'I am not your enemy': Alleman approves North Polk sports complex over mayor's concerns

The Alleman City Council approved a site plan for a North Polk Community Schools expansion plan over the objections of the mayor at a fiery meeting.

North Polk voters approved a $17 million bond issue in November 2023 to cover the cost of a technical addition to the high school and a new baseball and softball complex to the south. On the table at Thursday's meeting were site plans for the expansion project as the district moves toward construction.

But Mayor Bob Kramme objected over the possibility of increased traffic from the expansion plan and his belief in the district's need for a comprehensive master plan to smartly accommodate growth. He has spoken out for years about surrounding suburban growth , including from Ankeny, straining roads and resources in the town of 400 people as North Polk's enrollment rises.

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"Without a master plan in place, we've just unleashed a huge traffic problem on the citizens of Alleman," Kramme said at the meeting. He said residents in the neighborhood will suffer and school traffic already backs up onto the main road out of town, blocking residents trying to leave their homes.

Still, the council approved the plan in a quick 3-1 vote after moving the vote before public comment on the agenda.

The meeting exposed tension between the mayor and council members and a difficult working relationship between the mayor and the school district.

"This whole thing, I believe we've been kept in the dark," school board member Matt Aicher told the council after the vote. "We were forced to send a letter to you guys, to Mayor Kramme, from our attorney. That's something that all of us lost sleep off because we do not want that relationship, us versus you guys, but we had to pry things out of Mayor Kramme's hands so we knew what was going on because we had no idea."

He said there is no other community in Iowa butting heads with the local school district like Alleman is with North Polk.

According to city documents, Alleman had concerns about additional traffic on 141st Avenue, a local road north of the school campus, during and after construction, with worries that the loss of a grass parking area for the new ball fields will move traffic onto 141st.

"The traffic congestion on adjacent residential streets should be addressed with the expansion of school district facilities," Kramme wrote in a letter to the city's planning commission. "The city has the authority to require internal traffic flow improvements to mitigate traffic congestion on public streets."

Kramme's letter cited city code and policy about development and design that calls for an approach to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion.

The letter suggested the expansion plans should include adding access to Northeast Sixth Street, a main road through town, to reduce congestion at the 141st Avenue campus entrance.

"The access roadway improvements should be added to the site plan drawings along with any changes to the internal traffic circulation to direct traffic away from adjacent residential streets," Kramme's later to the planning commission says.

The council voted to approve the plan without any changes.

According to information provided at the meeting, the district provides funds to the city for streets and infrastructure in exchange for water at the level it can afford and has agreed to pay for damages to 141st during upcoming construction. District officials have proposed buying the city radar-detecting speed signs as a show of unity.

"I can appreciate a little political gamesmanship, but the district needs to be your ally, not your enemy," school board member James Hill told the council. "I am not your enemy. I just want to make that perfectly clear."

He suggested the full council and school board meet on a regular basis to discuss shared issues and said that district officials advocate for Alleman with elected officials.

North Polk's growth means officials need to address needs for sewer and water infrastructure.

After the vote, North Polk Superintendent Michael Kline said the district appreciates the approval of the site plan and is excited to move forward with the project after voter approval in November.

He said the district is committed to no one parking on city streets or city property during home football games. Kline said there are enough parking spaces on campus and that law enforcement monitors lots to make sure people are parking appropriately.

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"We still believe we have enough parking spots, 885 spaces on our campus, to allow for everyone to park on hard spots," he said. "It's just those hard, paved spots might be a little further walk. Everyone saw how many cars were on the grass over there. It's just because it was in close proximity to walk to the entrance of the football game. Now people might have to park on the south side of the middle school and then walk across."

The main parking lot area for the North Polk campus is accessed off Sixth Street.

Kline said the district wants to work with the city to be pragmatic about solving traffic issues and continues to take several steps to improve traffic flow. He noted that afternoon school pickup causes congestion, not unlike other schools around the Des Moines metro.

He said the district and school board are working on a plan for the future as the district grows.

Alleman council member Perry Smith, who voted for the plan, said he looks forward to working with district officials and asked that any communications to the city also be sent to council members.

"We're lacking in cooperation in many levels," he said. Smith said he wants to have a mix of people involved instead of having it be one-sided.

Chris Higgins covers the northern and eastern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_ .

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: 'I am not your enemy': Alleman approves North Polk sports complex over mayor's concerns