RIVERSIDE

Just east of downtown Riverside, there is a creek that starts out of the English River and heads north.

It has no name.

Until now.

A well-researched project by the 4-H Enterprisers Club, a Riverside-based organization consisting of youth, came up with a name that was approved by the Riverside City Council at its meeting Monday night and is now on its way to Washington for federal approval.

The name: Lincoln Gate Creek.

Cole Smith, City Administrator, told The News that the group worked with a local historian, Michael Zahs, to research the history of Riverside. The group also worked with the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District.

A number of surveys were sent out. Riverside’s history in timber and rail-splitting resulted in choosing Lincoln Gate Creek, named after the late U.S. president Abraham Lincoln, who was known as a “rail splitter” and chopped wood with an axe at county fairs.

City Mayor Allen Schneider supported the naming of the creek on behalf of the City Council. The proposal now goes to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, a federal body created in 1890 that oversees the naming of land and waterways.

“The Riverside City Council believes that naming the creek ‘Lincoln Gate’ will not only enhance our community’s identity but also foster a sense of pride and connection among residents,” Schneider stated in the letter.

Budget Time

Planning for the Fiscal Year 2026 city budget will begin in late January with the first of two work sessions on January 27.

The proposed tax rate will be set in March with a public hearing scheduled for April 7.

The final proposed budget is expected to come in front of the Council on March 17, followed by a public hearing and adoption of the budget April 21.

The new fiscal year will begin July 1, 2025.

Official Newspaper

The News was approved by the Council, unanimously, as the official weekly newspaper for Riverside for the 2025 calendar year.

Legal notices for the city will be published in The News, both in print and online.

City Clerk

Stephanie Thomann was appointed by the Council as the city’s new City Clerk and Finance Officer, effective December 16.

Becky LaRoche, the current city clerk, is retiring December 31, but will remain on staff as Deputy Clerk, initially to train Thomann.

Thomann will be paid $28 per hour. She was chosen following City Council interviews with three finalists.

Council Action

The Council appointed Daniel M. Morgan of Lynch Dallas PC as the city attorney for 2025.

The Council approved Farmers & Merchants Savings, and Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust (PAIT) as the city’s official depositories for 2025.

Next board meeting: The City Council’s next regularly scheduled meeting is at 6 p.m. December 16.