lot for a total of $2,628,567, and Muscatine Bridge of Muscatine, $2,650,076.50 base and $311,709.50 for parking lot for a total of $2,961.786.
The total project cost, including signage and all fees was estimated and set at $2,844,269.
MMS Consultants, Iowa City, the project planners and designers, estimated the 5th Street and B Avenue streetscape work at a total of $1,739,542, including a $158,140 contingency and the 4th Street and 6th Street alley work at $225,546.

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The Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) received 78 grant applications totaling $4.9 million in its spring cycle of grant funding.  The requests will be reviewed by the Grant Applications Committee who is expected to have recommendations for the board in May.
At its February meeting, the WCRF approved setting the total available for grants for spring and fall 2010 at $750,000 for each cycle.  Among the current grant requests is $1 million from St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Riverside, to aid with its $2 million conference center, a $94,067 request to help with the $133,264 project to connect all Washington County libraries and a $33,000 request from the Kalona Historical Society to assist with a $55,000 land purchase.
There are five grant requests from the Highland School District, five from the Mid-Prairie District, 11 from the Washington District and two from the Keota School District.

The Washington County Conservation Board (WCCB), at its recent meeting, voted to discontinue user fees for the Kewash Nature Trial as of December 31, 2010.
There were three main reasons for he decision:

• minimal revenues generated by it ($1,000 gross annually) were considered a deterrent to public use of the facility;
• trail user fees are not charged on other publicly operated trails, including those owned and operated by communities in Washington County, at Lake Darling state Park and other WCCB facilities; and
• benefits to public and private businesses will increase by not having a trail user fee.

The board members expressed appreciation to all who have and continue to support the Kewash Nature Trial through donations of funds and labor.
Those who have a five-year pass will be eligible for a prorated refund, but the board asks that they consider donating the value balance of the trail user pass.

The Iowa Office of Energy Independence (OEI) announced grants for community-based energy efficiency and renewable eneregy projects. An Iowa Mennonite School project was one of 30 selected for funding.
IMS will use its $9,475 grant to install a solar array on the school grounds and incorporate energy education in to the school curriculum. Farmers Electric Cooperative and Central Plains Solar are partners in the project, providing technical and additional financial support.
The key component of the IMS “Community Solar and Education Program” will be a 1.8 kW tracking photovoltaic array that will be tied to the school’s electrical system. The solar array will be installed in early spring and will be located near the southeast corner of the gymnasium. Data about the array’s energy output will be collected via an internet module and will be used as a teaching tool for physics, science and economics. The array’s real-time output will be posted on the school’s website.
The IMS project also includes a Community Energy Day in which students will help local families implement energy efficiency improvements in the homes. The Washington Township Optimists will partner with IMS and Farmers Electric for this service project.
The OEI Community Grant program is funded through the annual Iowa Power Fund appropriation. The program was created to help local communities, non-profits and businesses improve energy efficiency and expand the use of renewable energy. A list of project awards is available on the OEI website at www.energy.iowa.gov.