Decorah Mayor Don Arendt lists five goals for 2014

Decorah Mayor Don Arendt has outlined his goals for city government for 2014.  He has presented such a list every year since he was first elected to office.  This year, Arendt is outlining five goals:

1) Extend sewer and water to the Decorah Business Park and annex the Downing property.  Currently the business park uses well water and septic systems.  City water and sewer currently extends only to the Highway 9 and Old Stage Road intersection.

2) Keep working on the proposed Park-Rec Wellness Center.  The Park-Rec Board is recommending the center be built on the softball diamond property between City Hall and John Cline School.

3) Recognize the contributions of volunteers to city government.  Hold an event to thank the volunteer firefighters and the people who serve on all the city's boards and commissions.  Arendt says there are over 100 such volunteers who deserve to be thanked.

4) Arendt wants the city council to continue to look into hiring either a part-time or full-time building inspector.
 
5) The mayor also wants to look into a "stormwater utility" that could raise funds to pay for needed projects involving the city's infrastructure.  Such a utility is currently set up in Dubuque and several other Iowa cities, putting together projects that improve storm water retention and runoff handling.