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

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.

Rob Burditt Recognized For Governor’s Volunteer Award

27th Annual Governor’s Volunteer Award Presented • Rob Burditt Recognized

Rob Burditt of Adel, Iowa received a Governor’s Volunteer Award during a special recognition ceremony held July 16th in Ankeny.

The Governor’s Volunteer Awards (GVA) program was created in 1982, with inaugural awards presented in 1983. The program has grown from a small program only available to state agencies to its present function of providing all Iowa nonprofit, charitable, and government organizations with an easy and effective way to honor their volunteers with a prestigious state-level recognition award.

Volunteers may be nominated for an award in one of several categories: Individual, Group, Length of Service, or Disaster Volunteer. Nearly 800 volunteers were selected for awards in 2010.

Rob Burditt was honored with an Individual Volunteer Award by the City of Adel.

“The devotion of these volunteers has helped Iowa achieve the second highest state volunteer rate in the country,” said Governor Culver. “Lt. Governor Judge, the First Lady, and I are honored to have this opportunity to personally thank this year’s award recipients for donating their time, dedication, and talent to make a tremendous difference in our state.”

The most recent “Volunteering in America” study, released June 15, details the millions of hours that volunteers in Iowa collectively contribute. The estimated annual economic impact of that service is well over $1 billion. The entire report can be viewed at www.volunteeringinamerica.gov.

The Governor’s Volunteer Award program is coordinated by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and the Governor’s Office. For more information, visit www.volunteeriowa.org or call 515.725.3094.

A complete list of 2010 award recipients are available at www.volunteeriowa.org/awards.

For more information, contact:
Jody Benz, Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, 515.725.3094

July 16th, 2010

It’s been a busy week for the street crews. The center lanes were poured on both Court and Main. The parking has been graveled and the curb and gutter has been poured on Main.

Today the crews are removing the old cement next to the highway in preparation of starting on the sidewalks along Main Street. The sidewalk construction will incorporate bridges so that customers can still visit their favorite downtown businesses.

DiscoverAdel will have daily information on the business affected and their alternate access points during the sidewalk stage.

July 15th, 2010

Crews are side drilling in the cement today in preparation of pouring the parking along the streets.

Raccoon River Valley Trail

It’s a beautiful day in Adel to take a bike ride!

The Raccoon River Valley Trail features miles of natural beauty. Make sure you read the Rules of the Road for Bike Riders beforehand.

Interpretive signs along the scenic trail educate users about historic sites as Ortonville, once home to a traveling circus.

Want to read more about the trail? Read our March 2010 newsletter article! In it, we interview the Raccoon River Valley Trail Association board members Chuck and Carla Offenburger.

Raccoon River Valley Trail Association
402 Main Street – Suite 1
Cooper, IA 50009
515-386-5488

Secretary of Agriculture visits Stine

Courtesy of Stine Seed Company
Stine Seed Company was pleased to welcome Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey to the Adel seed farm on Tuesday, June 29.

Secretary Northey toured soybean test plots, corn test plots, the research lab and the equipment and storage facilities.

Stine Seed Company
22555 Laredo Trail
Adel, IA 50003
800-362-2510

Dallas County Court House – Bell Tower View

We got a chance to go up in the Dallas County Court House and take pictures of the street repairs today. As often happens, we got so many photos of the clock tower that it warranted it’s own page and gallery.

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Become Terry’s friend and Win!

Our reporter Terry Traveller has joined Facebook! Add Terry to your list of  friends and enter to win tickets to events at the Dallas County Fair, July 7-11th.

Don’t forget to join the DiscoverAdel.com Fanpage and Help the World Discover Adel

Historic Ground Breaking Gallery

Courtesy of the City of Adel

There was a ground breaking ceremony to kick-off the 2010 Brick Street Rehabilitation project on Wednesday, June 9th.

The ceremony took place at the intersection of 9th Street and Main Street, on the corner of the Courthouse Square.

Speakers Mayor James Peters and historian Jan Price shared information about the significance of the project and history of the brick streets.

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Chad Bird
City Administrator
Adel, Iowa 50003
515-993-4525
cbird@adeliowa.org

John D. Gomke Charity Supports ADM Schools

Courtesy of the John D. Gomke Charity

The John D. Gomke Charity will be holding it’s first Annual Charity Golf Tournament June 19th at the River Valley Golf Course in Adel.

The charity announced Wednesday that funds raised at the tournament will purchase AED or Defibulators for the two ADM schools that do not have them.

Spots are still available for the two tee off times Saturday, June 19th. Sign up at the John D. Gomke Charity website and enjoy a great day of golf that supports our community and families in need.

If you have questions, please contact Jessica Gomke at events@johnscharity.org.

John D. Gomke Charity
P.O. Box 613
De Soto, IA 50069
Honoring infants who have become angels. Helping to prevent child loss & benefiting organizations that assist in caring for & provide resources to families who have lost a child or infant in & around Central Iowa.

This Just In: Updates on the Brick Street Repairs

The Brick Street Repair Project is underway. Check back daily for updates, street closings, and photos!

June 11th, 2010
Skid loader are being used to bring the bricks up and then the crew cleans and stacks them on pallets. Several pallets of bricks have already been filled. Even with yesterdays rain delay,  a lot of progress has been made in removing the bricks.

Work to take down the street lights is continuing. They are removing the smaller lamp posts along the courthouse side this morning.

Parking Update: Crews are preparing to start saw cuts along the 900 block of Main– parking will be limited on this block during the process.

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June 10th, 2010
The project is underway!  The painstaking process of removing the bricks began this morning on  Main St. and Court St.  between Nile Kinnick Dr. and 9th St. 
Pedestrian traffic is possible through this area, but it is a construction zone so please be careful.

The 900 block of Main Street is open for traffic, but traffic cones have been placed in some of the parking spaces allowing for brief, limited parking on either side of the street.   The City will be changing parking limits to one hour is some locations soon, anticipate more details on parking later today.

Parking update: The traffic cones on the 900 block of Main St have been moved, normal parking is available

June 9th, 2010
There will be a ground breaking ceremony to kick-off the 2010 Brick Street Rehabilitation project Wednesday, June 9th at 5pm.

The ceremony will take place at the intersection of 9th Street and Main Street, on the corner of the Courthouse Square.

DMACC Event Stresses Adel Impact

Tuesday, June 8th at the Penoach Winery introduced the new DMACC Academy to Adel.

The new facility is a welcomed edition to the school districts in the area. Adel and Perry’s current initiatives allows high school students to acquire college credits, which can help cut educational costs for parents and students.

The facility hopes to foster a strong sense of community, helping to improve the future of our students and better educate the workforce.

Bill Clark of Perry started the program by introducing DMACC President Denson, followed by Dean Onken- President of Farner Bocken, Paul Micich- Musician and Artist, Lynn Ubben- Perry School Superintendent and Greg Dufoe –ADM School Superintendent.

Brenna Young of Italian Villages catered appetizers and Chris Nickles of Pocket Full of Nickles played his guitar to the crowd.

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Brick Street Project: Meet the Contractors

Join us Wednesday, June 9th at 6pm to meet the project manager from Manatt’s, Inc. at Adel City Hall.

The meeting will include discussion of the overall approach of the project, scheduling, and phasing.

There will also be a Question and Answer session.

Wednesday afternoon contractor and city representatives will be conducting a walk through of the project area. They hope to stop in and meet each business/ building owner.

Stay tuned for details about a historic ground breaking ceremony to commemorate the project!

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