The Jefferson city council on Tuesday approved a development agreement with Thomas Jefferson Gardens that will allow completion of the Welcome Center within the Gardens. The approval followed a public hearing at which no members of the public spoke.
City attorney Bob Schwarzkopf explained that the development agreement provides the lender of a construction loan and Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation that funds from the hotel/motel tax fund will be available for the project. Grow Greene County has committed $150,000 over the next three years for completion of the interior of the building. The construction loan will allow the work to be done sooner.
In securing the development agreement, the Thomas Jefferson Gardens crossed the hurdle that thwarted the efforts of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce in completing the Welcome Center two years ago.
The Chamber backed away from the project last spring when the city failed to provide the guarantee needed to secure the construction loan.
No city tax funds are to be used for the Welcome Center, but only a maximum of $20,000 in proceeds from the 7 percent tax on hotel room rentals. Receiving the full $20,000 is dependent on total revenue from the hotel/motel tax totaling at least $50,000, as the first $30,000 is guaranteed to the Chamber to promote tourism in Jefferson.
The development agreement binds Thomas Jefferson Gardens to being open when the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower is open. Thomas Jefferson Gardens will also provide financial information to the city.
The Welcome Center could be completed before the end of the year.
In other business, the council approved a contract with the Franks Design Group for architectural services for the downtown façade renovation project. The $100,000 contact was figured in as part of the total cost of the project. The same company did the work needed for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application and the preliminary design work.
The council approved putting out a bid for technical services in applying for another CDBG for owner occupied housing rehabilitation. The targeted area is roughly west of N. Elm St between Lincoln Way and Washington St.
The council also heard a short presentation by Robbie Pedersen of RVP~1875: History Boy Theatre about his recent being named as the best rural Iowa tourism attraction in Iowa by Travel Iowa and the Travel Federation of Iowa.
Pedersen said the award had been a goal of his for 15 years. He challenged the city council to help find ways to leverage the award to increase tourism in Jefferson. “Now we need to figure out how to use it. How do we let the world know they should come to Jefferson to see the best tourist place in Iowa?” he said.
