Alley Vacate Brings Nearly Hour-Long Debate
Oskaloosa City Hall
Oskaloosa, Iowa – On Monday night, the Oskaloosa City Council presented plaques to several city employees for their years of service to the community.
Those honored were:
- Johnathan Plumb – Police Dept. – 20 Years
- Gary Kutcher – Police Dept. – 25 Years
- Paulette Groet – Library – 25 Years
- William Almond – Wastewater – 25 Years
In the consent agenda was the resolution to declaring intent to issue debt. This stems from the fire station referendum that authorized the City Council to proceed with the issuance of General Obligation Bonds. The referendum vote was held in November as part of the general election. The amount of the bond issuance is not to exceed $3,195,000 for the Fire Station No. 1 project.
Also within the Consent Agenda was a resolution approving a joint use of facilities between the City of Oskaloosa and the Oskaloosa Community School District. This is a 5 year continuation of a resolution in place that says the two entities may use “Active Use Areas”, such as designated fields, playgrounds and parking lots. The purpose is to allow each entity usage of publicly owned properties with each other and for use of the community and its betterment. Under appropriate circumstances, these publicly held lands and facilities should be used most efficiently to maximize use and increase recreational opportunities for the community.
The longest portion of the night belonged to the agenda item that was to consider an ordinance to vacate and sell 120’X 16.5’ of the north-south public alley adjacent to 211 North J Street.
This was the first reading for the proposed sale and included a public hearing over the sale.
A dispute ensued over the proposed sale of the alley and its potential implication to the owners of businesses that are serviced by the alley. Gary Fisher owns Quality Car Wash, located at 1101 A Avenue West and Terryl Wolfswinkel, owner of 211 North J Street. Wolfswinkel owns a chiropractic clinic to the north of the car wash, and also the property directly west of the clinic.
The alley was paved by Wolfswinkel when the chiropractic clinic was built back in 2001.
Of the 3 property owners impacted by the potential vacate, only one, Wolfswinkel, agrees with the sale of the alley. The other two property owners, Gary Fisher, owner of Quality Car Wash, and the other property owner, Fisher Investments, believes the sale of the alley will limit access for their businesses.
The measure passed on a 4-3 vote to vacate the alley.
