Hello and welcome to ottumwa , the city of bridges .
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became mayor of Ottumwa on Jan . 2 , 2022 . During these initial eight months we have done some amazing work in conjunction with the city council and our various city departments . In continuing with the work that was outlined in Ottumwa ’ s New 2040 Strategic Plan , we have been collectively focusing on many new initiatives that deal with housing , economic development , workforce retention and recruitment , community amenities , and diversity .
In the area of embracing diversity , the city continues to support various community events that celebrate and also represent the diverse populations we now have living in our community . We also have recently approved a new Human Rights Commission for Ottumwa . This Commission will be focused initially on educating the Ottumwa community about human rights in general and also things to be aware of when human rights may be compromised or ignored .
In the area of housing , our Community Development Department has continued this year with much success . We are aggressively removing several derelict houses in Ottumwa that are beyond rehabilitation . These properties can then be used as sites for new housing to be built upon . We also are collaborating with other housing agencies such as Rippling Waters , Habitat for Humanity , and the Ottumwa High School New Housing Program . Rippling Waters is able to purchase and renovate existing houses that are still suitable for rehabilitation and then sell them at fair market value . Habitat for Humanity and the Ottumwa High School New Housing Program are able to build new houses and then put them up for sale in the community . We also have made our housing ordinances more flexible so new houses can be built on narrower properties since many of the old derelict houses that are being removed now were built on much narrower lots years ago . Finally , in coordination with the Legacy Foundation , we have also started a Neighborhood Revitalization Program where a group of at least three property owners can go together to develop a plan for their neighborhood and , if approved , be awarded up to $ 10,000 to implement their plan . The city is also continuing the revitalization of our downtown area with additional new housing units being planned as well .
In the area of economic development , the City of Ottumwa has contracted this year with Greater Ottumwa Partners in Progress ( GOPIP ) to take the lead on economic development initiatives that will include both new business development as well as new retail development . New leadership coupled with the restructuring of GOPIP has resulted in a more aggressive business plan with more concrete deliverables for its members . In addition , the city has also been in several conversations with the owner of quincy Place Mall to strategize on how new tenants can be recruited for the mall , plus explore how the mall ’ s interior can be reconfigured so tenants have more visibility and easier access to the public in the future . There is also the new Strip Mall that is being built next to Kohl ’ s that will become home to at least three existing businesses and some new businesses as well .
In the area of workforce retention and recruitment , the city is working with a national company by the name of Gallagher to complete an internal Wage and Benefit Survey to see what new strategies can be developed for attracting new city employees and to also see how competitive Ottumwa really is in the areas of wages and benefits compared to other similar sized cities . Employee benefits will also be reviewed to see if today ’ s benefits are flexible enough and also do they really reflect what today ’ s employees really want from their employer .
In the area of enhancing community amenities , there are a lot of projects being planned that will make Ottumwa even more attractive in the future . Hopefully in 2023 the new Indoor Sports Complex will be built by the Beach Ottumwa , the new Cobblestone Hotel will be finished next to Bridge View Center next summer ( 2023 ), and the Master Plan for Redesigning Ottumwa Park will be finalized . Also , 12 new tennis courts are being planned and built next year as a joint partnership between the city and the Ottumwa Community School District . New pickle ball courts are also being planned for next year as well .
The city has also worked very diligently this past year to develop and approve a Revised Animal Ordinance that clarifies what all responsible pet owners need to know and do in order to keep their pets safely within the city limits . The new ordinance also clearly places the responsibility for animal safety compliance on the pet owner .
There are a lot of positive things happening in our community , and I have been very impressed with the strong leadership , commitment , and dedication of our new city council , our city administrator , and our city employees . From my perspective , everyone is very committed to making positive changes for Ottumwa that will help Ottumwa continue to grow and thrive in the future .
We also need to continue to strengthen our existing relationships with our community partners such as Wapello County , the Ottumwa School District , Indian Hills Community College , Ottumwa Regional Health Center , Iowa Works , and GOPIP , to name just a few . By everyone working together for the betterment of Ottumwa and Wapello County , we will continue to benefit greatly by all of our collaborative efforts .
Mayor rick Johnson City of Ottumwa
Doug Bauman CLU , Agent 523 Church Street , Ottumwa , IA52501 Bus : ( 641 ) 862-8191 Toll Free :( 800 ) 486-0188 Mobile : ( 641 ) 387-5214 doug . bauman . b5lb @ statefarm . com Find us on Facebook under Doug Bauman State Farm Insurance Agent /@ AgentDougB
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GOPIP Investor Directory 2022-23
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