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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday,
October 31, 2006 | |
City council approves two CDBG grants
by Latisha Sand |
The Manchester City Council approved two Committee Development Block Grants (CDBG) for rehabilitation and ownership at their recent council meeting.
Matt Speaht approached the council on supporting $10,000 for each of the CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Grant Application and the CDBG Home Ownership Grant Application.
“They are both very similar to last year,” said Manchester Mayor Milt Kramer at the council meeting. “I think it’s been great for the city.”
Within the CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Grant, residents must have lived in the house for six months and will have to continue living at the house for an additional five years after the remodeling takes place.
This year the grant is focusing on houses located south of Main Street, east of South 9th Street, west of Bailey Drive and north of Highway 20. The houses must be within the city limits and the needs were identified through a previous, but similar, program the city had.
The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) housing fund for this year is $312,641 and nine homes will be rehabilitated with this program.
The CDBG Home Ownership Grant will help nine residents, within the city limits, find and purchase homes within Manchester. The IDED Housing fund for this grant is $416,141 because the program helps the family with a $10,000 down payment. The needs were identified through the 2005 Home Ownership Assistance Program and a list of additional applicants.
The residents will not have to move out during the remodeling process and residents can move in right away for the ownership grant unless lead paint is found. If that happens, the fund will pay for the temporary living space.
Both grants, and their funds, will go directly to help low- to moderate-income families.
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50 buildings restored with city program
by Latisha Sand |
The downtown portion of Manchester has, since 2002, restored their buildings through the Downtown Incentive Program. And, with almost 50 buildings having nearly 80 things repaired or restored, the downtown is looking wonderful.
“It’s amazing to me to go up and down the street,” said Marty Kelzer, Manchester’s building inspector. “It seems like the buildings have been like that forever.”
The program started with $300,000 from TIF (tax increment financing) money and soon after the city council redesignated another $150,000. The Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce, four local financial institutions, Manchester businesses and the state have also helped with the program. But approximately $2 million has come from private funds.
According to Kelzer, there are 12 different incentive packages, with most being interchangeable.
The packages include front facades, commercial interiors and second story renovations.
The most recent building done was the Northeast Iowa Telephone located on South Franklin Street.
“I think if this wasn’t in place, a lot of businesses wouldn’t have done what they did,” said Kelzer.
That includes Lila Deutmeyer, who owns Lila’s Frame Shop, and Debbie Hamblin, the owner of the building.
“There are things I did that I probably wouldn’t have done without the program,” said Deutmeyer.
She said if it wasn’t for the program, some of her signage wouldn’t have gotten done.
Hamblin had the stone on the storefront replaced and repaired last year.
Kelzer said other cities and towns have taken this program and modified it to fit their communities, including Strawberry Point and Edgewood.
Past Manchester City Manager Dave Heiar got the idea from a small town in Pennsylvania.
In 2003 the program received the Iowa League of Cities Award and was even featured in the Ideas in Action ICMA magazine out of Washington D.C.
“It’s a perfect way for the city and downtown businesses to work together,” said Kelzer.
Owners or building renters must approach the city to take advantage of this opportunity and applications can be picked up at the city office. The buildings, however, must have at least $500 or more work done to them.
Deutmeyer is glad she, and Hamblin, took advantage of the Downtown Incentive Program. She took part in the interior grant, which helped her put up short walls, the dividing wall between her store and her work area, electrical work and even a little kitchenette.
“I had it all drawn out for the committee,” said Deutmeyer, who is now a committee member. She and her husband did all the labor work themselves so they only turned in their material receipts.
The city pays for one third of the cost of the project up to $7,500.
Other local businesses that have taken part in the program include Jude’s Café, Palmer Hardware, Lake Design and Décor, Betty’s Bread Basket, Long Term Medical and Northwestern Mutual Insurance.
“It’s a great program,” said Kelzer.
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| Culver campaigns in Manchester |
Secretary of State and Governor candidate Chet Culver hosted a Meet and Greet in Manchester Saturday, Oct. 28, one of his stops on a nine-city tour.
Over the course of three days, Culver rallied supporters in Davenport, Maquoketa, McGregor, Manchester, Independence, Waverly, Muscatine, Washington and Oskaloosa.
At each stop, Culver fired up supporters for the closing days of the campaign and shared his vision to lead Iowa forward.
“As we come into the final days of this campaign, I am filled with excitement, energy, and optimism about everything that we’re going to do together to build on Iowa’s progress,” said Culver. “We’re going to restore excellence to education, make health care more affordable for our families, and bring good jobs with good benefits to every part of this state. |
JAMIE SMITH / Press
At left, gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver was in Manchester on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Betty’s Bread Basket. Culver told the crowded restaurant that he was also making stops in Independence and Waterloo. |
“With your help and your vote on November 7th, we can lead this state forward with Iowa values and Iowa commonsense.”
A former public high school teacher and coach, Secretary Culver has focused on education as a centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign.
Culver is currently serving his second term as Secretary of State. Before being elected to the office, he taught history and government at Hoover High School in Des Moines, where he also coached both football and basketball. His running mate, Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge, has served as a state Senator, a registered nurse, a farmer, and a small businesswoman.
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Nussle kicks off last week in Manchester
by Latisha Sand |
Gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle, along with his running mate Bob Vander Plaats and Senator Charles Grassley, started their 99 county tour this week in Manchester.
“It’s so much fun to kick off here in Manchester,” said Nussle. “It’s pretty much where I kicked off so to speak.”
Around 75 supporters carrying “Go Jim” and “Nussle/Vander Plaats for Governor” signs greeted the trio Monday, Oct. 30 at the courthouse gazebo.
Vander Plaats believes that the Nussle/Vander Plaats team would turn Iowa around. He said while he was in the private sector, Nussle was gaining experience in the political sector.
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LATISHA SAND / Press
Bob Vander Plaats, Senator Charles Grassley and gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle kicked off the last week of campaigning in Manchester on Monday, Oct. 30. |
“We look forward to the Nov. 7 elections,” Vander Plaats said.
Grassley believes that Nussle has delegated for Iowa and would make a great Governor.
“He has devoted a lifetime to public service,” he said about Nussle. “He has demonstrated that well.”
Nussle said that Iowa needs leadership, education and economy growth and he never takes his Manchester friends for granted.
“People know you well,” Nussle said. “They know the good things and the bad things. They get to know you as a person and as a human being. I’m glad to call Manchester home.”
Nussle was also in town on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at Jude’s Café. He thanked local supporters and people campaigning for him while in town.
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