Rural residents kill One Mahaska proposal
Individuals gathered at the Mahaska County Courthouse on Tuesday evening to watch returns from the LOST vote on May 3, 2016.
OSKALOOSA- Plans for a proposed early childhood development/recreation center were stopped dead in their tracks Tuesday evening as rural Mahaska County residents overwhelmingly rejected One Mahaska’s proposed division of Local Option Sales Tax monies. Returns began to come into the Mahaska County Courthouse shortly after the polls closed at 9 p.m., and by 9:15 p.m., it was apparent the measure would not pass in the unincorporated sections of the county. Of the 1,806 ballots cast by residents in unincorporated areas of Mahaska County, 1,498 (83%) voted No, while 308 (17%) voted Yes. The decision of the unincorporated area voters dealt a fatal blow to One Mahaska’s proposed childhood development center. While unincorporated residents voted No, the City of Oskaloosa approved the proposed extension of the LOST. The measure passed in all four city wards and the absentee ballots, with 885 residents (61%) voting Yes, and 562 residents (39%) voting No.
Had the measure passed in unincorporated sections of the county, 40% of the monies raised through LOST would have been dedicated to Early Childhood/Recreation Center. Another 40% of the monies would have been used for road repairs, while 20% of the LOST monies would have been used for the proposed Environmental Learning Center at Caldwell Park. The proposal Oskaloosa voters approved called for 75% of LOST monies to go towards the Early Childhood/Recreation Center, while 25% would go towards road improvements. Because the unincorporated voters did not approve LOST, the proposal approved by Oskaloosa voters will now be split 75% for any lawful purpose, and 25% for road improvements.
Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt noted his encouragement that Oskaloosa voters had approved the measure, noting that the community faces problems concerning recreation and childcare opportunities. However, he expressed disappointment in the results of the vote in rural sections of the county.
“Unfortunately, the folks in the unincorporated area didn’t put that last piece in place to make the current plan work. From here on, we don’t have a plan. So we just need to start thinking about well, how can we approach these problems going forward,” Krutzfeldt said.
Krutzfeldt said that no discussions have taken place with the City of Oskaloosa concerning steps moving forward from the vote.
“At this point, we were waiting for the vote to take place before considering anything else,” Krutzfeldt said.
Steve Wanders, President of the Mahaska County Farm Bureau, said One Mahaska did not do an adequate job explaining the proposal to residents.
“asked questions and we’ve asked questions and they keep telling us ‘we’ve answered your questions,’ but they’ve never really answered our questions. We didn’t know what the operating was going to look like, who was going to pay for it, what was going to happen. Until you sell it to the people, the people are probably going to vote No. We want to protect their business, don’t want higher property taxes and
stuff, so I would say the people sent a pretty strong message that One Mahaska did not sell it to the people,” Wanders said.
Wanders said moving forward, the Mahaska County Farm Bureau will promote road improvements as an option for the division of unincorporated LOST monies in a potential revote.
“Farm Bureau policy is roads and infrastructure and property tax relief. We’re a grassroots organization. That’s what we’re built on. That’s what our 150,000 members in Iowa vote on. And that’s our policy. As Farm Bureau President, I’m going to represent farm bureau policy,” Wanders said.
Wanders also said he would like to see the One Mahaska group continue with the project, but do so as a community fundraising effort.
“I said all along, I would like to see them privately fundraise this thing; make it a whole community deal. I would have like to have seen the city councils promote it not [One Mahaska], which is a special interest,” said Wanders.
“I told Mark Willett that I would personally help him private fundraise this deal. I would present it to the Farm Bureau,” Wanders also said.
In other results from Tuesday’s Local Option Sales Tax Vote, residents in Fremont rejected LOST by a one vote margin. 33 residents voted in favor, while 34 voted against. Barnes City approved the renewal of LOST 15 to 4, Beacon approved the renewal 19-14, Eddyville approved the renewal 11-2, Keomah Village approved the renewal 24-5, Leighton approved the renewal 16-9, New Sharon approved the renewal 89-62, Rose Hill approved the renewal 27-1, and University Park approved the renewal 49-20.
Outside of the LOST vote, county residents also cast their ballots for County Attorney. The position was on the ballot because of the resignation in 2015 of previous County Attorney Amy Zenor. Former Judge Jim Blomgren was appointed by the County Supervisor to be the new county attorney, however the county attorney position was to required appear on the next county wide ballot for residents to formally vote to fill the vacancy. Blomgren ran unopposed Tuesday and received 2,833 votes compared to 56 write in votes.
