City Administrator Position Profile The Community The City of Cresco is located in the northeast corner of Iowa in the scenic bluff country of the Turkey River. Cresco is the County Seat of Howard County and the largest town – home to approximately 4,000 residents. Howard County is bordered by Minnesota and Cresco is about an hour drive away from the Mississippi River and the cities of Rochester, Minnesota; LaCrosse, Wisconsin; and Mason City and Waterloo, Iowa. Cresco is surrounded by excellent agricultural land, serves as a major trade center and is the location of several industrial plants. Prominent employers include the Donaldson Company, a multi-national air filter manufacturer that employs 436 in the Cresco facility, and Feather-lite Trailers, the nation’s leading trailer manufacturer with over 900 employees. The Cresco community proudly honors many distinguished former citizens including five military World War II Admirals and Dr. Norman Borlaug, a Nobel Peace Prize winner renown worldwide for his research in wheat genetics and humanitarian efforts to alleviate starvation. Additionally, Cresco was home to Ellen Church, a nurse, war hero and aviator who pioneered the flight attendant industry in 1930. The Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center highlights these famous residents and is the starting point for a heritage walking tour that features a Carnegie Library, 1854 Log Cabin Museum, the Heritage Train restored diesel electric locomotive and the Howard County Museum. The Museum is located in the beautifully restored Kellow House, an 1880s stone house that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The jewel of the downtown area is the Cresco Opera House. Built in 1914, the renovated theater provides the area residents and guests with movies and stage performances by the Cresco Community Theatre. The Cresco Public Library has benefited from a $250,000 addition and remodeling effort with careful consideration given to preserving the integrity of the original Carnegie style. A great tourism attraction is the Wrestling Hall of Fame, located at the Welcome Center. Recreation Recreational opportunities abound in the Cresco area. The Upper Iowa River cuts through the northern portion of Howard County and contains several trout streams, campgrounds and hiking areas and the proximity of the Mississippi River provides abundant water recreation opportunities. Locally, eight City parks with a combined total of 26 acres provide numerous public tennis courts and softball diamonds. The Vernon Springs Recreation Area features an 18-hole golf private golf course. The newly created Prairie’s Edge Nature Center provides a wide selection of programs under the management of the Howard County Conservationist and Naturalist. The trailhead to the Prairie Farmer Recreation Trail is located in Cresco. The trail is constructed on an abandoned railroad line through 17 miles of native prairie area and is popular for biking, hiking, and cross country skiing. The Cresco Fitness Center is a large facility with an indoor track, pool, large gymnasium, fitness and weight equipment. The Howard County Fairgrounds in Cresco is the site of the Mighty Howard County Fair, held each June. Other summer activities include the annual AgFest weekend celebration with sports events and a parade. The Cresco Area Chamber of Commerce hosts 3-in-1 Day featuring a Fly-In Breakfast, Fine Arts Show, and Auto Show. In the winter, excellent snowmobile trails attract many out-of-towners for the annual SnowFest. Over 40 clubs and organizations provide Cresco residents with a wide range of activities and community fellowship. Education and Health Care The Howard-Winneshiek Consolidated School District serves students from the cities of Cresco, Lime Springs, Elma, and Ridgeway. The district operates an elementary/junior high school and the Crestwood Senior High School. Also located on the campus is the Northeast Iowa Community College Cresco Center, that offers day and evening classes, online classes, and continuing education opportunities. The Notre Dame Elementary and Middle School is a private institution serving the area. The Howard County Hospital in Cresco provides a full-range of medical services. The Cresco Medical Clinic, a chiropractic clinic, eye clinic, and family dentistry clinic serve area residents. Evans Memorial Home and Cresco Care Center provide residential health care with a combined capacity of 136-beds and a total employment of 140 workers. Twenty assisted living units were constructed in Cresco in 2005. The Organization The City operates with a Mayor-Council form of government. The Mayor is elected to a two-year term and the five Councilmembers are elected to staggered, four-year terms. Following a change in the city code, the city has recently established a City Administrator position. The General Fund budget expends monies for the police, fire, library, park, Fitness Center, Theatre, refuse hauling, tree replacement, Council expenses, Zoning Board, Mayor, Clerk and office wages, Attorney’s fees, airport, elections, auditor’s fees, City Hall maintenance, property insurance, Workers’ Comp insurance, tort liability, animal control and one-half of the expenses of the Law Enforcement Center. The General Fund budget for 2005 is $1.6 million and the total budget is approximately $3 million. City Services Water and sanitary sewer service are provided through city utilities. City water is supplied two wells with a storage capacity of 850,000 gallons. The wastewater treatment plant has a capacity of 4 million gallons. The city operates an airport suitable for light aircraft. The Law Enforcement Center is a joint facility shared by the Cresco Police Department and the County Sheriff’s Office. Dispatch services are shared. Fire protection is provided by a 26-member paid on-call fire department with a Class 6 rating. The City employs a total of 30 employees in the departments of public works, library, police, fitness center, parks and administration.
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