Area Recreation Center (ARC) Report

3-10-03

Comments from the ARC Chairman by Paul Hahle

Our Mission is:  We will provide an area wellness center for people of all ages.

Although surprised to be elected chairman as a newcomer to the group I thank the Committee members for their faith in me and my ability to lead this group ahead as we refine plans to build the Area Recreation and Wellness Center.  We have many challenges ahead and by working together we can readily overcome those challenges.

The composition of the new Committee varies widely with great depth of experience and exposure.  The membership brings with it strong family rearing, community service, and business experience along with great imagination and creative skills.  As we have worked our way through the process of formalizing our mission statement and goals it is very apparent that this Committee is indeed a talented group with a dedication to accomplish the building of this facility.

It is very important for the supporters of the ARC be aware of the issues that need to be dealt with and the methodology that the Committee is going to use to move ahead.  The steps are straightforward, but not necessarily all that easy to accomplish.  Those steps will provide the three needed legs to effectively support the project.  The steps are:  Planning, Community (involvement), and Resources (identification & utilization).

First, the new Committee will not be reinventing the wheel by ignoring the observations, contributions, and experience gained by the earlier ARC boards.  Although it has been necessary to take the time to develop a mission statement and goals, the purpose of those steps is to ensure that the Committee members all understand and can align themselves with the intended direction.  The Planning function for processes to be used within the Committee has been mostly accomplished and a timeline for action has been developed.  We have much more Planning to do for the design and funding phases ahead of us.

Second, we are revisiting the facility design and it’s location. Input from the Community has been gathered together and those past needs are again being assessed for validity, application, and payback.  We are striving for sustainable utilization so that we do not build a facility that becomes obsolete and find that parts of the facility are no longer appropriate in a short length of time.  This particular step is one that this Committee can be most adept because of the wide variety of experience within the group, but it is also because of this diversity that this step may be the most difficult to accomplish.  We are in the midst of working through this step currently.

Third, as the various components from the second step are better defined the Resources component comes into the picture.  If we know for sure what we want, our ability to choose the talent and develop the funding structure becomes much more effective.  We will know what we need to do, how we are going to do it, and what it takes to get it done. 

I look forward to keeping the supporters of the ARC project informed and welcome your involvement in the planning and building stages of this project.  I am available for discussion or can make presentations on the status of the project and will welcome your inquiries.  I can be reached at 563-652-6578. 

                                                                Paul Hahle                                                                                                ARC Committee Chairman 

The ARC Committee:

Voting Members:

Paul Hahle, Chair

Jack Rosenberg, Vice Chair

Margo Shouse

Dean Nelson

Jim Geronzin

Geni Niess

Mary Hobbs

Non-Voting Members

Alvin Barten

John Cressey

Staff Persons

Dave Hayes

Brian Wagner

Clifton Gunderson LLP, accountant

Regular televised meetings are held at 7:00 pm on the second Thursday each month at City Hall. Open to the public. Other meetings may be called as required.  

Thanks to All Who Are Helping to Build The ARC!

Recent gifts, “gifts in kind”, memorials, and pledges have been received by The ARC from:

Brenda’s Flowers

Fifth Graders of Cardinal School

Brad Deery

Digital Concepts

Family Dollar

Paul & Geraldine Hayes

Jackson County Cattlemen

David & Sharon Johnson

Lucas Kennedy

Maquoketa Chamber of Commerce

Raymond Martin

Don & Connie McDonald

Barbara Miller

Northfork New Horizons 4-H

Matt & Marilyn Osterhaus

Gary and Lonna Schurbon

Kenneth Skelley

Bertha Taylor

Nancy Wagoner

Steve Wilson