Oskaloosa’s New City Manager Getting To Work

Oskaloosa City Manager Amal Eltahir

August 21st, 2022

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Many projects underway in Oskaloosa, from the regional airport project to the recreation center and lane diets, among others, were discussed with Oskaloosa’s new city manager.

Amal Eltahir was hired earlier this year, and she was sworn in at the second meeting of the city council in June.

Eltahir had previously been the assistant to the city manager and the capital improvements program manager in Marion, Iowa.

While enrolled in a graduate program in public policy at the University of Iowa, Eltahir first learned of Oskaloosa and the challenges that smaller communities in Iowa were facing.

After the resignation of Michael Schrock as Oskaloosa City Manager, Eltahir was recruited by the firm the Oskaloosa City Council had hired to assist them in hiring a new city manager.

“I did some more research on the community, and I talked [to] a lot of people around here. I fell in love with the community, and I saw that potential,” Eltahir shared.

When it comes to the proposed regional airport, Eltahir says she still sees the proposal “as a great proposal for the community and we’re still evaluating options on how the proposal can be successful.”

Regarding the delayed recreation center, “We’re still working through the timeline. There is a delay as is the case with construction projects, and we’re working on how we can speed up that process. There are impediments in the way,” says Eltahir.

When it comes to converting A Avenue and Market to 3-lane roads, Eltahir says the project is being done with residents’ safety in mind. “Three lanes, according to DOT, are safer.”

When asked about the many projects in front of her and the city of Oskaloosa, Eltahir says she likes to work on the big projects “because I like to solve problems, and I like to strategically figure out a better way to maximize what we do.”

When it comes to working with other area political entities, such as the school district or the county, Eltahir says, “it’s one community. Community doesn’t know boundaries, and I see my role as a facilitator, and I really do see the potential of us all working together.”

Watch the video for our complete conversation about these and other things impacting the city.