OUR EDITORIAL: Next steps on CC facilities difficult, but necessary

Movement behind the scenes needs to be urged along, supported by the public

By the Press Editorial Board

Our community took an important step last year when the Charles City Community School District, City Hall, the YMCA and Floyd County hired a consultant to look over our collection of aging buildings, talk with residents about their priorities and deliver recommendations on going forward.

Taking those next steps are tricky.

“We want to do it right and do it once,” Charles City Administrator Steve Diers said.

We heartily agree. Although we support caution, we counsel against paralysis. The best case scenario will be one comprehensive plan drafted by all four agencies with deadlines and cooperation. Don’t go it alone.

There has been movement, albeit mostly behind the scenes, since the completion of the joint facilities study by FEH design, which the school district paid nearly $15,000 for the study. The county, city and YMCA each pitched in $5,000.

The Floyd County supervisors made the most concrete commitment to moving ahead by purchasing land next to the courthouse that could be used in construction of a new jail or joint law enforcement facility.

Progress is being made with a city and county committee narrowing the choices of firms to help design the facility and answer some key questions.

One question appears to be answered though. A unified law enforcement agency for the county and city “seems less likely,” Diers said. “What seems more likely is sharing an area, sharing space.”

On the concept of one agency, he said, “There’s just a lot of challenges and a lot of Iowa law (that makes it difficult) to have it function the way it needs to function.”

On it’s front, the YMCA is conducting a community needs assessment and has scheduled a community meeting on Sept. 28 at the Charles City Senior Center to talk about direction for the YMCA, according to Director Lance Lasher.

Then in October, the YMCA board will have a retreat to go over what was learned in the assessment and meeting. They’ll aim to set goals and consider fundraising options.

It’s not a simple decision for the Y. The prospect of debt is not a welcome one.

“We own this building, we have no debt,” said Lasher said. “If we move somewhere else, what happens to this building.”

The city will wrestle with the same decision regarding City Hall if they move out. Lasher added: “It would all be easy if there was a ton of money — we know there are limits.” While the YMCA will consider a fundraising campaign, the local governments are faced with bond referendums for projects. The timing will of each will be critical, and priorities will need to be set.

The school district, which has opened its new middle-high school single campus and is building a new bus barn, has been understandably busy, but has moved forward on some recommendations from the joint facilities study.

“The district currently is in the process of identifying land for a baseball field and softball field, likely 10 acres or so,” Dr. Dan Cox, superintendent of Charles City schools said. “It won’t resemble the large-scale complex that FEH recommended, but in time it could expand to become more of that concept.”

The district and the Y are also exploring the concept of a joint facility at the high school.

“FEH had come up with two versions of that concept,” Cox said. “The Y currently has a survey underway that either will show support for such a concept or lack of support.”

A third effort is being spearheaded by the high school tennis coach.

“Brian Parrott is working on plans for an indoor tennis facility in the North Grand gym with the potential of indoor hitting cages and an indoor golf simulator,” Cox said.

There are a lot of moving parts to deal with and a lot of discussions going on, Diers said. The key to it all is all four parties knowing what they individually need, he said, and much of the effort now is still in that process.

As has been the case for years, a lot revolves around former middle school.

A major recommendation in the FEH Design study calls for partnering with the city to study the design and development of a community center in the east portion of the former middle school and selling the historic west portion .

“A business plan and operating budget is a critical part of this evaluation. Once this plan is conceptualized (a request for proposals) should be issued for development proposals for purchase, management and/or ownership of all or portions of the facility,” the study recommended.

We need to figure out a solution for the building, Diers said. “There is work going on behind the scenes and unfortunately that takes time.”

We urge all the partners to push ahead with the recommendations. And we urge residents throughout the city and county to be positively vocal. Help create stronger communities and schools for the generations to come.

Agree? Disagree? Write in

The Editorial Board includes community members Marcie Andrews and Bill Feller, Gene Hall, Publisher Chris Hall and Editor Chris Baldus. Agree, disagree, have another perspective? Send letters to the editor to editor@ charlescitypress. com or mail them to 801 Riverside Drive, Charles City, IA 50616.