By WES KAPPELMAN
The Oskaloosa Herald
OSKALOOSA
May 20, 2008 11:56 am
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Residents spoke out against a sidewalk assessment and the City Council did not approve a site plan removing the public drop off drive at the new recycling center at Monday’s meeting.
Several people living in the area of North I Street brought a petition and voiced their opposition to installing a sidewalk during the planned street work on their street. The residents said kids barely use the street and that when they do, they ride bicycles. Council Member Jimmy Carter asked a resident if she knew that the assessment for the project could be stretched out over 10 years.
Karen Kauffman, a resident on the corner of M Avenue and North I Street, said she doesn’t want to pay interest for a sidewalk.
“I don’t want to have to pay for it,” Kauffman said. “I do not want a sidewalk, I don’t feel it’s necessary.”
Some residents questioned why a sidewalk should be installed on their street when other streets with more traffic do not have sidewalks.
After the council accepted the petition, the council voted on whether to approve a site plan from KAL Services to remove a public drop-off drive at the recycling center at 701 Highway 432. According to the packet for the meeting, the business felt the drop-off area could be eliminated by offering drop-off sites throughout the community and curbside pick up.
Several members of the council, members Janet VanDerBeek, Aaron Ver Steeg, Tom Jimenez and Carter, wanted to know if the site on M Avenue would still hold a public drop-off. Council Member Pamela Blomgren said that point did not matter, since there were drop-offs throughout the community, like at Wal-Mart, and curbside pickup.
The council voted against approving the plan by 1-6 vote, with Blomgren voting for approving the plan.
The council approved a request from Book Vault to use the city square park during the Rollin’ Oldies car show on July 26. Two authors will be reading from their books about cars, signing books and visiting with people.
The council approved authorizing Mayor David Dixon to sign a Preserve America grant agreement and to execute the HOPE VI Agreement with HUD. The Preserve America grant is $90,000 and will be used for the Junior Main Street Program. The $1 million Hope VI Main Street grant will be used to develop a mixed-use property that will contain approximately eight affordable rental housing units at 114, 116 and High Avenue W. The developer for the project is the Oskaloosa Downtown Development Group.
Project construction could begin in July and be completed by June of 2009, according to the development schedule.
The council approved a renewal application for a class B beer permit for Pizza Hut and a class C license from VFW Post No. 2237. Each liquor license approval had a vote of 6-1, with Carter voting against.
The mayor and city manager have had a meeting with the Pella mayor and city administrator over lunch, according to the city manager’s report. Dixon and City Manager Brian James discussed the meeting at the council meeting. The plan is for the mayors and city managers from Oskaloosa, Pella and Knoxville to meet in June to discuss regional planning and economic development.
The mayor also announced that the Edmundson Park Historic District has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Herald Staff Writer Wes Kappelman can be reached by e-mail at news2@oskyherald.com
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