Providing another access to Royalty Addition in Royal

The goal of establishing another street access into the Royalty Addition in Royal is one step closer to being accomplished.

City council members on Aug. 14 voted to establish the street north of The Great Hall of Royal, between 1st Avenue and King Avenue. In addition, they discussed designating the street as St. Louis Boulevard, in recognition of the former St. Louis Catholic Church that was closed in 2017.

The city purchased the site from Matt and Sara Ricke in 2019 for a street extension. The need for additional access to King Avenue prompted the decision.

“If that street were blocked, there would be no way in,” Mayor Josh Toft said.

Another concern is that vehicle parking could make it difficult for EMS personnel to reach some locations in that area.

Initial plans are to blade the sod and remove some of the dirt surface, and create a road surface with milled asphalt from the Main Street resurfacing project. There are no plans at this time to pave the new street.

“It won’t be a high-speed road,” Maintenance Superintendent Sherman Nielsen noted. “I doubt it will even have a curb, for we can’t send water in either direction.”

• Hometown Pride committee

Members of the Royal Visioning Committee will also serve as the Hometown Pride Committee. The Hometown Pride program empowers communities to cultivate local leadership, enhance community amenities, foster civic pride, boost economic vitality, and increase collaboration between local government, non-profit organizations and businesses.

Funds contributed by each participating city will be used to employ a professional “community coach.” Toft said Royal’s “coach” is to be chosen on Aug. 26.

“The coach will work with the committee to come up with plans and timelines for all the goals we’ve got,” he said.

• Generator voltage to remain the same

Power Solutions submitted a quote of $2,500 for converting the new generator for the lift station to 208 volts. That voltage is more common in commercial and industrial electrical systems that are supplied with 3-phase electrical power.

Existing equipment in the lift station operates on 240 volts. Nielsen is concerned that the different voltage might affect that equipment.

“They are 25-year old motors and have been 240 all that time,” he said.

The council agreed to keep the voltage the same, and to also leave the electric meter for the lift station on a pole rather than relocating it to the building.

• Nuisances, other business

City Clerk Jill Hickey reported that Northwest Iowa Planning and Development has not inspected properties considered to be in violation of Royal’s nuisance ordinance. The agency’s staff has been dealing with flood-related issues and has not been able to inspect the identified properties.

“At this point we should tell them not to come,” said Council Member Mitch Fahnlander. “I think it will be a waste of money at this point.”

The city will send letters prior to the fall cleanup day to encourage residents to address any existing nuisance issues.

The city is also investigating the possibility of applying for public assistance as a result of the May 20 hail event. Toft said bids for reroofing the community building and city shed have been forwarded to the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool (ICAP). An engineer has been consulted to determine if hail caused structural damage to city properties.

Other projects to be completed include cement work for a ramp at the Royal Historical Society and moving the crow’s nest at Memorial Park to the CC/E Elementary School.