Schultz appointed to fill vacated Greenfield council seat

Lifelong Greenfielder Jimmie Schultz, also a local business owner, joined the ranks of the Greenfield City Council Monday night at their meeting as he was appointed to finish out the term of Richard Scheacher, who passed away July 2.

Schultz attended the council’s last meeting, July 16, to get a feel for how things have been going lately and took the oath of office from Mayor Ron Smith this week.

“I just wanted to see what was going on, see what’s happening,” Schultz said. “I don’t know what kind of impact I can make. I’m a fish out of water, but they told me to come after I told them I was interested in taking over for Rick to fulfill the term he left.”

Schultz’s grandfather, Oscar Schultz, built his life in Greenfield after coming here on the orphan train and his father, Oscar Jr., was also born and raised here. For 24 years, Schultz has owned and operated his auto body and mechanic shop Jimmie’s Car Care and More near the fairgrounds.

“I just wanted to see what I can put in input-wise,” Schultz said.

A representative of ISG Group gave a report to the council on the upcoming street project on East Iowa Street, SW Mills Street and a small portion of SW Second Street. The official stated that he and his team are 60 to 70 percent done with the design and pre-bid portion of the project. They expect the project will be able to be taken out for bids in October with work expected to begin next spring.

The project coincides also with a few projects Greenfield Municipal Utilities may be doing in the future, so ISG plans to include GMU officials in upcoming meetings for the project.

Another major aspect of the streets project is that the triangle currently at the corner of SW Second Street and SW Mills Street might be revised with the north-south portion of the intersection being taken out and turned to green space. Those involved feel that simplifying the intersection would lead to greater safety for all who travel through town in that area and a bus stop at the triangle would be unaffected by any alterations that might be done.

Other action

A discussion was held and a decision passed regarding Midwest Partnership. The city landed upon giving the economic development organization half the money it requested for the upcoming year.

The city approved a resolution hanging on to their affiliation with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments for the upcoming year in the amount of $2,192.

The council also paid a pay estimate to Kimrey Electric in the amount of $7,230.20. With that payment, the lighting project recently completed at the Greenfield Airport is nearly all paid for.

David Grappentine, PLC, was in Monday’s meeting introducing himself to the council and seeking out feelers on whether he would be accepted as the city’s new attorney upon Clint Hight’s recent medical diagnosis. Grappentine has made himself more familiar in recent years with municipal law, having worked most closely with the cities of Orient and Menlo. Grappentine received a favorable response from the council and terms of their potential working relationship were discussed. Grappentine reported that he would write a Letter of Engagement for the council to review at an upcoming meeting to get a process of him being the official City Attorney started.