Lansing City Council approves providing a Letter of Support for Dave Janzen’s Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant application
by Julie Berg-Raymond
During its regular meeting Monday, August 19, the Lansing City Council approved a Letter of Support for Dave Janzen’s/Lansing Hardware’s application to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) for a Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant.
Demonstration of the City’s support is a required component of the grant application, Main Street Lansing Executive Director Andrew Boddicker said in an email interview following the meeting. The project would see five historic downtown properties receive new windows, new facade paint, new tuck pointing, and signage for the hardware store.
According to Boddicker, the Challenge Grant is a 1:1 grant for up to $100,000. It is a unique opportunity for which only Main Street Iowa Communities may apply. Each community can nominate one project.
“Main Street Lansing informed all eligible properties in Lansing of the opportunity in April and asked for interest from them,” Boddicker said. “We spoke with three property owners who were interested, and Dave’s project was the only project ready to move forward in the process. Hopefully the others will be ready next year!”
Supporting a Main Street Iowa Challenge Grant is “a win-win situation,” Boddicker said. “The City is interested in seeing properties in its historic downtown revitalized. Having improved properties motivates others to do similar projects and increases property values, therefore increasing tax revenue.”
“The plans look fabulous, and every council member was very pleased,” Lansing City Clerk Teresa Severson said in an email interview following the meeting. “The vote was taken and approved with the caveat that a letter of support would also be obtained from the Fire Department.”
FEHR GRAHAM CONTRACT APPROVED, FOLLOWING DNR FACILITIES PLAN APPROVAL
The council approved the contract with engineering firm Fehr Graham to provide professional consultation on a water/sewer improvement project involving replacement/upgrade of existing water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer utilities along Platt Street, North Street and 4th Street.
The council approved the contract after having been informed by Fehr Graham the Facilities Plan for the project had received the required approval (see article above on this same Page 6) by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
FLOOD PLAIN DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION/PERMIT APPROVED
The council reviewed a permit to install generators at the lift stations located at South 4th Street and the ball diamond; the generators will act as back-up power sources. According to the permit application, “all … work shall be done in accordance with the requirements of the City of Lansing Flood Plain Management Ordinance and with all other applicable county/city ordinances and the laws and regulations of the State of Iowa.”
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