Slater Community Center Town Meeting
March 30, 2016
Iowa State University
Community and Regional Planning 437X
Executive Summary
On March 30th, approximately 50 local residents attended a town meeting on the topic of the potential for a community center in Slater, Iowa. An undergraduate community planning class from Iowa State University facilitated the meeting. The students reviewed three existing community centers in Iowa, and then participants were split into small groups to solicit feedback. Nominal group and small group discussion questions were used as techniques.
Participants were asked to complete the phrase, “Slater needs a community center be because…” After a process of aggregating and voting on responses, five received support of at least 20% of those attending. These were in order of support:
· For recreation: basketball, walking, track and exercise room (28 votes)
· It would be a nice space for community gatherings, weddings, and events (24 votes)
· A community room for 300 people with kitchen (19 votes)
· Daycare that is privately run (16 votes)
· Need a safe room for people without a basement (15 votes)
During the meeting’s next phase, small groups were reconvened based upon whether they supported the idea of a community center (Yea-sayers) or opposed and/or had serious reservations to the concept (Naysayers). Each group was asked as series of questions to further elaborate their support or opposition and to provide further input.
A brief summary of some the highlights of each of these groups is as follows:
NAYSAYERS:
Most concerns were expressed around three major themes, community priorities, funding, and duplicating amenities in nearby towns. Some expressed that other infrastructure concerns (streets, water, pool, etc.) should be higher priorities at this time. Another concern expressed was about the costs to operate and upkeep maintained. Finally, some stated that they did not want to compete and duplicate the efforts of nearby communities.
YEA-SAYERS:
A note of surprise was expressed about the interest in recreational facilities. The idea of an event center also received general support among these groups, and it was often cited as a possible personal use. The support for a storm shelter was also often within these groups especially within the context of children and mobile home park. There was also considerable support for daycare, but some participants noted that it should be privately operated. The incorporation of a new library as part of a new community center received a more mixed response. Virtually everyone felt private funding would be a key component to successful completion.
Slater Community Center Town Meeting
March 30, 2016
Iowa State University
Nominal Group Results
After a review of three examples of community centers (Moville, Mt. Vernon, and Stanton), the approximately 50 attendees were divided into eight small groups to discuss the pros and cons of a proposed community center in Slater. Participants were advised that the process was in the very early stages and no decisions had been made. A “Nominal Group” technique was use to solicit written responses to prompt phrase
“Slater needs a community center because….”
Conclusions to this phrase were written on small note cards and recorded as below. Duplicate responses were eliminated by the mutual consent of both parties. Statements that are highlighted were voted as the top three choices in each group.
GROUP 1
- Provide safe room for school kids otherwise not needed
- Doesn’t need community center because needs are met elsewhere
- Needs center as there is not a facility currently to compensate for large events
- Don’t need center because there are other priorities
- Community center would bring in a younger population
GROUP 2
- The library needs more space
- Need a safe room for people without a basement
- It needs a place where the library can expand
- We do not need a safe room, we need to prioritize more immediate needs (streets)
- The current facilities in town are not really “a community center”
- Larger room for renting out for parties
- It would be a nice space for community gatherings, weddings, events
- It needs a “gathering place” where people can meet, kids can play, and a “safe house”
- Older generation needs a larger place to have coffee
- Wellness center would provide a place to exercise and walk in inclement weather
- Should be a multipurpose facility library/gym/wellness and safe room!
- One central place for the town to gather
- Storm safety for mobile home park, Syngenta employees, school
- Mobile home parks should pay a fee to use the storm shelter
- Newly developed homes should be required to have basements
GROUP 3
- Work out facility
- Attract people to Slater
- Support local business
- Place to gather
- To attract people to the community
- Venue for large group events
- Entertainment
- Workout facility
- Consolidate meeting places
- Library needs more open space/ capacity
GROUP 4
- No place for meetings/public assembly
- Need a larger library
- Sense of community events and rental
- Current facilities out of date and not large enough
- Large event center
- Presently does not have building for larger groups
- Daycare center for children and/or adults
- Storm shelter close to school
- No indoor recreational facilities
- Daycare
- Could be rented for multiple functions
- Safe room
- Safe room
- Multi-purpose
- Multi-purpose facility w/ safe room
- Safe room
- May bring new people to community
GROUP 5
- For rental space
- For library
- Safe room
- Community improvement
- Daycare
- Safe place
- A multiuse facility would increase services to the community
- An in-town preschool would be an excellent addition to the community
- The library could expand and a recreation room be added on
- Library add on if present library is not adequate
- Community room for 300 people with kitchen
- Easy access for parking
- A need for central gathering place
- Maintain sense of community
- We have no FEMA safe room
GROUP 6
- We need a place to hold a large and small event
- We need a childcare facility
- We need a place of recreation
- Family gathering, post prom, etc.
- Wedding
- Gathering spot for citizens to meet
- It will benefit from safe room for weather emergency
- It needs a bigger library
- For recreation and basketball event and walking track and exercise room
- For event and wedding and reunion and ceremonies
- Because people are asking for one as a multiuse purpose building; storm shelter-events-recreation
- Recreation area
- We need a safe room + trailer park
- We need a place for people to use
- Because community can has one
- Safe room isn’t as a practical need
- Not an economic facility
- Citizen need services a center that could provide
- The city and community club have wanted this for years
GROUP 7
- Library needs more room
- Safe house in town
- Gathering space for about 250 people
- Another source of income
- Don’t need one unless it’s self sustaining
GROUP 8
Slater’s community center should include…
- Children’s daycare center (private)
- Not sure if it’s needed
- Rec facilities
- Health and wellness are
- Furnished meeting room to seat 500
- Exercise facility
- Meeting room w/ kitchen (100-300 people)
- Meeting room w/ prep kitchen (100-200)
- Meeting room/ reception space
- Kitchen area
- Gym w/ spectator seating
- Space for library programs
- Children’s daycare center (private)
- No city government space
- Small safe room
- Small safe room
- Not sure if needed
The top three choices of each small group were then posted and again duplicates were eliminated before the attendees as a whole. Everyone was then asked to vote on the remaining reasons for ta community center. The following received 10 or more votes (20% of those who attended):
· Daycare that is privately run. (16 votes)
· Community Room for 300 people with kitchen. (19 votes)
· For recreation: basketball, walking, track and exercise room. (28 votes)
· It would be a nice space for community gatherings, weddings, and events. (24 votes)
· Need a safe room for people without a basement (15 votes)
Small Group Discussion Notes
After the vote, small groups were reconvened and ask a series of questions to allow for more detailed discussion about the idea of a Slater Community Center. Two sets of small groups were formed by having participants volunteer tending to see the need for a center (Yea-sayers) or not seeing the need (Naysayers). Each group type was asked questions specific to their general views toward the center.
The discussions that followed were prompted by a the following questions… It was the intent to generate a free-flowing discussion to allow more free expression on participant opinions. Note, in some cases the responses to the question were followed with some consistency, and in other cases the discussion tended to focus upon two or three key points. Therefore, the raw notes taken by the student recorders in each small group are listed. Responses of theses tended to be consistent with the responses and voting of the nominal groups.
Slater Meeting
Small Group Discussion
YEA-SAYERS
YEA-SAYER QUESTIONS
1. In reviewing what was listed as reasons Slater might need a center, how would you describe your reaction? Did anything on the list surprise you?
2. What considerations should be made for the potential future growth of Slater?
3. How important should private financing and donations be to the development of Slater community center?
4. Remembering the examples from earlier, and what has been discussed so far, what do you see as the highest priorities to be included in a Slater community center?
5. How do you see yourself and your members of your household using a community center?
6. Given some of the possible uses of the center, where do you think would be a good location for it?
YEA-SAYER Notes
Group #1:
TOP 3 choices: In order of importance,
1. The community center is needed because it provides a safe place for kids, otherwise it is not needed.
2. The community center is needed because there is not currently a facility to compensate for large events.
3. The community center would be a great attribute to Slater as it would bring in a younger population.
Comments/Concerns:
Overall in group #1, most individuals were for a community center; we had one very solid “naysayer”. However, all individuals agreed that there were more pressing issues in Slater that should be resolved first including:
1. Library is very involved in the community and it is fairly new but it needs more space.
2. Grocery store is a great resource. Owner is looking to retire so our group was concerned with losing it due to it switching hands or not being able to maintain itself. Paying for it would be an issue to whoever would be interested in purchasing it.
3. Roads are in horrible condition, potholes are never fixed properly. Usually they are just filled or patched.
4. Water plant/water condition. Water conditions are bad, not very sanitary. The water quality is bad and should be fixed.
5. They need a sewer upgrade.
6. Our “naysayer” felt there wasn’t a need for a big venue as those kinds of needs are met in surrounding communities.
7. With that, a senior living facility or rec center would be appreciated.
8. They were concerned with snow removal and lawn care for elderly.
9. The group thought that adding a restaurant was needed in Slater as well. The bar in town is great they said but not really ideal for families.
10. Grocery store is in need of new ownership, more employees.
Positive thoughts:
Again, overall the majority of the group was for a community center due to the resources it can bring to Slater.
1. It is needed because it brings in the newer, younger population. It also would meet the needs for that generation.
2. The group would really like to see a daycare, as there hasn’t been one in a while.
3. The group said they would like to have a space for small businesses to rent out, similar to that of one of our examples we presented at the beginning of the night.
4. The group thought that to compensate for further growth of the younger generation the center should go in and provide a daycare as mentioned previously.
5. The population of Slater is aging and therefore the elderly portion is increasing, therefore, providing valuable resources to them would be appreciated with in the center.
6. Center would be great to provide a bigger facility to rent for recreation
(as most individuals use the “three C’s”???) – In addition this facility is overcrowded, and used for a kids hangout, although pricing is reasonable.
Possible locations:
1. Main street, vacant lot, the group suggested going two story with the building
2. Double lot, east of Heartland Ag. And west of Uptown hair
3. South of school!!!
Miscellaneous thoughts:
Fareway was and is a big resource to Slater. (Located in Huxley)
Conclusion:
Overall, a daycare if it were to be included in the center is a plus. More library space is a plus. Safe room for kids and people without basement (to double as event space) is a big plus! Recreation center for all ages would be appreciated.
Downfalls, not enough money in Slater to provide what is requested. Other issues at hand that should be the top priority instead. However, the group was really impressed with the idea of having the multi-use space of a safe room paid for by FEMA for the majority. This was something that they felt was important and should be considered.
Group #2
Question 1
· Should be self-sustaining *
· Surprised by daycare
· Blown away by the large interest in a wellness center