|
| 
The
Official Newspaper of Anamosa, located in Jones County, Iowa
Anamosa News
Since 1855
 Thursday, March 27, 2008
|
Citizens Turn Out for Community Forum on School Site
By Michelle Phillips |
Citizens from around the Anamosa community streamed in to the West Middle School auditorium on the evening of March 24 to hear about proposed sites for a new school.
About 120, including current and former school board members, teachers and parents showed up at the meeting, nearly triple those that attended the meeting on March 13. The meeting began withsame as the previous with Rick Delagardelle asking that audience members take the time to fill out an evaluation form. He also encouraged questions and comments. A presentation by Vince Ward of DLR Architects followed.
Ward discussed details of nine criteria outlined as important to the district. The three sites are as follows: Site A, the Hwy 64 land, which was purchased last year by the school district; Option B, the land on Old Dubuque Road, currently owned by the McNamaras; Site C, the land the high school currently sits on.
All of the options would need grading work, utility work and street improvements.
Site A: There would need to be right and left turn lanes added and speed limits would drop to 45 mph with flashing warning lights. There is plenty of room for separate parking for students and faculty as well as separate drop off sites for buses and parents. There is also plenty of room for ball fields. The site would require a foot bridge if ball fields were to be built because a stream runs through the property.
Site B: Again, there is room for separate parking and drop off sites as well as ball fields. |
Anamosa Long-range Planning Committee members listen and respond to questions form the audience at a forum Monday night.
Al Conrad of Anamosa was one of several people who asked questions at the school’s community forum on March 24. |
The site would also require turning lanes and traffic would only be allowed to turn right out of the facility to avoid Old Dubuque Road and Hwy 151.
Site C: There are space constraints where ball fields are concerned, and the plan calls for a new middle school and expansion of the high school with a fine arts area and expanded commons/lunchroom. There would be a need for a second street, which would potentially extend to Old Dubuque Road from behind the bus barn. Again, separate parking and drop off sites would be included, and middle school and high school traffic would be routed in different directions.
Is the site adequate for immediate school needs?
Yes, the facilities could be configured to work on sites A, B or C.
Site A: 58 acres. More land may be available for future expansion.
Site B: 50 acres. An additional 30 acres could be purchased for future needs.
Site C: 28 acres. There is potential for additional land in the future, but at this time there would be no room for an additional weight room and gym, which would be needed for the middle school.
Is the site adequate for long-term (10-20 years) needs?
Site A: There would be no space for a new bus barn.
Site B: Additional land could be purchased.
Site C: Restricted as far as expansion is concerned.
Does the site allow pedestrian access to off-site school facility or athletic facilities?
Site A: No sidewalks, no pedestrian access, but there would be a pedestrian bridge on the site to get across the creek to ball fields.
Site B: Sidewalks are allowed but would need to be installed. It would be a long walk to get to the site. Access to ball fields would be through one of the parking lots.
Site C: There is pedestrian access but limited parking.
Have FEMA flood evaluations and wetland boundaries been determined?
Site A: Yes, a box culvert would be needed for the pedestrian bridge.
Site B: Yes
Site C: Yes
Site development costs.
Site A: $3,188,000. This includes the land purchase as well as $66,000 in utility work that has already been completed.
Site B: $2,951,000
Site C: $1,879,000. This figure is lower because no land would need to immediately be purchased.
Long-term maintenance cost factors.
Site A: Not an issue.
Site B: Not an issue.
Site C: Access roads, if owned by the school, could be significant. There might also be construction problems if school is in session.
Impact on teaching staff utilization?
Site A: Unchanged.
Site B: Unchanged.
Site C: Would allow for teacher sharing, especially for foreign languages and algebra.
Does the site provide teaching opportunities?
Site A: There is a creek and outdoor opportunities.
Site B: There is a creek and outdoor opportunities.
Site C: There is a creek and outdoor opportunities.
Site access and traffic evaluation.
Site A: Speed zone change to a school zone and warning lights would need to be installed.
Site B: Right turn only out of the parking areas to avoid dangerous intersection of Old Dubuque Road and Hwy 151. Warning lights would also be needed.
Site C: Congestion is the main problem.
Questions centered primarily around the safety issues with each location. Citizen concerns included turning lanes at Site B. Would there be enough room for additional lanes? Would the city pay for the lanes? Would people adhere to a right turn only out of the parking lot at Site B?
Committee members said they were unsure if there was room for turning lanes and said the city had no plans to improve Old Dubuque Road. They also reminded that the right turn only exits were not set in stone and these were preliminary plans.
It was during the discussion of safety that the audience learned no comprehensive traffic study had been on Old Dubuque Road. The study had been done on Hwy 64 because the school entered into a joint study with the city and Jones Regional Medical Center.
The audience also had concerns about the speed limit at Site A. Most felt 45mph was not slow enough and the school should ask that it be lowered more if Site A is chosen.
Several people also expressed that regardless of the site, stoplights should be considered at the entrance to the school.
One man stood and said, “Safety should be first. If a stoplight is needed, it should be pursued. Don’t take no for an answer.”
He continued, “I think to send all the kids toward 151 and Old Dubuque Road is ridiculous.”
Former School Board President Jim Mitchel asked if everyone knew the land had already been purchased at Site A, which prompted a couple of more people to express that we should build on the land that has been purchased.
A question of what would happen to the land if a different site were chosen also came up.
Delagardelle said the committee had not explored that option and the primary focus was to evaluate whether or not these sites were suitable for the school’s needs.
The same person asked if the school would have to sell the land to afford a new piece of property. Again, the committee said it didn’t know and reiterated that they are just presenting facts, not making recommendations.
Loretta Brickley addressed the committee and said her family owns the land near the bus barn, an important piece if the school were to choose Site C. She said the land is not for sale, which would potentially put a damper on future development of the site.
“Site B is the only one still with additional land,” said Anamosa Superintendent Dr. Dale Monroe.
Julie Fall then stated that she knew one of the owners near Site A would consider selling land if the school needed additional acres.
Fall also asked if anyone had talked to the people living in the senior housing complex on Old Dubuque Road, across from Site B.
“I did a survey–was that considered,” said Fall who said the residents didn’t want the high school across the street.
Another citizens felt it was a bad idea to mix senior drivers and teenage drivers.
The comment brought up the topic of congestion on Old Dubuque Road if both the middle school and high school were on the road. The committee said they had no projections on congestion on Old Dubuque Road.
Al Eden said with all the financial problems faced by Olin and Midland schools, Anamosa should prepare to absorb some of the students in the future.
“I think somewhere in the future those districts will be redistricted somehow. The better location for those schools would be at Hwy 64,” he said, and included that maybe the school should purchase additional land before building begins to accommodate future needs.
Hank Biere then stood and recalled that people weren’t sure about the current high school site back in the ‘60s when it was proposed. He said the bond did not pass after the controversy and suggested the school consider a site referendum to allow the public to vote on the location.
Many people praised the committee members for taking the time to collect information on the sites and thanked them for their service.
The committee is expected to present findings to the school board on April 7. They will also present the community comments collected at the community forums. |
City Wants Recyclables to Actually be Recycled
By Mike Moynihan |
Anamosa’s City Council discussed Monday evening the issue of getting recyclables recycled after pickup by refuse collectors. Although residents are required to separate recyclables, there is no ordinance requiring the collectors to take recyclables to a recycling center, and apparently some collectors are just dumping recyclables along with the rest of the refuse at the landfill.
A proposed added paragraph to the City Code section on disposal of solid waste and yard waste met with the general approval of the council, except for the meaning and placement of words describing refuse collectors as either privately owned or as licensed waste collectors. City Administrator Patrick Callahan, who missed the council meeting due to illness, put together the draft wording.
The issue was tabled until a final wording could be worked out with Callahan.
Deputy Sheriff Jeff Swisher spoke to the council on the type of tone the new sirens will have. As chief of the fire department, his concern was that the new sirens might not have tones different enough for the public to recognize a fire call from a tornado siren.
He also thought the fire siren should sound no longer than 20 to 30 seconds. According to Swisher, the current fire siren runs for three minutes and is often still sounding when a fire truck pulls up at the scene of a fire.
The council agreed that the public would have to be educated as to the difference between fire sirens and storm warnings or tornado sirens. City Clerk Tammy Coons told Swisher the city could order any type of siren sound it wanted and there shouldn’t be any difficulty differentiating the two sounds.
The council voted to expend $580 on a timing device to set off the noon whistle. As Councilor Dan Young noted, “My constituents need to know it’s time to eat.”
The second reading of an ordinance designating one-way alleys in the city was denied on a 5-1 vote, with Tom Swisher dissenting. The alley between South Ford and South Garnavillo running from West Main to First Street was deleted from the list of six affected alleys, and the first reading of the amended ordinance was then approved 5-1, Swisher once again dissenting.
A resolution passed unanimously authorizing a general obligation loan agreement for the Anamosa Commercial Park and several other capital projects.
The question of insurance for the city’s traffic signals on Highway 64 by 151 was tabled for lack of information. The cost of replacing the signals apparently would be significant, however, and the city is not carrying any insurance on them now.
The council unanimously approved accepting two proposals from the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) for an annexation study and a zoning ordinance update. The approval was contingent, however, on no payments being made until after the next fiscal year begins July 1, when monies have been budgeted for that purpose.
A discussion was held on when the remodeling work at city hall would be finished and when it would be possible to rent offices not being used for municipal purposes. This led to further discussion of how much rent to charge and what the market was for the office space available. Coons said she would get more information for the council.
In personnel matters, the city hired Patrick Hoyt of Springville to work at the wastewater treatment plant. The retirement of Dick Stivers from full-time employment will become effective April 1; he will continue to work for the city on a part-time basis. |
Chamber Holds Good Friday Prayer Breakfast
By Michelle Phillips
|
The weather was chilly and windy, but that didn’t stop area residents from coming out to the Spring Prayer Breakfast at the Lawrence Community Center on Good Friday.
Lillian Thatcher of Anamosa kicked off the early morning with a violin solo, Concerto #2 in G Major by Joseph Hayden.
The blessing was given by Pastor Jonathon Kosec from Wayne Zion Lutheran Church of Monticello. Guests then dined on a breakfast feast catered by Family Foods.
Anamosa Mayor Jon Hatcher was first to speak and asked the group if they were or had been a volunteer in the community. He also stated that Anamosa is lucky to have such a great number of volunteers. Hatcher went on to mention the school and hospital building projects.
Pastor Ron Thatcher took the podium next and talked about what was good about Good Friday.
He told the story of a young pastor who was knocking door-to-door. When it was obvious that someone was home at one of the houses but not answering, he left his card and wrote Revelation 3:20 on the back. The verse, in part says, “I stand at the door and knock.”
During the service the following Sunday, the card was returned to the pastor via the collection plate. |
Above: Pastor Ron Thatcher enlists the help of KC Kiner, Anamosa Chamber Director, during the Chamber’s Annual Prayer Breakfast; Lillian Thatcher performs a violin solo at the event. |
The person had written Genesis 3:10 on it, which says, “ I heard your voice in the garden. I was afraid, for I was naked.”
The story got a laugh from the audience, and Thatcher pulled out a jack in the box for a visual aid.
“No matter how many times you do it (play with the jack in the box), you’re always surprised,” he said and stated that it was no different for the prophets.
Thatcher then talked about Peter and how he had betrayed Jesus three times, including the night he was arrested. He was then crucified.
He said students in a youth group he was conducting in particular had trouble understanding how Jesus’ death could be “good”, and he admitted being confused by that, himself, as a child.
He explains that it is the atonement for citizens that made it “good”. That Jesus had died for everyone’s sins.
“What’s ‘good’ about Good Friday is what he did for us on the cross that day,” Thatcher stated.
He turned the story back to Peter and spoke of Jesus asking three times if Peter loves him. Three times he says yes.
“We, as people, stumble sometimes, much like Peter. We can be forgiven even though we stumble daily,” he concluded.
Pastor Kosec returned to the podium, giving the benediction.
The event concluded with a drawing for a centerpiece donated by Anamosa Floral. The winner was DJ Condry. |
PO
Box 108, 208 W. Main Street, Anamosa, IA 52205
319-462-3511,
FAX 319-462-4540
Copyright
Anamosa Publications
Anamosa Journal-Eureka / Town Crier 2005-2008
Thede Web
Works - Website
Questions
|