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Submitted photo An aerial photograph taken after a February snowstorm shows the progress that has been made on Floyd County Medical Center’s $40 million clinic and hospital expansion project.
Floyd County Medical Center’s $40M expansion project only part of a year of growth and achievements
For The Press Floyd County Medical Center enjoyed a year of milestones and growth, from a bustling con- struction project to its fi rst-ever black-tie gala. In June, FCMC broke ground on a $40 million clinic and hos- pital expansion. The project, which is the largest expansion in the coun- ty hospital’s history, includes a three-story addition to house the rural health family practice clinic along with obstetrics and urgent care. Other expanded or new areas include the outpatient specialty clinic, hospital pharmacy, in- creased patient parking, updates to the laboratory department, and improvements to accommodate future oncology infusions. The Medical Center says the space will be “state-of-the-art,” and it is currently on schedule to open in the spring of 2026. As part of the construction project, FCMC also made oth- er improvements to its campus in 2024, including adding three canopies to shield patients, vis- itors and staff during inclement weather – over the emergency department entrance, over the speech pathology and occupa- tional therapy of fi ces, and over the temporary main entrance. FCMC also entered into a land swap that resulted in Charles City closing 13th Street and deeding it to the Medical Center, and FCMC giving the city land it owned near the Medical Cen- ter to be used as part of housing
projects in that area. The Medical Center said 13th Street had always been prone to traf fi c because of its location between the hospital, FCMC Clinic, the new patient/visitor parking lot, and Cedar Crest Apartments. As part of the changes, a side- walk will be built this spring that will run from the corner of 11th Street and South Main to the city’s new property line. This past year was also fi lled with team members and depart- ments being recognized for de- livering exceptional, personal- ized health care, FCMC said. FCMC of fi cially brought the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses to the organization in 2024. Darlene Nierling, RN, and Jen- nifer Erikson, RN, were the fi rst two FCMC nurses to receive the honor, in April and October. FCMC was also granted the Five Star PRC Excellence Award for scoring in the top 10% na- tionally for overall hospital rat- ing based on inpatient survey responses. The midwifery team led by Judi Halbach, ARNP, CNM and Danielle Wadsworth, ARNP, CNM was awarded 2023 Best Practices Triple Aim Achieve- ment by the American College of Nurse-Midwives. FCMC was one of 39 mid- wifery practices to receive the designation, after previously earning this award in both 2020 and 2021. “We are extremely proud of our midwifery team and their
Submitted photo More than 200 people attended the Floyd County Medical Center’s fi rst Black Tie Gala, held in Febru- ary to raise funds for future service expansion or equipment needs.
incredible work in our birth cen- ter,” said Dawnett Willis, chief executive of fi cer at FCMC. “The 2023 Best Practice Tri- ple Aim Achievement clearly demonstrates the professionalism and expertise of our midwives,” she said. “We have full con fi - dence that they will continue to deliver exceptional, personalized health care with compassion to our mothers and babies.” Several departments also re-
ceived upgrades or other devel- opments. In late July, FCMC opened its new location for cardiology ser- vices with patient rooms for the cardiac clinic, the cardiac rehab gym, echocardiograms and of- fi ces. “The new space brings all car- diology services together in one location, which is great for pa- tients, staff and providers,” said Melissa Sudol, MSN, cardiac
services RN. In September, FCMC an- nounced its new orthopedic sur- gery team: Jeffrey Clark, DO, and Brenda Cooper, ARNP. They have served the Cedar Falls area since 2000 and have extensive experience in orthopedics and sports medicine, FCMC said. “Clark is an expert in the di- rect anterior approach for total FCMC , turn to page B2
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CHARLES CITY PRESS | WWW.CHARLESCITYPRESS.COM | FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2025
FCMC Continued from page B1
nomic sink in the sterile pro- cessing department, and a Ce- pheid PCR testing instrument and automated blood bank sys- tem in the laboratory. A new X-ray room was add- ed to the radiology department, and rooms on the medical-sur- gical fl oor now have large elec- tronic, interactive patient com- munication boards. FCMC also increased the number of physicians and ad- vanced practice providers in the last year, it reported. Dr. Janean Wedeking, DO, IBCLC, NABBLM-C, who specializes in family medicine and obstetrics, joined the staff in June. Jessica Throndson, LMHC, joined the rural health clinic as a licensed mental health coun- selor. Jodi Bangasser, AGNP (adult geriatric nurse practi- tioner) started in October with what she said is a passion for serving senior adults. Joelle Zeien, ARNP is the newest provider to FCMC, be- ginning her tenure in February 2025. FCMC employs approxi- mately 275 team members from the local area, the Medical Center said. “Each of these team mem- bers plays a vital role in FC- MC’s mission to deliver ex- ceptional, personalized health care with compassion to every patient, every time,” it said. In 2024: • 125 babies were born in the birth center. • 1,387 patients had a surgi- cal procedure. • The emergency department recorded 4,957 visits. • There were 29,197 visits to the rural health clinic. FCMC staff were also in- volved in community activities. They walked in the July 4th parade, as well as the Home- coming parade in October, and sponsored Party in the Park. FCMC enrolled two team members in the 2024-2025 Leadership Development Pro- gram through the Chamber of Commerce. After receiving
the honor of winning “Best Overall” at SpookWalk, FCMC became one of the sponsors for the Avalon Center’s annual Turkey Trot. FCMC hosted its fi rst-ever black-tie fundraising gala to celebrate its 60th anniversa- ry on Feb. 21. More than 200 community members attended and more than 30 local busi- nesses participated as corpo- rate sponsors, prize donors or vendors. The initial estimate shows the effort raised about $40,000 that FCMC will use for future expansion of services or equip- ment needs, the Medical Center said. “Residents of Charles City and surrounding communi- ties are witnessing and living through an exciting time in FCMC’s history,” the Medical Center said in a news state- ment. “The future of this crit- ical access hospital and rural health clinic is bright and full of anticipation.”
hip replacement, an alternative technique that is gaining pop- ularity because of its shorter recovery time and decreased risk of dislocation, among other bene fi ts,” the Medical Center said. “Dr. Clark is currently the only surgeon in northeast Iowa us- ing the Mako Stryker Robot for the direct anterior approach,” it said. As of late February, Clark has performed nearly 30 surgi- cal procedures at FCMC. “I have been thrilled to start the new orthopedics program at Floyd County Medical Center, advancing care and innovation in orthopedics,” Clark said. FCMC has also expanded its pain management clinic with April Cook, DNAP, CRNA, NSPM-C, offering non-inva- sive treatments for conditions like chronic arthritis, spinal ste- nosis or migraines. The new suboxone clinic to treat opioid addiction also opened in February, operating within the outpatient specialty clinic. The program is a part- nership among FCMC, Floyd County and Mason City Clinic and is funded by Floyd Coun- ty’s opioid lawsuit settlement funds. Rogerio Ramos, MD, a board-certi fi ed psychiatrist spe- cializing in addiction medicine from Mason City Clinic, holds weekly telehealth clinics and leads monthly opioid meetings at FCMC. “FCMC is excited to expand addiction services in Floyd County,” said Jon Perin, chief ambulatory of fi cer at FCMC. “There is a signi fi cant need in our community for comprehen- sive substance abuse therapy. We look forward to partnering with Floyd County and Dr. Ra- mos to provide these vital ser- vices to our patients.” FCMC also acquired new equipment such as emergency room stretchers, a taller ergo-
Submitted photo Floyd County Medical Center staff were involved in several community events during the past year, including sponsoring a booth at the annual SpookWalk and coming away with the “Best Overall” prize.
Submitted photo A canopy over the Emergency Room entrance was one of three canopies added in the past year to help shield patients, visitors and staff from inclement weather.
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CHARLES CITY PRESS | WWW.CHARLESCITYPRESS.COM | FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2025
Parks and Recreation Board advances major projects and long-term planning
City gets disappointing news in EPA grant denial By Bob Steenson bsteenson@charlescitypress.com C harles City of fi cials and others had been pinning high hopes on a potential federal grant that could have had a major impact on the community. The $17.5 million EPA Community Change Grant had been tagged with projects ranging from the renovation of Charles City Whitewater to city park improvements and more sidewalks, to acres of solar cells at the city wastewater treatment plant and solar energy on city buildings. The city learned in February that it had not been selected among the grant recipients. The purpose of the overall $2 billion in federal grant money was to pay for “game changing” projects for communities. Charles City had quali fi ed to apply because almost all of the city and large areas surrounding the city are considered “disadvantaged,” according to the EPA guidelines. Out of about 2,700 applications, 105 communities were selected to receive $1.6 billion in funding. Charles City had partnered with the Charles City Area Development Corp. in applying for the grant to meet the requirement that a local non-pro fi t organization be involved in implementing part of the projects. CCADC’s part would have been implementing the green and healthy homes component, which would provide new electric furnaces and other electric appliances to homes that meet income guidelines, and help with the cost of removing 350 trees from private property and planting another 520 trees. The Community Change Grants Program is administered by the EPA and is part of the federal In fl ation Reduction Act. The grant money was aimed at supporting “community-driven projects that build capacity for communities to tackle environmental and climate justice challenges, strengthen their climate resilience, and advance clean energy.”
By Bob Steenson bsteenson@charlescitypress.com Two big projects that have been on the Charles City Parks and Rec- reation Board’s priorities list – an accessible playground and repairs to the swimming pool – are expected to be fi nished in the coming months, with the park possibly within weeks. Other projects – including poten- tial renovation of the Charles City Whitewater Park – will need more planning after a hoped-for multi-mil- lion dollar federal Environmental Protection Agency grant application was not approved. (See attached sto- ry.) One tool to help the Parks & Rec Board members decide where, when and how to make community parks and recreation improvement deci- sions will also likely become avail- able. The board was expected at its regular monthly meeting held Wednesday, March 19, to approve an agreement with MSA, a communi- ty development consulting fi rm with headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and of fi ces in fi ve states including four of fi ces in Iowa. (This section was produced before that meeting was held.) A certi fi ed planner with MSA remotely attended a Parks & Rec Board meeting last month and made a proposal to help create a “master park plan” – something the board members have been talking about for years. Members of the Charles City Parks and Recreation Board are Chair Jeff Otto, Vice Chair Sarah Barrett, Chris Eldridge, Diane Meyer, Cory Mutch, Scott Nolte and Dana Sullivan. The MSA “scope of services” proposes a fi ve-month process that includes an analysis of existing park facilities and amenities, community pro fi le and demographics, an analy- sis of needs and demands, goals for park and recreation planning, and recommendations for each of the city parks. The fi nal plan book will include maps of existing parks and service areas; goals, objectives and strate- gies; an action plan matrix; potential funding sources; and draft and fi nal comprehensive parks plan. MSA staff would visit Charles City
Dave Ruble photo for the Press A new accessible playground in Sportsmen’s Park in Charles City is expected to be open soon, once a poured rubber ground cover and wood chips are added.
and go to each city-owned park. Included in the $10,000 master plan would be diagrams and maps of potential improvements, as well as suggestions for locations of new parks to better serve the community. The accessible playground and the swimming pool repairs are likely to be fi nished before the master plan is. A work crew last week, March 10- 14, installed the play equipment and did ground work on the new play- ground at Sportsmen’s Park, west of the tennis courts. The price tag on this project is about $264,000. Tyler Mitchell, director of the Charles City Department of Parks and Recreation, said funds are com- ing from about $180,000 in several years of the Park & Rec Board’s an- nual funding through city hotel/motel tax receipts, proceeds from the sales of the Charles City-Opoly game, as well as a $50,000 donation from Steve White in memory of his moth- er, Donna White. The playground will have swings, an in-ground merry-go-round, zip lines, as well as a central play struc- ture. Much of the playground will have an accessible poured rubber surface, and the rest will have wood
chips. Mitchell said recently that the playground is awaiting several days in a row of nice weather for the ground to warm enough to pour the rubber surface and then put in the wood chips around the outer areas. There’s also a little groundwork for the city to do, such as planting grass in some areas, and some side- walk work to complete an accessible path to the playground. The Charles City Rotary Club has also agreed to create a small shelter project next to the playground with shade and seating. The other big project expected to be completed this spring is the ren- ovation of the Lions Field Park out- door swimming pool. Mitchell said the plan is to have the pool ready by its usual sea- son-opening date, around Memorial Day, but like everything involving an outdoor swimming pool, a lot of things are weather-dependent. “So as of right now they have completed most of the work inside the pool shell itself,” Mitchell said on March 14. The crew has to paint the pool and do some touch-up things, but they need temperatures above a certain point for a certain number of
days before they can paint. “So when that gets done, who ex- actly knows, but hopefully soon,” Mitchell said. A crew started the “inside work” last week, consisting of the repairs and replacements in the fi ltration and circulation systems. Realistically, people using the pool this summer won’t notice much changed, other than the fresh paint and one feature that will be added – a climbing wall taking the place of one diving board. In the 33 seasons since the pool opened in 1991 it had begun to show its age, with cracks opening up at the cement slab joints, cracks and chipping cement and tile elsewhere, problems with pumping and water treatment equipment, and also not meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. In early discussions, the Parks & Rec Board had considered a major update that would have substantially renovated the vessel of the pool and added new recreational features, such as a “ninja” climbing structure, an- chored fl oatables and a shallow play structure. PARKS , turn to page B4
EPA , turn to page B7
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CHARLES CITY PRESS | WWW.CHARLESCITYPRESS.COM | FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2025
However, those initial plans came with a price tag of more than $3 million and would have required the public to approve a bond referendum by the state-required 60% ma- jority. Instead, city of fi cials sug- gested using general corporate purpose bonds, which allow the City Council to issue up to $910,000 without requiring a public vote. In February 2024, the City Council approved an engineer- ing agreement with JEO Con- sulting Group of Ankeny for the updates and repairs to the swimming pool, at an estimat- ed cost of $808,000. The project includes pool fl oor and wall expansion joint repair, gutter and handhold re- pairs, leak-proo fi ng the surge tank and plunge pool and ADA compliance improvements. Additionally, the mechanical system will be overhauled, re- placing the recirculation pump and fi lter system. Fixing those problems will realistically give the facility another 25 to 30 years of life, said a JEO engineer on the project. The Parks & Rec Board hopes to add additional fea- tures as funds become avail- able. About $42,000 will like- ly be available because of a change on the fi ltering system, and more might be available if some of the contingency fund- ing built into the cost estimate is not used. If money is available, the Parks & Rec Board can con- sider some of the other new features that had originally been suggested for the pool, PARKS Continued from page B3
Mitchell said. Other than those projects, Mitchell said he is focused now on having another good summer season at the city park facilities, including Wildwood Golf Course. “The big things we want to do is try and keep up on every- thing,” he said. “I know ball fi elds and ball tournaments are starting to happen a lot more throughout the summer. So try and keep up, keep good on those, keep those parks look- ing extremely nice as much as possible. “We had a very good season at Wildwood” last year, he said. “We need to keep work- ing at doing well at Wildwood, being successful there. “Budget-wise, the big thing I was looking for was that all-inclusive playground, which they’re in the process of fi nishing up now,” he said. A lot of discussions about other plans for city park and recreation facilities will likely come about through the devel- opment and implementation of the master park plan the board is starting. Board members have ranked a list of nearly 60 priorities for city parks and recreation after touring the parks last summer. Top projects include renovat- ing existing pickleball courts at Sportsmen’s Park, extending the Charley Western Recre- ational Trail to improve con- nectivity and converting public restrooms to family restrooms. Other ideas, such as building multiple splash pads, renovat- ing or replacing the Wildwood Golf Course clubhouse and making other upgrades at the golf course, and improving the Charles City Whitewater and Riverfront Park, remain on the table, depending on funding.
Charles City Recreational Trail supporters push for updates, additions Press fi le photo The Charley Western Trail Committee celebrated the opening of the trail’s latest expansion at the railroad depot on Saturday, Nov. 2.
By Bob Steenson bsteenson@charlescitypress.com A group of avid bicycle trail enthusi- asts continues to work for improvements on the Charley Western Recreational Trail in Charles City, following up on recent accomplishments and working with the city to spend available funds this year on much-needed trail repairs. Tyler Mitchell, the director of the Charles City Department of Parks and Rec- reation, said about $167,000 will be avail- able this spring to repair the trail where it passes by Charles City High School, Mid- dle School and beyond. Problems include tree roots causing cracks and dips in the trail and problems with drainage. “They’re going to take the top few layers off. They’re going to repave that,” Mitch- ell said. Cory Mutch, a member of the Charles City Parks and Recreation Board, said the funds will be used to take care of one of the most damaged parts of the trail. Bids will likely be sought early this spring with hopes that the project can get underway quickly. If there are funds left, Mutch said, the city can see if it’s enough to address trail issues along the river. “Riverside isn’t heavily bike traf fi cked, but it is a very important part of the of the trail and tons of people walk that,” he said. “It’s seen its better days down there, too, so we de fi nitely want to get that fi xed up so people can see that we’re putting back into the trail system.” Mutch said his vision is that the more the city fi xes and maintains the trail, and
the more the Charles City Trail Committee adds with small projects along the trail like the ones he and fellow committee co-chair Mark Melrose have spearheaded, then the more support they might get when they have bigger projects. Another project will be establishing sig- nage along the Charley Western Trail. The Trail Committee received a $7,000 grant from the Floyd County Community Foundation to be used for signage. Melrose said the signs could provide his- torical context at pivotal points, including where the trail previously branched toward Marble Rock, details about the old and new bridges, and the Sherman Nursery spur. Melrose and Mutch are working with Floyd County Museum Director Mckenna Lloyd and railroad historian Cody Ritter for historical narratives and images that might be incorporated into the signs. Mutch said he would like to see the trail expanded through Sportsmen’s Park and out to Westwood Park in the northern part of the city. Much of that could go through land that the city already owns or has rights of way to, he said. Another dream would be to go into the Maple Heights area in the northwest part of the city, but that would likely be a much bigger project, involving signi fi cant private property. “But I don’t think you can continue to ask for people to help and get money for those things if you don’t put back into the trail itself the way it is right now,” Mutch said. “So trying to keep these things main- tained, I think, that’s our biggest push.” He said the $167,000 in city money –
left over from when the trail bridge over the Cedar River had to be replaced several years ago – will help with sorely needed trail repairs. But he also said people may be surprised how little it can accomplish. “I tell that at the Park and Rec meeting, you don’t get very far anymore,” he said about trail paving projects. “It’s expensive. It’s ridiculous.” Mutch said another project could be a new detailed map of the trail route, but fi nal decisions on that will await deciding on some other projects, such as where the signage from the Community Foundation grant money will be located.. Over the past year, signi fi cant trail proj- ects included volunteers with the Trail Committee establishing the “End of the Line” trail stop where the Charley West- ern Railway ended, featuring a bench in memory of cyclist Ellen Bengtson, donated by Cambrex Charles City. Volunteers from the Bike Around Tuesday group cleared the area extensively, with new rock, railroad ties and fencing installed. Also completed was the trail extension past the relocated Milwaukee Road train depot along 11th Avenue to North Grand Avenue. The American Passenger Train History Museum, which owns the depot, is current- ly in a fundraising campaign to continue renovating the depot. It is eventually intended to serve as a sort of trailhead for the Charley Western Trail, with public parking and restroom facilities in addition to its use as headquarters for the passenger train museum.
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CHARLES CITY PRESS | WWW.CHARLESCITYPRESS.COM | FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2025
From Main Street to City Hall, Charles City continues work on capital improvements Press photo by Travis Fischer Getting around downtown was a little tricky this past year as work took place on the Main Street Rehabilitation Project. Main Steet parking was closed at various times and side streets had limited access while asphalt work was underway, but a much smoother road and realigned north part of the street were the result.
Here today, gone tomorrow; Charles City’s speed cameras get a short run By Travis Fischer tk fi scher@charlescitypress.com Charles City’s short-lived experiment with auto- mated traf fi c cameras was a hot topic in 2024. Intended to slow down vehicles on high traf fi c roads such as South Grand Avenue, Police Chief Hugh Anderson had approached the City Council in 2023 with a plan to place a series of automated cameras at the city’s major entries and exits to de- ter drivers from speeding. The city contracted the services of Altumint Inc. to install and operate the cameras in exchange for a portion of the revenue from the civil infraction fees it would generate. The system would capture speeding drivers on camera and send the images to the Police Depart- ment for review to determine if a civil infraction was warranted. Some City Council members had concerns about the program, but were assuaged by assur- ances that there would be a level of human discre- tion in the system and that the cameras themselves would be set to fl ag truly excessive speeders – those going more than 10 mph over the posted limit. CAMERAS , turn to page B7 Press photo by Travis Fischer Speed limit cameras were a short-lived and unlikely-to-return experiment in Charles City in 2024.
By Travis Fischer tk fi scher@charlescitypress.com It was a busy year of capital improvements for Charles City in 2024, and 2025 continues the same pace. The big ticket item of last year’s construction season was the Main Street rehabilitation, a $2.4 million project to resurface down- town Charles City’s main thor- oughfare. Contracted to Heartland As- phalt, work on the project began in May, kicking off a months-long process of curb and gutter repairs, sidewalk replacements, and as- phalting from Gilbert Street all the way to Lane Street. The project also reworked the north end of Main Street into a new curve going into North Grand Avenue. While downtown business owners said they appreciated the results and praised the contractors for their efforts to minimize dis- ruption to the greatest extent pos- sible, they also noted a frustrating decline in foot traf fi c as people dealt with changing lane closings and blocked side streets. Summer events like the Independence Day parade had to fi gure out routes that avoided the blocked off portions of the road and sidewalks. Roughly six months passed before the substantial work was completed, but by late October
the paving was done, new lines were painted, and the street was reopened. “I think it turned out really well,” said Mayor Dean Andrews. “It was a little disruption for the people on Main Street, but I think our crew and the engineers, Veen- stra and Kimm, did a really good job of informing people of that process.” Beyond the Main Street project, the city also contracted Heartland Construction to build an extension to 13th Street that would connect it west to Corporate Drive, which would facilitate planned residen- tial developments in the South- west Development Park. The 13th Street extension coin- cided with a land swap between the city and Floyd County Med- ical Center, which traded several acres of land suitable for housing development in exchange for the eastern part of 13th Street. The 13th Street extension proj- ect was closed out in February of 2025, coming in at an unexpect- edly low cost of $310,779.70, roughly 6.2% under the original bid. Vehicle streets weren’t the only roads that got extended last year either. The city also worked on plans for an extension to the Char- ley Western Trail with a proposal that would convert a portion of 11th Avenue into the bike trail. The portion of 11th Avenue in
question was never actually a real street, but an accidentally illegal encroachment on the adjacent rail- road right-of-way that had been there for longer than living memo- ry. An agreement was made with the railroad to remove the street and use the space for the trail ex- tension. Outside of Main Street, the city also made plans for current- ly ongoing improvements and repairs to Lion’s Field Pool. The $643,000 project doesn’t add new features or amenities, but does address needed repairs to the pool and its mechanical system. As the Main Street project came to an end, the city was already well underway in preparing for its next big project, a major renova- tion for the City Hall and Police Department. With a pressing deadline to use federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, the city spent the better part of 2024 moving toward the project, going over plans, securing bids, and arranging for temporary of fi ces as the renova- tions are anticipated to go through 2025 and well into 2026. Interior demolition of the build- ing is already underway and the next 16 months will see the build- ing transformed inside and out into a larger and more modern looking structure with up-to-date features for accessibility and se- curity.
“I think that’s going to be a real plus,” said Andrews. “Not just be- ing more accessible and safer, but being up to date and current with the times.” The City Hall renovation will likely be the biggest project for the city this year, however another major infrastructure project will also demand attention sooner rath- er than later. Showing signs of degradation in the wake of last year’s summer fl ooding, the Main Street Bridge has jumped up several spots on the city’s list of priorities. The 115-year-old bridge was temporarily closed during the fl oods and re-opened with a 28- ton weight limit. Since then the city has been weighing options for either repair or replacement, either of which will be a major endeavor. Right now, the City Council is waiting for a report to determine the exact state of the bridge so members can begin making a plan for both what needs to be done with the bridge and how to handle the inevitable disruption to traf fi c. “The main thing that the City Council wants to do is fi nd out what the status of that bridge is,” said Mayor Andrews. “If and when it has to be closed, we want to have a plan for what to do when that day comes.”
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CHARLES CITY PRESS | WWW.CHARLESCITYPRESS.COM | FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 2025
Arts Center looks at new programming opportunities ahead of eventful year
By Travis Fischer tk fi scher@charlescitypress.com It’s been a busy year for the Charles City Arts Center. Thanks to grants from the Floyd County Community Foundation and the city’s Cul- ture & Entertainment fund, the featured exhibits in the Arts Center can be appreciated in a new light as the building’s dis- play areas have been fi tted with new overhead illumination. “That was a huge improve- ment,” said Arts Center Director Emily Kiewel. Kiewel says that they are now directing their attention toward the basement area of the build- ing to facilitate new programs. The pottery room, in particular, is being reorganized and work is being done on the kiln. “We’d really like to redo that whole basement room,” said Kiewel. Additional staf fi ng thanks to a grant has allowed the Arts
Center to expand its offerings, allowing more open hours for people looking for a place to make their art and dedicat- ed programming for kids and adults. Another big change for the Arts Center this year came in the form of a new format for the annual Member Apprecia- tion Dinner. While traditionally Arts Center members have gone out for dinner, this January the patrons were wined and dined at the Arts Center itself with a ca- tered meal and live music. “We’ve been trying to fi gure out how to do that for a couple of years now,” said Kiewel. The appreciation dinner is far from the only event on the Arts Center’s calendar this year. In the immediate future, the Arts Center will be hosting the Iowa Arts Council’s Regional Arts Forum on Tuesday, March 25. One of seven regional events across the state, the morning
forum will invite local artists, leaders, and community mem- bers to discuss opportunities for enhancing arts and culture in the state, with recommendations for funding allocations being passed on to the Arts Council, Iowa Economic Development Authority, and General Assem- bly. Later, the Arts Center will be holding its one-and-only Glob- al Café of the year at the Elks Lodge. Further on in the summer, the Arts Council will be working on getting a couple new murals painted in the community. Late summer will also feature the 52nd annual Art-a-Fest on Aug. 16. Planning for the event has just begun, but registration is open for up to 50 vendors to show- case their work. Then, in October, the Arts Council will hold its regular Monster Bash costume party. “It’s like the best party in
Press photo by Travis Fischer New display lighting was installed at the Charles City Arts Center in the fall, bringing in needed extra illumination for exhibits.
town,” said Kiewel. In between, the Arts Cen- ter will continue to display the work of featured artists through- out the year. Coming up in April, area students will have their work displayed through the month for the High School Art Show.
In May, the normal month- long display will be extended to six week shows, allowing for more time for each artist to be featured, starting with Riva Nayaju on May 2, followed by Julie Hughes on July 4, and Danelle Clark on Sept. 5. November will be a particu-
larly special feature as the Arts Center is again teaming up with the Waterloo Center for the Arts to have a collection brought over. “I’m really excited to see what we’re going to get,” said Kiewel.
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Nonprofits play big part in strengthening Floyd County communities
For The Press Nonpro fi t organizations are essential to the fabric of Floyd County, providing services that improve residents’ lives and contribute to a thriving commu- nity. The Floyd County Communi- ty Foundation (FCCF) partners with these organizations to en- hance their ability to serve and ensure long-term sustainability. FCCF, an af fi liate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA), has supported Floyd County non- pro fi ts since 2005. Over the years, it has awarded more than $2.8 million in grants, includ- ing more than $260,000 in 2024 alone. These funds help organi- zations sustain and expand programs in arts and culture, education, health services, envi- ronmental initiatives and com- munity betterment. Nonpro fi ts in Floyd County play a critical role in address- ing community needs, offering programs for youth, supporting economic development and im- proving quality of life. Projects that had been considered for the Charles City grant application included: • The CCADC programs and administration – $1.768 million. • Whitewater course repairs and renovations – $5 million. • Four acres of solar power cells at the city wastewater treatment facility – $3.5 million. • A bouldering wall at Whitewater Park with native plantings – $700,000. • High-ef fi ciency HVAC at Public Library – $697,200. • High-ef fi ciency HVAC EPA Continued from page B3 “The reason the council went for this was that they were look- ing for more traf fi c safety,” said Mayor Dean Andrews, noting that many of the areas covered by the cameras were near cross- ings for bicycle trails. While approved in 2023, the cameras were not brought on- line until mid-March 2024 due to delays in getting DOT ap- proval and electricity in place. When the cameras began operating they immediately be- came a hot topic in Charles City as the community debated their merits in conversations, online media postings, Press Opinions page letters and columns, and CAMERAS Continued from page B5
FCCF’s mission is to facili- tate connections between donors and the causes they care about, ensuring that resources remain in the community and have a lasting impact, the foundation said. For example, one of the most pressing issues in Floyd County has been the shortage of af- fordable child care. Families in many Iowa communities face challenges fi nding quality care, affecting household stability and workforce retention. Since 2001, TLC: The Learn- ing Center in Charles City has provided child care and educa- tional services for children rang- ing from six weeks old to school age. As demand grew, TLC took steps to expand its facilities and partnered with the Charles City School District to relocate to the former middle school building. The move signi fi cantly in- creased the number of child care openings available to families. The Floyd County Communi- ty Foundation collaborated with TLC to discuss long-term fund- raising strategies and it provid- system for City Hall – $650,000. • ADA accessible intersections at 10 locations – $600,000. • Pedestrian Mall renovations between City Hall and the public library – $500,000. • Solar energy at City Hall – $500,000. • Solar energy at the Public Library – $500,000. • Sidewalk from new housing developments to South Grand and to Charley Western Trail – $430,000. • Exterior restroom at City anywhere else they could let their opinions be heard. Regardless of the controver- sy, Chief Anderson reported that the cameras were performing their function of bringing down speeds in the high traf fi c areas where they were placed. However, the local debate was ultimately made moot when a new state law established reg- ulations and restrictions on the use of automated traf fi c camer- as, including requiring a permit from the Iowa Department of Transportation. After just a few months in action, the Charles City cameras stopped ticketing speeding driv- ers on July 1. The delayed installation until 2024 of Charles City’s cameras kept them from being eligible Hall for use by Riverside Park visitors – $400,000. • Parking lot and sidewalk updates at Sportsmen’s Park – $396,000. • Lighting along portion of Charley Western Trail –
ed grant funding to support the expansion. To ensure sustainability, TLC established an endowment fund with FCCF, creating a stable fi nancial foundation for future operations. The expanded center is now serving more families and strengthening the local work- force by enabling parents to remain in or return to the job market, FCCF said. One of the goals of FCCF is to help retain generational wealth in Iowa, to be able to serve more programs like TLC. A study commissioned by the Iowa Council of Foundations projects that more than $30.4 billion in Iowa wealth will transfer between generations over the next decade. Without strategic local giving, much of this money could leave Iowa communities if heirs live out of state. To address this challenge, the “5 for the Future” initiative encourages Iowans to desig- nate 5% of their assets for local philanthropy. Research conducted by the $300,000. • Burn box at brush disposal site – $300,000. • EV charging station at library – $200,000. • Extending trail to Sportsmen’s Park – $118,800. The grant application could have also included about $2 million in administration, management, and other costs. Persons involved in putting the grant application together were Charles City Administer Steve Diers, CCADC CEO Tim Fox, Mayor Dean Andrews, City Council member Phoebe Pittman, Tourism & Marketing Coordinator Ginger Williams, and professional grant writer Nicole Turpin with Impact 7G. for the grace period that would have allowed them to remain in use until a permit could be received. As such, the city will be ineligible to even apply for a permit until 2026. Even if the city becomes el- igible, Mayor Andrews said he doubts that there will be a lot of interest in trying to reinstate the cameras, particularly consider- ing how even more state laws may regulate or restrict the use of the cameras and the funds they generate. “I don’t know what the future holds as far as what the rules will be going forward,” said An- drews. “I don’t think we have any immediate plans of looking at that again.”
University of Minnesota Ex- tension suggests that if just 5% of the projected wealth transfer were directed into communi- ty endowments, it could create more than $1.5 billion in fund- ing. Over two decades, this could generate $1.8 billion in grants to support local projects such as workforce housing, cultural pro- grams and public infrastructure improvements. Terry Gaumer, a CFNEIA charitable advisor, emphasized the potential impact of local giving. “People who are passionate about their community can be part of the solution. If each of us chose to invest 5% of our assets in community causes, imagine how our communities could fl ourish,” Gaumer said.
FCCF awarded $152,668.51 in its 2024 grant cycle, funding 31 nonpro fi t and government projects across Floyd County. The grants support a variety of community initiatives, from his- torical preservation to emergen- cy response improvements. FCCF provides several ave- nues for charitable giving, al- lowing donors to invest in their community while bene fi ting from tax incentives. Gifts to permanent endow- ment funds qualify for a 25% state tax credit through the En- dow Iowa program. Additional giving options in-
clude IRA Quali fi ed Charitable Distributions, stock donations and donor-advised funds. The Floyd County Impact Now Fund, a fl exible funding resource that addresses urgent community needs, is another way for donors to make an im- mediate difference. Contribu- tions to this fund help support the next round of FCCF discre- tionary grant awards. More information about FCCF and ways to contribute can be found at fl oydccf.org. Applications for the 2025 grant cycle open on Sept. 1 and close on Oct. 15.
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progress COMMUNITY PART 1: C
Dave Ruble photo for the Press Finishing touches are being made to the nine-unit executive-style Sherman Creek Townhomes on the west side of Charles City. Multiple projects answer Charles City’s call for more housing, more variety
By Dave Ruble Special to the Press
force Housing Tax Credits. It also means Charles City also quali fi es for an additional $1 million in affordable housing credits for a second project down the line. Andrews said the program “will give de- velopers in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids incentive to do projects in other parts of the state.” Projects that have been in the works are also targeting various income levels, An- drews said, including professional, work- force and affordable housing. SHERMAN CREEK For the professional, fi nishing touches are being put on the Sherman Creek Town- homes project on the west side of town. The nine-unit executive-style townhouse development was developed by the Paul Rottinghaus family’s Carlinda Limited Partnership. “We’re doing this for the good of the community, said David Rottinghaus, who is part of the Carlinda partnership along with his father, Paul Rottinghaus, and sis- ters, Carolyn Debo and Lindsay Larson. While fences and fi nal landscaping will depend on the weather this spring, one unit is furnished for showing and appliances are being installed, according to Paul Rot- tinghaus. The units are roughly 2,600 square feet with four bedrooms and 3½ baths on three levels and offer high end amenities including double garages for young pro- fessionals moving into Charles City. “We’re hoping to attract not only pro- fessionals, but families, to have enough space for their children,” David Rotting- haus said, adding that Carlinda used local contractors in the construction. “We hope this project will trigger more entrepreneurial drive in the local com- munity to make their own investment in
The need for more housing in Charles City at all income levels has been well documented by the city and others. And while the city has bene fi ted from expansions at Cambrex, Zoetis and other businesses, the question of where those employees will live and whether that will be in the community has been an on-going concern. Charles City’s population has dropped about 3,000 from its record high of 10,309 in 1950, but family sizes are smaller, and the existing stock of homes was not meet- ing the need, according to City Adminis- trator Steve Diers. “We asked city employers why their workers were living elsewhere, and they said they couldn’t fi nd the housing they were looking for,” he said. “The need is everywhere, every city,” said Charles City Mayor Dean Andrews, co-chair of the city’s housing committee. “We have had some success.” While several projects have been in the works, the designation of Charles City as an Iowa Thriving Community has given a boost to the city’s efforts. The grant program by the Iowa Finance Authority and Iowa Economic Develop- ment Authority is designed to encourage housing development. In the fall of 2023, Charles City was announced as among the fi rst 11 Iowa cities to earn the designation. While the application for the designa- tion was a joint effort between the city of Charles City and Charles City Area Devel- opment Corp., many area groups and busi- nesses, from NIACC to NIACOG, con- tributed to the application process through sharing resources, technical help or letters of support. The CCADC has already committed to give $572,400 in land toward an apartment complex project and the city has commit- ted to $375,000 in infrastructure expenses, but the “thriving communities” designation will sweeten the deal further by qualifying the project for up to $1 million in Work-
Dave Ruble photo for the Press Custom cabinets and a large island are featured in the Sherman Creek Townhomes.
Charles City,” he said. BLOOMFIELD ACRES
housing development project for more than a year, and the pieces are falling into place. The city acquired property for the proj- ect in a trade deal with the Floyd County
Medical Center that vacated part of 13th Street by the Medical Center and gave that property to the FCMC. HOUSING , turn to page C2
The city has been working with Kading Properties/Bloom fi eld Acres on a major
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Tuesday, March 25, 2025 SPORTS & EDUCATION
TODAY COMMUNITY
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