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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
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Voluntary bill round up approved by council
by Latisha Sand |
Ben Page, the director of the Parks and Recreation Department, discussed with the Manchester City Council about an idea called ‘Pennies for Parks,’ which is a type of utility bill round up program.
According to Page, the Parks and Recreation Commission have been discussing different ideas to collect additional and alternative funding for their improvement projects. The round up program would allow Manchester residents the opportunity to round up their utility bill to the nearest dollar amount, or other amount, for park or trail improvements.
“It would be on a voluntary and trial bases,” Page told the council at their Monday, Jan. 8 meeting.
The program would be ran, at first, with residents who stop by city hall to pay their bill. If it became something that a lot of people were interested in, then the city would see if they could redo their utility bills to add a place to check mark to take part in the program. Page told the council that about 40 percent of the residents stop by the office to pay their bill.
“The only problem we would have is for people to say that they want the money to go towards the Parks and Recreation Department,” said City Clerk Erin Rempe. “Some people already round up their bills for credit toward next months bill.”
Page said if residents do want to pay extra and have it go towards the ‘Pennies for Parks’ program to just write on their bill what the extra money is for.
“Otherwise it will just go towards their next utility bill,” said Page.
The council approved Page to allow people to round up their bill, on a voluntary base, but will re-evaluate the program in six months.
The council approved the payment to Mert Jasper for $439 and to Gary Jackson for $256.75 for the relocation of both their sprinkler systems due to the Bailey/Brewer walkway.
Both property owners donated about 10 feet of land for the walkway project and spent about $1,000 of their own money to properly reseed or sod the lawn and to replace their sprinkler systems.
However, they were only asking for the money to replace their sprinklers because when their houses were built in 1999 and 2000, the walkway’s easement was unknown then.
Ryan Wicks, of TeKippe Engineering, said that their sprinklers were not part of the city’s easement but were part of the temporary construction easement.
Council members Jeff Ogden and Tony Broghammer both agreed that Jackson and Jasper should be repaid.
“Since they asked where the easement would be before they installed the sprinklers, we should give them something,” said Ogden.
Broghammer said, “to pay the amount because they gave us the land and they didn’t give us any trouble.”
Both property owners were grateful for the approval.
“We are proud of the project and we want to keep it nice,” said Jackson.
The council also approved:
• holding a public hearing on the 2007 Street Improvements Project on Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. and the Bids for the project will be opened on Feb. 8 at 1:30 p.m. and considered at the Feb. 12 council meeting.
• the agreement between Mr. and Mrs. Welton and the Water and Sewer Committee. The Welton’s, who purchased the 521 S. Brewer property, would like to connect to the city’s water main. The length of footage is 180 feet but since a large portion of the property is within a flood plain they asked for a reduction. The agreement is that the Welton’s only have to pay for 90 feet, or half of their frontage, for hook-up but any further split or division of the land would require the other half of the fee to be paid.
• the mayor’s appointment of Council member Jeff Ogden to the Advisory Board for the Foundation for the Future of Delaware County.
The council also waived the adoption of the resolution approving a land swap with XL Trailers. The land swap would be with the land that contains the existing Schram Drive and the land that would contain the future Schram Drive. Ogden and other council members want to make sure that there is a temporary easement in place for the public to access the park until the permanent road is constructed. |
Park construction could start in April
by Latisha Sand |
Development for Schram Park is quickly coming around with construction for a new road beginning as early as April.
“Nothing is in stone,” Ben Page, the director of the Manchester Parks and Recreation, told the Manchester Rotary Club on Wednesday, Jan. 10.
But, so far, the plans include a boat ramp for access to the Maquoketa River, a Frisbee golf course, limestone trails, a shelter, which will be built by the Rotary Club, and a possible pedestrian bridge.
The bridge, which will cross the river, will be connected to the new Bailey/Brewer walkway and will allow park visitors park access without traveling through the industrial area. |
LATISHA SAND / Press
Ben Page, director of Parks and Recreation, shows a preliminary map of Schram Park to the Manchester Rotary Club on Wednesday, Jan. 10. The park could be completed in three to five years. |
The cost for the bridge is approximately $200,000 and, according to Page, the city is looking at different grants to help with the cost.
“The major issue right now is the rip-rapping (along the river bank),” said Page. He said the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) noted that the riverbank located by the park is one of the worst eroded banks in Delaware County. A grant was awarded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service to help fund that project.
For the boat ramp, Page has talked to the IDNR about a Marine Inland Fuel Grant that would fund 75 percent of the project.
“After meeting with the IDNR officials,” Page wrote in a memo to the Manchester City Council, “I have been informed that the total project would be approximately $22,500. Since our current budget restraints would not allow for a cash match, I have been informed that the City’s match could be in-kind labor and equipment usage.”
The council, at their last meeting, did approve Page to apply for the grant and Page has already taken labor requests from several Manchester businesses.
The ramp, which would be a 15 feet wide by 90 feet long cement structure, could be used for canoes or flat bottom boats since the Maquoketa River, when not flooded, isn’t very deep. In the long run, Page would also like to see restrooms located next to the ramp.
“We are trying to find any grants or labor donations and we have been pretty lucky,” said Page.
As for the pond, residents can use that for fishing now and the city has been putting old Christmas trees and pallets in the water for fish habitat based on advice from the Manchester Fish Hatchery.
“A lot of the park is in a floodway or floodplain,” said Page, so it makes it difficult for a lot of structures to be built.
Page said the biggest accomplishment the city and the parks committee want to make with the park is to make people traveling on Highway 20 notice Manchester.
The park could be completed in three to five years.
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Delaware County to continue offering drivers license services
by Jamie Smith |
Kim Gehling will serve as the supervisor for the Delaware County Targeted Case Management/ Clinical department as announced at the Delaware County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday, Jan. 8.
Gehling has been with the Community Services Department in the county for almost 10 years. She will continue in her current position until it is filled.
Delaware County Director of Community Service Peggy Petlon said filling Gehling’s new position as supervisor will allow state and federal money to be funded into the Community Services Department.
The board of supervisors also approved a 28E Agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation in order to provide drivers license services in the county. The agreement must be acknowledged every year in order for the county to continue operation of the drivers license department, located in the Treasurer’s Office at the Delaware County Courthouse.
The appointments of township trustees and clerks has been finalized and approved. New appointments expire at the end of 2010. |
Christmas promotion results are in and as predicted…
Everyone won |
Manchester’s very successful “Give Your School a Christmas Gift” promotion ended on Dec. 31 with West Delaware claiming the largest part of the $2,500 prize by winning $1,065.
Maquoketa Valley came in second winning $422, St Mary’s came in third winning $322.50, Edgewood-Colesburg came in forth winning $270, Starmont at $215, East Buchanan at $110 and North Linn at $95.
At this time it is not known what the schools will do with the dollars that they have won.
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LATISHA SAND / Press
Jack Klaus, director for the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce, (right) is pictured handing West Delaware Superintendent Rick Hilbert a check for $1,065, which was their share of the $2,500 prize for the “Give Your School a Christmas Gift” promotion. |
Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jack Klaus called the promotion a big success and thanked everyone that had taken part.
“The 28 participating merchants, who put up the $2,500 cash award, were happy with the promotion,” said Klaus. “We heard so many comments from customers that like being able to do something for their schools and who like it that the Manchester merchants had found a way to include the surrounding communities,” said Klaus. “The best promotions are those that are easy to do, interest a lot of people and have a fun element to them and this one surely fit that bill.”
The Chamber is currently receiving feedback from the local merchants and Klaus said that he welcomes comments from the public as well.
“That feedback will help set the standards for future programs,” said Klaus.
Klaus also encourages residents to shop locally.
“That simple little act produces so many community benefits by creating jobs, promoting new businesses, saving money, generating local tax dollars and creating that friendly atmosphere that you find when you run into friends and neighbors as you do your shopping,” said Klaus.
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