Cranes in the air

By Allen Witt

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I know that our community changed post-flood 2008. Why? Because we decided to follow Benjamin Franklin's action-inducing lessons - less talk/more action, get moving and don't give up. The city is better off four years later because we “listened” to Franklin.

The flood stunned our community, yet a small group got together on Sunday, June 15, 2008, at the chamber building, two days after the epic flood crested. The meeting was attended by Scott Byers, Sara Mentzer, Jason Hellickson and me. The purpose was to identify projects that the community had discussed over the past eight years but had yet to realize any meaningful progress. The following projects were listed that day in June and our intent was that each of these would be accomplished post flood (“Cranes in the Air” was the title of our list, with many other projects being hatched by others):

Neighborhood housing

Convention center

Federal courthouse

Iowa Highway 100 extension from Edgewood Road to Highway 30

Parking structure

Multigenerational Community Life Center

How we and others have followed Franklin's lessons:

“Well done is better than well said.”

Talking about a project won't get it completed. We all know people who constantly talk about the things they are going to do but rarely take that first step. Eventually people begin to question their credibility. Taking action and seeing the task through to completion is the only way to get the job done.

Post flood every day was marked by action that leads to recovery and project completion. The community built credibility in that it didn't talk itself to death, but moved to action.

“All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.”

There's a reason we use the expression “movers and shakers.” Movers take action, the people who get things done, while the immovable are wondering how others could possibly be so successful. Which group do you want to belong to? Fortunately, Cedar Rapids has hundreds, probably thousands of private and public-sector movers and shakers, and this was their Rubicon.

Post flood we moved, even to a point where some people questioned this list and the many other projects that were proposed. Yet the community shifted to one of action. Now, going forward, sustaining that mindset is critical.

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” Achieving ambitious goals can be downright exhausting. There are days when one wants to give up and energy levels flatline. Yet you push forward, because you believe in yourself and you believe in the cause.

Post flood, that growing “action army” didn't give up. There were days when we were told that projects were on hold, and all we had left was adrenaline to keep us going. We never gave up on building a better community.

Neighborhood housing has been completed and more is under way. The Convention Center Complex is moving ahead, the federal courthouse will be completed this year, a parking structure on First Avenue will be started this year, and Iowa 100 from Edgewood to Highway 30 has been approved for construction.

The Iowa DOT commissioners voted to provide construction funding in their draft five-year capital improvement program. It is projected when this 8-mile expressway and bridge over the Cedar River is completed in 2018, it will improve safety, reduce traffic congestion, and open up development opportunities.

All of these projects moved to action because we got moving and never gave up.

In the past four years, more projects have been accomplished than anyone could ever imagine and the community should be proud.

Yes, the June flood of 2008 changed all of our lives, but it also changed the way our community thinks and acts. Benjamin Franklin would be proud.

Allen Witt is a principal with Hall & Hall Engineers, 2008-09 chairman of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and on the Cedar Rapids Community School District board of directors. Comments: allen@

halleng.com