Clinton to join leased, rotating art program

May 6—With Coldwell, Banker, Howes & Jefferies partner and real estate broker Dennis Lauver elected in March as its new chairman, new initiatives are being pursued by the City's Neighborhood Improvement Committee.

Clinton, Lauver said, will join the cities of DeWitt and Bettendorf in Iowa and Geneseo, Moline, and Rock Island in Illinois in participating in the Quad City Arts' "Public Sculpture Program."

As a part of this program, the selection and display of leased public sculptures is facilitated by the Quad City Arts organization on a rotating basis, though the sculptures are available for the city to purchase and permanently display as well.

The committee intends to positively impact the perception of Clinton for both visitors to the community and its residents by participating the program. After a while of passing by the same sculptures, committee secretary Tom Koester said, "You don't even see them anymore."

The Neighborhood Improvement Committee also, Lauver said, is seeking increased or improved signage at designated bus stops throughout Clinton.

The committee, which has seven members and two vacant seats, was established to develop programs that incentivize property owners to invest and improve existing housing in the city.

"The ones that complain [about Clinton]," Koester said, "if they would join, they would find out, 'Hhey, it's not that bad."

The committee's Property Improvement Program was created in 2020 to give monthly recognition to property owners who made significant improvements to their properties.

"By fixing up your residential or commercial property," Lauver said, "it impacts the neighborhood in a positive way, so let's celebrate that."

MINUTES MATTER CAMPAIGN

A number of Clinton homes and businesses sustained exterior damages during the August 2020 derecho.

Many of these residents, Koester said, ultimately replaced the siding on their homes but did not afterward reaffix identifying house numbers.

The "Minutes Matter" campaign was first presented to Clinton City Council in August 2023 by Clinton resident Cathy Townsend and members of the Neighborhood Improvement Committee after Townsend had raised concerns about the risk to safety posed by the absence of house numbers displayed on homes throughout the community and challenges that the lack thereof presents to first responders in the event of an emergency.

The city code of ordinances states that the owner of every building and residence shall obtain and have conspicuously placed a standard type number on the front entryway of the structure, plainly visible from the street or in the case of rural areas, the number should be attached to the rural mailbox at the street location for identification purposes.

The Neighborhood Improvement Committee secured the support of the Quad Cities Realtors Association and the Iowa Realtors Foundation to pay for house numbers and lined up volunteers to affix the numbers on the exterior of a house or business if the property owner desires.

Lauver said less than 10 residents have taken advantage of this free program since it was initially introduced.

OTHER PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

Clinton residents are encouraged to look into other programs offered through the city for other housing improvements, such as the Lead Paint and Healthy Homes Program administered by the East Central Intergovernmental Association that provides assistance in the avoidance of potential lead paint exposure in eligible homes or rental properties built before 1978.

The City Owner-Occupied Roof Rehab Program for low-income, single-family homeowners is another that provides assistance for roof repairs.

More information about these programs and application forms are available on the city's website at cityofclintoniowa.gov