Afton supports new lake shelter house

AFTON - The Afton Development Corporation, hard at work already in 2026, presented their first initial bids for various projects in the city. While the ADC was expecting to only receive permission for projects at Afton Lake, the city extended help for the development.

K’Lea Johnson, representing the ADC, showed plans for a new shelter house at Afton Lake alongside a pit toilet. Although she said the ADC wasn’t looking for additional city funds, the council discussed ways to help compensate the ADC for their work.

The shelter house, planned to make use of a repurposed grain bin, has plans to be constructed for a total project price of $8,990. Doors will be cut into the bin for access along with other structural improvements.

Another project planned by the ADC is a pit toilet for the lake, which is still in early designs. The ADC has begun submitting grants for these projects and primarily expected to fund these projects through these efforts.

When Mayor Michelle Burger asked Johnson how the city could help development on city-owned property, Johnson seemed surprised the city was willing to help.

“We just thought we could go for the grants,” Johnson said. “If you guys would help us out if can’t get the whole thing covered. We don’t have any other projects going on right now, so it doesn’t hurt us to do that kind of stuff. That’s what we’re here for.”

Johnson, who owns and edits the Afton Star Enterprise newspaper, said she expected a notice for donations would help fund projects like the pit toilet. Burger said she didn’t think a community organization should have to bear the brunt of the project.

“I don’t think it should be [that way], you know what I mean?” Burger said.

Another project discussed involved the Afton Community Center and installing either curtains or tinted glass to block evening sunlight on the west side of the building. This would be an especially useful addition for the ADC, who hosts bingo in the center once a month.

Burger said she’d prefer for the city to pay for the project, as the center is owned by the city. Although no official decision was made for these projects, the council will discuss using city funds for these projects under community endowment during budget workshops in the coming months.

In other Afton City Council news...

A months-long discussion on removing a city-owned tree came to an end when the city council approved removing the tree. In December, Afton resident Tara Boswell requested a tree in the alley beside her property to be removed in the interest of safety after observing falling branches and general decay on the tree.

The city discussed the tree’s quality with multiple sources in the months since, from city maintenance head Jesse Shade to local arborists at McNeill Tree Service to representatives with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The city’s policy says trees could be removed under disease control.

While Shade and McNeill concluded the tree did not represent a nuisance under city policy, the DNR arborist, Lindsey Barney, said the tree, a Siberian elm, showed signs of slime flux, also known as bacterial wetwood. Under this information, the council approved its removal. The council accepted a bid from McNeill for the project at $1,400.

After vandalism saw free food pantry food smashed and destroyed across the city park, the city council made a decision to remove the Little Free Pantry box on the southwest corner of the park square. Previously, the box housed donations from volunteers.

The box, donated and installed in 2020 by Iowa Select Farms, will be removed. While the council discussed converting the box into a miniature library, the box’s ownership ultimately remains with Iowa Select. The Afton Wi-Fi Center contains an open bookshelf where any resident can donate or freely withdraw books.