Under the Water Tower Lovilia News

The 60th class reunion was held at the Lovilia Community Building for a luncheon. Class colors were red and white and the class flower was red roses. So the table was decorated with those colors and flowers. Class member Marguerite Markle even created a cake for the class with white and red frosting.

The afternoon was spent looking at photos and visiting. The class hopes to do it again next year.

There are 18 class members still living. Eleven attended the reunion. Attending from Lovilia were Carole Richmond, Marilyn Kraber, Doran Haywood, and Harold Hastings.
Out of town guests were: Marguerite and Rollie Markle (both classmates), Ruth Belzer, Marilyn VandenBerg, Delores Boehmke, Barbara Melcher, and Robert Waters.
Spouses attending were: Mary Jo Hastings,Jane Haywood, and Bernice Waters.

United  Methodist Church Updates

Oct. 2 will be a Crop walk from Hamilton Methodist church to Bussey Methodist church. You can make a pledge to this charity with a Methodist member or when you arrive to walk with them that day. Refreshments served to all who walk when they arrive in Bussey. Any one in the community is welcome to join the walk.
I walked last year and found it to be a great form of exercise and was as hungry as a coon dog who barked up trees all night when I got to Bussey and put a dent in their ice tea and cookies. Fun time and helps a good cause to feed the hungry.

Oct. 13, Thursday, Lovilia United Methodist Women will hold a guest day luncheon.  It will be held at noon at the Lovilia Comm. Building.  All local church women are invited.  The program will be given by Merrill Baker.  He will tell of his recent visit back to Korea where he had served his country during the Korean War.

 

Methodists are also having Kid’s Club every Wednesday evening from 4:30-5:30 pm for children in grades K-6 at their Lovilia church.

 

Methodists Fall soup supper will be Nov. 2, 2011

Supper starts at 5 and goes until 7pm at the Lovilia Comm. Building.  Cost is a free will offering.  Menu is: chili soup, veg-beef soup, chicken noodle soup, steamed hamburgers, and pie.  The whole community is invited for food and visiting with your neighbors.

Firemen’s supper Wednesday, October 5

The fundraising supper starts at 5pm at the Lovilia Comm. Building.  Cost is a free will donation.  Menu is the chicken and noodles they are famous for.  Following the supper the firemen will have a lighted firetruck parade through town.

 

City election will be November 8, Tuesday.

Be sure to vote at the Lovilia Community Building. Pat Gilbert, current mayor, is running unopposed for  another term as mayor.

Three council positions are up for election.  Three of the five people running will be elected or someone could be elected on a write in campaign.  The five candidates are:  Pat Anderson, Bob Beary, Scott Hugen, Karrie Hutchinson, and Beth Shelford.

Lovilia City Water Sourced from Lake Rathbun is Safe

There have been comments that the water smells or tastes bad.  According to Rathbun Regional Water, who treats our water for use, there is a high algae growth at the lake and the lake is turning over.   This a a normal course of nature and the treated water we receive is safe to drink.

Quotes Below from the First Lovilia newsletter published by the Mayor and City Council

The purpose of the newsletter is to keep the residents informed on what is taking place in your city government. They hope to publish it each year in Jan. and July.

2004:  Lagoon Renovation project:  was mandated by the Iowa DNR that the city update to an aeration system. The cost was nearly $700,000.  Financed in part with a Comm. Development Grant and the remainder in debt incurred by the city.  Final payment on the borrowed funds will be in June 2023.

2005-6 Park committee formed and procured over $40,000 to construct the city park on E Avenue South.

2006-7:  Street improvement with the paving of E avenue South from 16-20th street and also West 17th and West 18th streets.

2010: seal coating of city streets

2011:  Water tower renovation.  removed coating and recoated inside and out

2011:  Purchase of new city pick-up

2011:  Improvements to Gibson park (north end of Lovilia on Hwy 5) This included the renovation of the coal car by Roy Beebe, poured a concrete slab to sit a picnic table on, and the purchase of a car port style picnic shelter from Rob Wallace of Wallace Tire shop of Lovilia.  These cost $2695 and was funds applied for and received from the Monroe Co. Foundation ( which distributes money from Iowa gambling back to local non profits in Iowa communities) Money donated to the city by the now defunct nonprofit Lovilia recreation committee was used to purchase a picnic table and garbage holder.

Population

The census of 2010 showed our population drop from 583-538 Lovilia residents.  The road use funds we receive from the state are based on our population as is the local option sales tax received. Therefore we have a reduction of revenue due to the smaller number of people living here.

City Ordinances (laws) you should be aware of:

Mowing of property: required mowing of property by the 1st and 15th of the month in May, June, July, August, September and October of each year.

Junk:  Its is unlawful for any person to store, accumulate, or allow to remain on any private property within the corporate limits of the city any junk or junk vehicle

Animal control:  it is unlawful for any owner to allow an animal to run at large within the city limits

Permits required:  building permits are required

Snow/ice removal:  it’s the responsibility of the property owner to remove snow/ice from sidewalks

Parking on sidewalks is prohibited.

This is just a sampling of city ordinances. A complete copy of the ordinances and the Lovilia zoning ordinance may be viewed at city hall.

Boards and Commissions

Cemetery board of trustees- 4year term

Planning and zoning commission- 5 year term

Board of Adjustment- 5 year term

Park Committee

IF you are interested on serving on any of the above please contact city hall and when a position is available you will be considered.  A listing of current members is posted in the window of city hall.

Lovilia Volunteer Fire Dept.

The current Fire Chief is Justin McCombs.  If you are interested in being a member of the fire department contact Justin, the city clerk, or any other fire dept. member.  The Fire Dept. recently received a plaque of appreciation from the MDA for perticipation in Labor Day fundraising for 2010.  The Dept participated in “Fill the boot” fundraising again this year and raised $1500.

City Employees

Leonard Geery- City Superintendent (full-time position) phone:  641-946-7755 or 641-891-1755

Patti DeGross-City clerk (part-time position)Phone:  641-946-7711 or afternoon call 641-946-7343 if you don’t get an answer leave a message on her answering machine

Jane Haywood-Billing clerk (part-time position)

Jerry Knapp-Animal control officer (part-time position) Phone:  641-777-3274 or call the Sheriff’s office at 641-932-7815 to report an animal running at large.

Water and Sewer Bills

Meters are read on or about the 20th of the month.  Bills are mailed the last weekend of the month and are due on the first Thursday and Friday of the following month.  Bills can be paid at City Hall in person or in the drop box located on the door of City Hall.  Payments can also be mailed.  Bills are delinquent on the 10th of the month and a penalty is added to unpaid bills.

The City of Lovilia charges a flat-rate sewer charge.  The sewer rate is NOT based on water usage.  The sewer charge remains in effect in the presence or absence of water connection.

Sewer charges will not be discontinued unless a building is removed from the lot. And the lot must be cleared, leveled, sowed and lines must be capped and approved by the City Superintendent per the Lovilia Code of Ordinances.

St. Peter’s Catholic Church News

Starting Oct. 2nd mass will be Sunday at 10:30am.

St. Peter’s is creating a photo directory of our church and members.  Photos will be taken at the church hall on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8.

A vote on the parish picnic resulted in the decision to keep the same menu but to hold it next year in mid October.

Current altar servers and new trainees will stay after Mass on Sunday , Oct. 9 for training with Father Pat.

Altar and Rosary meeting will be at 9am on Oct. 9 before mass for all ladies of the parish.   This will be to discuss by-laws, budgets, etc.

St. Peter’s Food Pantry donations:  you can leave non-perishable food items for Helping Hands every Sunday in the box at church. If you prefer to give money for extra items to be purchased you may do that too in the donation container marked Helping Hands.

If you have news to report, please call Susan Beary at 641-946-7952 or email me and I will put it on the under the water tower site.  Thank you.

 

Barbara Fridley Potts wrote recently that while she was on the web she read the Ottumwa Courier death notice of Elna Papich,age 94, who died in Feb. and was formerly of Lovilia. I know she signed my mom’s little red book from high school, Barb recalls.

In your Under the Water Tower I read the article of Mary Chamberlain (posted Nov. 20, 2010). she and my mom must have know each other. The article mentioned Rex 4 mine and Buxton coal mine. My mom grew up at Rex 4 and 5. She also lived on a farm in Lovilia. Her dad George was killed in the mine when she was 15 years old. Mary Kollar, mom’s mother stayed at the farm and I think had berries, a cow, and had hired men to help her with the farm. Mom talked about the big breakfast grandma fixed for the men. It was the main meal for the day. Mom said her first friend was Margaret Johnson from Rex 5.

Please let Mary Chamberlain know that someone does care and enjoyed hearing of her life in Lovilia.

My mother was Elvira Anne Kollar Fridley, born February 19, 1914 at Buxton, Iowa and she died March 1, 2002.

Mom always had fond memories of her childhood in Lovilia. Mary Hreha Kollar was her mother. Her dad was Andrew Hreha. Her sister was Emma Hreha Konovich. They are buried at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Lovilia, Iowa. One friend mom mentioned was Margaret O’Brien.

We visited Iowa in 1996 and saw Lovilia, Albia, and the surrounding areas. We could not find the farm but I think we were close. Visited the St. Peter’s cemetery and went by the Church.

Mom said George and Mary Kollar were the first couple to be married in St. Peter’s. When granpa died she said the service was one of the largest attended.

Mom went to nursing school in Iowa and was a RN until she retired in 1968. She loved her nursing and made lifelong friendships.

She married in 1936 in Centerville, Iowa to Bert H. Fridley. He later died in 1971. Dad had various jobs one of which was in Centerville at the newspaper and the mill.

They had four girl: Beverly, Mary, Barbara, and Patricia. Mary died in 2007. the family lived in Des Moines until 1948, then moved to Arizona for one year, and the to Los Angeles, California. We all stayed in California.

“I wish of course she was still here to tell you first hand the stories. All I know is she and I have fond feelings for Iowa”, says Barbara.

Thanks for writing Barbara. We love to hear from people who love their Lovilia roots.