Lone Tree schools recieve grant for dual community-school library project

By Paul D. Bowker
Posted 6/29/21

The Lone Tree Community School District will receive $2,000 as part of the Johnson County Economic Development and Quality of Life grant program.

The agreement begins July 1, was approved earlier …

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Lone Tree schools recieve grant for dual community-school library project

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The Lone Tree Community School District will receive $2,000 as part of the Johnson County Economic Development and Quality of Life grant program.

The agreement begins July 1, was approved earlier this year and was discussed at the June 23 work session of the Johnson County Supervisors.

The grant, which was one of 14 approved, provides funds for a library that serves the residents of Lone Tree free of charge, in addition to students. The grant did produce questions from supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass because the wording of the program didn’t specifically mention the community library.

“I’m just struggling to see how that falls under our area,” she said.

After further explanation, the purpose of the community library located in the school became clear.

“It can be a topic in Lone Tree,” said Jon Green, Johnson County’s newest supervisor and former mayor of Lone Tree who still resides in the community. “It is an arrangement that sometimes creates some of these administrative difficulties because the library media center is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Lone Tree School District.”

The Lone Tree Library was established as both a media center for K-12 students and the local public library in the early 1990s.

The grants were awarded in January and are part of the fiscal year 2022 budget which begins July 1.

At its formal meeting on June 24, the Board of Supervisors passed a historical resolution recognizing the late Lulu Merle Johnson, a three-time State University of Iowa graduate and college professor, as the official eponym of Johnson County.

Johnson, a native of Gravity, entered the State University of Iowa as one of just 14 African American women enrolled at the time, and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees by 1930. She earned her Degree of Philosophy in 1941, becoming the first African American woman in University of Iowa history to do so.

She was the daughter of one parent born into slavery.

“Today was touching and I am so happy,” said Royceann Porter, Supervisors Vice Chairperson. “It was amazing to include Lulu Merle Johnson’s family in the recognition.”

Joining in the ceremony via telephone was Kim Jackson, Lulu Merle Johnson’s oldest great niece.

“This is an honor,” she said.

At its work session, the board also heard a proposal for a solar energy project from Sean Kennedy of the Iowa City-based Megawatt Iowa Team. The group is proposing a 150 MWac (megawatts, alternating current) solar energy plant consisting of a solar triangle beginning just north of Hills.

More than 1,200 acres have been secured from landowners between Hills and Iowa City to create a large solar plant. The Megawatt Iowa Team is asking for $1.7 million in industrial revenue bonds for an interconnection study.

Based on a recommendation from supervisor Rod Sullivan, the board chose to meet with bond council in order to determine whether to pursue the project.