The City of Indianola
adopted a strategic plan covering the period of 2000-2010. Leaders
from many segments of the community participated in the drafting of
goals and objectives. The purpose of this report is to outline the
major projects undertaken over the past year, and those in the
planning phases for the next year, in relation to the Strategic Plan
goals.
Fiscal Year Ending June 2005
Beautification & Downtown Improvement The goal of improving Indianola’s image and enhancing the appearance and function of the square also has seen progress. A downtown improvement committee of the Chamber of Commerce continues to meet. Older planters and trees have been removed and new trash containers have been installed. Progress was also seen this when new holiday lighting around the square was completed.
Downtown businesses continue to be eligible to receive interest-free loans to improve their structures. To-date 5 businesses have used the $75,000 fund. A new citizen-driven beautification committee has been formed called Keep Indianola Beautiful as a local initiative as part of the Keep Iowa Beautiful Program and the city is contributing to that effort.
The city’s Parks department continues to enhance its horticultural offerings. A major renovation of the gardens at Buxton Park is currently underway. Citizen donations will be the primary funding source, with the Parks department providing labor and expertise.
Fiscal Year Ending June 2005
Transportation & Traffic Another goal is to improve Indianola’s transportation and traffic system. During the past year, the city completed the connection of W. Iowa Ave. and Kenwood Blvd. on the northwest side of the city to promote efficient traffic flow. This $1.25 million project is a major improvement and enhances housing development in the area.
Paving was also completed for South 15th Street to Plainview, which will provide a paved road to the Community Athletic Facility and to a new private assisted living facility. Federal funding has also been awarded to study improvements to Highway 92 from Indianola to I-35. Finally, the city started the engineering and right-of-way acquisition for the redesign the intersection at highways 65/69 and 92 to reduce wait times and improve traffic flow.
Fiscal Year Ending June 2005
Municipal Services A second goal is to maintain and improve municipal services and infrastructure.
A study was completed to evaluate City Hall, with focus on the Police and Fire departments, to determine facility needs. The library completed a space study and arrived at architectural solutions and associated costs. Third, a citizen’s group and city staff developed the framework for a family recreation center partnership with the YMCA.
As for infrastructure, an $850,000 improvement project at the wastewater treatment plant was recently completed. Another $400,000 was expended to replace deteriorating sewer mains throughout the city. Finally, a $560,000 project was undertaken to extend sewer service to the city’s eastern boarder along Highway 92.
The major electric utility project is a $3 million substation, feeder line, and underground conversion projects. These projects improve electric system reliability and stability. A new $1.3 million deep well was brought online that added substantial additional water system capacity.
These investments provide the basic infrastructure and facilities for citizens to capitalize on development opportunities.
Fiscal Year Ending June 2005
Economic Development A priority goal of the Strategic Plan is to broaden the tax base and development opportunities by intensifying efforts to expand industry, business, retail, and jobs.
There has been a more coordinated effort over the past year between the city government and the Indianola Alliance in marketing Indianola to potential developers. A new web site, www.developindianola.com, was created to supply information to the growing number of site selection processes that rely mostly on the Internet. There is now an economic development newsletter sent electronically to developers in the Des Moines metro area. The city, in partnership with the Indianola Alliance, also held another successful Developer Day where potential developers learn more about our community.
Indianola Municipal Utilities and a committee of the Indianola Alliance successfully explored options to expand telecommunications systems in Indianola. A public/private partnership will be formed by the end of the year. High-speed data and phone service will be available to businesses at reduced costs. A key feature of this venture is that it has dramatically lower costs and improved redundancies for extremely large data users, which is an important economic development tool.
Other noteworthy programs include: • The city expanded all three Urban Renewal Areas to increase funding opportunities for economic development projects. Funding is planned for: o A sewer pumping station and force mains along the northern sections of Highway 65/69 to open more ground for development o The paving of South 15th street (now completed) o Improvements to the Highway 92 & 65/69 intersection o Industrial land development, as opportunities arise • The city’s Dangerous & Dilapidated building program continues to invest in the purchase and sale of properties to aid in redevelopment efforts. • Over $100,000 is available from the Indianola Municipal Utilities Revolving Loan Fund for economic incentives. • The Indianola Development Corporation recently adopted a Strategic Plan to guide its efforts
These efforts continue to improve the economic vitality of Indianola. • The total value of new construction in 2004 hit at a new high at over $34 million. • The number of newly constructed housing units rose from 77 in 2003 to 113 in 2004. • An estimated 300 new citizens joined our community last year and an estimated 1,100 in the past 5 years.
After
plowing through hundreds of surveys and facilitating several town
meetings Indianola’s Strategic Plan was approved by the Indianola City Council
in 2001. This document is intended to provide unified
guidelines and direction to developers, business owners, residents
and Indianola's Planning & Zoning Commission for community
development and growth.
The
plan, prepared by Dunbar and Jones Partnership of Des Moines,
sets out five goals and objectives along with a mission statement to
help guide the development of Indianola. Those goals are to:
Broaden
tax base and opportunities by intensifying efforts to expand
industry, business, retail, and jobs
Maintain/improve
municipal services and infrastructure
Plan
for balanced growth that integrates all elements of the community
Improve
Indianola’s transportation and traffic system
Improve
Indianola’s image and sense of community by enhancing the
appearance and function of the square and strengthening city
beautification efforts.
Grant Johnson,
former IMU General Manager and partner for a market research and
consultation firm, Crawford, Johnson & Northcott, oversaw the
committees for each of these goals. Under Grant's direction, the
committees developed a document
the city will be able to use when making plans for business
expansions, annexations, parks, transportation and other issues of
growth and development.
The Strategic Plan is available for download
in PDF format. To read and print a PDF publication, you must
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