Loebsack Tours New Environmental Center
Congressman Dave Loebsack (left) gets a tour of the new Environmental Learning Center from Director Dave Sedevic on Monday afternoon.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The official grand opening of the Mahaska County Environmental Learning Center was just two weeks ago, but it caught the attention of Congressman Dave Loebsack.
The new facility replaces Russell Wildlife as the main facility for the department. Russell Wildlife was built back in 1986, and at the time was state of the art.
Loebsack was at the facility on Monday afternoon asking questions and learning how many people came together to make the project possible.
Mahaska County Conservation Director Dave Sedevic said the project was started in 2008. Sedevic arrived in Mahaska County in 2010.
A major funding piece for the center came from the sale of the former county farm. That discussion happened in earnest back in 2015.
The profits from the sale of the former county farm were earmarked for the Environmental Learning Center (ELC), versus being deposited into the general fund of the county.
Additional funds still needed to be raised to make the ELC possible. Sedevic talked about some of the early challenges, such as getting members of the public to donate to a public building.
The rural voters, along with the citizens of University Park said that the ELC was important to them, and used a portion of the local option sales tax to help fund the facility.
Initial estimates for the center came in around three million dollars, but when finished, came in closer to three-and-three-quarter million dollars.
Ultimately, the Mahaska County Supervisors bonded for the building, helping the project clear the hurdles that remained.
Sedevic then talked about the features of the building, including its energy efficient exterior walls, fireproof roof panels, and much more.
Sedevic highlighted all the donations from various civic organizations, and businesses that helped to make the many different displays possible.
Loebsack said he had not seen anything like the Mahaska County ELC in counties of similar size. “Like I said, we were fortunate,” replied Sedevic.
Loebsack then toured the new facility with Sedevic.
Loebsack is in his final term in office and will retire in 2020. “What a fantastic project this is, for this county to be able to do something this significant and this expansive. It’s a real credit to this county and credit to the conservation board.”
“Obviously, it’s a real credit to Dave (Sedevic) for his leadership on this project,” added Loebsack. “Just looking at the things they do around the county, I think it speaks well to the people of Mahaska County.”
Sedevic explained that Loebsack came to visit to understand and see how a county such as Mahaska was able to provide such a facility to its residents.
“It took so many moving parts, so many people, so many organizations; between private citizens, donors, politicians, government agencies. Everybody combined is what it took to make this [ELC] happen.”
“I’m happy a US Congressperson has recognized us for what we’ve accomplished in little Mahaska County,” said Sedevic of the visit.
