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Editorial: Much done in 2016, not all
Op-Ed · January 05, 2017


It’s time to look back on key issues and projects as they progressed over the past year.
In summary, some things changed significantly, and we learned a whole bunch in the process, some good, some not so encouraging. And some things are certainly going to cost a lot more than expected, or take more time.

Here we go:

• Recreation center — A year ago, we hoped to see more progress on designing the recreation center. However, the city council and administration instead focused its attention on trying to get everything it wants — ball diamonds, a recreation center, playground, parking lots, a swimming pool, etc. — to fit in the 18 acres available in Pedersen Valley.

They discussed — but did not agree on — cutting the ball diamonds from four permanent fields to two permanent and two temporary fields, the latter two making way for the recreation center and pool should voters give that the go-ahead later. They also discussed buying expensive land to the north or cutting into unused space in the city cemetery to the east; neither of those ideas seem to have much support.

It is notable to point out that the Pedersen Valley site adds up to 18 acres and that the city’s comprehensive plan suggests a community parks/sports complex of “between 30 to 80 acres,” so we’re trying to squeeze quite a bit into a plot of land just under two-thirds of the size of the smaller end of that spectrum.

Further, since the comprehensive plan suggests a community-recreation-senior center, and a city survey suggests combining a larger library with a rec center, it appears 2016 taught us that there just is not enough space at Pedersen Valley for all that.

That’s a hard lesson to learn after all that work.

• Acciona Windpower — The assembly plant is still down even after Acciona North America was sold to Nordex early in 2016. And the lawsuit between Acciona and the City of West Branch is still ongoing. With about $495,000 in question, we wonder what will happen first: Will the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals render a decision or will the wind turbine plant reopen? After the merger completed in April, not much news has come forth regarding Acciona turbine sales, especially in light of reopening in West Branch.

• Wastewater treatment plant — Another year, and still no news. We’ve been keeping watch on this since 2009, but the city council said nearly nothing about this in 2016 because the Environmental Protection Agency still has yet to issue a new set of ammonia levels on a new permit.

• Home building — Pedersen Valley continued on its slow but steady pace in 2016, and the Meadows is still generating new homes as well. Home-builders are taking advantage of the City of West Branch’s incentives, too. While not much else broke ground in 2016 house-wise, there is a proposal for a new set of apartment buildings across the street from the townhouses on Hilltop Drive in Pedersen Valley. It’s not middle-income, single-family homes like we hoped, but more apartment houses will draw families whose incomes are less than what is necessary to purchase many of the city’s newer homes.

• School facilities plan — We hoped to see the West Branch Board of Education solidify a date for additions that will absorb the pupils currently housed at the middle school. They did: Feb. 7. The project looks like it will run about $20 million to $21 million, with a referendum covering $19.11 million of that cost. The Feb. 7 date is coming up fast, and school board members are actively showing the concept drawings at just about every school event they can, preparing more information in videos and pamphlets and answering our questions in a five-week series.

• Bridges — The foot bridge/pedestrian walkway set to access West Branch Village, surprisingly, did not get done in 2016. The creek it needs to cross is less than 10 feet wide, and nearby residents hop across now with the help of rocks and boards. Because it crosses a flood plain, the simple project grew to 175 feet long, 10 feet wide and 16 feet high to satisfy the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Sigh. Anyway, it might get built this year.

Further, the College Street bridge, originally estimated at $1.5 million, has grown into a project that includes improvements to the approaching streets, and a cost approaching $2 million, with $1 million covered by a grant. Construction is not scheduled to start until fiscal year 2018.

That wraps up the big stuff from 2016. We will review our hopes for the coming year next week. As far as the previous 12 months, we can say that a lot of things are moving in earnest, and a lot of work is behind us.



Editor's note: This editorial was updated Jan. 19 to correct the number of acres in Pedersen Valley park. Also, the editorial incorrectly stated that the College Street bridge project was originally estimated to cost $750,000. The $750,000 refered to the city's match of a state grant.