At the beginning of the school year, we set out a list of goals for the community and projects to be tackled. Here’s how the community did on those goals.

New superintendent at MV schools

The Mount Vernon School Board and community did an excellent job in their hiring process with the new superintendent, Matt Leeman. Dr. Greg Batenhorst was a well loved superintendent at the Mount Vernon Schools , and left big shoes to see filled with the number of projects that were finished in his tenure. And the district has been addressing one of the areas that was discovered in May of last year, with a focus on the budget amidst stagnant enrollment at the district. Leeman has been doing a terrific job being present at the schools and communities and guiding the board on visions for the district moving forward in years to come.

Uptown streetscape study completed

While the final report is still being finalized from JEO, the City of Mount Vernon and JEO had several opportunities for citizens, businesses and others impacted by a potential streetscape to voice their concerns about any proposed changes. The scope of what the project will entail in the future (how much infrastructure is completed) will be up to the city council to determine as well in the coming years. As city administrator Chris Nosbisch has laid out throughout the process – any work on the streetscape will be staggered to not be happening at the same time as the Hwy. 1 resurfacing work the Iowa Department of Transportation has on the schedule, to not impact two of the main arteries in the community at the same time.

Lisbon baseball diamonds and other projects at the activity complex

Work has continued at the sports complex throughout this past year. The grass wasn’t ready for sporting events to be hosted this season, but after more intense work this past summer, the first proposed events to be hosted at the complex look to be happening in spring 2025. As for the ball diamonds, they are slated to be placed out for bid for construction and development in next spring. Work has also begun on discussing the next phase for the sports complex.

Lisbon construction projects finished

We think we echo what the frustrated students at Lisbon’s drama department had to say at the end of the one-acts this fall – “Construction, get finished already…” While the weight room was completed ahead of the start of school, the lobby renovations to flooring was slightly delayed at the beginning of the school year. The area that created the most headaches, however, was work on the career and technical education wing and additional classroom space. Those spaces were still being worked on in late fall, forcing teachers to come up with creative solutions on where to house classes until that work was finished. That meant that the fall musical had to be shuffled to a different date, as the auditorium stage was utilized for a classroom space for one of Lisbon’s teachers. We do have to commend the work done to the Lisbon playground that was completed on time. That was a terrific project tackled by parents in the district.

And a project that wasn’t on the goal, but is being constructed as we speak – a new 30 unit condominium development for those over the age of 60 and the extension of roadways is underway. As city administrator Chris Nosbisch noted at a meeting in early November, the building is already at full occupancy before construction is completed, and a wait list has been started. It’s a boon to the community to add focused senior housing in the community moving forward, and other housing projects will continue.

We’ll have a new set of goals established for the community for the 2025 year in the Jan. 2 issue of the newspaper.