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The original bylaws limited directors to serving two consecutive 3-year terms. However, due to the high cost to have the Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) doing background checks on prospective directors, the WCRF board agreed that it would be more cost effective to allow three 3-year terms.
Board members also agreed it would be good to have the continuity on the board. After sitting off the board for one year at the end of their third 3-year term, board members could be eligible for re-appointment. However, there was some question if ex-board members would have to go through a second background check to be considered for the board again.
Trails Grant Revised
The board voted to allow the Washington County Conservation group to change the criteria for use of the $100,000 Trails grant to do a trail from Brighton to Lake Darling. Since that trail would not be able to be completed soon, the board agreed to allow the Conservation commission to use those funds for developing other trails. There will now be $53,000 allocated to doing the final design work on the trail from Brighton to Lake Darling. The project will be completed when Lake Darling rehabilitation is finished.
Board member Ed Raber pointed out that the Kalona to Richmond Trail was moving along faster than anticipated because property owners along the proposed trail have indicated they are favorable to granting easements for the trail.
The Trails committee will be using $35,000 of the grant to do design on the Trail from Kalona to Richmond, including the old English River Bridge. An application for a $175,000 REAP grant has been submitted with $135,000 of that grant earmarked for renovation of the English River bridge. The remaining $12,000 will be used to do design work for the trail from Marr Park to Ainsworth, according to Washington County Engineer David Patterson.
Application Deadline
The WCRF board set the deadline for submitting grant applications for the fall round of grants for Friday, October 9. The board decided not to make any changes in the guidelines for applications.
The WCRF board did vote unanimously to donate $10,000 to sponsor the GIVE (Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere) banquet at the Riverside Casino & Golf Course held on August 19.
The WCRF board voted against approving a $200,000 grant application from the Washington Community Schools for converting two Washington elementary schools to geothermal. The grant would have allowed the Washington School District to obtain a $2,000,000 zero interest loan through the Iowa Department of Education.
Board members were concerned about the application coming outside the competitive grant application period and that it was not an emergency situation. There was also no written guarantee that the school district would get the $2,000,000 loan.
Tuesday's meeting was hosted by Susan Wellington of Lending Hands, Inc., and an adult daycare center in Washington. Lending Hands has received grants from the WCRF in the past.
Next Meeting
The next meeting was set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, September 16, at the St. James Catholic Church's new center. WCRF donated $120,000 to the youth center in that project.
