IOWA CITY

V Fixmer-Oraiz, who will take office as a Johnson County Supervisor in January, gave a last Historic Poor Farm project update to the board at its work session Nov. 30.

The Poor Farm and its buildings are undergoing a massive renovation project and many of the areas will open to the public in the spring. Other design improvements are in the planning stages, including the proposed additions of walking trails, an amphitheater and perhaps a living community with apartments or houses.

Fixmer-Oraiz has been the project manager and will transition to County Supervisor on Jan. 1.

“To be able to go from a 10-year master plan to then implementing it through the years, through a pandemic, through all of these things, it’s just an incredible honor,” Fixmer-Oraiz told the board. “I’m excited to be on the other side with you all, but I’m also really proud of the work that we’ve all done.”

Fixmer-Oraiz led board members on a tour of the Poor Farm in October. Another recent tour was held with a disability advisory committee.

Among recent work at the farm, wetland construction was finished and a dry basin design is expected to be completed in the spring.

An application period for land access program tenants ended Dec. 2.

Windham Village

A public hearing on the establishment of a Johnson County-approved plan for Windham Village was scheduled for Dec. 8.

Following the public hearing, the board is expected to vote on the plan and one of two village boundaries that have been proposed. Planning and Zoning Commission members voted in favor of a revised village boundary that has been proposed by Pat Mougin, a resident.

The Windham Village rural area is located north of Frytown and southwest of Iowa City. The main highway through town is Black Diamond Road SW.

Windham Village is the last of nine small towns, or villages, in Johnson County that were targeted by the Board of Supervisors to develop official growth and vision plans in a process that has taken years to complete. Other villages with adopted plans include River Junction (2019), Joetown (2014), Sharon Center (2014) and Frytown (2008).

To view the proposed Windham Village plan, go to: johnsoncountyiowa.gov/windham-village-planning.

Board Action

The board will also vote Thursday, and likely approve, the hiring of Peterson Contractors of Reinbeck to do the construction of a bridge replacement on James Avenue SW over a branch of the Picayune Creek, north of 540^th Street SW. Peterson had the low bid of $319,627 for the project, which was still $39,000 over the county engineer’s estimate. Work is expected to be done in the spring.

At its Dec. 1 formal session, the board issued proclamations recognizing HeartSafe Week, Nov. 28-Dec. 2, and Human Rights Month, December.