Yard waste and council conflicts were burning issues the first six months of the year

One of the more controversial actions taken by the Lone Tree city council was resolved on Monday, Jan. 3, when council members voted three to two to reappoint Merry Thomae as city clerk.

The city also clarified how to contact members of the council, responding to concerns voiced by residents. "If you want to contact a council member, the first step is to call city hall," Lone Tree Mayor Shelley Allison said.

The council approved resolutions to improve the city water system in order to allow for more growth.

Council meetings continued to be plagued by malfunctions with the city hall sound system, so that no audio was available on public access broadcasts of the meetings.

Julie Poeltler, Fountain of Flowers proprietor, joined more than 200 other florists in Washington, D.C., to prepare decorations for the second inauguration of President George Bush.

February

Habitat for Humanity announces the group will sponsor a new home in Lone Tree for Kathy Parrott and her three-year-old son, Wyatt. The home will build at 611 S. DeVoe St.

Concerns about unsafe parking in Lone Tree were voiced by Bob Lindley, in charge of street and parks for the city. Cars parked in the fire lanes at the school on event nights were particularly dangerous, he said. Both city officials and county law enforcement officers suggested parking enforcement would be more expensive than it was worth.

Centric Computing opened its doors for business on DeVoe St. Shari and John Hudson relocated the computer repair, building and website design firm from their home in Nichols.

The city council passed a new burn ordinance modeled after a similar law in Iowa City.

March

The council approved a preliminary motion to create a yard waste composting site behind the city shed on Commercial St. The site is needed because residents will no longer be allowed to burn their yard waste. It will consist of a 24-ft by 16-ft wood shed with a metal roof. Some residents were concerned about their ability to bag yard waste.

Frustration filled the city council when member Todd Hayes introduced a motion to impeach Mayor Shelley Allison, whom he characterized as illegally disregarding the will of the council.

Local resident Courtney Attig, 12, had the trip of a lifetime when she and her family were sent to Florida by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Attig has cystic fibrosis. While in Orlando, she lived a dream by swimming with dolphins.

Discord within the city council and town residents over issues such as the new burn ordinance reached a point where some suggested an outside mediator be brought in to get the situation under control.

Resident arrived in droves to a fundraiser for librarian Stephanie Callan, who has an inoperable brain tumor.

About 20 people gathered to discuss the future of Lone Tree. Attracting more businesses topped the list of concerns.

Two men died when the experimental, acrobatic biplane they were flying crashed in a cornfield just north of Sharon Center.

April

Burning was the hot topic again for the city council. "It's tearing the city apart," member Todd Hayes said. "That's not our job." He suggested a compromise in which citizen may burn leaves and yard waste four days a year.

Lone Tree firefighters kicked off their annual dance by responding to a chimney fire in Hills. The fire was extinguished by the time they arrived, so they were free to return to the American legion and spend the evening dancing and socializing with the community.

As part of their two-day bus tour of proposed casino sites, the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission spent 45 minutes in Riverside.

The first coat of white paint was applied to the new, 250,000-gal water town in Lone Tree.

Workers installed new audio equipment at the Lone Tree city hall, including new microphones for each council member, sound mixer, audience microphone and outputs for audio and video tapes.

May

Lone Tree kindergarten, first- and second-graders joined together in a nationwide art project honoring fallen soldiers. Each class created their own twin-sized quilts, and the materials were donated.

Business owners and concerned citizen gathers at the American Legion for a second brainstorming session on the future of Lone Tree. The session centered on the positives and negatives of living in Lone Tree. On the plus side were good schools and community services. The top concern was attracting and keeping businesses.

A new casino license was issued to the Washington Riverboat Foundation by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. The foundation is working with Catfish Bend Casinos in Fort Madison to build a casino and golf course on 235 acres about two miles east of Riverside. It will boast a 200-room hotel, an entertainment center and a banquet room. The golf course is being designed by Rees Jones, one of the top professionals in that field.

June

Work on the new Nichols fire station kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony on June 6. The new station will house the fire department, first responders, and police. The seven-bay building will have a meeting room, two offices, and two restrooms.

Soon boaters will one again be able to launch at the River Junction when the new boat ramp is open to the public on Wednesday, June 29. The campgrounds at River Junction have been closed the last few weeks to allow park improvements.