KALONA

The Monday night meeting of the Kalona City Council was filled with positive news for the city as it comes off a highly successful Christmas in Kalona event. Among the interesting developments mentioned to the council in the city administrator’s report was news that Kwik Star “has taken possession of the land on the southwest corner of US 1 and Highway 22 with the purpose of putting a Kwik Star there.”

City administrator Ryan Schlabaugh said that discussion will continue with the company, which has already done preliminary things such as soil testing. The Planning and Zoning Commission has been made aware of their plans, and groundbreaking for the convenience store and fueling station could take place as early as spring/summer 2024.

Kalona Area Chamber of Commerce director Tonia Poole attended the meeting, thanking the city during public forum for their assistance in producing Christmas in Kalona on Dec. 2.

“It takes a village, it really does,” Poole said. “I can’t list all of the organizations, from sponsors to churches to groups that support our volunteers. It took the whole town to make this a success.”

“There were a lot of people around, so it was great” Schlabaugh confirmed later in his report. “It was nice to see. There were a lot of positive comments that I heard throughout the weekend.”

In old business, the council waived the second reading and unanimously passed the third reading of the ordinance for Incline Grove Phase 2 and 3 rezoning from A-1 (agricultural) to R-1 (single family residential). The city received zero comments on this “pretty straightforward” change.

In new business, the council approved the first and final pay app for CJ Moyna & Sons, who completed work on the Oak Hill Park Trail, grading and laying aggregate for the walking loop surrounding Oak Hill Pond that that can be accessed from the south drive off of Nutmeg. The total cost of the trail project is $296,943.40; the result “looks great, it looks wonderful,” Schlabaugh said.

The Clean Energy Districts of Iowa (CEDI), a nonprofit, requested that the city (as well as other cities in our area) oppose Alliant Energy’s proposed electric rate increase, which would increase electric bills for residential customers 13.4% and small businesses by 20%.

The rate increase “isn’t warranted at this particular time,” Schlabaugh said, noting that Alliant posted profits of $1.72 billion in 2022.

The council passed a resolution opposing the rate increase, although it is unclear what effect the action will have.

The Dec. 4 meeting concluded with a presentation by Mary Audia of Washington Economic Development Group (WEDG). She outlined a list of successes the area has seen this year, including completion of the second Student-Built home in Kalona.

“We’ve had a really good year with WEDG,” Schlabaugh said. “They’ve been a key partner in a lot of different things that we have worked through. Mary’s done an excellent job. . . It’s been really nice to have her support in a lot of different ways, so we’re excited to continue the partnership.”

Audia reviewed how the group helped Washington County earn designation as a broadband opportunity zone, which in turn helped Sharon Telephone Company (STC), KCTC, and Wellman Co-op Telephone win millions of dollars in broadband extension grants.

“We’ve also been working hard with a Pleasantview childcare strategy group,” Audia said. “We’re talking to them about doing intergenerational care.”

Planning for the childcare center at Pleasantview is still in its early stages; a meeting in early January should result in further progress.

WEDG has reached out to area pork producers this year, as “it’s a scary time” for them, and “all the input costs are super sky-high right now, so everybody’s kind of in a holding pattern,” Audia said. She reports that generally producers are “doing quite good.”

Audia also mentioned WEDG’s business lab, which offers free, unlimited business coaching for those in Washington County through July 31, 2024. It’s “a really, really good service,” she said, and she encourages anyone who is looking to start, buy, sell, or retire from a business to seek a mentor through the lab.

“There are so many good things going on in this county, I think we’re very fortunate,” Audia said, thanking the city for their support.

The Kalona City Council will next meet on Monday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.