COLD AND WET AGAIN TODAY.
WEEKEND SHOULD BE MUCH BETTER.
THE MAQUOKETA SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANS TO WAIT AFTER THE FIRST
OF THE YEAR TO MAKE ADDITIONAL PLANS FOR A GEO-THERMAL HEATING
AND COOLING SYSTEM FOR BRIGGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. SINCE THE PROJECT WILL NEED USE OF LITTLE BEAR PARK, OWNED BY THE CITY, THE BOARD DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TAKE OFFICE JANUARY 1ST.
THERE ARE OPTIONS FOR FINANCING THE PROJECT, BUT THE BOARD DIRECTED SUPT. KIM HUCKSTADT TO CONTINUE SEEKING FINANCING PLANS.
THE MAQUOKETA OPTIMIST CLUB HELD THEIR 2ND ANNUAL FIREMEN'S APPRECIATION BANQUET LAST NIGHT AT THE EAGLES CLUB. MAYOR TOM
MESSERLI PRESENTED SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN
FIRE NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO. HE SAID THE CITY HAD LOTS OF UNBUDGETED
COSTS AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. SOME INCLUDED: $12,745 IN WAGES FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND $5,175 IN WAGES FOR
MMEU UTILITY EMPLOYEES. $449.12 AN HOUR FOR FUEL TO PUT OUT THE
FIRE, FOR A TOTAL OF $8,084. $54,588 IN REPAIRS. THE CITY DID GET $25,745 FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND WAL MART AND ALLIANCE PIPELINE
DONATED $25,000. THE DAILY OUTPUT FROM THE CITY WATER PLANT AVERAGES 725,000 GALLONS A DAY. ON THE SATURDAY OF THE FIRE, FIREMEN USED
1.3 MILLION GALLONS AND 1.4 MILLION ON SUNDAY. THE NEW YMCA
INDOOR POOL HOLDS 129,000 GALLONS AND MESSERLI SAID THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS PUMPING THE EQUIVALENT OF THE POOL WATER EVERY HOUR TO PUT THE FIRE OUT AND CONTAIN IT.
HE SAID HE CHECKED WITH THE DNR AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY A FINE OF $40,000 TO THE DNR HAD THE CITY HAULED AWAY
THE DEBRIS BEFORE GETTING APPROVAL, AS MANY BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. AND...A FINE OF $750,000 WOULD HAVE COME FROM THE EPA.
AND THAT FINE WOULD HAVE BEEN LEVIED AGAINST NOT ONLY THE CITY, BUT THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND CONTRACTORS. SO, HE WAS TOLD THAT THE TOTAL
FINES COULD HAVE EXCEEDED $3.5 MILLION DOLLARS HAD THE CITY HIRED SOMEONE TO HAUL AWAY THE DEBRIS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
PLUS, THE LAWYERS WHO HANDLE CASES WHERE ASBESTOS WAS INVOLVED
WOULD HAVE SWARMED INTO TOWN AND IT IS SAID THE AVERAGE CLAIM FROM ONE OF THE LAWYERS IS A MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE.
THE MAYOR ALSO TOLD THOSE AT THE BANQUET LAST NIGHT THAT A BIG SAFE WHICH FELL TO THE BASEMENT OF THE BREITBACH FLOOR COVERING STORE WAS RETRIEVED BY G.L. STOCKHAM AND SON CONTRACTORS. THE HANDLES AND
DIALS WERE BURNED OFF SO THEY HAD TO BREAK THE SAFE OPEN. INSIDE,
WERE BOOKS, RECORDS AND ELECTRONIC RECORDS. THEY PUT THE DISCS
INTO THE COMPUTER AND THEY WORKED. THERE WERE SOME SMOKE STAINS
ON THE PAPERS ON THE TOP OF THE FIREPROOF SAFE. THE MAYOR SAID THE ENGINEERS (HIRED RECENTLY FOR $50,000) ARE DRAWING UP BID SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE CLEAN-UP. IT IS ESTIMATED THE BIDS WILL BE AWARDED IN EARLY
NOVEMBER AND ONCE A CONTRACTOR GETS THE JOB AND GETS STARTED, IT MAY TAKE THREE WEEKS TO FINISH AND WEATHER WILL NOT BE A FACTOR.
AMANDA MOORE AND KYLE WIDEL OF MAQUOKETA ARE PARENTS OF A BOY
BORN MONDAY MORNING AT THE LOCAL HOSPITAL. MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS
ARE MIKE AND MARY SCHMIDT OF MAQUOKETA AND ERIC MOORE OF DEWITT.
PATERNAL GRANDPARENTS ARE RICHARD AND BETH WIDEL OF MAQUOKETA.
WE ARE ABOUT 24 HOURS AWAY FROM THE BIG FOOTBALL GAME FRIDAY NIGHT
BETWEEN MAQUOKETA AND MARION. GO CARDS.
TAKE IT EASY.
DENNIS VOY
