Recap of October Meeting in Jefferson

• Posted on November 11, 2016
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS 
Iowa Lincoln Highway Association 
Oct 15, 2016 
Uptown Cafe 
Submitted By: Jan Gammon 

Officers and Consuls in Attendance: 
Secretary: Jan Gammon 
Treasurer: Joyce Ausberger
Clinton County: Cathie Nichols
Cedar County: Joe Goodlove 
Linn County: Van Becker 
Tama County: Allan Richards
Marshall County: Harlan Quick
Boone County: John Fitzsimmons 
Greene County: Bob Owens 
Carroll County: Barbara Hackfort 
State Director: Dean Parr 
Director at Large: Van Becker
 
Others in Attendance: Bob Ausberger, Jeannie Parr, Meredith Ponder (LHA intern), Aimee Burch (Prairie Rivers Marketing Director), Bev Becker, Bryon Osberg, Marcia Quick, Roccie Hill, Don Rhoades    

Called to Order:  The meeting was called to order by President Pro-tem Dean Parr at 9:32. Agendas and minutes were handed out. 

Introductions and Welcome:    The group introduced themselves.

Minutes from the July 16th meeting were sent out electronically and were available in hard copy. Motion by Jovce Ausberger and seconded by Jeannie Parr to approve the minutes. Motion passed. 

Membership Report –by Dean Parr. Dean has confirmed with Jay Banta as to who has dropped off the membership list. Dean has sent out renewal notifications. Member numbers are: 25 Complimentary, 91 Iowa only, 10 Lifetime, and 173 National= 299 Total.

State Director Update- by Dean Parr. There is trouble getting a quorum at the National Conference. Not sure what they will do. Treasurer, Jess Petersen, is retiring and a new person will take over for him. The bank may change to one in Ohio where new person lives. Jay Banta will also retire as membership director. Replacement is Bob Beaudoin, state director of Utah. 

Director at Large Report by Van Becker. Van did a book review on Lyell Henry’s Jefferson Highway book and it will appear in the next Forum.  

Website Report by Prairie Rivers. Meredith reports the “things to do” tab only has a few events listed, so send her more events to post. Allan Richards would like ILHA things posted on Youtube.com. Meredith would be glad to do that if he will create the content. John moved and Bryon seconded that the BuyWay Facebook be taken down. Motion passed.

Newsletter Report- Dean and Jeannie have taken over the folding and mailing and reported it went very well for them. Meredith asked if the quantity of newsletters (450) was ok as last meeting Van had suggested we could maybe cut 100. All agreed quantity of 450 was OK.

2016 Motor Tour Update- Bryon had 21 register and 3 cancellations. From that he got 5 new state members. He was in the black this year by $280. All agreed he should keep it as starting money for the next year’s expenses. There was a pre-tour in Galena, Ill and on into Dubuque. The Iowa portion of the trip went to DeWitt where there was a great welcome for the group. Then they traveled to Lowden where they took the Hoover Highway and then to the Amanas, Tama and ended in Boone. Dean submitted a short synopsis to the Forum. Kathy, the editor, would like to expand the article so she may be contacting Bryon for more information. Pictures were posted on the ILHA website. If anyone has ideas for next year, please talk to Bryon. Dean presented Bryon a Certificate of Appreciation from the National LHA for Bryon and Caron’s work on the Iowa Auto Tour.    

2017 National Conference in Denison- by Jeannie Parr. Jeannie has talked to Evan at the Denison Chamber and he will ask downtown businesses to stay open until 8pm on the night attendees will be at the Donna Reed Theater and Museum – especially quilt, junk, and specialty shops. The Park Hotel has comped 4 rooms for our use. Price ranges are $70 Travel Lodge, $80 Park Hotel, and $90 Boulders. It was suggested that we not recommend the Travel Lodge. Evan is encouraging businesses to give freebies and he has offered to put a goody bag together. Denison has a grant to use for meals for the Conference attendees. Jeannie will send a letter to all State Directors for each state to bring something to the National Conference. Kathy Franzwa wants to put that request in the next Forum. Jeannie does not know the price of the conference for attendees yet. The next subcommittee meeting will be held Nov 16 at 11:00 in the Reed/Niland corner in Colo.

Prairie Rivers Update by Jan Gammon. The Byway is working on the Corridor Management Plan. The public meetings have all been completed and the writing has been done. Mapping and layout is continuing. It should be completed before the end of the year.

Jan submitted a loop request for State Center to the DOT for their review. Harlan, Marshall County Consul and mayor of State Center asked for this request to take the traveler past the recently restored Home Oil Station that the DOT helped finance.

Next Meetings– January 14^th in Nevada at the Story County Community Building (1^st St and I Ave), April – DeWitt (at new hotel?), July- Carroll (tentatively)

Elections/Nominations – John said Sean is willing to step away the Presidency as he cannot commit to being at meetings due to his work schedule. The group would like John and Sean to be co-presidents and John thought that could work. Cathie Nichols agreed to serve as Vice-President President. They were voted in unanimously.

New Membership Application- Meredith had been waiting for a new National Treasurer to be named. She will need contact information for the new person to finish the application.

New policy for changes to the Lincoln Highway

Bob Ausberger would like all the consuls (or other members) to attend Board of Supervisors, City Councils or any group that meets regularly to keep the Lincoln Highway on their minds and agendas and keep the LHA knowledgeable about projects/plans that would affect the Lincoln Highway. His example is the situation with the A&W in Jefferson that has been there for 70 years and the business has now been relocated leaving the building empty. The owner approached the Union Pacific and they would probably tear it down. The Planning and Zoning officer happened to come to the Byway’s CMP meeting and said the city would like to enhance the east entrance where the A &W is and would like to preserve the building.

Another suggestion was to talk to Roger Riley and see if he can do a TV program on the Lincoln Highway and things that are needing restoration.

Harlan suggested the group be pro-active. Often times the Board of Supervisors or city councils see historic preservation as an obstacle. Another person suggested free memberships be given to Board of Supervisors to keep them aware of the LHA and activities. Perhaps photos and lists of what is “historic” could be shared with them (information could be obtained from Historical Societies.)

Bob said perhaps businesses could be subsidized with T shirts for employees to wear that say “on the Lincoln Highway” or something like that. He suggested that all consuls think of items to add to this conversation and the topic be discussed next time.   

Iowa Merchant Association- Meredith met with John and they canvassed Boone County, getting 4 merchant applications in Boone and 1in Ogden. She then met with Joyce and they got 5 merchant memberships in Greene County. Meredith will continue with Story County. Her internship ends in December and the other counties will need to try to get 5 merchants to join in each of their counties. John suggested the listing on the website of the merchants be labeled “recommended businesses”. The cost is $80 for a year starting in January 2017. The list has been added to the website now, but will be moved to the front page when more join.

Changes to the Road-

The Dot is not able to add logos or directional arrows to signage from the bypasses at Lisbon/Mt Vernon and suggested that the ILHA rent Blue Logo signs from them for $920/year. That is the only way the ILHA could direct travelers from one road to the Byway.

The DOT would like permission to use the Lincoln Highway logo on the overpass near Youngville. Dean and Van report that Kay Shelton, National president, has a request form. Jan will contact her to get the form to Kimball Olson, Aesthetic Bridge Designer at the DOT.  

Wapsie Bridges – Cathie Nichols has been in discussion regarding the 3 bridges that go over the Wapsie near Wheatland. The Pony Truss Bridge has been barricaded for some time and is the one the ILHA has had clean-up days for and would like to paint. The others were built in 1921 and are to the west of the Pony Truss. There are also the remains of the 1913 road off in the woods. The county engineer has wanted to demolish the bridges since 1977. A wildlife area is all along the north side. Private property owners are to the south. Many years ago the Syracuse Trail Advisory Committee was formed and there was talk about making this bridge area into a trail. The Committee is being revived now and the local DNR would like to save it. Cathie now has the support of Senator Rita Hart (from Wheatland), the local Historical Society, and will get Joe Goodlove involved as well. Joyce and Bob suggested they also contact Bruce Trautman, Deputy Director of the DNR. The group is asking the county not make a decision to demolish or abandon the easement until the new trail group can meet and make plans.                       

County Reports: 

Clinton: Cathie Nichols said the Wapsie Bridge has already been talked about.  

Cedar: Joe Goodlove said a local Chevy dealership- Kemmann -has closed. A local mechanic was looking at buying it. Kemmann was the oldest Chevy dealership in Iowa, opening in 1871. A collection fo 200 small cars has been sold.    

Linn: Van reported the College Rd Extension (#100) is down to Hwy 30 (16^th Ave). Following the Lincoln will be confusing on the hairpin turn they have created. Holland Orchard is gone. The city is working on Mt Vernon Road. The city, residents, and businesses are looking for something to breathe life into the area.    

Benton: Mike Kelly not here today, but others say that a small cottage gas station on the east side of Belle Plaine is gone now, by the UP line. An abandoned auto dealer is now used for parking.

Mike told another that the Youngville Café is closing for the season at the end of October. Business was good. Oct 19^th the group running Youngville will have their year-end wrap up meeting. 

Tama– Allan Richards said someone damaged the Lincoln Highway Bridge. The “A” and “Y” on one side of the bridge railing were knocked into and the railing moved a bit.

The DOT moved the Tama changes to the Lincoln Highway ahead of Benton County’s changes. The 4 lane is scheduled to be done late next year.

Marshall- Harlan Quick reported the City of LeGrand celebrated its big 125^th birthday with its Quasquicentennial Celebration on Saturday, August 27.

State Center is planning for its big 150^th birthday celebration in 2017. There will be a special event each month to celebrate the big year. There will be a beard-growing contest, starting in January, just in case Mike Kelly wants to get in on that. The biggest celebration will center around the 59^th Annual Rose Festival next June 15-18^th, Father’s Day weekend. There will be a Grand Parade, car show, fireworks, water ball fights, craft fair, quilt show, Tractor Pulling Contest, laser tag, inflatables for the kids, and much more.

On Friday, December 2, State Center will be celebrating its 17^th annual Old-fashioned Christmas on Main with open houses in area businesses, a live auction, a silent auction, indoor craft and food fairs, horse-drawn trolley rides, and a holiday art show. There will be a special Holiday Open House at the Centre Station Depot, which is being renovated on East Main Street.

Next month, Marshalltown will be celebrating along the Lincoln Highway during their Annual Jean Seberg Film Festival; it’s coming on Friday and Saturday, November 4-5. The festival is centered around the restored historic Orpheum Movie Theater on East Main Street, just east of the Marshall County Courthouse.

Later next month, on Saturday, November 19, Marshalltown’s Main Street will host its annual Holiday Stroll & Tiny Tim Festival of Trees.

Story –Nothing to report.

Boone– John Fitzsimmons reports that the footprint pavement was cut out of the street and saved to be used in a park. The remaining footprints have now new pavement on top of them.

Greene- Joyce said that a city councilman is interested in the A&W building and would like to see it open in the summer for sandwiches, etc. during ballgames at the nearby park. Roger Agather, former superintendent/principal, is shooting a film regarding his Lincoln Highway trip.

Bob Ausberger said the railroad is building a new bridge near the Lions Tree Club Park. Interpretive signs are being developed for Grand Junction Lion’s Tree Club Park, Scranton for the water tower, and the Deep Rock gas station in Jefferson.

Carroll- Barbara Hackfort reported that this summer several second-hand shops got together and created a Junk-a-thon along the Lincoln Highway.

Barbara has sold about $3,000 in ads in next year’s National Conference program book. John Kaercher, who is slated to be a speaker at that conference, will be talking at the UMC in Carroll on Nov 12^th at 10:00. It is free and open to the public.  

Crawford- No report

Harrison– No report   

Pottawattamie – No report.

Meeting was adjourned and several stayed for the meal.