Community News

Expansion to help Washington County residents affected by economy
Smokers in Washington County affected by the economic downturn now have a valuable tool for quitting. With the typical pack-a-day Iowa smoker now spending nearly $1,900 per year on cigarettes, Quitline Iowa (1-800-QUIT-NOW) is doubling the amount of nicotine patches and gum available to callers during the month of January.
In Iowa, cigarettes cost $5.18 per pack on average, or about $36 per week for a pack-a-day smoker. Iowans can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) to receive a free four-week supply of nicotine patches, gum or lozenges. Quitline Iowa also has specially trained quit coaches who help make individualized quit plans and offer ongoing support through follow-up calls. After January 31, Quitline will resume offering callers the two-week supply available throughout the year.
“Using nicotine replacement therapy such as the patch, gum or lozenge has been shown to significantly increase the success rate for quitting smoking,” said Sarah Yoder, Tobacco Control Coordinator for Washington County. “If callers take advantage of the telephone counseling services Quitline Iowa offers as well, this will only increase the likelihood that they will quit and stay quit.”
According to the most recent data from Iowa Department of Public Health, about 12.7 percent of Iowans living in rural counties such as Washington County currently smoke. Among them, 85 percent say they wish to quit, mainly for health reasons. Nearly 20 percent, however, say their main reason for wanting to quit is the cost.
Iowans who quit smoking will see improvements in blood circulation and lung function in as little as two weeks. Coughing and shortness of breath will begin to decrease after the first month. By this time, most smokers will have saved enough to buy a Blu-ray disc player or 60 gallons of gas.
For more information, call 1-800-784-8669 (1-800-QUIT-NOW). To calculate how much tobacco costs you based on your brand and the amount you smoke, visit www.quitlineiowa.org. Help is also available for users of chewing tobacco.

The Wellman City Council approved the annual appointments in a very brief meeting Monday.
Appointments approved are:

• Mayor Pro Tempore: Marc Pennington
• Washington County Emergency Management Committee, Washington County Communications Board, and Washington County E911 Board: Ryan Miller
• Administrative Officer for Utility and Public Works Departments: Aaron Shumaker
• City Attorney: Dan Kitchen
• Library Board of Trustees Council Liaison: Fern Bontrager
• Parks and Recreation Board Council Liaison: Pennington
• Cable Commission Council Liaison: Steve Slaubaugh
• City Clerk/Treasurer: Donna Wade
• Senior Dining Board Council Liaison: Doug Powell
• Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Adjustments Council Liasion: Matt Latcham
• City Official Publication: The Wellman Advance with the Cedar Rapids Gazette to be secondary if needed
• Also, Fred Wagner was replaced by Shawn Powell on the Parks and Recreation Board. Vicki Showalter’s replacement on the board has not yet been named. Jared Schneider and Alberta Walker both agreed to serve another term on the Cable Commission Board.

In other business, the council:

• accepted acknowledgement/settlement agreement from Freeman Foods and Reggie Tire; and
• approved a resolution which does not specify employee mileage reimbursement rates. This will allow the city to change the rate to the current IRS reimbursement rate without a new resolution each time.

The Keota FFA Chapter Ag Mechanics team competed in the National Agricultural Mechanics competition during the 82nd National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, IN during October 21-24, 2009. The team did an outstanding job during all parts of the contest and placed 5th in the nation out of 44 teams that competed in the event.
Members of the ag mechanics team include senior Travis Greiner, senior Bryce Sieren, junior Blake Bayliss and junior Kyle Huber. The team was coached by Mr. Dan Striegel, Keota FFA chapter advisor.
The Keota team qualified for this event by winning the state ag mechanics contest which was held last June. The team worked diligently to prepare for the event by practicing at least two mornings every week since school began in August.
The theme for the 2009 Ag Mechanics Contest was plant production systems. All activities in the event centered around this theme of raising crops, although the team learned this involves much more than just corn and soybeans! The two day event included activities on irrigation, seeding, welding and much more.

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By Mary Zielinski
Washington County Monday filed a petition in Washington County District Court for declaratory judgement against the City of Riverside, seeking the $175,000 payment Riverside refused to make in July and all future payments required in the Infrastructure Finance and Development Agreement signed by the city and county December 26, 2005.
The county’s action follows the board of supervisors’ closed session September 30 with County Attorney Barbara Edmondson and special counsel William Sueppel, retained especially for the case.
Additionally, the petition asked that all court costs be assessed to Riverside, as well as any other relief “as may be just and equitable.”
The agreement between the city and the county came after the county agreed to issue $9.4 million in urban renewal tax increment revenue bonds to finance major sewer and water projects for the city to meet the needs created by the $140 million Riverside Casino and Golf Resort.

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Incumbents Jim Hussey of Kalona and Jack Dillon of Wellman will seek re-election to the Mid-Prairie Board of Education. Angela Wasson of Wellman, who was a candidate in the last election, also had obtained nomination papers.
There are three seats on the board, the third is held by Fred Lampe chose not to run. Elections are September 8.

by Mary Coblentz
The Wellman City Council Monday approved six of seven downtown improvement grants. The grants, which are for $2,500, will be matched by the grant recipients.
Recipients are:

• Kalonial Lawn Care
  The grant will be used for putting in an overhead door on the east end of the building, facing south; installing new insulated windows on the east side, and putting a sign on the front of the building;
• Buckwalter Motors
  The grant will be used to re-roof the building. There will be additional insulation as well;
• Thrapp Electric
  The grant will be used for redoing the roof;
• Wellman Heritage Society
  The grant will be used to make the front entrance more accessible, with an entrance similar to Hills Bank and the Goodwin Center in downtown Wellman;
• Mike Miller
  He will be putting up a new building; and
• Southeast Iowa Family Practice
  New signs directing people to a medical clinic will be installed. The signs will not specify the name of the clinic.

Another grant application was not approved because the work has already been done. The grant application specifies that the work not be done prior to grant approval. City Administrator Dave Ross will contact the business to see if they are planning any additional work the grant could be used for.

by John Zielinski
Kalona city employees, including the public library staff, received an approximate three percent wage increase, made retroactive to July 1. Action came during Monday’s council meeting. Employees are Karen Christner, city clerk, $38,411 (from $37,292); Todd Fitzsenry, recreation superintendent, $33,931 ($32,943); Ken Kempf, laborer, $33,075 ($31,203); Bob Christner, water, wastewater superintendent, $35,183 ($34,158); and Anne Skaden, library director, $33,717 ($32,718). Mike Bowlin, public works director, received a 5 percent increase because of new duties, going from $39,335 to $42,482. Lory Young, the utility clerk, went to $11 per hour; Doreen McKenna, library assistant, $25,480 from $24,648 ($12.15 per hour), and Marissa Tartaglia, Children’s librarian, $23,920 from $22,880 ($11.50 per hour). Library clerks Rosemary Fisher, Dot Hohler and Patti Stuzman received $7.73 per hour and Ron Harland, custodian, $9.80 per hour.
Council member Claudine Miller-Zahradnek stressed that Fitzsenry needs to make plans for Recreation center activities and “take a more active role” in communicating with Kalona residents about what new services are needed.
There was no increase for City Administrator Doug Morgan who is retiring September 30.
The city has received some 30 applications for the position which will be reviewed by the Finance Committee who will decide upon finalists and make recommendations to the council for interviewees.
The council, following a closed session, authorized its attorney to proceed on the action field by David and Joette Droz against the city’s Board of Adjustment regarding the construction of apartments above their commercial busines on B Avenue. Another attorney will be involved through the city’s insurance carrier, under the omission and errors provision of the policy.
The council received an update about downtown revitalization, specifically to install signage at Highway 1 and B Avenue and Highway 22 and 5th Street. The signage, which will feature landscaping details as well, will be lighted. It is hoped the signs will be in place this fall.
The council also discussed having handicapped parking at the corner of B Avenue and 5th Street, right near the Kalona General Store. The sidewalk already is handicapped accessible at the corner.
In other business, the council:

• discussed replacing the corroded well pump with a stainless steel one that, while installaiton exceeds the pump cost, would be better since replacement would be fewer;
• discussed moving the old generator form the lift station to service emergency use at the Community Center, bvut cost to move and install it would be $19,000. The city has been offered $5,000 for the old unit and council members suggested finding a smaller generator, which also would lower installation costs;
• took no action regarding adjacent property owner Stuart Yoder’s request to create an entrance from A Avenue to the city owned Amish parking area off A Place since no motion was made.

The Wellman Heritage Society received a $400 grant from the Washington County Historical Preservation Committee Tuesday, June 2, during the regular Board of Supervisors meeting. The funds will be used to help with painting two buildings in the Society’s Heritage Park.
Other awards were to Ainsworth Community Together (ACT), $500, to help with interior and other painting of the Ainsworth Opera House; Washington county Historical Society, $300, to help with the $13,000 cost of painting the Conger House Museum in Washington; Washington County Fair Board, $1,400 to help with moving an historic farm building to the fairgrounds; Crawfordsville, $900 to help repair the town’s historic fire station, and Brighton, $500 for a plexiglass case to enclose its bicentennial quilt.
The awards were from the $4,000 allocated to the Commission by the Board of Supervisors. The Commission retained the balance for its operations.

By Mary Zielinski
Bids for bridge replacement and concrete overlay on Vine Avenue (old Highway 218) came in April 21 $140,285 below estimate for the two projects. As a result, Tuesday, May 12, the Washington County board of Supervisors awarded contracts to Winfield Contractors, Inc. of Winfield for the bridge replacement south of 192nd Street, at a cost of $234,917, and to Concrete Foundations, Inc. of New Hampton for four miles of concrete overlay on Vine Avenue from Highway 22, at a cost of $1,445,798. Estimates for the first was $270,000 and for the second, $1,550,000.
County Engineer Dave Patterson Tuesday told the board that Concrete Foundations will use Croell Ready Mix of Iowa City for the concrete. He said the pre-construction meeting is May 21 and the contractor said he will start work in July.
Bridge replacement bids ranged from $243,917 to $290,708. Road overlay bids went from $1,445,798 to $1,716,751. Only Concrete Foundations was below estimate with the second highest, $1,589,704.
Funding for the work is from state and federal money, said Patterson, admitting he initially “was nervous” about how the bids would come in for the concrete work.
“This is very good,” he said, noting there were five bidders for the project.
Asked by Supervisor Steve Davis if there were any extra stimulus money, Patterson replied, “No. That was spent.” The county received $738,000 to aid with road work.
In other business, the board:

• appointed Lori Bauer of Washington to the Board of Public Health, replacing Mike Christenson. The term expires December 31, 2010;
• set 10 a.m. May 26 for bid letting for the countyÕs annual fuel contract;
• approved a Quit Claim Deed for Taylor rentals, LLC, Ainsworth for three-tenths of an acre of county land to aid with clearing a stage right of way issue; and
• approved the sheriffÕs departmentÕs application for a JAG grant to aid with the K9 unit.

Several residents of Riverside have been taking an in depth look at various aspects of Riverside that may affect landscape enhancement planning as part of the 2009 Community Visioning Program. Members of the Riverside visioning committee will meet on May 7th, 2009 at 6:00 pm at Riverside City Hall to compile the results of community inventories recently taken as part of the visioning process. The goal of the program is to develop a landscape plan that illustrates the values, identity and vision of Riverside. An important part of this process is gathering input from community residents.
Participants will discuss discoveries they made about Riverside and what opportunities and constraints exist in terms of landscape change. Information about the visual quality, community resources and events, and bioregional characteristics will be mapped on a large aerial map of Riverside so that the committee can identify relationships among Riverside’s features. All residents are encouraged to attend this meeting to take part in the mapping exercise and the discussion.
The Visioning Program is a transportation enhancement planning program that assists members of Iowa communities in creating roadside enhancement plans. The program gives residents a chance to participate directly in the design process and encourages public involvement.
Residents who want more information or who are interested in participating in the visioning process should contact Tina Thomas at 319/648-3501
or Roger Hunt at 319/728-2064.

By Mary Zielinski
Cedar Rapids KCRGTV (Channel 9 ) is joining with the Kalona Chamber of commerce in a campaign to promote the Quilt Capitol of Iowa that is known for his Old Order Amish presence. During the Kalona Chamber luncheon meeting Monday, P. J. Cahill of Channel 9 outlined plans for a series of television and internet promotions to air this summer.
The Chamber has applied for a $25,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) to aid with the plan. Additionally, Channel 9 is contributing $10,000, said Cahill, and the Chamber allocated $1,000 for it. The Chamber previously received a tourism promotion grant from the WCRF for a large scale print media campaign for inserts in St. Louis, Minneapolis and Kansas City newspapers.
The WCRF grants will not be announced until June, although work on the program was to start in May.
Featured speaker for the Chamber meeting was Lke Newton, landscaping engineer with MMS Consultants who are preparing the plans for Kalona’s downtown revitalization. MMS began last month with survey work, identifying key problem areas with sidewalks, streets, drainage and alley accesses. As MMS has told the council earlier, before streetscape changes can be made, the infrastructure needs to be addressed.

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By Mary Zielinski
Thanks to the city of Wellman, the Mid-Prairie Alternative Learning Center has tripled its space, which is good because since January, 2008, it has had 38 students. The ALC is housed in the former Senior Dining Site, given to the district rent free. Mid-Prairie pays only the utilities and has the use of the space until the city needs it for library expansion which is at least five years away.
Monday, the Mid-Prairie Board received a report from Amy Shalla, the At-Risk Coordinator, and Kelly Swift, the new At-Risk Advocate, that currently it is serving 26 students. For many of these students, said Shalla, “This is the closest to family that they have.”
With 20 of the students (age range are 16 go 19) living on their own (one is officially homeless), “many have full time jobs. They have to support themselves,” said Shalla, and that obviously makes it difficult for them to attend regular, structured classes.

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