[Gander50]

Hey everyone on here that lives in Linn County, Iowa. We have a very important item coming up on the Ballot November 8th. This is the Water and Land Legacy Action. It is a 40 Million Dollar Bond issue that will be going toward Water Quality and Land improvements. 55% of this will be going straight into public Water Quality and Land improvements. The rest will be going towards Trail & Park improvements. This is a long term plan for the Linn County conservation to improve the Water and Land quality in our County. Attached is some additional information about the Bond issue and also a map of potential project area in Linn County.

REMEMBER TO TURN YOUR BALLOT OVER AND VOTE YES ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2016.

Visit http://YESLINNCOUNTY.ORG for more information or please feel free to ask me about any details you would like.

Thanks guys for your help in getting this past.

 

[Gander50]

Actually its the reverse. It is specifically $22 Million for Water improvements. Also only $6 Million will be going to trails. $12 Million will be going to Park Improvements.

The one thing a lot of people fail to see is this is a big bargaining tool to get matching funds from the Federal and State Grants. A lot of grants nowadays are requiring matching local funds.

Its time we start thinking of out water and land quality as a community and not just flushing it down stream.

Or we could just go and sue Benton County for sending all their nitrates down our way. :cheers::cheers:Sure seems like its working over in Des Moines. And we all know how smart they are over there. :cheers::stirthepot:

If I was a tax payer in linn county I would be all for an 18 million bond on water improvements, but when you throw in an additional 22 million for unneeded bike trails it shows where the counties focus really is.

 

[feathhd]

Congrads on the ballot proposal. I said this to members of IEC that counties could do this if DM fails to do its job.

However I would recommend some details if the execution of this plan / Revenues as to maximize taxpayer investments / returns.

1> Water Quality investment. Invest 20 million as match for CREP in Linn County, it is the only program out there that matches taxpayer dollars 4 fold to do conservation practices along waterways etc that greatly impact your target the most and on the private landscape.

2> Designate 5 Million as partner match for IHAP within your county. This will focus on vital habitat enhancement on private lands that are Open for public hunting giving sportsmen more places to go and spread hunting pressure out which in turn reduces pressure overall and will benefit present facilities for the better.

3> Designate 5 million towards NAWCA partnership for projects specifically in Linn County. This will put 5 acres of upland per 1 acre of wetland back on the landscape in the county to boost public recreational opportunities and boost quality habitat permanently on the linn county landscape. Again the match ratio here is 4 to 1. Thus maximizing taxpayer investment to the greatest ability of return. Long term.

4> develop an Aquatic Management area program that targets improving Rivers, Creeks, streams that flow through Linn county. This will help restore aquatic habitat that is vital to improving the fisheries.

Sorry to say this but trails do not generate revenues or bike paths. They are in fact cost prohibitive when you consider long term infrastructure needs. Simply based on the population of Linn county they could do a cost analysis if said paths and trails would be an economic plus for the county or a stupid liability.

Well thats all I have to say. Good Luck Linn County!:cheers:

 

[feathhd]

sue thier ass. I would. Simple analogy seems to work. Shit flows down stream doesnt it? So if tax payers of Linn county are making sound investments in improving said water quality, why should the work and the dollar investment made be all for nothing if your sister county to the north is simply dumping shit over the work you are doing. They should be held liable. :drinking:

 

[Gander50]

There were a ton of random surveys done with in the county to determine the best mix of funding and it was determined that some funding for parks and trails were needed to get the bond issue past. So it appears that there is interest in having some improvements to the bike paths. That's as much as I am going to say on that.

The big motivating idea behind this for the Linn County Conservation is to utilize these funds to go after federal, State and local grants to make this bond go further. So there will be a lot of this going on.

They have mentioned that if there is any work done on private land that it will be set up under the IHAP program. They believe in the program and would not spend money on private land with out this program.

Lots of good ideas feathhd.

Congrads on the ballot proposal. I said this to members of IEC that counties could do this if DM fails to do its job.

However I would recommend some details if the execution of this plan / Revenues as to maximize taxpayer investments / returns.

1> Water Quality investment. Invest 20 million as match for CREP in Linn County, it is the only program out there that matches taxpayer dollars 4 fold to do conservation practices along waterways etc that greatly impact your target the most and on the private landscape.

2> Designate 5 Million as partner match for IHAP within your county. This will focus on vital habitat enhancement on private lands that are Open for public hunting giving sportsmen more places to go and spread hunting pressure out which in turn reduces pressure overall and will benefit present facilities for the better.

3> Designate 5 million towards NAWCA partnership for projects specifically in Linn County. This will put 5 acres of upland per 1 acre of wetland back on the landscape in the county to boost public recreational opportunities and boost quality habitat permanently on the linn county landscape. Again the match ratio here is 4 to 1. Thus maximizing taxpayer investment to the greatest ability of return. Long term.

4> develop an Aquatic Management area program that targets improving Rivers, Creeks, streams that flow through Linn county. This will help restore aquatic habitat that is vital to improving the fisheries.

Sorry to say this but trails do not generate revenues or bike paths. They are in fact cost prohibitive when you consider long term infrastructure needs. Simply based on the population of Linn county they could do a cost analysis if said paths and trails would be an economic plus for the county or a stupid liability.

Well thats all I have to say. Good Luck Linn County!:cheers:

 

[Unlucky Duck]

Looks like this passed.

 

[Gander50]

WooHoo!!!! It Past!!!!

We only needed 60% but we got 75%. This is a great step for the Land and Water Quality for our county and all those that are down stream from us. Now the work begins and Linn County Conservation will be looking for all types of matching funds (Federal/State/Conservation Organizations) to help these dollars go further. I will try and keep everyone updated on projects that are happening with these dollars so that everyone is kept in the loop.

I am for one very happy that this is happening. It will mean more waterfowl habitat which everyone knows is good for every other animal that roams this state.