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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2022 12-December Newsletter From the City of RIVERDALE, Iowa www.riverdaleia.org | 110 Manor Drive | (563) 355-2511 | deputyclerk@riverdaleia.org | December 2022 3 Winter Festival 2-4p 5 RFD Training 6:30p 6 Wolf Carbon Pipeline Public Meeting 5p, River Center 12 RFD Training 6:30p 13 Council Meeting 7p 19 RFD Training 6:30p 23 City Offices Closed 26 City Offices Closed 27 Council Meeting 7p All events at City Hall unless otherwise noted We can’t wait to see everyone at our Winter Celebration on Saturday, December 3rd from 2-4p at City Hall. Our theme this year is ornaments! Make an ornament for our community tree and make another to take home. We’ll have all the supplies you need including clear bulbs, blank wooden pieces, knick-knacks, glue, faux snow, etc. If you’d like to bring a family photo, 3x3 is the largest size that could be used but a 2x2 would work the best! If crafting isn’t your thing, feel free to bring an ornament from your family to the City to display. We’ll keep all the donated ornaments safe for future use. In addition to crafting, we hope you’ll enjoy some hot cocoa, cookie decorating, conversation with neighbors and friends, and a visit with Santa. See you there! Riverdale Firefighters Honor Former Chief Posted Tuesday, November 22, 2022 8:55 pm Riverdale volunteer firefighters met former chief and veteran Floyd Bruns at the Quad City Airport for an Honor Flight. Bruns retired in 2011, and was a guest on the 55th Quad City Honor Flight. The Riverdale fire department trains every Monday. Learn more on the Riverdale Fire Department Facebook page, or by calling (563) 355-2211. Reprinted with permission from North Scott Press You asked for it; we listened! Riverdale will begin offering online bill pay soon. Pay sewer bills, permits, and room rentals online with a bank account or credit card; view your entire sewer billing history and usage. Look for further information in the January newsletter. Still want to pay by cash or check? You can still mail to or drop off a payment at City Hall. Riley Kramer, BSA Eagle Scout Candidate, Set to Build Trail System in Riverdale Riverdale BSA Eagle Scout candidate, Riley Kramer, is undertaking a monumental project! Riley has proposed building a walking trail on City property that will connect the Woods Estates and Pleasant Hills subdivisions. He’s secured several donations, along with a pledge of support from the City, and hopes to have the trail complete by late spring of 2023. The City supports Riley in this project that brings people together, and we hope you will too! From the City of RIVERDALE, Iowa www.riverdaleia.org | 110 Manor Drive | (563) 355-2511 | deputyclerk@riverdaleia.org | December 2022 Welcome Brian Ballard, Operations Manager, Public Works You’ll see a familiar face around town as former volunteer firefighter Brian Ballard takes the helm of the Public Works department as its new Operations Manager. This is a newly created position that encompasses both the administrative side of public works, as well as hands-on maintenance responsibilities. Brian and his wife of 10 years, Jessica, along with their sons Nathan (20), and Kashton (8) reside in Coyne Center, Illinois, where Brian is an active volunteer fire- fighter. Brian served the Riverdale Volunteer Fire Department for 14 years and rose to the rank of Assistant Chief responsible for all firefighter training. Brian has been assisting in the public works department in Riverdale intermittently for the past 7 years and is looking forward to this full-time opportunity. Brian’s interests include photography, hiking, and spending time with his family. Brian says that he’s looking forward to working with the residents of Riverdale and appreciates your patience while he works through a backlog of administrative and maintenance requests. Welcome (back) to Riverdale, Brian! We’re glad you’re here! City Authorizes HomeServe to Offer Service Line Warranties in Riverdale At its November 22nd meeting, Council authorized HomeServe to offer water, sewer, and in-home plumbing line warranties in the City of Riverdale. This optional warranty service is value-priced for the coverage included. Look for a mailing at your address soon. City Purchases New Street Sweeper Riverdale has purchased a right-sized street sweeper from Victory Sweepers! Watch for cleaner streets coming soon! Victory Sweepers’ Model T600 is a revolutionary sweeper capable of collecting a wide range of debris from almost any surface. From parking lots and construction sites to city streets, the T600 easily picks up litter, bottles, cans, rocks, asphalt, sand, sticks, leaves, grass — and even heavy construction debris. The T600’s lightweight design enables it to be towed by a wide variety of vehicles, from standard cars and trucks to ATV’s and tractors. Its narrow platform is ideal for sweeping bike paths and other areas inaccessible to conventional sweepers. Looking for something to do this holiday season? Check out what’s going on in the Quad Cities: Winter Nights: Winter Lights The Nutcracker Santa Claus: The Musical Polar Express Pajama Party Canadian Pacific Holiday Train @ QC Botanical Center @ Ballet Quad Cities @ Circa’21 @ Putnam Museum @ Freight House Happy Holidays from everyone at City Hall From the City of RIVERDALE, Iowa www.riverdaleia.org | 110 Manor Drive | (563) 355-2511 | deputyclerk@riverdaleia.org | December 2022 Mayor’s State of the City Happy Holidays Riverdale!! Whether you started your celebrations for Diwali in October, are just getting started with Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Solstice, or Christmas in December, New Year in January, or won’t be getting to Ramadan until March, I hope whatever and however you celebrate is wonderful, and your year ahead is full of love, hope, growth, and happiness. I asked staff if I might steal the back of the newsletter this month to reflect on what we’ve accomplished this year, and what’s coming our way in 2023. As when I started on City Council 5 years ago, the first year on the new job had a learning curve to say the least, but I think our City has moved forward in many significantly positive ways this year. Here are some highlights of what we accomplished: January Hired USIC to do utility locates Set plans for landscaping and rehiring staff February Hired new Deputy Clerk, Kelly Krell Ribbon cutting on Fenno Hired PFM to recommend sewer rates Issued mowing contract March Hosted Get Out And Trail (GOAT) stop Met with Canadian Pacific on rail merger Appointed ZBA chair, Fred Joers Installed fence where neighbors encroached upon Riverdale property Contract reviewing storm sewer intake structures Simplified website (most documents online now) Appointed new Mayor Pro Tem, Kevin Adams Finalized Woods Estates/Pleasant Hills emergency access design Awarded two tree planting grants April Welcomed new council member, Beth Halsey Met with neighbors, state officials, & RDA about grants and place making Returned Jeff Struve to P&Z Met with Iowa American on sewer system sale Applied ARPA/SLFRF funding to sewer system Hired new maintenance person Audited city funds Held Easter egg hunt Reviewed SCC development May Updated facility rental policy June Held 3rd Annual Team Analiese Memorial Water Fight Amended fireworks code to add Juneteenth Held annual ice cream social Held garlic mustard pull Celebrated state champion Spartans Updated excavation permit application July Reviewed FY22 budget, started FY24 planning Joined Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Celebrated Emma Hupp’s Eagle Scout project Held lunch and learns and low impact exercise classes August Celebrated Foster’s Voice and 9-8-8 system Lost two employees, realigned staffing New lawncare ordinance Hired consulting team for city administration September Promoted Deputy Clerk to Clerk Switched computer network to multi-factor authentication Emergency access constructed Spent day with new administrative staff & residents/businesses/ schools Set up bow hunting season Reissued contract with Humane Society Celebrated former Assistant Fire Chief Ballard Celebrated monarch way stations and bike repair station on Bellingham Reappointed Athena Smith to ZBA Set sewer rates for coming 7 years October Hired new Deputy Clerk, Sabryna Tripp Appointed new ZBA members – Mike Bawden, Mark Dayton, Amy Skinner Made final payments on sewer system repairs Hosted an international marine debris clean up Ordinances for excavations and sewer pollutants Added first member of our new sewer/utilities board, Ann Lawler From the City of RIVERDALE, Iowa www.riverdaleia.org | 110 Manor Drive | (563) 355-2511 | deputyclerk@riverdaleia.org | December 2022 November Purchased new street sweeper Pledged support for Riley Kramer’s Eagle Scout project Purchased new VOIP telephone system Filed AFR, TIF, and NPDES reports with the state Held goal setting session Hired new Operations Manager, Brian Ballard Updated hazard mitigation plan Approved online bill pay system Authorized new service line protection program December Finalize reporting Celebrate at annual holiday event Close out the year fully staffed, debt free, and on track for a wonderful year to come I write all this to let you know that even in a small city with only 2.5 full time staff, we can do amazing things. Part of that is because of a great staff and council and part of that is because of a consistently engaged and volunteering populace. We have students from PV and SCC that donate time and energy to fold newsletters and host events, residents who are experts in any number of things donating their time and labor, a couple dozen on volunteer boards and commissions, a fire department made entirely of volunteers that routinely saves lives and property and achieved an incredible ISO 3 rating (yes, tell your insurance carrier!), and a pile of people who are always looking out for solutions to issues and ways to help. Our region is made up of nearly 60 communities, and I personally have lived in 3 of them in my 15 years here in the Quad Cities, but there is - hands down - no better place to live than right here in Riverdale, and that’s because of all of you who are so engaged in your community. Every council meeting starts and ends with a public comment session. If you have a question, comment, or idea on how we can make Riverdale even better, please come share it. I don’t care if you’re 3 or 103, you will receive an opportunity to speak before all of the business of council starts, and again after you’ve heard all of what council has to say. If you can’t make it to council, please reach out to staff, council, or myself as we all are dedicated public servants here to assist you. We can’t always say yes, we can’t always get it done tomorrow, but as you can see, we are tirelessly and continuously working for the betterment of our community. Your voice will be heard, it will be considered, and our current team will do everything in their power to help all of us get to the best possible solution. Again, from my family to yours, we wish you the happiest of holidays, and best wishes on a new year full of love, hope, growth, and happiness. Mayor Anthony Heddlesten