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Recap of April Meeting in Belle Plaine
The Iowa Lincoln Highway Association met April 9th at the Ice House Drive-In, Belle Plaine, Iowa. Officer and Consuls in Attendance were: Sean Fitzsimmons, President; Jan Gammon, Secretary; Joyce Ausberger, Treasurer; Joe Goodlove, Cedar Consul; Van Becker, Linn Consul; Mike Kelly, Benton Consul; Harlan Quick, Marshall Consul; Scott Berka, Story Consul; John Fitzsimmons, Boone Consul; Bob Owens, Greene Consul; Barbara Hackfort, Carroll Consul; Dean Parr, State Director.
Others in attendance were Bob Ausberger, Jeannie Parr, Bryan Osberg, Bev Becker, Mitch Malcom, Kristine Pope, Gina Miller, Bill Sankot, and John “Dick” Schild.
The meeting was called to order by the new President, Sean Fitzsimmons, the former vice-president. President Deb Rothmeyer had resigned. The group thanked Deb for her work and for serving as president, consul member, and co-chair of the 2017 conference.
Minutes from the previous meeting and the Secretary’s report were approved.
Dean Parr reported Iowa is up in memberships, mostly due to Barbara’s efforts in Carroll County. Numbers are: 25 Complimentary, 80 Iowa only, 10 Lifetime, and 204 National= 319 Total.
Dean also gave the State Director update and said a group with the George Wyman Motorized 1903 Bike Tour, the first trip from San Francisco to New York on a motorized vehicle. This group wants to honor his trip that was most done by riding on railroad tracks by placing signs at locations he stopped. They would like to add these signs to the DOT Byway signs. This would include Council Bluffs, Missouri Valley, Woodbine, Denison, Ogden, Boone, Ames, Marshalltown, Meskwaki Nation (Tama), Cedar Rapids, and Clinton. Signs will not be able to be added to the DOT signage, but perhaps in locations within these towns. The link to see the route and get more information is: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzo_1W2xo-aQcmlJdnczZmVwZ2c/view.
The National Board also is looking for ideas of what to do with Forums that have been stored in Franklin Grove storage unit. Several attendees could give them away for free at their locations.
Van Becker said Gettysburg should be a wonderful conference with good civil war site tours and tour of 911 plane crash site, etc. They need 150 people to attend. Joyce, Jan, Mike, Jeannie, Dean, and maybe Mitch are planning on attending.
Meredith at Prairie Rivers would like consuls to send her ideas, events, and news and she will share on Facebook and the ILHA website. Van and Bev are stepping down from folding, stamping, and mailing the newsletter. The group thanked them for their hard work over the years. Dean and Jeannie are willing to take this on and Grant Wood will still be able to do the printing. Van’s last newsletter will be in October. Mike Kelly will take over Van’s mystery photo section. It was suggested that we try to encourage people to sign up for an electronic newsletter instead of a paper, mailed copy.
Jan Gammon, Prairie Rivers reported the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Corridor Management Plan is coming along nicely. Sections have been written and community meetings will be scheduled soon to share the plan with residents along the Byway and those interested in the Byway program.
She also shared a postcard Prairie Rivers created to promote the 2017 LHA Denison Conference. The Byway will pass these out at the Iowa State Fair and other events they attend this summer. The postcard was already shared at the Heartland Byway Conference held April 4-6 in Council Bluffs.
The Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway will be working with Schmeekle Reserve this summer as part of the Iowa Byway’s Interpretive Plan program. Reps from the company will be visiting the byway and talking with people in the communities at local restaurants and other gathering places. They want to be low key and not announce where they will be and when.
Prairie Rivers is working on a membership brochure for the ILHA. Meredith, the intern, made a sample and it was passed around. If there is a certain picture, building, or structure a county wishes to feature in the photo collage, please let Meredith know. Prairie Rivers will email out the sample for everyone to review and make suggestions. The group approved the design and project.
Bryan Osberg gave an update on the 2016 Iowa Motor Tour. Registrations are starting to come in. The pre-tour will be on Thursday, August 18th in Galena with an early supper in East Dubuque and the Tour on Friday, August 19th starting in Clinton, then on to the Herbert Hoover Highway, Marshalltown on Saturday and ending in Boone on Sunday, August 21st. Bryan is still taking door prizes if anyone has something to donate.
Jeannie Parr gave an update on the 2017 LHA Conference. Deb Rothmeyer resigned as co-chair. Jeannie has ordered the save-the-date business sized magnets. The committee sign-up/duties and updated conference agenda was passed out. Several members had ideas for additional speakers at the conference. The committees will meet again in Denison on May 11th at Cronk’s. Anyone who wants to help at the 2017 conference is invited.
Prairie Rivers will hire an intern to help with the Iowa LHA Merchant Association project this summer. It was approved to help pay for this position. It was suggested that the new business program be explained in the newsletter, with press releases, and added to the website.
Bob Ausberger shared a sample of interpretive signs and encouraged others to consider what they could do in their counties.
Meredith has prepared a slideshow to be shown at Gettysburg regarding the 2017 Denison Conference. The group saw a preview of it and made suggestions.
Dick Schild shared a Belle Plaine newspaper article from the 1930’s about the Lincoln Highway and his memories of life along the Lincoln Highway.
County Reports were given. Cleanup at the Pony Truss Bridge in Clinton will be April 23rd. Van and Joe will work on some map discrepancies in Cedar County. Can is resigning his Consul position and a replacement will need to be found. The Belle Plaine Area Museum has a new Lincoln Highway display. An owner of a gas station in Montour is looking for funding to help restore it.
Jan shared maps from the DOT regarding changes to the highway in Tama County. The group is welcome to write letters to the DOT and Joyce will draft an official letter from the group. The link to send it electronically is http://www.news.iowadot.gov/pim/2016/02/us-30-in-tama -county-march-3-2016.html or if mailing it in: Tony Gustafson, P.E. Assistant District 1 Engineer, Iowa DOT District 1 Office, 1020 S. Fourth Street, Ames , Iowa 50010. His email is tony.gustafson@dot.iowa.gov.
Harlan Quick gave Marshall County’s calendar of events. Watch the website for the list. Scott Berka attended the Heartland Byway Conference on April 4-6 in Council Bluffs and learned a lot about social media including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. He reminded the group that Lyell Henry will be at Niland’s Café on April 24th. Colo Crossroads will be July 8-10. Classic Car Roll-Ins will be held this summer
I attended the Heartland Byways Conference in Council Bluffs April 4-6th. It was a good conference. I’m sure Jan will give a report so I will not duplicate.
Bob Owens reported that the next day the Greene County Museum is presenting a program about the Lincoln Highway. Barbara in Carroll County has sold many new memberships and created a brochure. The City of Carroll will host a Lincoln Highway page on their website. Kathy Dirks reported that the
Harrison County Welcome Center was a stop on the Heartland Byway Conference Tour. Woodbine is celebrating their 150th this year. Their celebrations will be on July 9th and Aug 27th.
Watch the website and newsletter for the date and location of the next meeting.
