Ambassadors visited Poweshiek Animal League Shelter today to check out the cat room remodel and learn more about the shelter. PALS was started in 2004 to help address stray animals in our community and has continued to operate as an independent nonprofit since.
PALS remodeled the cat room last summer with the help of community partners. They were able to install new kennels for the cats which have provided more room and less sickness spreading between the animals. They currently have 45 cats awaiting homes.
Their next goal is to remodel the dog room. Currently, they have 9 dogs looking for homes. From puppies to age 9 if you’re looking for a new dog friend they’ve got options. You can find a list of all their adoptable animals on their website at palspets.net.
PALS is one of the only area options to help animals in need. They don’t receive any city or county funding and rely on private donations or grants to sustain the shelter. Each year they adopt out a few hundred animals and help reconnect lost pets to their owners. They hold an annual barn cat spay/neuter clinic for area residents and hope to have resources in the future to help address the stray cats in the community.
If you’d like to support the shelter, you can make a financial donation online or by contacting the board. Roman Holiday IV featuring Southbound concert at the Eagles this Saturday is raising funds to benefit the shelter. PALS is also always in need of kitten/puppy food, soap, paper towels and littler. You can find their brand preferences on their website if you’d like to add something to your shopping list.
Pictured L-R: Rick Jacoby - Grinnell American Legion, Monica St. Angelo - Grinnell Area Arts Council, Rachael Kinnick - Grinnell Chamber, Jennifer McAlexander - JM Consulting & Hawkeye Lock & Security, Dedee Lehman - All In Real Estate Inc., Hannah Greene - Bayer Crop Science, Fran Conn, Trent Arment - MCG - Mahaska Communication Group, Chris Grundler - Poweshiek Animal League Shelter - PALS Treasurer, Shannon Foreman - Poweshiek Animal League Shelter - PALS Operations Manager, Sean Milbrandt - Hy-Vee, Phil Grout - Hy-Vee, Kody Bigelow - Walmart Grinnell
Ambassadors had the opportunity to hear from Grinnell-Newburg Community School Superintendent Lisa Beames about the upcoming PPEL (Physical Plant & Equipment Levy) Vote on Tuesday, March 4th. Lisa shared more about how the school board came to the decision to proceed with a March vote, how the funds and land donation will be used and why this vote is different from previous school votes.
There are 3 primary factors that played into the decision to go to vote this March.
1. Over the last 50 years, the district has had nearly 1,000 less students enrolled; this is not unique to many rural Iowa schools but does play a huge impact in budgets. This has led to a decrease of state per-pupil funding of nearly $11 million over the same time period. Our district is still operating with the same building configuration it was 50 years ago, but with significantly less students and therefore less money coming into the general fund.
2. All of the district buildings are aging. Just like homes and commercial spaces, things in schools wear out or need updated to fit within the current needs. With the closure of Davis Elementary at the end of this school year, a plan needs to be put into motion for lower elementary consolidation in a new building.
3. A lot has changed over the last 50 years in how schools operate, both from a social perspective but also from legal requirements set by the state and federal government. For example, our district's newest building was built in the 1970s during the energy crisis which led to much different physical conditions (lighting, layout, etc) in classrooms than is now considered ideal. Additional changes to student support needs, programming and teacher requirements have created challenges in best utilizing the current facilities.
The School District has done their due diligence to ensure the land donation from the @ahrensfamilyfoundation would fit their needs to build a new elementary school. They've determined, in consultation with city representatives, Alliant Energy and CMBA Architects & Engineers, that there is sufficient infrastructure to support the new building, and allow for the possibility of future growth. The District along with community partners, including those who may be impacted (e.g. Ahrens, City, and Early Learning Center), will work together to determine the future of the current spaces if the vote passes. Pending a successful levy vote, the District is committed to working in the best interest of its partners and community offerings to explore potential options for these amenities.
The District also determined that the increase in PPEL funding would generate $32 million which would be sufficient to build a K-4th grade building, and potentially K-5th (pending bids). Their strategy is to build to what they can feasibly generate through the increased PPEL and not above which differs from previous approaches where projects determined the budget and overall tax impact.
The Board has chosen to utilize PPEL funds, paired with additional dollars the district can utilize and leverage, because the commitment from the taxpayers is lower. Typically, GO (General Obligation) Bonds would increase taxes by $2.70/$1,000 assessed value and would last for 22+ years. PPEL maximum tax amount is $1.34/$1,000 and has a 10 year commitment. Districts can only go to vote on a GO Bond in November while PPEL can be taken to vote in March, September and November. The School Board decided a March vote gives the district the best path to create a plan and begin construction sooner, which would allow for a new school to come on line at the beginning of a school year, minimizing significant disruptions for students and teachers.
To learn how your personal tax commitment would adjust to support the future of education in Grinnell, visit grinnellschoolvote.com to use the tax calculator. If you'd like to hear from Superintendent Beames, join her at the Poweshiek County Fairgrounds tonight at 7 PM or Grinnell College Golf Course on Thursday at 7 PM. She'll share this presentation and answer questions from the audience. Additional sessions are planned for the coming weeks, find more details on our community calendar. Voting will take place on Tuesday, March 4 at Grinnell's Elks Lodge for Poweshiek County voters and at the Kellogg Fire Station for Jasper County voters. Early voting and absentee ballots are available, contact your county auditor for more information.
Thanks to the members that joined us including: Rachel Aresneault - Ramsey-Weeks Real Estate, Phil Grout - HyVee, Lisa Cirks - Cirks Financial Services, Jennifer McAlexander - JM Consulting, Kevin McAlexander - Hawkeye Lock, Trent Arment - Mahaska Communication Group, Dedee Lehman - All In Real Estate Inc, Matt Moyer - Bayer Crop Science, Hannah O'Polka - Cleanfoodfix Wellness Studio, Joni Schmidt - Mayflower Homes, Barb Baker - Grinnell Mutual, Donnette Ellis - Grinnell College, Alyssa Sliger - First Interstate Bank, Sarah Smith - Grinnell College, Monica St Angelo - Grinnell Are Arts Council, Jack Mathews - Our Grinnell, Katy Wells - Double You Marketing
Ambassadors welcomed new member Tina-Marie Photography to the chamber today. Tina’s studio is located in Brooklyn but she also travels the world providing photography services to clients.
Tina officially launched her business in 2016 after shooting for years before that. She bought a building in downtown Brooklyn in 2021 and relocated her studio out of her house into that space. The studio is fully equipped with backdrops, props, a client closet and set up for hair and makeup. While Tina offers a variety of services, she is most passionate about seniors and women portrait photography and is expanding her personal branding and headshot services.
With her studio as an anchor space, Tina is able and willing to travel the country and the world to provide services. From destination weddings to high end styled shoots Tina loves exploring new places with her clients. She recently traveled to Dubai with colleagues to do a variety of shoots there.
Tina also works with her clients to provide clothing consultations; offering ideas before you shop, going shopping with you, or giving thoughts on Facetime while you’re in the store. She also has hair and makeup services available for purchase. Her goal is to make sure her clients feel their best when she captures them.
If you’re interested in learning more about Tina’s services or booking a consultation, visit her website at www.tina-mariephotography.com. Follow her on Facebook or Instagram to see some of her previous work.
Pictured L-R: Rachael Kinnick - Grinnell Chamber, Trent Arment - MCG - Mahaska Communication Group, Tina Saland - Tina-Marie Photography, Fran Conn, Dorothy Spriggs - Carriage House Bed & Breakfast, Hannah O’Polka - Cleanfoodfix Wellness Studio
Ambassadors learned more about two important community topics this week. First, Chamber President/CEO Rachael Kinnick shared information about the upcoming vote to increase PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy) for the Grinnell-Newburg Community Schools. The vote will take place Tuesday, March 4th at the Elks Lodge for Poweshiek County or at the Kellogg Fire Station for Jasper County. Absentee ballots are available, contact your county auditor to learn more.
The GNSD plans to use the increase in PPEL funds and pair them with additional funds to build a new K-5th Grade elementary school. The ballot initiative is to increase PPEL to the maximum allowed amount, $1.34/$1,000 of assessed value on property. It’s important to note this tax is on the ASSESSED value of your property, not your fair market value or sale price. The district has a calculator for residents to learn what this means for their property. If the PPEL were to pass, an example of a $200,000 assessed value home on residential property would result in $47.71 annual property tax increase after the Reduction for Income Surtax. You can find your property’s assessed value at https://beacon.schneidercorp.com/
Thanks to a generous gift of 40 acres from the Ahrens Park Foundation, the school district will not need to purchase land if the levy passes. The gift of land is contingent on the PPEL passing in March. You can learn more about the proposed levy, your tax implication and how PPEL is different then GO Bonds at grinnellschoolvote.com
Public information sessions will be hosted on February 4th at 5:30 PM at Drake Community Library and February 6 at 7 PM at Grinnell Eagles by the Building a Community Together Group. Superintendent Lisa Beames will present the facts and answer questions. Additional sessions are planned and will be announced in the coming days.
As Educational Support is one of our strategic initiatives, the Grinnell Chamber is committed to sharing updates from the School District in regards to the upcoming PPEL vote. More information will be shared via our social channels, website, and community newsletter.
Ambassador also learned a few updates as part of the upcoming Highway 146 reconstruction, set to commence in the next few months.. You may recall hearing about this project as the city has been working with the DOT for 3.5 years to prepare, and the city council formally approved it in May 2023. As Business Support is a key part of our strategic initiatives, we are committed to sharing project updates from Iowa DOT and the City of Grinnell to support the 90+ businesses that will be affected by these improvements.
Roadwork will take place from Interstate 80 to Highway 6. Portions of Highway 146 may be temporarily closed while sections of work are being completed but residents and visitors will still be able to travel the full length of the highway. Temporary detours are unlikely but may be needed to access some businesses; as those go into place, information will be shared with the community. It's important to remember that while it might not be overly easy to access every area, it is critical that the community continue to support the businesses impacted throughout this project.
Planned work includes:
There are some exciting updates happening as part of this project; additional decorative street lighting will be added from 1st Ave to Highway 6, new pedestrian crossing signage will be added at Industrial Ave, Marvin/Washington area, and 1st Ave, and trailwork will be done to further connect to the existing trail down by the Interstate.
This project is expected to go to bid in mid-April with construction beginning sometime early summer. We are fortunate that investments are being made to critical infrastructure in our community and we look forward to the completed project. More updates will be provided as information becomes available.
Special thanks to the members that were able to join us this morning including: Monica St. Angelo - Grinnell Area Arts Council, Jennifer McAlexander - JM Consulting & Hawkeye Lock & Security, Desiree Strayer - German Plumbing Heating and Cooling, Alyssa Sliger - First Interstate Bank, Hannah Greene - Bayer Crop Science, Hannah O'Polka - Cleanfoodfix Wellness Studio, Charlie Isaacs - Theisen's, Trent Arment - MCG - Mahaska Communication Group, Rachel Arseneault - Ramsey-Weeks Inc. Real Estate, Donna Fischer - UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center Foundation, Stephanie Lair - UnityPoint Health - Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Donnette Ellis - Grinnell College Community Connections, Dorothy Spriggs - Carriage House Bed & Breakfast, Fran Conn, Kody Bigelow - Walmart Grinnell
Ambassadors welcomed new member Grinnell Kiwanis to the Chamber today. President Rob Smith shared that a group of locals revitalized the Grinnell chapter over the last year and a half after COVID caused the previous group to disband.
Their current priorities are focused on helping children in the community. They look to partner with existing programs and organizations to help provide additional value. Recent projects include donating books to every preschooler in Grinnell and assisting with paying off lunch debt for students that receive free and reduced lunch. They’re excited to continue to grow involvement in the coming year and are looking for other ways to get involved.
Kiwanis meet the first and third Thursday of every month at 5 PM in the back room at Hometown Heroes. They’re always accepting new members, reach out to a current member or stop by the next meeting to learn more.
Pictured L-R: Marissa Ylagan - Grinnell Chamber, Joni Schmidt - Mayflower Homes, Hannah O’Polka - Cleanfoodfix Wellness Studio, Fran Conn, Jeff Finch - Wes Finch Auto Plaza, Rachel Bly - Kiwanis & Grinnell College, Ashley Symbol - First State Bank, Lisa Lindley - Kiwanis, Shane Hart - Grinnell College Golf Course, Jeff Schwark - Kiwanis & Jeffrey A. Schwark Financial Services Co., Rob Smith - Kiwanis & Smith Funeral Home & Crematory, Phil Grout - Kiwanis & Hy-Vee, Brad German - Kiwanis & GreenState Credit Union, Kody Bigelow - Walmart Grinnell, Jordan Alsup - Kiwanis & Grinnell Recreation, Trent Arment - MCG - Mahaska Communication Group, Jennifer McAlexander - JM Consulting & Hawkeye Lock & Security, Rachael Kinnick - Grinnell Chamber, Rachel Arseanault - Ramsey-Weeks Inc. Real Estate
