Premium ContentClick on Premium Content on the Featured navigation bar for information.
SHENANDOAH, Iowa — After more than $72,000 of spending on the Memorial Armory over the past two years, renovation of the Shenandoah landmark is almost complete.
Armory board member Harry Pontious said work on the downstairs showers is nearly finished and work on the upstairs military museum will begin soon.
“A lot of work has been done to this building, but it’s finally becoming something the taxpayers of Shenandoah can be proud of,” Pontious said.
Shenandoah voters approved a tax levy in 2008 that raises property taxes of 81 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. Since then, approximately $82,000 per year has gone to the armory for renovations and upkeep.
Shenandoah City Clerk Marcia McKay said since the levy funds began coming in, the armory board has spent $54,340 on building maintenance and repair; $9,679 on heating and lights; $1,820 on sanitary service; $830 on phone services; $4,452 on insurance; $2,271 on supplies and $669 on miscellaneous.
On Jan. 31, there was a $59,947 balance in the account, said McKay.
Pontious said the electrical system has been updated, men’s and women’s restrooms remodeled, carpet installed, drop ceilings installed, walls repainted, and handicapped-accessible showers added for men and women.
Armory board and VFW member George Gibson has plans to construct a military museum on the third floor of the building. Museum work will be paid for with donations, said Pontious.
“None of the levy money will be used for any work done to the museum or for the upkeep,” he said.
Once all the improvements are completed, Pontious said, he wouldn’t mind lowering the levy from 81 cents to about 40 cents per $1,000 valuation.
“When everything is fixed, we don’t need that kind of money anymore. We just need enough in the fund to operate,” said Pontious. “Why waste the taxpayers’ dollars?”
The Memorial Armory is used by the Shenandoah Parks and Rec Department, Nishna Productions, Special Friends, Boy Scouts, public auctions and private parties.
It is also used by the Shenandoah Community Schools for a summer lunch program and by the American Red Cross as a lodging facility for disaster victims.
“We also have a contract with the Shenandoah Medical Center as a backup facility in case of emergency,” Pontious said.
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
