A community forum concerning land options for a new school was conducted by the Anamosa Community School District on October 24.

About 125 people came out to the event to hear the districts proposals, ask questions and voice concerns over where a new school should be located.

Anamosa Superintendent Dr. Dale Monroe greeted the crowd and handed the floor over to Doug DuCharme of Shive-Hattery, the firm that has been handling the feasibility studies since discussions for a new school began about a year ago.

DuCharme explained the pros and cons of each proposal to the group. He added that at this time it had not been determined of the new facility would be a middle school or high school. He then went through each option for the crowd.

Option 1: A new school on the present campus
This option is for a school to be built on the grounds as the current high school.
Pros:
• No additional cost for land
• Separate middle school and high school
• Two access points
• Possible centralization of campus
• Visible from Highway 151
Cons:
* Traffic and student congestion
* Access to Old Dubuque Road is a concern, students would need to pass the bus barn
* Residential traffic
* Lack of expansion opportunities

Option 2: Attached new school on present high school campus
This option would have the same pros and cons as option 1 along with the following.
Pros:
• Possible sharing of staff
• Open space could still be utilized
Cons:
* Excess cost due to lay of the land, hilly
* Parking
* Congestion caused by construction
* Mixing of high school and middle school students

Option 3: New school on MacDow property
This property is located on Old Dubuque Road and consists of 30 acres.
Pros:
• High school site untouched
• Flexibility
• Gently sloped
• Driveway could align with backside of current high school property
Cons:
* Safety concerns due to proximity to Highway 151
* Volume of traffic on Old Dubuque Road
* Potential need for traffic lights
* Cost of property: $420,000 for 30 acres

Option 4: new School on Highway 64/Little Creek property
This property is a 58 acre parcel located 1 mile east of Highway 151
Pros:
• More land at a cost of $522,000
• Flexibility for future expansion
• Space to add sports fields on site
Cons:
* Stream divides property
* Distance from other buildings and town
* Street improvement would be necessary
* Safety of Highway 151 location
* Expense of purchase
* More earth moving needed

After the audience heard the land options, Monroe again addressed the group and told them that Cletus McNamara, owner of the MacDow property, asked that he relay the following on Mcnamara’s behalf.

He said that the school district had approached him with a request of 30-35 acres of land, but he could ell a parcel up to 46.5 acres. The land is being offered at $15,000 an acre. He also said that the land could be paid off over a period of 10 years.

Monroe then introduced Sharon Carmody-Holmes, who was the facilitator for the evening. He then told the group to ask any questions that they may have. A two-minute limit was put on each speaker.

The first question was concerning the projected growth of Anamosa in the next 10 years? Monroe said that in the past four years the district has averaged 20-40 additional students and that we could expect to see around 15 new students per year for the next 10 years.

Karen Theriault and Anamosa Superintendent Dr. Dale Monroe write down the pros and cons of different land use options for the Anamosa Community School District as Doug DuCharme of Shive-Hattery reads them off. (Journal-Eureka Photo by Michelle Phillips)

Next someone asked if there would need to be road improvements at the MacDow property and the highway 64 property due to safety concerns, and who would incurred the cost? The answer was that the DOT would do studies on the number of accidents and that the speed limit would not be reduced on Highway 151. Monroe also said the district would work with the DOT, but was unsure how it would all play out.

It was asked how the school would pay for the new building? Monroe said there were four sources for funds: money from the general fund, PPEL dollars, Local Option Sales Tax money and current bondability, which would be $13.5-$14.5 million.

Would the MacDow offer of 10 years to pay off the land be interest free? Monroe said no negotiations had been made with McNamara.

It was included that there are many variables in the plans and that many of the items would come up as the district moves forward. There have been no soil tests, and flooding would be a concern on the MacDow land, but it is unclear the potential for flooding on the Highway 151 property.

Residents were then asked to let the district know their concerns.

Don Harmon spoke up in regards to the school district looking west rather that East and North.
His felt the district needed to be looking at property for a new school in another side of town that was not included in the flood plan. Water runoff from the possible Old Dubuque Rd option coupled with future growth in that area may cause substantial flooding in the future.

Scott Kelly voiced his opinion for the option four SR 64 site. His major concern being that the Old Dubuque Rd. option has safety issues with 151 being so close. Kelly vocalized that the SR64 option with more acreage provided better possibilities for the future.

Bernie Keeney suggested that the district should look into State properties that might be available on the West Side of town where there may not be traffic issues.

After the discussion/question/answer session, the meeting was adjourned and community members placed their three stickers where they felt the strength or weakness was. The issues with the most stickers will help the district made a more informed decision. The decision should be made within the next month.

The following are the top 10 strengths and weaknesses:
1. The MacDow property is close to Hwy 151 – safety of student drivers is a concern.
3. Explore west side/State-owned property – see if trading, selling or sharing is possible.
4. The Hwy 64 property has more land – more athletic fields (*MacDow is offering the same).
5. The Hwy 64 property poses some safety issues for traffic.
6. The Hwy 64 property is some distance from town.
7. Plan for the long-term investment (40-60 years).
8. Plan what you want before you buy land – fit
9. Development will follow/increase flooding
10. What are the actual costs of developing each option?

Riverside Cemetery was the site of a dedication ceremony for Ryan Husmann’s Eagle Scout Project. Saturday’s afternoon brisk winds did little to dim the culmination of the project for Husmann. The event was well attended and the Scout thanked everyone that assisted him in achieving his goals during the long process of research and data gathering.

Husmann had words to share about the difficulties of war, “To carry no malice to any…and graciousness to all…Let us make every effort to continue the work they started by keeping our nation whole and for caring for those who have served in the military as they protect our great nation. Let us always remember…”

His words showed reflection and reason for his hard work, “Also today, we honor and dedicate these six graves that for the past eighty-five years have been unmarked and forgotten.

This is the reason we are gathered here to dedicate six headstones so that we and all future generations can remember.” Becky DirksHaugsted was introduced by Ryan to speak on about the Honored Jones County Civil War Veterans. She read from excerpts of History of Jones County, an 1879 Publication this from a chapter dedicated to Jones County; “No county sent out braver men”.

In anticipation of men going off to war in November of 1861, thousands of people came together in a momentous celebration in the wilderness to show their support for their loved ones and friends on the 4th of July 1861. Haugsted remarked how tremendous an occasion this must have been as thousands of people organized such an assembly without cars or cell phones.

The VFW Commander ended her speech with a quote from J.W. Field’s February 22, 1864 speech during a Reunion of Veterans on George Washington’s Birthday.

“The Patriotic Dead; Green be their graves, Sweet be their rest, Hallowed be their memory.”

DirksHaugsted thanked Husmann for his dedication to the worthy project, “His efforts have hallowed the memory of the Civil War Veterans, thank you Ryan.”

The Anamosa Veterans Rifle Team fired off a 21-gun salute, two cannons were fired by the Third Iowa Infantry Volunteer Regiment and Taps was sounded by Anamosa High School Junior, Jessica Gates for a final salute to the Headstone Project.

Despite the chilly wind on the evening of October 28, the Ghost walk, a guided tour to pay homage to over 160 Civil War Veterans in Anamosa’s Riverside Cemetery, was well attended. Scouts from Troop 67 acting as guides took small groups of people to five stations of Civil War reenactments.

Each station dealt with a different perspective of the war era.
Annie Smith from the Soldiers Aid Society was in period correct costume and talked about the hardships of the war, soldiers being separated from families, how the women made ticking to stuff for mattresses, scarves and quilts for the soldiers.

A member of Third Iowa Light artillery spoke about the fast pace and teamwork needed by four soldiers to load, fire and clean one cannon. A 12 LB field cannon Howitzer could send a load one mile. On Saturday night, the cannons were fired at 15 minute intervals for each set of tour groups to move ahead and for the purpose of education.

The next station was where James E. Brown from the 24th Infantry was seated. This was a typical Union field camp. He reflected on his life as a Methodist Soldier and as an Abolitionist and the difficulties a Christian soldier struggled with in killing other men. A Union soldier usually carried playing cards, pictures from home and a nit comb to remove the ever-present lice. Field rations consisted of dried meat and peanuts.

The Sargent Major of the 24th Infantry asked his new recruits if they had the four things needed to be a soldier in the 24th Iowa. “Four teeth is all you need…If you don’t have four teeth, ya know what they called ya?….DEAD!!!” hollered Sargent Major.

The reason you needed the four teeth, preferably two on top and two on the bottom was to be able to tear the top off the powder container with your teeth for fast loading of your gun. If you didn’t have four to get the loading done quickly, you wouldn’t live very long out in the battlefield.