Supervisors OK funding for Gothic House center plans
Oct. 18—OTTUMWA — The Wapello County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a request from the American Gothic House Center board to move forward with plans to expand the center to accommodate more people.
Gothic House administrator Cari Nicely sought both $12,000 from the county to pay for plans for Shive-Hattery to develop, and also requested a letter from the supervisors for when the Gothic House prepares an application for Destination Iowa Tourism Attraction Fund to assist in the construction of the project.
The project will involve an expansion of the building as overcrowding has become a concern. Supervisor Jerry Parker said a busload of tourists couldn't eat at the center, but instead were sent to Eldon. The board approved the purchase to come out of local option sales tax.
"There was a situation this summer where people came and I think they were going to have a sack lunch, and we had to rent the KC Center to have their lunch," he said. "This is one of the biggest attractions in the United States. Time has shown that we really need an addition to it."
Nicely said over 10,000 people visit the American Gothic House Center every year.
"And we're still recovering from COVID," she said.
Nicely also is trying to collect letters of support from local entities.
"I got one from the conservation department, and I'm waiting on the City of Eldon for a letter, and they're going to vote on that at the special board meeting next week," she said. "I just need a front person for the money so you can be reimbursed on the grant if we receive it."
The supervisors tied motions together for both the funding and letter.
In other business:
—The supervisors approved construction plans for an asphalt overlay of Kirkville road from the Wapello-Mahaska county line to the city limits of Kirkville. It is part of a joint Iowa Department of Transportation project with Mahaska County; that county will be doing an overlay from Eddyville Road from the Eddyville city limits to Kirkville Road.
"They're doing an overly predominantly in their county," county engineer Jeff Skalberg said. "We are just piggy-backing on them to go all the way down to the Kirkville limits."
The letting for the project will be in January, with work likely to begin in the fall of 2023.
—Early voting for the midterm election begins Wednesday. Auditor Kelly Spurgeon said voters should bring a photo ID to the courthouse to vote in-person from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
— Chad Drury can be reached at cdrury@ottumwacourier.com, and on Twitter @ChadDrury
