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September 1, 2000
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Orders give citizens chance to put city to work
If theres a street light out, a crumbling curb or weeds that need mowing, residents of Indianola can contact the city to let it know where there is work to be done.
Citizen Work Orders are forms that are available to residents who see various repair work or clean up that needs to be done around the city. The forms can be picked up at City Hall, 110 N. First St. Forms can also be mailed to citizens who call City Hall.
Started in 1996, the Citizen Work Order is a way for people to be proactive about their city.
City employees cant be every where, said Tim Zisoff, city manager. We rely on citizen input to know what needs to be done. Its also a chance for the city to acknowledge their suggestions.
Once the form is submitted to City Hall it goes to Wendy Dowell in the city clerks office. She looks over the request and funnels it to the proper department for review. That department reports its findings back to Dowell. A letter is then sent to inform the resident about the completion of the work or explain why the work cannot be done.
There are some requests that cannot be filled by the city, but the majority of work orders are honored. Citizens can request the replacement of a curb, report clogged storm sewer intakes, request snow be removed from sidewalks or ask for traffic lights or stop signs to be installed at an intersection. Some requests require a more lengthy process to complete, such as traffic lights or stop signs, but they are not outside the realm of fulfillment.
For more information about Citizen Work Orders, contact City Hall at 961-9410.
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Sign ordinance enlarged
Business owners can now more prominently display the name of their business. At its Aug. 21 meeting the Indianola City Council approved changing the citys sign ordinance. The change increases the size of building signs from 100 square feet to 150 square feet or 10 to 15 percent of the building frontage.
Increasing the size of pole signs from 100 to 125 square feet was also discussed. However, the decision was tabled at the request of the Strategic Plan Goal 5 Committee. Goal 5 of the Strategic Plan deals with city beautification and appearance.
For more information about building and pole signs, contact Building and Zoning at City Hall at 961-9410.
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North Jefferson Way work is proceeding rapidly
The widening of U.S. Highway 65-69, also known as North Jefferson Way, is proceeding on schedule. According to Chuck Burgin, Indianola Building and Zoning Official, Vanderpool Construction Inc. of Indianola will have the grading and underground work completed by Sept. 1. That lays the foundation for paving to begin.
Nuckolls Concrete Services Inc. of Johnston will then begin fine grading the area with paving of the fifth lane to start after the Labor Day holiday. The company hopes to have all the concrete poured by Sept. 8. There will still be smaller jobs to attend to like business driveways that need to be poured and the sidewalk and bike trail on the east side of the highway to be laid Burgin said, but once the new lane is poured the project will proceed at a faster rate.
Burgin said getting Iowa Avenue opened up again is also a priority. Currently, northbound traffic is not allowed to make left-hand turns between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. This is for safety reasons and to keep traffic flowing. With only one northbound lane open, traffic backs up and becomes a mess during rush hour traffic when a northbound vehicle tries to make a left-hand turn onto Iowa. Once the fifth lane is open, it will ease congestion at that intersection and northbound traffic will again be allowed to make left-hand turns.
Iowa Avenue is also a thoroughfare for semi tractor-trailers and farm trucks bringing grain to Heartland Co-op. With harvest season around the corner, Burgin said its important to get Iowa Avenue opened up for that traffic as well.
The new signal lights at Iowa and Clinton Avenues will come at a later date. Iowa Avenue currently has temporary traffic signals up. Burgin said those will likely remain there until the new poles and cross arms are installed. It generally takes about six months, once an order is placed, for delivery of new traffic poles and cross arms. Thats because each pole and cross arm is made specifically for an intersection. Signalization is scheduled for completion by February 2001.
Once the widening of North Jefferson Way is complete drivers should see a noticeable difference in the ease of getting through town.
Traffic flow will improve, Burgin said.
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Getting to know your City
Keeping track of the community
Being responsible for the safety and well being of a whole community is a huge job. But Indianola Police Chief Steve Bonnett and his force are up to the task.
Bonnett has been the head of the police department since November 1997; hes been on the force for 17 years. Hes the only chief that has been hired from within.
Im pretty proud of that, Bonnett said. It means that after 15 years they had enough confidence in my abilities to lead the department to hire me.
In that time there have been many changes, but the biggest one has been the overall attitude of the police department toward the community. And that is one of Bonnetts main goals as chief.
Policing a community is a tough task that requires being firm and assertive. Bonnett emphasizes that his officers and staff treat people with dignity and respect while still doing their jobs. He feels his officers are better at accomplishing that because they are also an integral part of the community. This is where they work, live and play.
Officers try to interact more with the public both in and out of uniform. There are more outreach and educational programs offered. The department often sponsors community activities like dances and bike rodeos. Officers even have their pictures emblazoned on police force trading cards, which should be available by the end of September.
Theres more to the job than arresting people and writing tickets. Were trying to break down the barriers that were there before. I hope officers feel they have some stake in the community, Bonnett said.
Bonnett oversees a staff of 18 sworn officers, four reserves, one part-time officer and five clerical staff. Of the 18 sworn officers Bonnett has personally hired seven. Although not consciously recruiting this way, all but one of the officers hired have come from towns smaller than Indianola. Bonnett said this has proven to be an asset. According to Bonnett, these officers tend to have a better sense of community and public relations.
Practicing what he preaches to his department, Bonnett himself has an open door policy. He tries to keep regular hours so anyone who wants to can come in off the street, no appointment necessary, and talk to him. To Bonnett, this has definite advantages it not only keeps the lines of communication open, but he also can keep on top of any small problems or concerns before they grow into bigger ones.
As Indianola grows there will be more changes. One of those changes is an increase in crime. But no matter how big the city gets, Bonnett said, My job is to maintain a sense of community. Hes confident his department is up to the task.
When hes not seeing to the safety of the city, Bonnett enjoys being out on the lake with his ski boat. Hes also taking flying lessons and will have his pilots license in a month. He and his wife Mary have two children, Ryan, 19, and Angie, 17.
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Past Press Releases
Click on the relevant date to view past City Press Releases:
August 25, 2000
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Election set to fill 4th Ward seat
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Entrance sign announces town
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Approval given for grants
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Septemberfest set for Sept. 9
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Council sets public hearing for tap fee
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Storage trailers are moving out
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Back to school dance set for Sept. 1
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August 18, 2000
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Statewide Voter Registration Day set for Aug. 26
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Building and Zoning hires new manager
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Storytime to start in September
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Champion reader!
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Getting to know your city
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August 11, 2000
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Council to accept names for 4th Ward replacement
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Indianola man owes life to police and new defibrillator
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Retiring firefighters leave gap in experience
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Getting to know your city
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August 4, 2000
July 28, 2000
July 14, 2000
July 10, 2000
July 3, 2000
June 23, 2000
June 16, 2000
June 12, 2000
June 5, 2000
May 29, 2000
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