Keota Council Submits KCCEF Grant Requests

KEOTA – During the Oct. 21 meeting of the Keota City Council, the council approved submitting two $5,000 grant requests to the Keokuk County Community Endowment Foundation: one to purchase new children’s computer equipment for the Wilson Memorial Library; and one to prepare the property on Green Street to be turned into an RV park, by pouring a concrete pad, hooking up a water and sewer line, leveling out the property and preparing it to add a horticulture fence. Councilman Curt Burroughs asked if the city had ever submitted two grant requests at a time, stating he didn’t want the city and library to be at odds with each other. City Administrator Alycia Horras stated that the city had submitted multiple requests in the past.

Horras explained that, in May of this year, she submitted an application for the $25,000 Major Grant to do more extensive work at the RV park. Recently, she reached out to the KCCEF board, asking if the city would be contacted if the grant request was rejected. Horras was told by Connie McLaughlin of KCCEF that the board didn’t have any record of the request submitted in May, and that the board had already decided on two projects to receive the Major Grant. Horras was encouraged to submit again and told that, to submit for the $25,000 grant, she must first submit for the $5,000 grant.

Also at the Monday meeting, Public Works Director Micah Harmsen asked if the currently unused police vehicle could be stored somewhere besides the city shop this winter, due to the shop being tight on space. Councilman Mike Bender stated they would figure something out. Mayor Tony Cansler stated that, after the upcoming election, the city will have a better idea of what they want to do with the police vehicle, because there may be a new sheriff more willing to work with the city for police protection. He stated that he had received a call from current Keokuk County Sheriff Casey Hinnah, asking if they were planning to sell the police vehicle, and told Hinnah he would be the first to know if the city was selling the vehicle. Horras noted that the city would soon obtain a new property that contained a garage, which could be used to store the police vehicle.

Horras reported that she had received six applications for the part-time city clerk position. Discussion of selling two lots owned by the city next to the school was tabled, to give time for survey work to be done.