The Jefferson city council at its regular meeting Jan. 23 approved resolutions needed for a pair of grant applications and a contract to administer a grant already received.
The council approved a resolution to apply for a Community Catalyst Remediation grant for $150,000 toward remediation/renovation of the Oddfellows lodge at 204 E. State St. According to building officer Nick Sorensen, that amount is in line with what the city has provided for other renovations in the downtown area.
Total cost of the remediation would be about $1.7 million. “It’s going to be quite the undertaking, so the $150,000 in the Community Catalyst grant is very important,” Sorensen said.
The building is owned by Diversified Holdings LLC now, but there is a developer interested in the building, Sorensen told GreeneCountyNewsOnline.
The Community Catalyst Remediation program is under the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
The council approved a resolution to approve a grant application to Grow Greene County for $750,000 over three years for the new animal shelter.
The council also approved a resolution needed to open an account to accept donations of stock for the animal shelter. Donors would give stock to the city, gaining a tax advantage. The city would then sell the stock. City attorney Bob Schwarzkopf said the city would work through Cambridge Investments, represented locally to Tim Heisterkamp.
The council approved a contract with Region XII Council of Governments for administrative assistance for the program that will provide assistance to six homeowners in 11 square-blocks north of W. Lincoln Way. The total maximum amount of the contracts is $21,000 for technical assistance and another $6,000 for lead removal. That amount is in addition to $15,000 the city committed for matching funds to the $245,000 Community Development Block Grant that’s funding the project.
Council member Larry Teeples shared a proposal from the city’s street committee to ban parking on one side of the street on E. Wilcox Way and Cedar St. The side on which parking would be banned would alternate on odd and even dates. Parking would be banned on the side of the street with odd numbered addresses on odd numbered dates, and on the side of the street with even numbered addresses on even numbered dates. The ban would not be in effect on Sundays.
The ban was requested by residents. The council will need to approve an ordinance to implement the ban.
The council set March 13 at 5:30 pm as the date and time for a public hearing on the 2018-19 budget. The council also approved the appointment of Scott Weber to the Jefferson fire department.
