The Kalona City Council heard an update about Pleasantview’s upcoming renovation and construction projects at their regular meeting on Monday, Oct. 18. Director of Advancement for Pleasantview, Larry Swartzendruber, outlined how Pleasantview plans to create room for 28 assisted living apartments, a 16-bed memory care unit, six Medicare suites, a new friendship/community center and a physical therapy facility.

Swartzendruber said Pleasantview has been planning parts of the project for over 20 years and said he is relieved that the ball is finally rolling.

“We are excited about what’s happening. Once we start digging dirt, I am convinced that people are going to get renewed enthusiasm again and we’ll be on our way,” Swartzendruber said. “We appreciate the assistance of the city council and the city of Kalona. We believe it’s not only going to affect and benefit Pleasantview, but we believe we play a vital role in the community.”

City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh reminded the council that the two biggest employers in the city of Kalona are the Mid-Prairie Community School District and Pleasantview.

“You look at a project like this and everything that’s gone into it — and we’ve seen as a council what it takes to do a project of smaller size and scale — it’s hard, and the work that they’ve put into it is tremendous,” Schlabaugh said. “It has a lot of public benefit. The hundred thousand that this city committed, while it was a while ago, there’s been nothing but positives that I’ve heard after that commitment.”

Executive Director of Pleasantview, Jeffrey Schmidt, said the elder population in Kalona is only going to grow in the future.

“We very much feel committed to the economic development of Kalona and the surrounding area,” Schmidt said. “We know that, just like every other community that is impacted by the 10,000 persons a day who turn 65, that percentage of individuals will continue to grow… Much of our future growth will be in the area of senior living and providing those specialty areas as well.”

In other business, the council passed a resolution approving membership representation to the Washington County Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council. One rotating representative will serve on the council, representing Kalona, Wellman, Riverside and West Chester.

The council also approved the signing agreement for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program with Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP).

“We work really closely with HACAP when there are individuals or families in need of assistance for their water and sewer services,” Schlabaugh said, adding that the city plans to distribute information about the program with water bills. “Those individuals who are experiencing that need can know where that resource is and how to access it.”

The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program provides assistance to qualifying low-income customers in Iowa by paying arrearages to drinking water and wastewater utilities in order to reconnect and/or ensure uninterrupted water service. More information about the program is available at humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa/liheap.