The Oelwein City Council reached agreement on a location for the new public safety facility Monday night, with its selection of a portion of the former OCCO Feeds property north of Manatt’s along Highway 150.
A brief discussion led by City Administrator Jamie Letzring helped explain the proposed site, which is property the city acquired through its Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) in 2011, when the old OCCO building was razed and the property leveled off. Letzring told the council the city could use NSP property as long as NSP funds are not used to construct the new facility. It has already been determined utility franchise tax will be used for the new police station.
Letzring distributed aerial maps of the area, which encompasses the size of approximately two city blocks with Oelwein Dental Associates at the southwest corner and Manatt’s, Inc., directly north of the dental office.
The area for the public safety facility would be north of Manatt’s with street entrance along Highway 150.
Courtesy of the Oelwein Daily Register.
Retirement beckons Kendall after 30 years
Friday, January 18, 2013
When Steve Kendall came to Oelwein to take over the city administrator’s position in August 1983, the railroad had already ripped out track as it began its exit, the Hotel Mealey was vacant and full of pigeons and the city was in the red, with city equipment in bad shape and no funds to fix or buy new.
The town painted a pretty bleak picture, but Kendall went through the interview anyway. That was where he met the venerable Beth McFarlane, who somehow managed to sell him on the merits of a community that had started losing faith in itself.
McFarlane had just taken over as mayor, succeeding George Aliano, who died in office. As the city’s first (and only) woman mayor in the midst of economic downturn, McFarlane was looking for a new face for the administrator’s job, someone without the burden of past friendships or family ties who could make some of the tough decisions and cuts that were surely going to be necessary for the city’s survival.
Courtesy of the Oelwein Daily Register.
