The Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future Increasing Year-Round Residents workgroup will deliver surveys to all Harpers Ferry residents this month that will assess the need for affordable senior housing.

“The goal of this group is to discover ways we can hold on to and increase our permanent population,” said group leaders Larry Schulte and Pat Coda. “Many residents have left Harpers because their housing needs changed with time, and we as a community could not accommodate their needs. We hope that our efforts can change that.”

If enough need is determined by the surveys, the group will consider creating a nonprofit, applying for a grant and beginning fundraising.  The construction of a senior housing complex would not be funded by the city.

The Increasing Year-Round Residents workgroup is one of four Vision for Our Future groups that meet monthly to set goals and develop action plans to shape the future of Harpers Ferry. The vision is to create a place where young families thrive, small business and jobs grow, service to tourists is enhanced and a year-round home can be established for an increasing number of residents.

Community members who wish to fill out the survey electronically are encouraged to do so at here.

Harpers Ferry Vision for Our Future is a community-wide visioning project sponsored by the Allamakee County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and the USDA Rural Community Development Initiative.

To learn more about Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future or join a workgroup, contact Theresa Gallagher at 563.380.2111 or gallagherlarkin@gmail.com.

 

A meeting of the Tourists and Seasonal Residents was held on Thursday, July 9,  2015. Lowell Engel called it to order and ten members were present.

Projects discussed were:

1. RV Park: Lowell Engel will talk to Stilwell's about their land.
   
2. Dredging: Mike Whalen will contact the Army Core of Engineers.  The problem with the ice at Joyce Lake was also mentioned and the possibility of either drilling poles in or building berms.
   
3. Fire and EMS gear: Dave Cota will work on a grant.
   

A few other ideas mentioned were:

• Fitness and Wellness Center: with either equipment or instructor-led classes.
  
• Satellite Day Clinic: unsure if it would be utilized enough throughout the year.
  
• Boat slips for short-term parking: talk to the County Conservation Board about making boat slips available for guests to park boats while eating in town.
  

Next meeting is Thursday, August 13, 2015.

If you would like to join the conversation, there are still opportunities for you to join a focus group.  To join a group or learn more, contact community coordinator Theresa Gallagher ‎at gallagherlarkin@gmail.com or 563.380.2111.

Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future is a community visioning project sponsored by the Allamakee County Community Foundation and the USDA Rural Community Development Initiative with the purpose of planning for the future of Harpers Ferry.

In 2014, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque received a $152,492 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program. RCDI helps community-based development organizations, federally recognized Indian tribes and other groups promote economic growth in low-income, rural communities. CFGD’s grant seeks to build greater prosperity and sustainability in four rural counties in Iowa and Jo Daviess County in Illinois. In Harpers Ferry, that effort has helped created Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future.

8.   Use the working group project form to assign tasks.
9.   If necessary, use cell phone cameras to make copies of any hand-written documents           from the meeting and share with others via email, as well as send to the Mayor                       hrfycity@acegroup.cc Otherwise, be sure notes taken on a laptop or typed and are                 shared with the group, the mayor, the other working group leaders and with                              jon@dbqfoundation.org

If you would like to join the conversation, there are still opportunities for you to join a focus group.  To join a group or learn more, contact community coordinator Theresa Gallagher ‎at gallagherlarkin@gmail.com or 563.380.2111.

Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future is a community visioning project sponsored by the Allamakee County Community Foundation and the USDA Rural Community Development Initiative with the purpose of planning for the future of Harpers Ferry.

In 2014, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque received a $152,492 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program. RCDI helps community-based development organizations, federally recognized Indian tribes and other groups promote economic growth in low-income, rural communities. CFGD’s grant seeks to build greater prosperity and sustainability in four rural counties in Iowa and Jo Daviess County in Illinois. In Harpers Ferry, that effort has helped created Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future. 

Through the rain they came—young and old, lifetime residents and new to break bread in celebration and collaboration.

For Harpers Ferry, this was the result of months of community conversations addressing key issues related to strengths and weaknesses, goals, and achievements.  This Mayor's Dinner was the next step for Harpers Ferry to take necessary action for the future.

On June 11 at 5:30 in City Hall, Mayor Jerry Valley and Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future hosted a free dinner to discuss the results of six 'Community Conversation' sessions that have been a part of establishing a baseline of Harpers Ferry residents' dreams and needs.

Residents of Harpers Ferry were asked to respond to the following questions online and at six 'Community Conversation' events:

As a result of the community surveys, four themes rose to the top to form focus groups at the dinner.

Our Future for Harpers Ferry is...

If you missed out on any of this, there are still opportunities for you to join a focus group.  To join a group or learn more, contact community coordinator Theresa Gallagher ‎at gallagherlarkin@gmail.com or 563.380.2111.

Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future is a community visioning project sponsored by the Allamakee County Community Foundation and the USDA Rural Community Development Initiative with the purpose of planning for the future of Harpers Ferry.

In 2014, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque received a $152,492 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program. RCDI helps community-based development organizations, federally recognized Indian tribes and other groups promote economic growth in low-income, rural communities. CFGD’s grant seeks to build greater prosperity and sustainability in four rural counties in Iowa and Jo Daviess County in Illinois. In Harpers Ferry, that effort has helped created Harpers Ferry/Vision for Our Future.