The Manchester City Council discussed and approved the specifications for the 2007 Street Improvement Project during their regular council meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

The estimated project total, according to TeKippe Engineering, would be $1,381,580.22. The project, which will include the city blocks of East Union, East Howard, East Butler, North Madison, North Tama, part of North Brewer and part of East Fayette streets, will be replacing streets, storm sewers, driveways, curbs, sidewalks, water mains and utility service connections.

City Manager Tim Vick said the city will send notification letters to property owners along those streets explaining the improvements. The council set Jan. 22 as the public hearing date for this project. At this time, residents can talk to the council and express their concerns.

Jim Peters, the city attorney, briefed the council on two lawsuits the city has been issued. County Attorney John Bernau had sued the Board of Adjustments due to a variance granted for the construction of a deck the board had approved for Phil and Olivia Newhaus According to Peters, the city’s insurance attorney had tried contacting Bernau for a settlement but Bernau never returned the calls. In trial, the judge ruled against the Board of Adjustments saying that “the action of the Board of Adjustment in granting the variance to allow the construction of the deck was illegal.” The variance was reversed and, according to the order of the court, “the matter is remanded, but not for the purpose of vacating the decision, but for posterity.” According to the order, a new ordinance that permits a “deck to encroach into the 30 foot rear set back” is now in place.

“The board will meet on this and try and learn from it,” said Peters.

Vick told the council that Alliant Energy has removed the franchise fees off resident’s bills on Oct. 23 and that Aquilia will stop collecting the fee on Feb. 1. Beth Hanson, a lawyer from Waterloo, will be at a future council meeting to tell the city how much they have to pay back due to the franchise fees.

The council also approved to keep Fox Engineering as the engineering firm for the Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements. The members also asked that Vick figure out what the improvements would cost the residents. Vick thought that during initial talks with Fox Engineering that the residents costs would double.

The council also approved:
• the abstract fee to not exceed $125 for the selling of 407 Grant Street,
• the second lien for medical expenses, not to exceed $51,000, on the mortgage for Earl and Rosemary Coghlan,
• the payment to TeKippe Engineering for the Professional Civil Engineering Services ($1,052.35), the 2007 Street Improvements ($12,518.30) and the Water Nitrate Removal for well –number seven ($1,157.54).

Remember parking ordinances this winter

The Manchester City Council wants to remind every Manchester resident of the alternate side parking ordinance.

“Vehicular parking between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. on all streets and public ways on even-numbered sides of the street on days bearing an even-numbered date and on the odd-numbered sides of the street on days bearing an odd-number date,” reads the ordinance.

The downtown district that is designated as snow routes and no parking streets are not included in this alternate side parking.

While catching the news one evening a few years ago, Manchester daycare provider Alison Winn had an idea. Her thought was to take the artwork the kids regularly do at the daycare to a more worldly level and brighten the day of an overseas soldier in the process.

Winn contacted Shirley Chesmore, also of Manchester, who helps coordinate the local Support our Troops “Taste of Home” project and told Chesmore she’d like to send the kids’ artwork on the next overseas shipment. That was three years ago and Winn’s kids have been busy coloring, drawing and painting for soldiers ever since.

Chesmore and many other volunteers send three shipments to overseas soldiers per year: Christmas, Easter and in August.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa is celebrating mentoring month with a big thanks to all their volunteers.

“We sincerely thank all the Big Brothers and Big Sisters that dedicate their time to the mentoring program at West Delaware Schools,” said Ellen Krogmann, the mentoring coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Manchester.

For the past few months mentors have been eating lunch or spending time with about 20 youth from West Delaware Schools as part of a school based program.

“Our organization is excited to be expanding our mentoring programs,” said Krogmann. “I know youth in our community benefit from another positive adult in his or her life.”

In 2005 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa served 1,033 youth in seven counties, including Delaware County. Parents of youth who have participated in the program said that 86 percent improved self-confidence, 73 percent improved academically, 71 percent improved peer relationships and 46 percent improved their ability to avoid substance abuse.

“The feeling of being a ‘big’ is universal,” said Krogmann. “Think back on your own childhood.
Who was that special person, other than a parent, who brought a little magic into your life? Bigs are that person for a child, creating wonderful memories for themselves and for their Littles.”

Although Bigs and Littles, and their families, are diverse they all have something in common.

“What our Littles have in common is a desire to have a Big, plus a parent or other caring adult in their life who feels they need one,” said Krogmann. “What Bigs have in common is a willingness to share some fun with a young person. Bigs consistently say they get even more out of being matched than their Littles do.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters offer five programs for mentors to choose from. The site-based and school-based program, like what is going on at West Delaware now, has a mentor meet with a child for about 45 minutes once a week during the duration of the school year. The school based ‘plus’ mentoring match allows mentors to meet with a child for 45 minutes a week plus sharing time outside of school during the summer and other school vacations.

The after school program consists of a high school student mentoring a child once a week after school either Monday or Tuesdays from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. on the school grounds for the duration of the school year.

The community based mentoring program is a one-to-one pairing of a child and a volunteer who maintain contact at least six hours per month. The community based couple mentoring program, which works the same way as the community-based program, is where a child or siblings are matched with two volunteers. The couple may be married, dating or friends. For both programs, the volunteer(s), parent and child must sign a one-year contract.

For more information on any of Big Brothers Big Sister’s programs call Krogmann at 563-927-5148 or visit them online at www.iowabigs.org.