"Where are the volunteers?"

Fort needs volunteers

That leaves another 10,000 people in this town that aren’t doing anything. I’m not bashing on them, that’s their choice. Those days are gone of having this huge volunteer base, each organization having their own 100 people.”

Rusty Andrews, Fort Madison City Councilman

FORT MADISON – City officials are behind a $40,000 effort to get the Old Fort replica ready for visitors by Memorial Day.

At Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Fort Madison City Council, the council heard from several city officials about what would need to be done at a minimum to get the Old Fort shored up in time to meet a May 29 commitment.

The council wants to get the Old Fort, which has been closed since January due to structural insufficiencies, open for tours again.

Building Director Doug Krogmeier offered a proposal that cost $71,000 to get the building temporarily secured.

“That’s just to get opened. That doesn’t include all the chinking or reroofing all the buildings,” Krogmeier said.

Included in Krogmeier’s options are the demolishing of three buildings, including the gift shop and moving that operation to the north blockhouse on the property. That building would require about $14,000 in repairs including a reroofing, because Krogmeier said rain is coming right into the building now.

The city would also construct some kind of fence to lead visitors to the proper starting place for the tours. Other fencing would also be required to enclose areas where buildings were being demolished. Total cost for poles for the new fencing is projected at about $35,000, or just about half the total cost.

City Public Works Director Mark Bousselot said he has an opportunity with Alliant to purchase some used utility poles at about 25% of what they would cost to purchase new.

The plan also includes demolishing buildings B and D at a total cost $20,000, including the gift shop.

Councilwoman Rebecca Bowker asked where the city was going to come up with the $71,000.

City Finance Director Peggy Steffensmeier said she was asked to find money for the demolitions and there is about $20,000 in an Old Fort reserve fund that could be used.

She said there was also about $40,000 in the upcoming budget for Fort repairs so that puts the city about $11,000 short of Krogmeier’s proposal.

The council balked at committing to spend the $71,000, but authorized $40,000 to get the work started and then asked Krogmeier to come back to the council with updates on how the work is going.

The city has already paid to have the study completed on what needed to be done to shore up the Old Fort for the next 10 to 15 years. The cost of the repairs in that study was close to $430,000.

Several residents, including Shelley Dowling, advocated on behalf of the Fort saying the city has committed to fixing the property to include gathering volunteers and funding to get the 35-year-old historical replica of the original Fort Madison safe for people to visit.

She was also concerned about demolishing the gift center and moving it to the blockhouse.

“I see a real problem with the gift shop. That’s where the people enter, they start, they peruse, and that’s the travel way to go into the Old Fort. We take that away and put up an orange snow fence? That’s really tacky,” Dowling said.

“It looks like Fort Madison has no investment in the tourists that are coming in.”

Dowling also asked for the city to look for what she called “time and talent” from volunteers around the city.

“That’s how the original started with a lot of prison work,” she said.

Resident Linda Baxter asked the council to remember what visitors are coming to Fort Madison to see, specifically with regard to American Cruise Line passengers that come off the ships during dockings.

“I want everybody here to realize that the boats are coming to see the Fort. They aren’t coming to see the marina or other things. They are coming to see the Fort.  We should consider them when we consider what it’s worth for Fort Madison to be on the map for people around the world,” Baxter said.

Dowling said she was under the impression that the city, specifically the mayor, was going to find volunteers to work on the project to keep costs down.

“We look to you guys as leaders and now you’re coming back at us,” she said.

At a March city council meeting discussing the work, Mohrfeld said residents came out in force to support sustaining the Old Fort over demolishing it and now those people need to step up and help get the replica shored up.

“The loud and clear thing we’ve heard was this was important to us, and we will show up. And we’re going to take the community up on that. We truly are. I think it’s important that people support what they create,” Mohrfeld said back on March 21.

Councilman Rusty Andrews said he volunteers on many committees, and he sees the same people at each committee, hinting that other people in the community need to step forward.

“I sit on about as many committees and organizations as anybody can – Rodeo, Fiesta, Kiddie Parade. And all the people on those committee are in this room. Damn near,” Andrews said.

“That leaves another 10,000 people in this town that aren’t doing anything. I’m not bashing on them, that’s their choice. Those days are gone of having this huge volunteer base, each organization having their own 100 people.”

He said he sees the same people at all the meetings.

“We can’t get people to sell popcorn at an event. You gotta pay somebody $2 to sell it for $3. You get a dollar.”

He said we need to publish that the city needs volunteers.

Dowling said the city needs to get the word out that there is a need for time and talent on this project.

“This is what the Fort means. Do you want to invest in the future of our Fort?”

Andrews said that will never be taught in schools or at City Hall. It has to be taught in how we raise our kids.

“I’m sorry. I was dragged around by the old man every day my whole life. We implement our students to graduate to do volunteer hours and slip someone $20 to sign their paperwork,” he said.

“You have to explain to people how enjoyable it is and then you have to make it enjoyable.”

Andrews said he hopes the city can find volunteers to help with the work, but there is a very tight timeline.

“We don’t have six weeks to teach a kid how to use a hammer. I don’t think volunteers are going to be the saving grace for this one," Andrews said.

"But where are the volunteers? That should be the headline in the newspaper."