It’s been a busy week in Mount Vernon and Lisbon. We have news of two mergers and acquisitions alone on interior pages. Don’t take that the news isn’t on front page that it’s not important. It’s huge for these communities that we’re getting a grocery store like Fareway moving into the former Brothers Market location. Like Brandon Siggins said, that is going to draw customers to the Lisbon community in a lot of ways.

The bank merger was one we didn’t expect, but is also welcome news, adding to the reach of smaller community banks to continue focusing on their communities.

Of course, the news most of the community is talking about has been the continued development of Kwik Trip/ Kwik Star. The development agreement states that will bring the equivalent of 20 full time jobs to our community, as well as draw people off of Hwy. 30 into the community.

The purchase of the ladder truck for Mount Vernon Fire Department is a huge deal for our area first responders. As the Mount Vernon Fire Department laid out in their presentation to Mount Vernon City Council, this purchase doesn’t just impact the Mount Vernon communities, but all the communities that these departments respond to. As a rural fire department, seconds matter in some of these fires, and waiting for a ladder truck from Cedar Rapids to more safely rescue people or help put down a fire is a long wait in an emergency situation. By spending the $500,000 more on this replacement vehicle and adding to the fleet that responds to many of these fires in our areas, these agencies who work together add more to their arsenal to battle fires of taller structures or rescues.

The plan on the purchase is also a smart fiscal move by the City of Mount Vernon, not bonding for a savings that may never be realized. Yes, it ties the hands of future councils on committing to a purchase, but it’s a purchase that many on the council recognize as needed for our communities first responders and adds another tool that many of us will appreciate being there in the future.