Where in Adel is Terry?

DiscoverAdel.com and Terry Traveller will be holding a contest September 10th-16th!

A handsome likeness of our worldly jet-setter will be setup Friday morning, September 10th at an undisclosed, downtown Adel shop.

Find the cutout and take a picture of yourself with Terry.

Then, upload the picture to your Facebook page and send a copy to Terry. Everyone with a picture by 4pm Thursday, September 16th will be entered to win a $25.00 Gift Certificate!

So keep your eyes open, your cameras ready, and don’t forget to join the DiscoverAdel.com Fanpage to Help the World Discover Adel!

DiscoverAdel.com is proudly produced by G.Rafics Inc.

G.Rafics Inc.
609 Court Street
Adel, Iowa 50003
Website: www.GraficsInc.com
Email: Info@GraficsInc.com

It’s a Brick Street Mystery!

While crew were trenching in the utility line for the lights, the contractor came across a large chunk of concrete.

Historians are unsure of the nature of the structure and believe it may have been a fountain or horse trough. The item was so large that the Caterpillar track hoe on site had a very difficult time removing it.

Check out the photos provided by the City of Adel. Do you think you know what it is or how it was used? Contact City Hall with any information you have and you just might win the reward of one antique, original Adel Street Brick!

Please call City Hall with any information at 993-4525.

Chad A. Bird
City Administrator
City of Adel
515-993-4525 • Fax 515-993-4527

Jan Price and the History of Adel, Iowa

Reissued from the DiscoverAdel.com April 2009 Newsletter

DiscoverAdel.com has asked Jan Price of the Adel Historical Society to help showcase this theme by highlighting the historical points of reference throughout the history of Adel.

Jan has been the volunteer manager of the historical museum for the past 4 years. She grew up in Adel, and recently returned to the community with her husband Donald in 1999.

When they retired, after more than 30 years of professional careers in education, they moved to Adel and purchased a home on Locust Street.

Jan and Donald love living in Adel and have become active in various organizations. Jan was gracious enough to help DiscoverAdel readers answer the questions of how this small community came to be.

Q.What is a brief history of Adel?
Dallas County was made available for settlement on April 30, 1843. A year previous the land was purchased from the Sac and Fox Indians and it was stipulated in the contract that all Indians were to be removed within a period of 3 years.

In 1846 Iowa was admitted into the United States. James Polk was President and the Vice President was George Mifflin Dallas. Our county was named after him.

In 1846 our county was organized. The first settler in Adel Township was Samuel Miller who settled in what became known as the Miller Settlement. It was a short distance east of where Adel was later built.

There is a stone monument on the north side of Highway 6 marking the settlement and the Miller cemetery is on the south side of the highway. There the first sheriff of Adel, Jesse K. Miller, is buried. Samuel Miller built his log cabin during the winter of 1847-48 and used it for the 1st schoolhouse in Dallas County.

In 1847 a new town given the name of Penoach, an Indian word meaning “far away” came into existence. The original town plot extended from the Raccoon River to High (11th) Street and from Grove Street south to Greene Street.

This town not only became Dallas County’s first settlement to be classed as a town but it was selected as the county seat by the state legislature that same year. About 2 years afterward in the fall of 1849 the name of Penoach was changed to Adel in honor of “a very pretty child with a prettier mother”.

Q. Who can be considered the “Founding Fathers” of Adel?
Leroy Lambert: During his life in Dallas County, he was one of the leading businessmen.

He was elected to the state legislature in 1853,1858, 1860, 1861, and 1869. In 1868 he entered into banking opening the first bank in Dexter, Iowa with Martin Smith. Later, in 1869 they opened the Dallas County Bank in Adel.

In 1850 he was active in starting up the Christian Church.

Dr. T. J. Caldwell came to Adel in 1853. He was repeatedly elected to Mayor. He was the president of the railroad built from Waukee to Adel and continued its president until after its extension to Jefferson.

He was for many years the president of the Adel State Bank.

S.H. Greene was one of the first settlers in Adel. He was a promoter of Adel’s early railroad. His store was located where the jail now stands. Greene Street was named after him.

He was the father of Arletta Clarke who married Governor George Washington Clarke. They were the grandparents of Nile Kinnick.

J.B. White was a lawyer of unusual ability and also a man of rank in literary circles.

He taught school in Adel in 1873 and was active in business, civic political education, and religious and social matters.

George Washington Clarke moved to Adel in 1877. He served four years as Justice of the Peace and in 1882 formed a law partnership with John B. White.

He was successful in the legal field. He was twice the speaker of the House of Representatives. He was Lieutenant Governor from 1909-1913 and became the 21st Governor of Iowa for 2 terms from 1913 to 1917. After stepping down as Governor, he was Dean of Drake University Law School from 1917-18 and practiced law in Des Moines.

Q. How was Downtown established?
A state road was established across the state of Iowa and passed through Adel. This road from the East crosses the Raccoon River by ferry, and then followed, what is now Main Street on west, to California. It was heavily traveled during the “Gold Rush”.

The third courthouse was located in the same place that the current courthouse is located. It was here that the downtown began to develop. The original town plot extended from the North Raccoon River to High (11th) Street and from Grove Street south to Greene Street.

Q. When did the Dallas County Fair begin?
The Agriculture Society was organized in Adel on December 31, 1855. Archibald Crowe was elected chairman responsible for organizing the very first fair. In 1903, twenty-three acres on the north side of town was purchased for $3,200.00. With the exception of a few years, the fairs were held on this land, which became know as Riverside Park (now Kinnick Feller Park).

Q. How did the Adel Historical Society enter the picture?
The Adel Historical Society was organized September 26, 1972 with 30 charter members. They purchased the building that stands at 1128 Main Street.

This two-story brick building, built in 1857, was used as the second Adel schoolhouse for 12 years and then for many years after that as a residence for different families. For 26 years the Society used this building as its headquarters, improving the structure, collecting antiques and using the building for card parties, potlucks and other activities to raise money to support the museum.

In October of 1998 the Society disbanded, deeding its 129-year-old schoolhouse to the city. The city raised money along with a $7,000.00 grant given by the State Historical Society of Iowa for a new roof and a heating, cooling and ventilation system. Main Street Chamber Offices were located in the building. More renovations were made as contributions came in.

The Chamber offices were later moved to the new city hall (the former Adel Manufacturing Company making bonnets and gloves). The former chamber offices were made into a museum shop where many items relating to Adel are sold.

The upkeep for the museum is now paid for by the City of Adel. The museum contains 8 rooms filled with artifacts from the history of Adel.

The museum is run by a volunteer manager with the support of a Museum Committee consisting of members from three Questers’ organizations: Like Skillet, Raccoon Valley and George Mifflin Dallas. Donations are given regularly by Adel Women’s Club, the Questers’ groups and the Adel Historic Preservation Commission.

Volunteers throughout the community help with opening and manning the museum on Saturdays from May to September. Other times the museum may be toured by reservation by calling 993-1032. The two main events of the Adel Historical Museum are the Holiday Home Tour in December and the Corn Festival in August.

Q. What is the Adel Historic Preservation Commission?
The commission was formed in the mid 1990s by the Adel City Council. In 2002 the commission received a grant from the State Historic Preservation Office of the State Historical Society of Iowa (SHPO) to do an intensive survey and evaluation of the downtown commercial district surrounding the courthouse.

In 2006 the commission received another grant from the SHPO to nominate the Adel Public Square District to the National Register of Historic Places. The nomination was to be completed in June of 2008. As of this date the commission is waiting for word that Adel has received the nomination. The Courthouse and the Wagon Bridge are already on the National Register.

Q. What is Adel’s connection to the Circus?
Ortonville, located between Adel and Waukee on Highway 6 was named after Hiram Orton, who moved to the site in 1866.

But Ortonville wasn’t just any town. It was home to a traveling circus show that started in 1852. Orton purchased nearly 200 acres as the winter headquarters for the circus.

At one time the community of Ortonville included a cafe and grocery store, gasoline station, elevator, post office, stockyard and two telephone companies.

The show animals were over wintered at Ortonville because the fertile soil provided good crops and grain for the animals. The circus traveled by horse drawn wagon from one community to the next, making their way throughout the upper Midwest. According to one source, the Orton Circus was the largest wagon circus in the world.

Animals in the circus included monkeys, horses, elephants, lions, dogs, camels, tigers and leopards. Additional entertainment was provided by a band, trapeze artists, tight wire and slack wire walkers, swinging ladder and rolling globe performers, contortionists and acrobats.

Q. What are some of the historic aspects of town?
J. C. Corbell built the first house in the town in the fall of 1847. It was used as a dwelling house and post office. The first brick building in the town was a one-story structure occupied for many year by G. W. Campbell who operated a tailor shop.

The first two-story building was the school built in 1857. The first hotel in the town was a small story and half house managed by R.R. Bailey. Soon afterward Jacob Frush built the Plank House which was the temporary home of many pioneer travelers and also headquarters for the first station west of Des Moines on the stage coach line.

The first church in Adel was the Christian Church organized in 1847 by Elder John P. Glenn. The Presbyterians started a church in 1856, as did the Methodists about the same year.

The first newspaper in Adel was “The Ship of State” published in 1856. The first bank was established in the early 1850s by J. R. Van Meter. The first electric light plant was built by W. W. Hancock and L. M. Macy. The first flourmill was built in 1856 by J. H. Strong and J. H. Moffatt. The first tile and brick factory was started by Kerns and Hubbard in 1882.

Q. What can you tell us about the Nile Kinnick Museum?
Currently, we do not have a Nile Kinnick Museum. We have an Adel Historic Museum at 1129 Main Street, but we have begun to talk about building on a Nile Kinnick addition to the 1857 schoolhouse.

There is to be an auction April 20th at which time three items will be up for sale: A 1940 American Legion Program signed by Nile Kinnick, Nile Kinnick’s 1939 Iowa University Letterman’s sweater and a 1935 high school football leather helmet probably used by him when he played football in Adel.

We would like to purchase these three items for the future museum addition but presume they will go for a very high sum.

To find out how to help in this effort, or for tour information contact Jan Price at 993-1032.

Adel Historical Museum
1129 Main Street
Adel, Iowa 50003
515-993-1032

August 30th, 2010

Residents,

Seems like we are in the dog daze of not only summer but of the street project as well. The last two weeks since the Festival has seen much activity in the way of brick removal and storm sewer improvements.

Activity for this week will include:

• Storm sewer work at 9th and Court
• Sub-drain installation from Prairie to Court
• Sub-base installation with modified rock will start this week at Prairie and 9th and progress north.
• Cross your fingers but we are hoping the Courthouse lights are back on this week also.

No major surprises in this phase of the project other than the horse trough / fountain thing. For those that did not get to see it, here are photos of the mystery object. Can anyone date or identify the object?

Stay tuned for further updates through the week.

Chad

Chad A. Bird
City Administrator
City of Adel
515-993-4525 • Fax 515-993-4527

Adel Veterinary Clinic offers Acupuncture

Courtesy of Adel Veterinary Clinic

Serving clients is a top priority at Adel Veterinary Clinic!

The clinic is now open until 7pm on Tuesday evenings to offer clients additional evening hours for appointments.

Dr. Elizabeth Holland is also offering acupuncture appointments on Mondays from 2-6pm and Tuesdays from 2-7pm.

Acupuncture is commonly used in pets for arthritis, chronic pain, and injuries as well as for medical conditions such as liver or kidney disease.

For more information please visit the website or call the office at 515-993-4707.

Adel Veterinary Clinic PC
619 Greene St
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: 515-993-4707
www.adelvet.com

Cedar Creek Animal Clinic in Adel

Courtesy of the Cedar Creek Animal Clinic

Cedar Creek Animal Clinic, formerly known as H.T. Holcomb, DVM, is a full service small animal facility that strives to provide the highest quality animal healthcare in the area.

The facility offers personalized care and provides all basic veterinary services such as surgery, medicine radiology, and dentistry.

The clinic has a specialized interest in canine reproductive medicine with services ranging from evaluation to pregnancy detection. A full list of services is available on the website!

The skilled animal healthcare team holds a combined 29 years of experience and is made up of Dr. John Holcomb, Dr. Jennifer Hoffelmeyer, Crystal Sharp, Amy Hall, and Kara Christensen.

At Cedar Creek Animal Clinic, we are here when you need us. We look forward to serving all of your pet’s healthcare needs.

To find out more about this great Adel service, please contact the Cedar Creek Animal Clinic or visit www.cedarcreekanimalclinic.com.

Cedar Creek Animal Clinic
112 S 9th St
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: 515-993-3410
www.cedarcreekanimalclinic.com

Adel Sweet Corn Shucking Gallery

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Seven tons of sweet corn was shucked Friday evening on the 13th, in preparation for the Adel Sweet Corn Festival, which was held the next day.

It rained in the afternoon but cleared up shortly before the schucking started.

KIOA radio was on hand to playing music for the crowds as families and friends gathered.

In less than 3 hours all of the corn was prepped for the festival. Many thanks to all who turned out to help!

The Official Adel Fan Club Gallery

Traveling each year from California, the Official Adel Fan Club has become a much loved part of the Adel Sweet Corn Festival.

Jacqueline McLaughlin, Matthew Livingston, and Mary Wilcox (all from California) were introduced to the festival by Laura O’Brien (also from California) who is married to Jerry O’Brien (from Adel).

Over the years they and the town of Adel have adopted each other as family. This year the ladies even painted their toes to match the corn!

As you’ll see in the gallery, they were as energetic Sunday night as they were Saturday!

Adel looks forward to welcoming them back again next year!

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Terry Visits the Adel Sweet Corn Festival

Over the years I have been part of various festivals around the world. From the Pilgrimage in Rome to a Scandinavian Cheese Rolling Festival in 1984, I always have a great time celebrating with the locals.

In August I participated in the Adel Sweet Corn Festival for the first time in 10 years after being abroad.

I began my morning watching the parade. Kids lined the streets rushing for the goodies thrown from the float. I snagged a few pieces of candy that were good-naturedly tossed at my head from a fast moving dune buggy.

I then joined the crowd as we marched to the destination of the day, the Corn Tent! The lines moved quickly as I chitchatted with festival goers young and old. The kids, impatiently shifting from foot to foot, next to their parents who kept reassuring them it was worth the wait.

I got to the front of the line, and not wanting to be greedy, asked for just 8 ears of corn. I was served by the Adel Fan Club and got an Official Adel Fan Club 2010 bracelet I still wear with pride.

I joined a group of friends on the Courthouse lawn and devoured plate after plate of corny goodness. It was the best corn I’ve ever had, and I’m sure the other 10,000 people would agree!

Once full, I started taking in the sites. I bought my fair share of BBQ and handmade crafts before I stopped by the DiscoverAdel.com booth. Imagine my surprise to find a family posing for pictures with a, dare I say it, dashing cutout of yours truly! *A worthwhile disclaimer, I like to think I’m taller in person.

Before the family moved to the next booth, they registered to win the great prizes we had to offer. Shanna Anglin won the Atherton House Artisan Pitcher, with Mike Whisner and Troy Havener each winning a set of golf passes to the River Valley Golf Course.

As the sun started to retreat, we back to the DiscoverAdel headquarters to relax, just for a moment, before heading out to the Community Dance.

Even after a long day, the crowd was excited to hear some live music and enjoy a beer or two. I sat in my lawn chair and looked around, a smile moving across my face. In all my years of traveling, of finding the new and wonderful, nothing beats Adel!

– Terry

Tour the Adel Public Library- With Photo Gallery

Published: August 2010

A great library instills growth, thinking, and dreaming for all those in the community.

The Adel Public Library is a shining example of historic preservation, modern advancements, and small town charm.

Let’s tour this local gem and see what makes it’s visitors say “Wow!”

When you walk up to the building you will notice the modern design. The large glass wall is unlike any other architecture in Adel. As your view widens you will begin to see the traditional design elements that allow the new building to blend seamlessly into the historic surroundings.

First you will find the community room, available to rent for small gatherings. The library uses this room for exercise classes, scrapbook marathons, quilting groups, and more. Non-profit groups can rent it for free!

You’ll be greeted at the reception desk by a warm and friendly staff member eager to help you find the perfect book. Feel feel to ask for help finding a specific book, section, or the best spot to read.

The first floor is dedicated to Children’s books and Periodicals. The play area is decorated in an underwater theme with toys, puzzles, and places to sit and read. The bookshelves are full of book both old and new alike. They are also short, accommodating even the youngest of readers.

You’ll find magazines and newspapers at the far end of the library, as well as plenty of quiet, comfortable reading spots. The tinted glass wall allows soft light to fill the library. When the weather is nice, consider heading outside to the Garden Sitting area! Another great feature of the new library is that it is handicap accessible with automated front doors and an elevator.

Heading upstairs, you’ll find the books you were looking for. General Fiction is to the right, Non Fiction is across the back. If you’re not a friend of the Dewey Decimal system, don’t worry! Each bookshelf is labeled to show what you’ll find among the racks. To the left you’ll find the Teen Reading section, Biographies, and Paperback books.

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Head to the Mystery, Western, Science Fiction or Inspirational sections to find books of the same genre. Each section is clearly labeled, making your hunt for good literature much easier than at other libraries.

Not sure where your books might be? Stop by the computerized card catalog to your right. There you can search by Title, Author, Subject and more. Write down the call number and feel free to ask the second floor librarian to help you find it!

The Teen Reading area is one of the biggest draws for readers. There is a wide selection of books for young adults of different ages and interests. The floor is covered with fun chairs which granting a quiet, relaxing place to get lost in a book. The walls display volunteer opportunities, suggestions of books to read, and advertise upcoming events designed specifically for Teens.

Something the library is very proud of are the public use computer stations. Anyone is able to access the computers for free, just sign up at the second floor reception desk. Print your homework or resume for 10 cents a page.

The best thing about the Adel Public Library that sets it part from the rest, is the staff. Every person who volunteers or works for the library is friendly and helpful. Whether you need help finding a book, signing up for an activity, or learning how to use the internet, the staff is there for you.

While you are enjoying the library, take a moment to appreciate the artwork. There are paintings, prints, and weavings throughout the library created by patrons and students. Take a close look, you may know the artist!

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Taking a digital tour of the library is nothing in comparison to exploring it firsthand. So head out and experience the Adel Public Library for yourself!

Adel Public Library
310 S 10th St.
Adel, IA 50003
515-993-3512
www.adelpl.org

The Adel Fan Club

(Reprinted from the August 2010 Newsletter)

The Adel Sweet Corn Festival has been drawing huge crowds for over 3 decades. Each year the event grows, gaining recognition for Adel.

Fans of the festival are all ages and come from around the world to enjoy the spirit of the community, small town charm, and never ending hospitality.

One group, the Adel Fan Club, travels each year from California and has become as much apart of the tradition as the corn served.

We got the chance to speak with Jacqueline McLaughlin, Matthew Livingston, and Mary Wilcox about why they love the Sweet Corn Festival!

Q. What was your first Sweet Corn Festival like?

Matthew: My friend and partner in crime, Jackie, invited me to the festival in 2001. Her exact words were ‘No! You don’t want to go on a surfing safari. I know just the thing you need.’ The first thing I remember was pulling into the town square and seeing the Courthouse. It was magnificent. I thought, ‘We are on to something here!’

Mary: In 2003, my friend Laura O’Brien (from California) who married Jerry O’Brien (from Adel) invited me to join them for the Festival. My first view of Adel was driving in on the Saturday of the festival, in my rental car and Laura greeting me on the corner with an ear of sweet corn and a cold beer. Since then I have been back every year.

Jacqueline: My friend, Jerry O’Brien told me about the Sweet Corn Festival. My first trip to Adel was in 1996, and I’ve been coming back ever since.

Q. Why do you keep coming back?

Jacqueline: I truly love and adore my friends that I have made in Adel. Everyone is always so hospitable to us.

Matthew: The friends I’ve made and the chance to make new friends. Jackie and I met Mary in 2003 at the Rendezvous Lounge. It is about the Parade, the John Deere Tractors are my favorites, the sense of community at the corn shucking, and the corn!

Mary: Besides the best sweet corn I have ever tasted and the old school charm of the town of Adel, its about the most dear and wonderful people in my life that I met at that festival. They have made us feel not only like a part of the community, but a part of the family.

Q. Why are you fans of the Festival?

Jacqueline: To say we are fans would be an understatement! We love Adel, the residents, and the Sweet Corn Festival so much we started the Adel Fan Club.

Matthew: It’s about corn! One year we festooned my car with banners and streamers; the girls in fine evening wear and boas, me, driving in a tux & bow tie.We snuck my car down our friends’ driveway, entered the parade, and the Adel Fan Club was born.

Mary: We have been in the parade 3 times (unofficially and officially.) We formed The Adel Fan Club, of which I am the vice president, and now have a standing sweet corn serving shift right after the parade.

Q. What are you looking forward to this year?

Mary: I am looking forward to the Festival, shucking corn Friday evening, enjoying the parade, and of course our shift serving corn. Most importantly I look forward to seeing and spending time with our treasured friends.

Jacqueline: We proudly work the first corn serving shift every year, which is always a highlight of the day! Another thing we always do is help shuck the corn on Friday night in preparation for the big day. This is a fun time to catch up with old friends and meet new ones.

Matthew: When in line for corn, look in the back. I’ll be one of the guys bringing the fresh cooked corn to the girls… more corn!

Make sure to stop by the corn tent and introduce yourself and say hello to the Adel Fan Club August 14th!

Chad Bird – City Update on Brick Construction

Fellow Residents,

The latest on the 2010 Brick Street Project:

One street is done, Court Street was finished on Thursday and the crosswalks on Main and Court at Hwy 169 were completed last evening. The brick laying crew started on Main Street this afternoon and expect to work Saturday and be completed by Tuesday. It takes about three days to complete the laying of one street block.

Beginning on Tuesday the concrete crews will be back in town to finish the concrete work, sidewalks, and bumpouts.

Around the end of next week (August 6th) the brick crews will be back in town to finish the final brick details, the band in the sidewalk and the sidewalk brick in the bumpouts.

It is expected that the work in this phase will all be completed by Monday, August 9th.

Business owners, with today’s major rain down pour this morning it was noticed in one basement that there was a water leak due to the construction (a pipe / tile that did not get sealed off). If you have similar issues, and you think they may be related to the project, please let us know and we can take a look at it.

The contractor will be sealing the cracks along the buildings and the new sidewalk with a weather sealer. We discussed this today so that work should happen in the next couple of days.

In case you were wondering about the brick installation and method; the contractor is drilling 2 ½ inch “weep” holes in the concrete and filling them with pea rock, this will help with the drainage in the pan that holds the brick. Next goes the black geo tech fabric and then the sand. The fabric is designed to keep the sand in place and not let it escape through cracks or weep holes thus causing the brick to settle. Please feel free to walk down and review Court Street, we would be interested in knowing your comments on the finished product.

Trivia revisited:

I only had one entry submitted in the contest to see who could guess the correct number of brick in the entire project. The guess was not even close (sorry Rob!). Any other takers?

Second tidbit, we are on day 51 of the project and only have 91 more days to go.

As always – thank you for your patience and endurance during this project. I know it is tough on everyone involved.

Resources:

This website will allow residents and business owners a forum to ask questions, research schedules through an interactive calendar, and view photos of the project’s progress. www.2010brickstreets.blogspot.com

In addition to the above link, the local online magazine, Discover Adel is providing a daily project update with photos and schedule information. You may visit their link at well. www.discoveradel.com, click on the Hardhat.

Thanks again for your understanding and cooperation – please contact me for questions and comments.

Chad

Chad A. Bird
City Administrator
City of Adel
515-993-4525
Fax 515-993-4527

Dallas County Extension Welcomes Costa Rican Guests

Courtesy of Dallas County ISU Extension Office

The Dallas County ISU Extension office hosted a group of 15 students and 2 professors from the University of Costa Rica (UCR) located in San José, Costa Rica.

The tour was part of an 11-year tradition of student exchanges between ISU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with students from The Faculty of Agriculture at UCR.

Regional Extension Education Director Craig Hertel gave a presentation on the history of the ISU Extension and how it educational programs in counties throughout Iowa.

While in Dallas County the tour visited Turtle Farms, a certified organic Community Supported Agricultural farm near Granger and Penoach Winery of Adel.

Dallas County ISU Extension Office
28059 Fairground Road
Adel, IA 50003
Phone: (515) 993-4281
Fax: (515) 993-1027
xdallas@iastate.edu
www.extension.iastate.edu/dallas

Chad Bird – Brick Street Update (Jul 23, 2010)

Fellow Residents,

Lots of concrete being poured in the last few and next few days.

The sidewalks along the south side of the square (along the store fronts) are scheduled to be poured at 5:30am tomorrow (Saturday).

If you don’t really have anything better to do, it might be fun to come out and watch them work.

The crosswalk area along Hwy 169 and Court Street was poured today along with some curb sections along the North side of Court St.

The brick subcontractor is scheduled to be on site first thing Monday morning – this is when the excitement really begins, the brick go back down.

For all you trivia buffs out there… any guesses as to how many brick will be put back into the new streets? We have the official count from the engineers and if you guess it or can find the correct number you’ll win a free commemorative Adel Street Brick.

Please note that the brick contractor will start on Court Street and then will more than likely jump to Main Street to finish that street before Court is done. All has to do with staging and congestion with so many contractors on site at once.

The City has worked out a special arrangement with the Dallas County Farm Bureau to allow public parking in their lot, south of the office, for the duration of the street project. Their lot will be available for free public parking beginning Monday. Signs will go up on Monday designating the lot as public parking. There will be five spaces in the back of the lot reserved for their employees and signs will be posted to that effect.

Also, regarding sidewalks, please note that the contractor has decided to NOT proceed with the sidewalk removal and installation on any part of Main Street west of 9th until after the Sweetcorn Festival. Due to unpredictable weather, they do not want to risk not having that section done for the Festival. Look for that work to commence right after the Festival.

As always – Thank you for all your patience during this project.

Please note the following:

This website will allow residents and business owners a forum to ask questions, research schedules through an interactive calendar, and view photos of the project’s progress. www.2010brickstreets.blogspot.com

In addition to the above link, the local online magazine, Discover Adel is providing a daily project update with photos and schedule information. You may visit their link as well. www.discoveradel.com/brick-street-updates

Thanks again for your understanding and cooperation – please contact me for questions and comments.

Chad

Chad A. Bird
City Administrator
City of Adel
515-993-4525
Fax 515-993-4527

Welcome to the Community!

July 22, 2010

Crews are working steadily to fill the coal chutes on Main Street. Front door access to those businesses are currently closed. Click here to view alternative access information for the affected businesses.

A reminder that there will be a Public Brick Street Project update meeting this evening at the Adel City Hall. The meeting will begin at 6:00pm. Please bring any questions or concerns you have about the project.

If you are unable to attend the meeting please contact Chad Bird at 515-993-4525 for questions or concerns.

Reminder: Brick Street Meeting Tonight

Set your alarms for 6pm tonight and meet us at City Hall for the public informational meeting regarding the Brick Street project.

This is a great opportunity to sit down with fellow residents, business owners, and city officials to discuss the ever-changing downtown Adel landscape.

Do you have questions about the repairs? How the upcoming Sweetcorn Festival will be effected? Then join us tonight, July 22nd at 6pm!

Chad A. Bird
City Administrator
City of Adel
515-993-4525
cbird@adeliowa.org

Dallas County to Accept Food Service Bids

Courtesy of Dallas County, Iowa

Are you a food service vendor looking to increase your business? Then Dallas County might have the job for you!

The Dallas County Jail will be accepting bids for food service to inmates in the Dallas County Jail located in Adel, Iowa.

Please keep in mind that vendors must be registered with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals and be compliant with health inspections and all laws governing food service in Iowa.Nutritional requirements must be met to qualify for consideration.

To find out more about this opportunity, please send a letter of interest to the Dallas County Jail including your company name, contact person information, address, phone number, and a description of your  business. Once your letter has been received a Request for Proposal will be mailed out.

Dallas County Jail
Attention: Jail Administrator
201 N. Nile Kinnick
Box 187 
Adel, IA 50003

Update From Chad Bird On Brick Street Repair

Chad Bird, Adel’s City Administrator, has published a letter to the community outlining progress of the street repairs and upcoming changes.

You may read the full article by visiting the Brick Street Updates.