I’m writing this column on a full stomach as I just returned from the Fish Fry (shrimp tonight) at St. Joseph’s Church. Once again, it was excellent food, a fantastic display of volunteerism, a demonstration of people of all ages committed to their faith and an opportunity to meet up with many people in the community. A special treat was being joined by my daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. I was able to walk around with a 22-month-old who wanted to see all the babies.
Today is also Employees Day, and I want to say thank you to all the employees of the City of West Liberty and to all the employees working in and from our city.
On February 26, I had the opportunity to see the last stagecoach house in Iowa moved from five miles west of town to the historical society site near the depot. What an amazing process. When completed, this will add a major tourist site in our community. A few weeks before, I helped with the removal of some of the bricks that lined the walls. That was done to reduce the weight for transport. The bricks were placed in the walls to fortify the building against weapons. Not only were volunteers helping with the transport on February 26, but many volunteers also devoted hours preparing the building for the move. Now, many more hours will be needed for restoration.
At the city, we are reviewing the housing study that was just completed for Muscatine County and the communities within it. We know that increasing available housing is needed. I am pleased to be working with WeLead on this important issue.
West Liberty Foods is an asset to our community. Before making an announcement regarding employment changes at this plant, Brandon Achen met with City Manager Geertz and myself. Since then, the city council and I have been exploring every avenue to support West Liberty Foods and to enable affected families to remain in our community. The council has expressed the desire to provide as much partnership with West Liberty Foods as possible as well as working to lessen the economic and emotional impact this has on our families.
Finally, a note about this being Women’s History Month. While I think I would have come to a different decision, I have long admired the courage of Jeanette Rankin. In 1916, four years before most women in America obtained the right to vote, Rankin was elected to Congress from Montana. She was a Member of Congress when President Wilson addressed Congress and asked them to declare war in what we now know to be World War I. Rankin and some others voted no. In 1918, she ran for the Senate, and received the lowest number of votes.
She was not elected to anything until November of 1940. She was then reelected to the House of Representatives and traveled from Montana to Washington, D.C. She was in Congress on December 8, 1941, when President Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on the Empire of Japan. All Senators voted for war and every Representative voted for war, except Representative Rankin. She was never elected to any office again.
Each state selects two people from their state to be honored in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Montana selected Jeanette Rankin as one of its two statues. Below her name it says, “I will not vote for war.” While I don’t think I would have voted as she did, I and we can join her in working toward peace.
Mark Smith is Mayor of West Liberty and can be reached at mayorsmith@CityofWestLibertyIA.org or by telephone at 641-750-9278.