IT HAS BEEN COOL AND CLOUDY TODAY IN MAQUOKETA, QUITE A CHANGE FROM YESTERDAY. VERY LITTLE RAIN TODAY, BUT CLOUDY AND A LITTLE BREEZY.
HIGH ONLY IN THE 60'S.

THE STATE OF IOWA FIREMEN'S CONVENTION IS UNDERWAY IN MAQUOKETA.
OFF TO A BIG START. DOUG GONNER, MAQUOKETA FIREMAN, TOOK ME ON
A GOLF CART TOUR OF THE GROUNDS THIS AFTERNOON. HE ESTIMATES ABOUT 3/4 OF THE FIREMEN ARE HERE ALREADY AND THE REST WILL ARRIVE TOMORROW
AND FRIDAY. AROUND 2,500 ARE EXPECTED FOR THE 130TH ANNUAL EVENT.
MOST WITH THEIR OWN RV'S, BUT SOME IN TENTS AND EVERY HOTEL AND MOTEL ROOM IN MAQUOKETA IS FILLED. THE EAGLES AUXILIARY IS SERVING BREAKFAST
AT THEIR CLUB AND THEY HAD 80 FOR BREAKFAST ALREADY THIS MORNING.'
THEY EXPECT A COUPLE HUNDRED TOMORROW MORNING. MAQUOKETA RESTAURANTS ARE STOCKED WITH FOOD AND WELCOME SIGNS AND OUTDOOR MENU BOARDS. ONE FIRE DEPARTMENT BROUGHT A COUPLE MOBILE
GRILLS AND ARE FIXING PORK TONIGHT RIGHT NEAR PEARSON HALL.'
SATURDAY NIGHT IS STEAK NIGHT AND KALMES CATERING OF ST. DONATUS WILL DO UP ALL THE STEAKS THAT NIGHT. KMAQ WILL BE ON THE AIR "LIVE" FROM IN FRONT OF BOYER HALL, STARTING AT 6:05 TONIGHT. I'LL BE TALKING TO VISITING FIREMEN AND LOCAL FIGHTERS TOO. ITS A FESTIVE TIME IN
MAQUOKETA. AFTER READING TODAY'S NEWS ON THIS REPORT, BE SURE TO GO ON DOWN AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE PHOTOS I TOOK. REMEMBER, YOU CAN ENLARGE EACH PHOTO JUST BY CLICKING ON IT.

I WATCHED THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT. THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION ON THE DOWNTOWN FIRE MESS. WAS GLAD TO SEE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON THAT THE TEMPORARY FENCE WAS PUT BACK IN PLACE.
FOR SEVERAL DAYS, A SEGMENT CAME DOWN AND NO ONE FIXED IT.
LAST NIGHT, THERE WAS THE SUGGESTION THAT A PLYWOOD FENCE BE PUT UP ALONG MAIN STREET TO HIDE THE MESS A LITTLE, AND THAT KIDS BE INVITED TO PAINT SCENES ON IT. COME ON! WELL.... THE COUNCIL VOTED TO DO THAT. THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS THE MESS TO BE CLEANED UP, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO SPEND ANY CITY MONEY. THE OWNERS DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE TO DO THE CLEAN-UP. ONE BUSINESS OWNER THAT LOST A BUILDING IN THE FIRE SAID THEY WOULD GIVE THEIR LAND, AT NO COST, TO THE CITY. THE COUNCIL WANTS SOMEONE TO CHECK ON STATE AND FEDERAL FREE MONEY, BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT'S SIMPLY WISHFUL THINKING.
I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT IF I WERE CITY MANAGER, I WOULD DO NOTHING ELSE UNTIL I GOT THIS PROBLEM SOLVED. MAYBE THE CITY COULD AGREE TO MATCH EVERY DOLLAR DONATED BY INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESS PLACES, CLUBS.....
ALL COULD SIGN A 3-YEAR PLEDGE WITH THE FIRST YEAR DUE IN 90-DAYS,
THEN THE REST IN 2009 AND 2010. $250,000 IN PLEDGES AND $250,000 FROM A CITY G-O BOND. AFTER THE MESS IS CLEANED UP, THE CITY WILL HAVE A CHOICE PIECE OF REAL ESTAGE TO SELL AND RE-COUP SOME (MAYBE ALL) OF THE MONEY PLEDGED. IF THE BIG RETAILER THAT HAS BEEN INTERESTED IN THE ENTIRE AREA DECIDES TO BUY, THE PLEDGES WON'T BE NECESSARY. THAT RETAILER IS STILL SLIGHTLY INTERESTED! IF A DRIVE IS STARTED, I'M READY TO MAKE A PLEDGE
AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MANY OTHER PLEDGES MADE TO GET THIS HUGE DOWNTOWN PROBLEM SOLVED.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE AN IDEA? EMAIL ME IF YOU DO AND I'LL PASS IT ON.

ALL THE TIME I HAVE FOR THIS DAILY REPORT TODAY. PLEASE TAKE TIME TO LOOK AT THE PHOTOS BELOW.

FIREMEN, WELCOME TO MAQUOKETA!!!

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN EVERYBODY.

DENNIS VOY