Have you ever wondered why the Kading housing project suddenly died?
The city administrator told me the reason was it was going to be hard to get the zoning changed from industrial to residential. I heard through the grapevine the reasoning if it was to be completed, then the co-op would take their money out of a certain bank.
Whatever the reason why Kading folded their tents and left town, two adages are alive and well. First, “money talks and bull__t walks,” and second, “if you want to know what is going on in a community, just follow the money.”
Then moving on to the KCG housing project on the west side of the overpass, Ken Paxton, head of GCDC, announced that it is a “go” for this spring. Evidently, no one told Mr Paxton that there is a monkey wrench that has been thrown into the gears to proceed.
It seems that some concerned citizens have filed a lawsuit against the city, contesting the usage change in zoning of the property from commercial to residential. Seems the city doesn’t want residents to know about this litigation. The lawsuit will probably be decided by the Iowa Supreme Court.
I see the major problem with the failing housing projects is that the city wants them built on the wrong side of the tracks, in the less desirable part of town. We need to have a housing project for low income, disabled and elderly right down the fairways of the city golf course (the old sacred cow). These could be lovely one story structures with beautiful trees lining the streets.
This “sacred cow” costs the citizens of Jefferson roughly $100,000 in property taxes to keep it from failing. With tax money supporting the city golf course, you have eliminated Lakeside Golf, which was trying to stand on its own with no tax money.
Another reason to rid ourselves of the town golf course is shown in a survey conducted by Region XII Council of Governments that states that the golf course was “least used” and “less needed” by residents who filled out the survey.
This is a win-win-win situation for all. First, by selling the property to a prospective buyer, the city will get a tidy sum to help with the city budget. Secondly, it gives low income, disabled and elderly a decent place to live in a nice part of town. And thirdly, it rids taxpayers of an albatross that every year costs taxpayers an unneeded tax liability.
Maybe another pickleball court could be built on one of the greens.
Denny Lautner, Jefferson
