TAMA NEWS-HERALD - Tama residents and businesses may continue to rely upon more traditional methods for emergency notifications than a new system called "Code Red" which is proposed for Tama County. Sheriff Dennis Kucera met with the Tama City Council Monday night and detailed the advantages of weather-related and other emergency alerts which could be provided by it.

Residents would learn of the events through land line telephone or cell phone calls, text messaging or email, Kucera said.

However, council members again took no action. Member Steve Baier said he believed residents already had adequate ways of being notified through television and radio.

On May 4, the council also took no action on the proposal after first tabling it on April 20.

Kucera said the other 11 cities in Tama County have signed on and the Board of Supervisors has committed for the rural area residents. He also said it is very possible a federal grant through the Region 6 Planning Commission could cover the cost for the entire county for the first year of implementation.

The cost for the Code Red notification is 55 1/2 cents per resident annually in Tama County or about $1,575 for the City of Tama.

Kucera said notifications such as water main breaks, school-related weather closings and early dismissals and of missing persons are other alerts which can be issued.

Individual city fire, ambulance, law enforcement and city service along with the Sheriff's Office and emergency Management would determine the scope of the notifications, Kucera said.

Propose Lincoln Highway Informational "Kiosks"

Allan Richards, Tama County consul and vice president of the Iowa Lincoln Highway Association, asked council members Monday night to consider an interpretative type center to be located in the Lincoln Highway Bridge Park at East 5th Street and U.S. 30.

Richards said the center would be built by volunteers and with donations and be modeled after those built along the Lincoln Highway route in Linn County.

He also said similar kiosks are hoped for along the route in Tama County in Chelsea, on the Meskwaki Settlement and in Montour.

Don Wanatee was also present and shoed maps of the settlement which showed the original route of the Lincoln Highway was north of the Powwow Grounds with a wooden bridge over the Iowa River.

Council Park Committee members Dan Zimmerman and Josh Youngbear will meet with Richards to develop a plan for the park. Richards said community comment and involvement is invited to ensure needed and accurate information is included in the center.

In other business Monday the council:

authorized use of the engineering firm Earth Solutions to study a request from KCI By-Products to connect to the Tama waste water treatment plant. Earth Solutions was the engineer for the Tama facility.

approved a grant request totaling $1,897 from Tama Downtown Revitalization from Ed Hardon to pay one-half the improvements to the wall at 130 W. 3rd St., the building housing Curves.

approved payments to Twin Cities Construction for three street improvement projects totaling $52,861.

approved a liquor license sales permit renewal for the Fraternal Order of the Eagles.

approved cigarette sales permit renewals for Jiffy, Tama-Toledo Country Club, Leno's, Casey's, El Galito, Ellenbecker Oil and Miguel's Store.

approved end-of-the year fund transfers.

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