From the Desk of the Mayor: June 2023

Nov 08, 2023

Jun. 9, 2023 10:22 am

Dear Citizens of Belle Plaine:

Congratulations, Belle Plaine Class of 2023!

This has been an exciting couple of years to be in high school, but please remember all the traditions you got to keep that other classes may have missed because of the pandemic. I know the awards night was in the gym and not in the King Theater, but it was still well done, and congratulations to the award winners. I know that excitement to get scholarship money near or on graduation time. Thank God for all who contribute, and a special thanks to Henry Tippie, who has been awarding scholarships to BP graduates since 1968.

Fire up - we have planned a big month of July, starting with our traditional July 3rd and 4th celebrations. Please review the schedule when released by the Fourth of July Committee and Belle Plaine Community Development.

Please note this is the last year for the Lions Club to head up the July 4 part of the celebration, so we need to be thinking about how we can replace their fantastic decades of work. This will be a big job!

Let me start with an oldie but a goodie. In my drives around Belle Plaine to review nuisance property complaints, I have noticed again that house numbers are not always easy to find. I suggest you go out in the street at night with your porch lights on and see if you can easily see the house number. This is a valuable tool, especially if you have called the police, an ambulance, or for pizza delivery. Really take a serious look at your house, and if you can't find the number, then think about how difficult it will be for someone doing an emergency service to your residence to locate the house number. Cold pizza is one thing, but an ambulance delay is an entirely different story.

I see there has been some discussion on Facebook concerning the huge electrical poles going in on 12th Street. This was discussed several years ago in the city newsletter and then delayed by the derecho. Remember that fun time that seemed to come during the pandemic! In simple terms, it is a significant infrastructure improvement that also has to meet the standards of the Union Pacific when crossing the tracks, especially in the area of an overpass. Yes, they are big, but they should hold up during almost anything Mother Nature can throw at them.

Reviewing the recent economic development of Belle Plaine, we have rumors about new businesses coming to town and businesses closing. Some of them are true, and some are rumors. However, some exciting things are in the works, so give it time and see what develops over the next few months.

Yes, the city still has Business Incentive Grants filed through BPCDC. They are first-come, first-serve, and limited to no more than $4,500 per building per year. We budget $15,000 per year in that area, and if we could, we would love to budget more. (This money comes from local-option sales tax.) I believe we are the only town in Benton or Iowa County that has such a program. We have a similar program for homeowners and remodeling of their homes.

We are making progress in economic development and working to attract new businesses to town. There is more to come, and there is more to do. It takes a courageous entrepreneur to invest a bunch of personal money into a new business in a small town. I applaud all who have done that in the last 10 years and hope Belle Plaine residents will support them. If you have a problem, take it to the owners before you light up social media.

The council approved a new summer contract with Mosquito Control of Iowa. I know this can be a controversial topic, but it is one that the council has decided we will continue to do. Pay attention to the city announcements for sign-up notices and asking for your property to not be sprayed.

For those who don't think we spray enough, remember we are living on the edge of wetlands that produce billions or trillions of mosquitoes during the average season. Also, the insecticide used is only effective on mosquitoes, not other insects we face every summer. If you are going to participate in outdoor activity, then use the personal spray that works best for you.

The pool will open on time this year, and I believe they are getting everything updated that the hailstorm beat up. We do have one leak problem, but the thought is that will not stop us from being on schedule. It will probably be a fall fix.

The Belle Plaine Police Department has been issuing nuisance complaints concerning properties over trash, junk, junked vehicles and failure to mow the grass. They have been generous in allowing the parties involved time to clean up their property after winter. As for the mowing violations, I know letters were not sent out on these violations until after the average resident had mowed several times. If you genuinely feel that the abatement order was wrongly issued, please call and get on the council agenda to ask for some relief or an extension. This council has been very good at listening to residents’ concerns. If you can't get to a council meeting, call city hall and we will see what can be arranged.

Congratulations to the state track participants. You had fantastic weather and some quality results. Running on the "Big Blue Oval" is always an experience.

Congratulations to the boys and girls golf teams on successful seasons and especially to the girls’ team for winning the SICL title.

Good luck to the softball and baseball programs as they start their summer season. Remember, the softball field has a different entrance! Still, I’m not too fond of how the state overlaps seasons (track, softball, baseball and soccer) and I don't particularly appreciate how the South Iowa Cedar League no longer has one team at home on almost every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Again, these are the rambling thoughts of an old softball coach, but the old method gave the public something to do three nights per week, and it was better for concession revenue. Okay, enough with the editorial!

As always, "Go Plainsmen." Remember, it is up to all of us to make

Belle Plaine is the best hometown in Iowa.

Personal note: Class of 1968 members, if you have not heard about the reunion organizational meeting (June 20, 2023), please call me, council person Pech, or class president Richard Franklin.