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Important
Addresses:
City of
Chariton 4th of July Committee
Chariton
Chamber and Development Corp. 104 North
Grand,
Chariton Community Schools Information Site http://www.Chariton.k12.ia.us
The website of the Lucas County Arts Council is www.southerniowaarts.com
The website of the Lucas County Historical Society is http://chariton-museum.tripod.com/
Fall in
email
Mary Stierwalt
was presented the 2008 Citizen of the Year at the Chariton Chamber and Development
Corporation's annual meeting at Carpenter's Hall, July 17th. Stierwalt, a
leader of the Chariton business community, has worked in many areas of the community
over the past years and has established a distinguished and lengthy record in a variety of
capacities including working with the Lucas County 4-H, Little League and a host of other
educational, community, civic, non-profit and church organizations and activities.
She served 22 years on the Chariton City Council, including seven years as Mayor.
She currently leads the committee responsible for planning the 4th of July celebration in
Chariton. Mary and her late husband, Berns, returned to Chariton in 1962.
They have owned and operated Family Shoe since that time. Mary has continued
in the store since Berns' death in 2004. Mary expressed appreciation for the
award but added that it was not one that was totally hers but rather encompassed the many
individuals who she has worked with in various community endeavors throughout the
years. Several members of Mary's family, Kirk Stierwalt of Leedey,
Oklahoma and Kyle and Julie Stierwalt and grandchildren Jordan and Harrison
Stierwalt of Tallahassee Florida were present for the presentation.
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Construction on
a new jail for Lucas County will start Spring 2009. It is expect that it will take
approximately 10 months for the project to be completed. This has been made possible as a result of the City of Chariton
and the Lucas County Board of Supervisors agreeing on a plan whereby the former National
Guard Armory would be converted into a jail facility. The unincorporated areas of
Lucas County passed a one-cent local option sales tax on April 1, 2008 to fund the
project. The bids for the construction of
a new jail were opened and the prices ranged from $3.76 million to $3.657 million.
All bids were above the original total project cost which was not to exceed $2.9
million. The Board of Supervisors will be making a decision on the best way to
proceed.
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The collection of a hotel/motel tax for Lucas County was approved by voters at
a special election on May 5, 2009. The tax will be 7% of the gross receipts
of motels and bread and breakfast facilities within the county. If approved,
the tax would go in to effect July 21, 2009. The referendum was proposed by Tourism
Lucas County, a division of the Lucas County Chamber of Commerce and Development
Corporation.
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Two overhead railroad bridges, one on The
Chariton City Council has approved plans and work will begin on the replacement of the
Auburn Avenue bridge. Calhoun-Burns and Associates, a bridge specialty firm has been
working with the City Council. According to a report given to the Council
at their regular meeting, September 18, 2006, City Manager Nels Christensen reported that
progress is underway and that bid letting will be sometime during 2007.Work has begun on the replacement of the
Auburn Avenue bridge. Depending on the weather, work should be completed around
November, 2008. Completion date will hinge on the weather . The bridge will be
of concrete, a continuous slab with a sidewalk alongside and will span 150 feet. It
will be constructed just south of where the old bridge was. The concrete
pouring on the Auburn Avenue bridge has been completed. This will allow for
the bridge to be ready for use sometime in the spring of 2009. The
contractor for the bridge is Herberger Construction. Ideal Ready Mix supplied the
concrete and Lucas County Engineer Todde Folkerts, along with others from the
Lucas County Secondary Roads Department, were on site to test the concrete and make sure
all specifications were followed. The bridge is 153.1 ft in length and 37 feet
wide.
Representatives
from Lucas County Tourism met with the Chariton City Council recently with an
entrance sign proposal for the City of Chariton. The council voted to send a letter
of approval of participation in this program. The Chariton Valley Tourism Region is
promoting a coordinated entrance sign program for each community in the nine
counties area. The counties are Appanoose, Clarke, Davis, Decatur, Lucas, Monroe,
Van Buren, Wapello and Wayne. This area has been named the Historic Hills
Corridor. The logo to be used is part of a new tourism campaign to highlight
the beautiful drives along Highway 34 and Highway 2 in Southern Iowa. The Historic
Hills Advisory Group have received a Transportation Enhancement funds
grant. Six replacement signs are slated to be put up at the entrances
to Chariton. Work was completed on the new CHARITON
signs recently. They are a very nice addition.
At their last meeting, members of the Historic
Hills Initiative recommended that all communities in the Chariton Valley Tourism
Region promote the planting of red bud trees hoping to expand on the success of the red
bud plantings that have been promoted by the Chariton Chamber of Commerce the past few
years. It is felt this has been a very successful program coupled with the
many trees at Red Haw State Park and has been an effective tourism tool. They
are hoping this mass planting would provide an incentive for visitors to visit the
area.
Stratford Homes Update ~ Stratford
Homes Models and Sales Office are open Mon-Fri from 8-4:30 pm and on weekends by
appointment. You can call the office 641 774-8828 or toll free 866 774 8828 to
schedule an appointment during daily hours of operation. Debra Storm is the Stratford Homes Sales Coordinator in Chariton. The
office/model homes are located at 1000 South 1st Street.
Stratford Homes Model Homes will be open during Ragbrai,
Wednesday, July 22 from 8-4:30 pm. Please call if you have any questions.
See the Vredenburg -
The Chariton City
Council,
The E911 system has
been placed into service. According to Project Manager, Tim McGee, the
system has been 99% correct. All City of
The Department of
Natural Resources Trumpeter Swan Restoration Team has released a pair of flightless
swans in the Northwest Park Pond as part of a cooperative effort between the City of
Old Betsy in Home Coming Parade
Chariton Merchants Locator
4th of July Committee
Local Endorsement
Request for
Information
Chariton Volunteer Fire Department
Chariton
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Thanks for visiting.