Iowa Wild Brings Cool New (and Free) Experience to Waukee

November 1, 2017 by admin

Winter in Waukee usually brings bitterly cold temperatures and flying snow, forcing many to bundle up and stay inside until the spring thaw. But, the Iowa Wild, in partnership with Wells Fargo and the City of Waukee, wants to change your winter plans to include getting outdoors and onto the ice this season through its Community Rink Project.

“This is something we’ve wanted to do for quite some time,” said Josh Fisher, senior director of digital content and communications for the Iowa Wild. “Anyone from the Midwest knows it’s hard to fit outside health and wellness activities during the winter, but we want to help change that. Not to mention, we’re excited to help continue to build the game of hockey in Iowa at the same time.”

The Community Rink Project transforms local parks and recreation areas into community ice rinks. Once the metro area maintains consistently freezing temperatures, the rinks will open in three suburbs: West Des Moines, Ankeny and Waukee.

This year, Ankeny and Waukee will open their rinks for the first time. Last December, the Iowa Wild hosted its first Community Rink Project ribbon cutting, when it opened its location in West Des Moines. Fisher says the Iowa Wild couldn’t be more pleased with how the first year went.

“The community response was awesome,” said Fisher. “Even with a relatively warm winter last year, we were able to get about eight to 10 weeks of use out of the rink. When you think about ice availability around Des Moines, there aren’t a ton of options, especially for free skating. Through this project, we’re trying to bring that to people.”

Waukee’s rink will be located at Sugar Creek Golf Course, just a couple miles north of interstate I-80, and is free to everyone. Rink hours are similar to/dependent on park hours, or roughly sun up to sun down. Outside of these hours, the rink will only be closed if temperatures get too warm, compromising the ice and overall safety of the rink. Visitors need to just bring their own pair of skates, which can be found at certain retailers in town or online.

“Last year, we saw adults arrive at the rink around 7 a.m. to sneak in a workout before work, and we also saw both kids and adults come after school and work for some ice time,” said Fisher. “Unfortunately, skiing and snowboarding aren’t readily available here, but ice skating provides an excellent cardio option, too.”

While the public starts taking to the ice outside, the Iowa Wild will prepare for its fifth season at Wells Fargo Arena. Coming off its best season for attendance—averaging over 6,000 fans per game—the Iowa Wild expect another successful year. Fisher says the celebratory milestone anniversary also has the Iowa Wild prioritizing community involvement even more.

“We anticipate having a good season this year,” said Fisher. “But regardless of our record, we’ll keep pushing in the direction we’ve been pushing. Community efforts will continue to grow and expand.”

In addition to the Community Rink Project, the Iowa Wild sponsors many different efforts already, including several with an emphasis on education. Wild About Reading, which the National Hockey League also supports, encourages elementary and middle school students to build a passion for reading in and out of the classroom. Based on different reading goals, students have the opportunity to receive ticket vouchers to attend Iowa Wild games, along with other prizes.

Another school-based initiative is the Healthy Living Floor Hockey program, where the Iowa Wild, in partnership with other local businesses, such as Atlantic Bottling Company, have donated floor hockey games and sticks to more than 100 schools in Iowa.

Additionally, the Iowa Wild continues to offer its Wild About Education school-day game, which saw over 13,000 area students in attendance last year.

More recently, the Iowa Wild began a newer program, called the Junior Crash Course, where kids between the ages of 4-12 who have never played hockey before receive free equipment and six on-ice skating sessions to learn the game and how to play. Capped at 50 participants, registration filled up in just 10 days. Fisher says it’s through programs such as these that hockey is gaining momentum locally.

“Building the game isn’t just about being on the ice, it’s about being involved in the community,” said Fisher. “Last year, through jersey auctions, events such as Pink in the Rink, and more, we were able to generate over $350,000 in charitable donations.”

Nationally, USA Hockey reports the same positive trend in overall sport participation. A current membership statistic shows growth not only in the number of players, but of coaches and officials, as well. From 2015-2017, USA Hockey reports a total growth of roughly 15,000 participants. In Iowa, almost 4,000 players are registered through USA Hockey, which doesn’t account for those learning the game through other opportunities.

“There’s a bigger hockey market here than people think,” said Fisher. “And we want to help keep it that way.”

The Iowa Wild is also beginning its Hockey Days in Iowa this winter with the Iowa Corn Association, which features an outdoor 3-on-3 tournament. And, through the Minnesota Wild Foundation, the Iowa Wild plans to start a sled hockey league in the late fall for paraplegics. With so many opportunities for community outreach, Fisher says the Iowa Wild players love to get involved whenever possible.

“Our guys enjoy going out and meeting the local fan base,” said Fisher. “They’ll try to present at the community rinks for ribbon-cuttings, depending on weather and our game schedule. But, the players also enjoy doing surprise youth drop-ins, where a couple team members crash local youth practices.”

As a whole, Fisher credits healthy relationships with corporate partners, as well as Central Iowa residents, for fostering the growth of hockey and how the Iowa Wild is able to give back.

“We’ve grown as the game has grown, and the community as a whole has jumped on board to help us build these new programs, especially the community rinks,” said Fisher. “We can’t wait to see everyone on the ice.”

Des Moines and Waukee Haunted Houses 2017

September 26, 2017 by admin

With the arrival of pumpkin season many of us are preparing for Halloween, which is a time to see adorable kiddos running around dressed up as Ninjago figures or a whole swarm of Elsa look-a-likes. Halloween for some is also the time to scare yourself silly with horror movies and haunted houses!

For those scream-seekers out there, we’ve compiled a list of the top haunted houses in the Des Moines area for you to visit!

Waukee Haunted House

Centennial Park Enclosed Shelter

Open: Oct. 27 & 28

Hours: 7:00-10:00 P.M.

Sponsored by the Waukee Park Board, this haunted house is an annual tradition! Come for a scare if you are brave enough!

Linn’s Haunted House

3805 6th Ave, Des Moines IA 50313

Open: Sept. 29-30, Oct. 6-7, Oct. 13-14, Oct. 20-31

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 7-10 P.M. / Fri & Sat 7-Midnight

Linn’s Haunted House is the oldest haunted house in town, which has been voted on for the top haunted houses in Des Moines!

Slaughterhouse

97 Indiana Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314

Open: Oct. 6-7, Oct. 13-15, Oct. 19-22 and Oct. 26-29

Hours: Fri/Sat: 7:00 P.M.-Midnight. Other nights: 7:00-11:00 P.M.

Slaughterhouse is a movie-style haunted house. The building was originally a real-life pig slaughter house adding to the horror!

Sleepy Hollow Haunted Scream Park

4051 Dean Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50317

Open: Oct. 6-7, Oct. 13-14, Oct. 19-22, Oct. 26-29 and 31st

Hours: 6:45 P.M. to 10:30 P.M. Fri./Sat.; 8:30 P.M. Thurs./Sun.

Know as the Midwest’s largest and most elaborate Halloween Theme Park, with three haunted houses, two haunted walks, zombie paintball shoot bus ride and more!

So tell us, which haunted house had you screaming?

City Council Spotlight

September 11, 2017 by admin

There’s no shortage of Waukee residents who want to contribute to the growth and development of their community. But it’s no small thing to take the big leap into public leadership—making the decisions and guiding the city on the frontlines. Below, learn why three of our local leaders have chosen to serve our city.

Mayor Bill Peard

Bill Peard has been serving the city of Waukee for 18 years now, although serving as mayor wasn’t necessarily something he dreamed of for himself. “When my wife and I moved here, our son was nine months old,” he said. “As we got established and rooted down, I started helping out in different ways around the community.” Eventually, a friend of his suggested he run for city council, and his political career
began. When he reached his eighth year as a city council member, his friends and community members urged him to take the next step and run for mayor.

Mayor Peard didn’t have an agenda going into his service to the community, but he did have a vision. “We knew the school district was growing, and the city was going to follow suit,” he explained. “We had a really nice community back then and everyone knew each other. I wanted to see the sense of community continue despite the city growing and changing.”

Seldom do cities get to paint with a blank canvas, and Mayor Peard said that he’s been thrilled that the city of Waukee has had that opportunity. “Because we were seeing so much expansion, we started planning the community out and projecting into the future,” he said. “We planned well. We were a small town and we had assets to develop, and I think Waukee will be, and already is in some ways, the envy of other communities in the Midwest.”

In eight years on the city council and 11 years as mayor, Mayor Peard has learned at least one thing: “It’s not any one person that does it. It’s a lot of helping hands that make a community like ours,” he said. “What I’ve learned in leadership is to be inclusive and let people help. And to be thankful for the community leaders
and members of the community who have been very patient and supportive of us.”

Mayor Peard feels there is much for the residents of Waukee to look forward to in the next few decades. “I’m excited to see how things turn out in the next five, ten, 15 years,” he said. “It’s been an absolute honor to have the trust of the people of this city, and I am honored and humbled by the people who continue to choose me for leadership.”

Council Member Anna Bergman

Anna Bergman is a lifelong Waukee resident, part of the demographic that has seen the boom firsthand. “We didn’t even have 400 people in our class when we graduated,” she laughs, thinking of the now-huge graduating classes in comparison. Her parents still live in Waukee, near Bergman Riding Academy, which she owns. (She has 11 horses now, and she gives riding lessons to 25 students every week.)

Bergman works as an attorney with an MBA, and she brings a unique perspective to the board. In her practice, she works with businesses on insurance claims, worker’s compensation and more. “Not unlike other people, I have a small business here. But I’m the only one who has gone through the Waukee school system. I’m younger and I don’t have a family yet, so I represent a demographic that wants to start their life in Waukee,” she said. “Twenty years down the road, it’s going to be people from my generation living here and growing their families and careers.”

Bergman still remembers what it was like when the only options for ice cream were in the Triangle or the video store. “We want to maintain that small-town feeling as we grow and expand,” she says.

Appointed to the board in July of 2016, Bergman has wanted to be involved in politics all her life. “I grew up in a family that was heavily involved, and I was taught the importance of being a leader,” she said. The state and local level affects people’s daily lives, she explained, and she’s excited about making a positive impact.

Bergman is looking forward to seeing the continued commercial development of the city, which she sees as the focal point of the future. “We used to take Hickman everywhere, and back then it was just cornfields and a barren roadside,” she said. “Now, it gives me goosebumps to think about the growth and change in the city, and to see the new businesses and commercial development. This is our town, and this is what it’s grown into.”

More than that, Bergman is excited about the people who come to Waukee to make it their home. “The kind of people who want to come here are genuinely good people,” she said. “And the businesses here are committed and invested in the community. There’s something about this community that is really cool to be a part of.”

Council Member Charles Bottenberg

Like Bergman, Charlie Bottenberg comes from a service-oriented family. “We were taught to get involved and make it happen; you don’t just sit back and complain,” he said. “The expectation was that if we didn’t like how things were, we should get involved and change it.”

Bottenberg explained that he draws a lot of inspiration from his father, who has served as a church councilman, a Cub Scouts leader and a sports coach.

Bottenberg and his family have called Waukee home since 2006, and he began thinking about running for city council in 2015. But with a new business, a young family and his service as Board Chair of the Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce, he decided to wait until the time was right before adding more to his plate.

Bottenberg was sworn in on February 6, 2017. In the first few months of service, he took a “watch and learn” approach to better understand how the council works together to accomplish the business of the city. “I wanted the lay of the land before taking any action—especially mid-term, when there’s so much going on,” he said.

Because he’s an attorney who has represented businesses in front of city councils around the state, Bottenberg has a unique perspective on how city governments work. “I’ve stood at the podium and made presentations to a skeptical city council,” he said. “Now I have the opportunity to blend those experiences.”

One major item on Bottenberg’s wish list is to see the implementation of an aquatic center. “Right now, families have to go to swimming lessons at the pools in Clive or West Des Moines,” he said. “I’d like to see an aquatic center here so our citizens don’t have to use the facilities of another city.”

Bottenberg also wants to see accessible government. “I want people to feel like they can call or lodge a complaint to a city or government official and feel like they’re being heard,” he said.

Because of Waukee’s different waves of development and the blending of long-time residents and new residents, there are differing interests and opinions to take into account. “We need to do a good job getting a consensus on the needs of the city,” he said. “There’s only so much we can do, and we need the input of the people who live here. I encourage anyone who has an issue to discuss or an idea to share to pick up the phone or email me and let me know what’s going on.”

City of Waukee Update {September / October 2017}

September 11, 2017 by admin

In the Books: Another Great Summer for Waukee Public Library

Summer Reading Was a Huge Success

The Waukee Public Library teems with summertime activities. From our popular summer reading program to our special events and guests, there’s always something for everyone.

This year was no different. The summer reading program helps children retain their reading skills even when school’s not in session. This year’s program drew a record number of participants. Over 2,300 people of all ages took part in the summer reading challenge, which gives kids the opportunity to win prizes for reading. That’s up from 2,000 last year—an increase of 13 percent. The library gave out 2,000 books for kids to add to their home libraries, as well as hundreds of other prizes.

“We’re ecstatic about the turnout for our programs this summer,” said Kristine Larson, Waukee Public Library director. “It really shows that community members are interested in reading and learning.”

Each special event this summer centered around the summer reading theme, “Build a Better World.” Science, technology, engineering and math were at the core of the events, which included everything from “Greek Mythology Star Lab” to “Bee Bots Coding,” an introduction to robot coding for kindergarten through second graders.

Other successful events included Friday morning programs, which featured the Science Center, Blank Park Zoo, Jester Puppets, a magic show, stories in the park, and an Iowa favorite—butter carving. The library ended the summer with a solar eclipse viewing program on August 21.

Overall, over 4,000 people attended these programs. That is a 33 percent increase from 3,000 attendees last summer.

The Summer Reading Program was sponsored by the Waukee Fareway as part of a generous partnership.

Our Wandering Library Brings the Library to You

The library has also introduced its Wandering Library, a fully functional library on wheels that allows you to check out books and sign up for library cards. It’s also a Wi-Fi hotspot and even carries sidewalk chalk, crafts and bubbles.

The Wandering Library allows the library to reach out directly to residents. With it, the library attended the Fourth of July parade, Waukee Arts Festival, the Park Play events, storytimes, and even Warrior Lanes Bowling Alley. “We’ve had a great time meeting new residents and showing off the library bike to many inquisitive children,” said library director Larson.

Big Things Are Still to Come

This fall, the library will introduce even more new ways to get involved. For example, the first Roll & Read event will take place Saturday, September 16, from 9 to 11 a.m. For this event, parents with children under the age of five are invited to bring their wagons, skates and strollers to Fox Creek Park. There will be a special walk around the park trail, followed by the opportunity to register kids for the library’s “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” program.

Special guests will be reading stories, and community businesses will be handing out information and prizes at the finish line.

“Reading to your kids is incredibly important,” said youth services librarian Keri Weston-Stoll. “We think this event will help families with young children connect with one another and share their love of reading.”

Other exciting things happening this fall include a refresh to the children’s section, with all new paint, carpeting and activities, and a partnership with the Waukee School District. The library will share updates on these projects as more information becomes available.

Check out the Waukee Public library Facebook page to stay aware of updates, including the Wandering Library bike and other programs!

To find out more about the Waukee Public Library, visit waukeepubliclibrary.org or contact the library at askme@waukee.org or (515) 978-7944.

Waukee Chamber Update {September / October 2017}

September 11, 2017 by admin

Meet Your 2017 School Board Candidates

The Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce will host the 2017 Waukee School Board Election Forum on Tuesday, Sept. 5 from 6-8 p.m. at the Prairieview Theatre Arts Building, located at 665 SE University Avenue in Waukee. Please register online, using the link on our events calendar. We hope to see you there!

Waukee Economic Development Bus Tour

The Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee will host the 5th Annual Waukee Economic Development Bus Tour on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 3:30 p.m. The tour will begin and end at Mickey’s Irish Pub, and a reception will be held there following the tour. This event is open to the public and will highlight community information, business, school and residential development. There is no cost to attend, but seats on the tour are limited, so please register online, using the link on our events calendar.

Waukee Chamber’s New Office

The Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce’s new office will be located at 208 Hickman in Waukee beginning this November. The Chamber’s new space will be directly behind the current office, next to Allstate Insurance and Skinner Paschke Law Office. Our builder will complete the 1600-sq. ft. remodel this fall. All members will be invited to visit the new space once the move is complete.

New Area Businesses

The Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce has welcomed 40 new members this year and celebrated local grand openings with 23 of those businesses. We look forward to celebrating many more ribbon-cutting ceremonies and business anniversaries over the next few months. Please check our online calendar at waukeechamber.com and join us as we help our new business owners feel welcome in Waukee!

For more information on any of these events, please contact the Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce at 515-978-7115 or info@waukeechamber.com.

Waukee Community Leaders

September 11, 2017 by admin

Waukee’s population has more than tripled in the past 17 years as droves of new residents put down roots in the western Des Moines suburb. Affordable housing prices, a highly rated school district, family-friendly neighborhoods and a growing recreation and dining scene are just a few of the reasons so many call Waukee home.

As the city continues to grow, so does the need for individuals and organizations dedicated to enhancing quality of life and addressing community needs through volunteerism and civic engagement.

Many residents donate their time to volunteer organizations while maintaining full-time positions elsewhere. Local organizational causes range from economic growth and leadership development to arts and culture and opportunities for fellowship.

As housing developments keep sprouting and new residents move in, we asked four of Waukee’s community leaders to share a little about themselves and the organizations for which they volunteer. Whether you’ve been thinking about ways to get involved with your community or just familiarizing yourself with your new surroundings, here are four Waukee leaders and organizations you should know.

Kirk Johnson
President of the Waukee Leadership Institute

Kirk Johnson is the former principal of Waukee High School and current associate superintendent of the Waukee Community School District, a role he moved into in 2016. Some of his responsibilities as an associate superintendent include advocating for students and staff throughout the district as well as collaborating with staff on plans for Waukee’s second high school.

Johnson also serves on a number of boards and in elected positions, including president of the Waukee Leadership Institute. He was a member of the Waukee Leadership Institute Class of 2012 and was elected vice president in 2016 before becoming president.

Johnson wanted to get involved with the Waukee Leadership Institute because he was inspired by its mission and vision.

“My ultimate goal is to serve others, and our community and school system have worked together on a number of projects for the betterment of our students and staff,” he said.

The Waukee Leadership Institute promotes effective leadership through an instructional informational forum that enables members to learn, grow and lead. It has a class of 15-20 community activists and business people that meet monthly. Typically, each class also works with volunteers throughout the community, and together, they develop and work on a project that aims to better Waukee.

Waukee Leadership Institute is currently filling its roster for the Class of 2018. It’s looking for leadership development ideas, ways to create community experiences, and individuals to work with class members. For more information, visit waukeeleadership.org.

Outside of his civic engagements, Johnson and his wife Nicole stay busy with their four children’s after-school activities. When he does have free time, he enjoys running, biking and golfing.

Cody Kilgore
President of the Waukee Area Arts Council

Cody Kilgore, a Kansas City native, is a professional photographer who has lived in the Waukee area for about 13 years.

Kilgore first became involved with the Waukee Area Arts Council three years ago. He had set up a booth at one of the council’s events at the downtown triangle, and several board members he met there invited him to get involved.

The Waukee Area Arts Council has several main goals, according to Kilgore: “Inject a little art into area life, support and encourage the young artists coming out of our schools, and grow the art scene to be a vibrant part of the community.”

The organization has a small board, so most duties of the organization are shared among the team. “Much of our time nowadays is focused on our annual Waukee Arts Festival, because it’s been our most successful event and best accomplishes the goals of the group,” he said.

This past July marked the festival’s third year, attracting 75 artists, four food vendors, 10 musical acts and around 3,000 attendees. The Centennial Park festival is free to the public.

For more information on the Waukee Area Arts Council, visit waukeearts.org.

Kilgore and his family reside in rural Waukee. He and his wife Jenn have two daughters—one is a senior at Waukee High School and the other is a senior at Iowa State University.

Kilgore’s business, Blackcap Photography, focuses mostly on wedding photography. The Kilgore family also has a small organic farm, Clarion Sage, which hosts a community-supported agriculture program.

Erna Morain
Assistant Governor of Rotary International

While she’s originally from the Netherlands, Erna Morain has lived in the Des Moines metro area for many years. She and her husband Steve have lived in Waukee since 2004.

Morain didn’t waste any time getting involved with community organizations. In the year she arrived, she began volunteering with the Waukee Area Chamber of Commerce and the Waukee Rotary Club. She’s also been involved with the board of the Waukee Leadership Institute, Waukee Economic Development Corp. and, most recently, the Waukee Betterment Foundation.

It was at the Waukee Leadership Institute where Morain was asked to join the Waukee Rotary Club. “I attended and graduated from the inaugural class and was asked by a fellow classmate, the former Chamber of Commerce director, to join Rotary,” she explained.

The Rotary Club is both a local and global nonprofit that participates in projects with the goal of making life better for others. One of its greatest successes has been leading the fight to eradicate polio worldwide. There are clubs in almost every country, with global membership of around 1.3 million.

Morain has been the local club president, is currently an assistant governor and will be a Governor of District 6000, which encompasses the southern half of Iowa. When she assumes that title, she will be responsible for guiding and coordinating 66 Rotary Clubs and will take on some additional responsibility with Rotary International.

Morain said the group meets every Thursday at 6:45 a.m. at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club for “breakfast, fun, fellowship and service.”

“We’re always looking for anyone who would like to help make a difference. Our nearly 70 members are men and women from all walks of life who enjoy community and having a great time.”

To learn more, visit waukeerotary.com

Don Frazer
Waukee Chamber of Commerce Board Chair

Don Frazer joined the Waukee Chamber of Commerce in 2011 as a way to meet new people in the community. He became a board member in 2016 and chairman in 2017.

As board chair, Frazer leads monthly board meetings and works closely with Melinda Behn, their President and CEO, to plan and execute events. He also represents the Waukee Chamber as a member of the Greater Des Moines Partnership Leadership Council.

Chamber activities include serving its membership base—businesses, individuals and non-profits—by providing communication, networking opportunities and involvement in community events.

Some of those events include its annual dinner, “What’s Cookin’ in Waukee,” its annual golf outing, State of the City Luncheon, Waukee Teacher Appreciation and the Waukee Economic Development Bus Tour.

Waukee residents can get involved with the Chamber through any of the six committees, which are always open to new volunteers.

For more information, visit waukeechamber.com.

Don and his wife Dianne have lived in Waukee for about five years. His daughter Shae teaches at Woodland Hills Elementary School, and their son Will is a chef in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Outside of his civic engagements, Frazer has spent most of his career in community banking. He’s currently the Director of Credit for Heartland Co-op and Heartland Credit Company, LLC.

Guide To Splash Pads, Spray Grounds and Fountains

June 29, 2017 by admin

Summer is officially here and the temps are rising! If you are looking for a fun way to cool-off or need a way for the kids to burn-off energy, check out one of the MANY local splash pads, spray grounds or fountains found right here in the Waukee / West Des Moines area!

Splash Pads

Urbandale Aquatic Playground
7201 Aurora Avenue
Open from May 30 to August 9th
Hours: Daily from 1 to 4 p.m.; Evenings Monday through Friday from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Ashby Park Splash Pad
3200 38th Street
Open from May 27 to August 22
Hours: Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday and Holidays, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Spray Grounds

West Des Moines

American Legion Park
301 Vine Street
Opens Memorial Day to Labor Day
Hours: Daily 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Raccoon River Park
2500 Grand Avenue
Open Memorial Day to Labor Day
Hours: Daily 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Des Moines

Good Park
1103 17th Street
Open May through September
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Greenwood Park
4500 Grand Avenue
Open May through September
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Woodlawn Park
3126 Twana Drive
Open May through September
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Fountains

Evelyn K. Davis Park
1400 Forest Avenue
Open May through September
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Sargent Park
3530 E Douglas Avenue
Open May through September
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Where is your favorite local spot to splash and cool-off?

Dallas County Bond Referendum

March 20, 2017 by admin

On May 2, 2017, residents of Dallas County have an opportunity to vote on a bond referendum that, if passed, would create a new Dallas County Sheriff’s law enforcement facility. According to Sheriff Chad Leonard and local supporters, the passage of the referendum is no longer a “want” for Dallas County, but a “need.”

It is common knowledge that Dallas County is one of the fastest growing counties in the State, and nation. But, with the benefits of rapid growth come growing pains around infrastructure and the ability to police effectively and cost-efficiently. Due to the overcrowding of the existing law enforcement facility and a looming deadline to address the situation, it is now a need.

Why is there a “need” for a new Law Enforcement Center?

According to Sheriff Leonard, there are very real consequences for overcrowding, and many of those consequences come in the form of dollars. “It costs a lot of money to be in this situation,” says Sheriff Leonard. When the current facility is at max capacity, the county pays to have other counties shelter their inmates. “We’ve spent $237,000 in just 6 months in other facilities. That’s a lot of money that could be going to our own facility, our own infrastructure here in Dallas County,” he said.

The county also has to pay the wages and fees for the staff doing the transporting. “For a while, we had to take deputies off the streets to do transports. This hurts the average call time for citizens who need help,” said Sheriff Leonard.

According to Perry attorney, Mark Powell, the overcrowding of Dallas County’s existing jail is not a simple problem to solve. “You have to understand that Dallas County and all other law enforcement centers are regulated by state rules on the treatment of prisoners. One of those rules relate to inmate segregation,” he explained. “If Dallas County has one female prisoner,” in its existing jail “she takes up an entire cell block to herself. It’s the same for a juvenile prisoner, or a prisoner with a mental illness. Segregation rules really tie our hands, and a new facility will help with that,” Powell said.

Overcrowding is not a new problem. In 2000, the state jail inspector issued Dallas County a variance (in other words, permission) to add more jail beds to the facility, with the warning they had five years to correct the overcrowding issue. In order to do that, they had to build on to accommodate the population. When the original deadline rolled around, the county was facing more pressing issues and this got put on the backburner. 17 years later, it’s back to the forefront. The department has until 2018 to address the problem, or the state is revoking the extra beds – shrinking space even further.

Why are there so many prisoners?

“The obvious contributor to this situation is the growth of the county,” Sheriff Leonard said. “When the facility was built in the late 1980s, the population was less than 40,000 people. Nobody expected the county to grow another 40,000 in short order. We just have a major overcrowding problem,” he said.

What kind of criminals do you house?

“Ten years ago, we were housing people who mostly committed misdemeanor crimes,” Sheriff Leonard said. “Now, we’re dealing with a lot more felony crimes. We just sent one person convicted of murder to state prison, and we have another murder suspect waiting for trial.”

Why not let the other counties take care of it? Why not keep allocating the work?

Other counties are also facing overcrowding. Sheriff Leonard frequently exports his inmates to Story County, but they too are getting close to full. “They’ve asked to reduce the amount of prisoners we send,” he said. Polk County has only two of their three wings open, and are near that capacity. “At this rate, we’re going to have to enter into an agreement with three or four different jails,” Sheriff Leonard said.

“Transporting prisoners is only going to become more problematic the longer we put the issue off,” he explained. “We’re responsible for the prisoners regardless of where they are housed. We try to farm out prisoners that have already been sentenced, but sometimes we have to make a special trip just to get them back to our courthouse for a 10-15 minute hearing,” he explained. Last year alone, the transports made 158 round trips just to Story County jail. That costs in not only road time, but miles on cars.

And it has safety implications, too.

A few years ago, deputies were doing a transport and one prisoner escaped. “He took off running through the streets of Clive,” Sheriff Leonard said. “They got him back, but it was a safety risk for the public.”

“Any time you’re on the highway, you’re subject to risk,” explained Sheriff Leonard. He cited the case of two Des Moines Police officers who were transporting a prisoner to a court hearing. They were hit head-on by a drunk driver. Both officers and the prisoner were killed. “If you keep everyone under one roof, it’s safer,” he said.

“I’m looking at this as a long term investment. If we continue to do what we’re doing now for the next 30 years, we will spend $22 million over that time period,” Sheriff Leonard said.

Hasn’t there been another referendum on this?

This is actually the fourth time that this issue has been brought to the attention of the voters over the last three years. Every one of them has been structured in a different way.

The first referendum proposed a joint facility which would contain other county offices. According to Sheriff Leonard, the objection was that residents of Adel didn’t want to see county offices leave their square.

The second referendum would have had the same result: empty buildings on the square.

With the third referendum, voters thought the proposed facility was too nice, and that it shouldn’t include windows. “I don’t think we did a good job of getting the word out that this was also going to be the Sheriff’s office, not just the jail,” Sheriff Leonard explained. “We weren’t able to get a lot of facts out to the public – we were short on time.” (For the record, they are legally obligated to provide prisoners with natural light and outside air a couple of times per week.)

This time around, Sheriff Leonard has support in getting this referendum passed. “We want to keep Dallas County a safe place to live, work, and raise a family,” Mark Powell said. Powell is with the non-partisan group Citizens for Dallas County, a group made up of 15 people from around the county who want to see the new facility built. As an attorney, and a former magistrate judge, Powell has worked closely with the Sheriff’s Department and has seen firsthand the issues the county faces. “The current facility isn’t meeting our needs now, and definitely won’t meet our needs in the future,” he explained. “It’s no longer a want, it’s a need.”

Powell indicated that the Citizens for Dallas County group came together to offer its support to Sheriff Leonard but asked that the County Board of Supervisors present their plan to them before deciding to advocate. “We felt it important to have all the cards laid out on the table, before taking this issue before the voters for a fourth time. We asked the Supervisors to present their plan, explain the need and the total cost.”

From there, Powell and the Citizens for Dallas County have focused on sharing the need for the jail both on a safety level and a fiscal level. “I don’t think people are aware of how much we as taxpayers spend to transport Dallas County inmates to other counties to house our prisoners.”

Would we house prisoners from other counties?

“The new facility isn’t specifically designed to accommodate other counties, so I don’t want to make promises I can’t keep,” said Sheriff Leonard. “However, if we have a lot of empty beds and another county needs room, we would be able to look at entering into an agreement to charge for that service.”

What will the new facility include?

“Many citizens think that they don’t need a new sheriff’s office, they have a police department. That’s not the case,” Sheriff Leonard explained. “We do all those things they don’t do, including housing their prisoners.” says Sheriff Leonard.

The new facility will house the sheriff’s office and all of the services that come with it, like administrative and civil services, highway patrol, investigations, gun permits, sex offender checks, etc. These are the things your local police department might not handle.

If the referendum passes, the facility is projected to open – optimistically – in May 2019.

How many new beds will there be?

The facility is projected to have 132 total beds. There are state rules that apply; every prisoner gets a certain square footage of “unencumbered living space.”

Will we be in this situation again?

The building will sit on 40 acres the county already owns – which is also the primary reason for the selection of its location. The building has been designed so that it can expand toward the west. “New pods can continue to be hooked right into the existing one,” he said. “You cut a new door and you’re in – it’s a very neat design and a very proficient jail.” The layout of the facility is such that officials can stand in the middle of the jail and see all prisoners at one time.

Curtis Pion, a Dallas Center City Council member who has been with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for 20 years added “The long term vision for this facility and this site is solid. This is the best plan that has ever been offered to meet the needs of today and tomorrow for all of Dallas County. It is well thought out, well designed, and will provide for the legal requirements of the prisoners. It will also provide much needed work space for all of the staff who aren’t assigned to a patrol car.”

What will happen to the old building?

Once the county reaches a population of 82,000, it will be obligated to build another courtroom. “The county has decided they’re going to turn the current jail into a courtroom and move criminal court to this building,” Sheriff Leonard said. They will maintain a few cells for easy transport and containment. This change will increase the security of court operations, as prisoners will no longer need to be walked across the street.

Final thoughts

“This facility – the overall solution – takes care of all the problems we’re going to have with overpopulation,” Sheriff Leonard said. “There’s nothing here that’s fluff. We’ve designed it to fit the needs of the employees of the Sheriff’s Office, as well as the county. And there will be no empty spaces on the Adel square.”

Sheriff Leonard has scheduled public tours of the existing jail, as well as town hall meetings throughout the county to discuss the Referendum. For a list of jail tour and town hall dates, or for more information, go to www.dallascountyvote.com.

City of Waukee: Construction Zone Ahead

March 8, 2017 by Summer Evans

Spring Brings the Start of Construction to Widen Alice’s Road

When Grand Prairie Parkway was completed in December 2015, it opened a new gateway to Waukee from the south and gave commuters a more direct connection to the Interstate. But, the City isn’t done improving this main thoroughfare quite yet. The widening of Alice’s Road north of University Avenue will begin in April, taking it from two lanes to six.

“The widening of Alice’s Road has been in the planning phases for several years now,” said Waukee City Administrator Tim Moerman. “We often hear from residents who are frustrated that we did not widen Alice’s Road concurrently with the construction of Grand Prairie Parkway. While the City budget did not allow us to do both projects simultaneously, we built Grand Prairie with the future widening of Alice’s Road already in mind.”

City officials consider the Grand Prairie Parkway and Alice’s Road projects to be under one umbrella. The construction of Grand Prairie Parkway from Interstate 80 to University consisted of Phases 1, 2 and 3. The widening of Alice’s Road north of University will consist of Phases 4 and 5.

Phase 4 will begin this April and will be completed in late fall of this year. It includes the widening of the road from University Avenue to SE Olson Drive as well as construction of a new pedestrian underpass that will provide a safe place to cross Alice’s Road via the Heart of the Warrior recreational trail. Phase 5 will begin in April 2018 and will be completed in the fall of 2018. It includes the improvements from SE Olson Drive to just north of Hickman Road. And, the best news about the project is that Alice’s Road will remain open throughout construction!

“We know it would be detrimental for drivers and businesses to completely close down Alice’s Road for the better part of two years. The project’s designer [Foth Infrastructure & Environment] recommended a way to keep the road open,” said Waukee Public Works Director John Gibson. “At the beginning of the 2017 phase, the existing two lanes of Alice’s Road will remain open to traffic while three of the new northbound lanes are built next to the old road. Halfway through the summer when those lanes are completed, we will open those to traffic, tear out the two old lanes and build the three southbound lanes.”

Gibson noted that there will be some intermittent road closures near Alice’s Road. SE Olson Drive and Frontier Drive will both be affected by temporary closures, but not at the same time. City communications channels and large on-site signs will alert drivers of upcoming closures or traffic slow-downs.

As with all construction, much is dependent on weather and other uncontrollable circumstances. The project timeline will change as needed. Here is a tentative timeline of what will occur in 2017’s Phase 4 of the Alice’s Road widening project:

Early April

Anticipated start of Phase 4 construction
Grading east of Alice’s Road for fiber relocation

April-May

Construct storm sewer main, laterals and intakes
Relocate and construct water main

May-July

SE Olson Drive closed to the east of Alice’s Road for reconstruction
Construct future northbound and auxiliary turn lanes
Construct eastern portion of pedestrian underpass and trail/utility connections

July-October

SE Olson Drive to the west of Alice’s Road closed for reconstruction
Traffic pattern shift to new northbound lanes and construction of future southbound lanes
Construct western portion of pedestrian underpass and trail/utility connections

September-October

SE Frontier Drive closed for reconstruction

October-November

Construct raised center median

November

Construct temporary pavement to Phase 5
Activate lighting and permanent public signals

If all goes as planned, the new six-lane portion of Alice’s Road from University to SE Olson will open in its entirety in late fall of 2017 with the stretch from SE Olson to north of Hickman opening in fall 2018. The estimated cost of Phase 4 is $9.8 million. The estimated cost of Phase 5 is $13.2 million. The project will be funded by a combination of GO Bonds and federal transportation funding.

The City of Waukee has several tools to help drivers stay up-to-date on Alice’s Road improvement progress:

Sign up with the “Notify Me” tool on the Waukee.org homepage to receive project updates and upcoming milestones via email.
Become a subscriber to the City’s monthly e-newsletter by visiting Waukee.org/NewsletterSignUp.
Receive alerts when traffic will be shifting or closed by registering at nixle.com for the City’s free notification and emergency alert text messaging system.
Visit the City’s Facebook page (/CityofWaukeeIowa), and Twitter and Instagram (@CityofWaukee) pages for current news.

Thank you in advance for your patience and for being extra attentive when driving through what will soon be an area surrounded by construction workers and heavy equipment. This project will take some time, but it will greatly improve the traffic flow within the City of Waukee.

Building Their Future: The Waukee Master Builders

March 8, 2017 by admin

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (also known as STEM) used to be the school subjects that made kids groan with dread. But for the Waukee Master Builders—a robotics team comprised of kids from the Waukee middle schools in grades 7 and 8—the team is a whole new way to explore STEM subjects and have fun doing it.

And the best part: they get to build robots, which is pretty cool, whether you’re a kid or an adult.

The team is made up of seven kids: four boys and three girls. The Builders regularly compete in First Lego League challenges, where teammates practice teamwork and problem solving, research real-world problems and practice coming up with solutions and presenting them in front of an audience.

Sreehari Mogallapalli is the team’s head coach. He works for John Deere as an IT Analyst and volunteers through John Deere’s volunteer program, called Inspire.

“Inspire lets employees volunteer at different organizations and schools,” said Mogallapalli. As head coach, he mentors the students and helps them understand the STEM subject areas and activities. What’s more, if Mogallapalli spends more than 40 hours in a season (which is easily done given their level of activity), Deere will donate $1,000 to the school.

Mogallapalli has the privilege of teaching life skills and volunteerism at the same time. “I want to introduce them to challenges and how to use the technology in the industry to address them,” he said.

Parent volunteers help the kids evaluate problems, identify challenges and ways of solving them, delegate and follow through. According to Tracy Scott, a parent volunteer, it’s a partnership among the parents. Whoever is able to help, does so. “We’re not there to give them ideas or tell them how to solve the problem. We’re just there to facilitate the process,” said Scott.

Despite the fact the team formed only three years ago, they’ve done very well in the competitions they’ve entered. In fact, they won their first competition for the 2014/2015 season. (Each season runs throughout the previous year and culminate in a competition in January of the following year).

“The teammates work together collaboratively to get their projects done,” said Tricia Brock, the team’s assistant coach. “Sreehari presents the kids with ideas, and they decide which problems to address and how to come up with solutions,” she said.

Brock and Mogallapalli agree that teamwork is a major focus of the group. The kids understand one another’s strengths and delegate tasks accordingly.

“Teamwork has taught us that no matter what, we can always solve our problems,” said 12-year-old team member Owen Scott.

The Builders have advanced through regionals twice and have had the opportunity to compete in the state competition. For the 2016/2017 season, they won “Best Innovative Project Solution” in January 2017 for an idea that would limit the amount of bird carnage produced by wind turbines (see inset for more information).

In 2015, they competed at regionals but did not make it out of the competition with a trophy. They did, however, leave the competition with an idea.

The theme that year was “Trash Trek,” and the teams were tasked with addressing problems in their community around trash, recycling and waste.

As part of the challenge, the kids had to learn more about how the community handles trash and the common problems faced by the community when it comes to the way we handle waste and recycling.

They did their due diligence: they interviewed officials at two Des Moines-area waste handling facilities and one non-profit. The team members learned what happens to the trash in their community and common problems recycling facilities face when it comes to community education (e.g., people don’t know what to recycle or how to recycle it). They also learned how one non-profit uses their website to educate Iowans about litter and the importance of recycling, and where they’re falling short. A third organization showed them how industrial waste gets turned into products society uses on a daily basis, even when they’re not aware of it. In other words, the Builders got a crash course in how the Des Moines area handles waste.

They then turned to 100 community members to gauge interest, getting their input on their issues and questions concerning trash removal and recycling.

And so, Trash Companion—a simple mobile app—was born. The team wants to change the way you deal with your garbage by creating an app that will simplify and streamline the process.

The Trash Companion app will let community members easily access pick-up dates, find out what to do with hazardous materials and learn about any fees that may be attached to disposing waste. It will also allow users to set reminders that alert them of their scheduled trash pickup, tell users how they can dispose of old electronics (no more wondering what to do with that old VCR) and allow users to schedule curbside and bulk pickup of items. It will also provide a community calendar with dates for neighborhood-wide waste disposal events.

All three organizations contacted by the team were interested in the app and what they could do to facilitate more efficient recycling, waste disposal and trash removal. “They were all very supportive and wanted to see the app developed,” says Mogallapalli. The idea was also strongly supported by the community members who had provided their input.

The team had an idea, community buy-in and the support of the local businesses that deal with trash. So now what did they need? Programming help, and—most importantly—funding.

Enter the Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge. After realizing they didn’t have the funds or the expertise to develop an app, they researched how they could get it built. “They saw the contest as a way to get their app implemented,” said Scott. “They don’t have the resources to get an app built. It would take a lot of money to do that,” she said.

They entered the competition in August and were chosen as the best middle school in the state—no small feat, since there were 1,800 applicants nationwide. Each state has two categories: grades 6 through 8 and grades 9 through 12. The prize for winning best middle school in the state? A Verizon Ellipsis 10 tablet for each team member and $5,000 for non-profit STEM use.

Now the team is competing against 93 other teams to win “Fan Favorite.” The team that gathers the most votes wins $15,000 and a mentorship with MIT experts to make their project happen.

The Builders found out they won on Jan. 9, right after regionals, and just as they were in the middle of preparing their electromagnetic fence project for the state competition. It was high excitement, and the kids hustled to keep themselves in the running. They had less than one week to create and submit a 30-second video for the Fan Favorite competition. “They were texting each other every day of the week to get their work done for both projects,” said Brock.

The parent volunteers have watched their children flourish with the team. “Being on the team has helped Owen reach beyond what he’s learning in school,” said his mom, Tracy Scott. “More than likely, he’s going to school for a STEM-based profession. He’s learning about coding and wants to learn more languages he doesn’t yet understand.”

Brock agrees. “My son Griffen loves the challenge. He likes to think through the process, he enjoys presenting, he enjoys the programming. He likes the whole thing,” she said. “He really enjoys building the robots and thinking through the problem.”

The implementation of Trash Companion will benefit not only the Waukee community, but could have an impact within the greater Des Moines Metro area.

These kids are doing something we all wish happened more often in our schools: they’re thinking about and tackling real-world problems. They’re implementing real-world solutions. They’re learning about the STEM sciences in the process. And they’re researching and validating their products and ideas before they implement them—all very important (and entrepreneurial) activities that will serve them well down the road.