Politics

The Washington City Council met Tuesday in regular session. On the agenda were two special event requests. The first was for the SNOW Lighting Ceremony, lighted parade, carriage rides and jingle bell run hosted by Main Street Washington November 30th. Downtown business owner Karissa Mellinger spoke about some changes to the event, “Carriage rides and everything else will stay the same. Carriage rides we were going to do the carriage rides before the parade if anybody would be opposed to that, it’s just to try and generate a little bit more revenue on them, they are kind of pricey to bring into town, but other than that, it will go with the flow of traffic and they didn’t seem to have any issues last year.” The second event request was for the St James Color Dash to be held on October 4th. Both special event requests were approved by the Council.

Washington businesses are welcoming shoppers on Friday, October 11th and Saturday, October 12th for the Meet Me In Washington Shop Hop. With twelve stops on the Shop Hop map you are sure to find something to take home. Multiple stores are also having pop-up vendors with their unique wears. The shop hop will be running from 10 am to 5 pm on Friday and 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday which is extended hours for many of the downtown businesses. You can find a map of the shops on the Meet Me in Washington Shop Hop Facebook Page.

The Washington County Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday. On the agenda was a personnel change request from Environmental Health. Washington County Environmental Health Director Jason Taylor gives more information. “We have a new employee who will hopefully start on Monday of this upcoming week to replace Cindy. It has been approved by the Board of Health. She’s coming to us from Harlan, across the state, and she has done internships with other public health entities, so she has an idea of what the job entails. So we are happy to have her here in the County.” The Supervisors approved hiring Aimie Fries, whose first day will be October 7th.

Columbus Junction has been chosen as one of seven Iowa communities to participate in the Iowa’s Living Roadways Community Visioning Program in 2025. This award-winning program integrates technical landscape planning and design techniques with sustainable community action to assist community leaders and volunteers in making sound and meaningful decisions about the local landscape. The Community Visioning Program, spearheaded by a coalition including Iowa State University and Trees Forever, has been aiding small Iowa communities since 1996. By fostering collaborative planning, it helps enhance walkability, accessibility, and environmental sustainability in our neighborhoods. Targeting towns with under 10,000 residents, the program fills a crucial gap in resources and expertise, empowering communities to undertake projects they wouldn’t otherwise manage. With 258 communities participating and impressive completion rates—98% accomplishing at least one project and 50% completing four or more—the impact is clear. Notably, 75% of these projects are locally funded, demonstrating grassroots commitment, while additional support from state programs further fuels their success, with over $27 million received between 1996 and 2021 from various sources.

October 6-12 is National 4-H Week, and Washington County is celebrating the 4-H youth and alumni who are making an impact on the community. During this celebrated week, 4-H members and volunteers are excited to promote 4-H in special ways in communities across the county. Several special events will be going all week to help celebrate. Washington County 4-H is proud to have such an active and supportive community of these special events and our youth. The 2024 National 4-H Week theme is Beyond Ready, which celebrates the program’s dedication to building a generation equipped for the future while being met where they are today. This year, 4-H is focused on helping youth be ready to lead, ready to serve, ready to build, and ready to conquer. Washington County 4-H is proud to be in the top 3 largest 4-H programs in the state of Iowa with over 400 4th-12th grade members last year and 160 kindergarten-3rd graders in Clover Kids. It is a place for youth to belong and grow by connecting with peers at monthly meetings and activities. National 4-H Week is the perfect time to get enrolled in 4-H as clubs are kicking off the new 4-H year this month. The 4-H county council will kick off National 4-H Week by having an active hand in the community preparing and serving a meal for the October 5 Saturday Kitchen at the UP Church in Washington. This is a free meal for the community to gather and connect. Lunch is served at 11:30am. Other events will continue the week for the Washington County 4-H program. Washington County has 4-H programs for youth in grades K-12. For more information about the 4-H program in Washington County as a member or volunteer, contact the Washington County Extension Office, 319-653-4811.

Washington County 4-H kicks off the 2024-2025 4-H year with a big announcement. A new special interest club revolving around the photography project area is now offered to youth in 4th-12th grade who have a special interest in photography, art, and design. The new club is called the 4-H Camera Corps Club and will start meeting once a month in November. This specialty club is open to youth from across the county who want to spend time each month in a club setting with peers focused on new photography learning, challenges, and practice. Each month members will be able to showcase their work through the Washington County 4-H Facebook page and also submit them to the Iowa 4-H Camera Corps as well for feedback from professional photographers across the state. It is a free program to join. The club will meet once a month on the second Thursday of the month from 6:30 – 7:30 pm at the Extension Office. Youth would be welcome to join this local 4-H Camera Corps Club as a brand-new member to 4-H or could be a current 4-H member wanting to change clubs or add a secondary club. Interested youth should register through v2.4honline.com selecting “Camera Corps Club” or contact the Washington County Extension Office for next steps.

The Washington City Council held a discussion about the second reading of an ordinance amending the municipal code chapter 50 and 51 which pertains to parking vehicles on property at their Tuesday meeting. City Administrator Joe Gaa explains the reasoning behind the changes to the ordinance, “I think the point is, and it’s a good point, is that we haven’t necessarily enforced what’s been on our books. So that’s one thing, once this is set in stone, and on the books, and been published and everything, I will spend some time with codes enforcement and we’ll go around and actually evaluate.” The Council approved the second reading of the ordinance. The third reading of the ordinance will take place at the next City Council meeting, and the changes will take effect after.

Join Main Street Washington’s Design Committee & the Historic Preservation Commission on a walking tour through the historic churches in Downtown Washington. Learn about the city’s religious heritage and admire the stunning architecture of these iconic landmarks. Our knowledgeable guides will share captivating stories and insights into the history behind each church. Tour stops include United Presbyterian, Grace Community, City Point, 1st Baptist, United Methodist, and Marion Avenue Baptist. The tour includes a guided tour of downtown churches, refreshments, and an informative guidebook. Tickets are $15 per person, with tours being held on October 6th & 13th starting at 2 pm & 2:30 pm.