Government Notes: Here’s how to dispose of your real Christmas trees

Cedar Rapids residents can have real Christmas trees picked up through Jan. 12 during curbside collection.

Trees must be stripped of Christmas decorations and stands and placed curbside on collection days. (All collections will be delayed a day this week because of the Monday holiday.)

Trees should not be cut into pieces. They can be placed in YARDY carts, if preferred. Flocked trees cannot be collected.

Marion crews also will provide curbside collection of real Christmas trees from Jan. 2 to 12. The same collection rules apply in Marion as in Cedar Rapids.

Real trees also can be dropped off at Prairie Park Fishery, 2125 Otis Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Trees will be used as fish habitat as the ice melts in the spring.

Iowa City curbside customers can take natural, unflocked holiday trees to the curb for collection at 7 a.m. on their normal pickup day. For information, visit icgov.org/compost.

In Coralville, real Christmas trees, wreaths and swags will be picked up curbside throughout the month of January.

Johnson County residents who do not have curbside composting can drop off natural, unflocked trees at the Iowa City Landfill’s compost facility for free. The landfill is open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will be closed today for the New Year’s holiday.

Artificial holiday trees cannot be recycled and are to be disposed of as trash.

Coralville RAGBRAI donates $56K

The Coralville RAGBRAI committee has donated the $56,800 it made hosting an overnight stop during the 2023 bike ride across Iowa.

The funds were split between the Iowa City Community School District Foundation and the Coralville Parks and Recreation Department, to be used toward upgrades at S.T. Morrison Park, where many of the bicyclists camped the evening of July 28.

The funds came from a RAGBRAI contribution, sponsorships and the sale of beverages, food and merchandise, the city of Coralville announced.

The night RAGBRAI stopped in Coralville in 2023 was brutal, with a heat index of 112 degrees. And then a storm hit the city around 8:30 p.m. Thousands of people in the park’s campground and concert area took shelter in public facilities and school buildings. The night’s headlining concert was canceled.

“Despite the adverse weather conditions of the day that greatly decreased food and beverage sales, we are extremely proud to be able to cover expenses and make these significant contributions to our community,” Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth, chair of the Coralville RAGBRAI committee, said in a statement.

“It speaks volumes about the number of volunteers who helped out and the local businesses who supported our efforts with financial contributions.”

“Our schools are a major source of pride in our community and make us who we are,” Hayworth said. “And when the storm blew through on the night of our RAGBRAI stop, our schools immediately stepped up and offered shelter to the riders. School district employees stayed the night in the schools to help out.”

Cedar Rapids, Marion council members to be sworn in

In accordance with Iowa Code, newly elected or re-elected city council members are sworn in as of Jan. 1.

Cedar Rapids and Marion will administer ceremonial oaths of office later this month.

In Cedar Rapids, council members Scott Overland and Scott Olson were re-elected to represent District 2 and District 4, respectively. Council member Ann Poe was re-elected to an at-large seat and newcomer David Maier was elected to an at-large seat.

Their ceremonial oaths of office will take place before the noon Jan. 9 council meeting in the third-floor council chambers at Cedar Rapids City Hall.

In Marion, a public swearing in will take place in the atrium at Marion City Hall, 1225 Sixth Ave., before the 4:30 p.m. Thursday council meeting An open house will be held before the swearing in.

Those to be sworn in are Mayor Nicolas AbouAssaly, at-large council member Steve Jensen, Ward 1 council member Gage Miskimen, Ward 2 council member Grant Harper and Ward 3 council member Will Brandt.

Applications open for 2024 Community Police Academy

Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 Community Police Academy in Johnson County.

The eight-week program introduces community members to law enforcement procedures. Participants will tour public safety departments, go on ride-alongs and learn about defensive tactics, evidence collection, drug investigation and other aspects of law enforcement and operations.

The academy is sponsored by the Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty police departments, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the University of Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The academy meets 6 to 9 p.m. Mondays at the Johnson County Joint Emergency Communication Center, 4529 Melrose Ave., Iowa City. The first class is Tuesday, Jan. 16 (to avoid conflicting with the Iowa caucuses), and the last class is Monday, March 11.

Class size is limited. Applicants must be at least 16 years old. The cost is $10 per person. An application form and brochure are available at the Iowa City Police Department, 410 E. Washington St.

Marion school counselor wins state award

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Kelli Johnson — a school counselor at Starry Elementary School in the Marion Independent School District — was recognized as the Iowa School Counselor of the Year by the American School Counselor Association last month.

The award “shines a valuable spotlight on the school counseling profession, bringing attention to exceptional school counselors who are supporting K-12 students every day,” said Jill Cook, executive director with the American School Counselor Association. “School counselors are vital to students’ academic achievement, social (and) emotional development and plans for life after graduation.”

Honorees were selected based on several criteria, including school counseling innovations, exemplary school counseling programs, leadership and advocacy, and contributions to student outcomes.

First student graduates from Prairie Edge

Shelby Reed is the first student to complete graduation requirements and graduate from Prairie Edge during the 2023-24 school year.

She graduated in December from the K-12 alternative school within the College Community School District.

At Prairie Edge, located on the Four Oaks campus, 5400 Kirkwood Blvd SW in Cedar Rapids, Reed participated in the education model that allows for an individualized, therapeutic approach to learning.

“I’m thankful to have the opportunity to graduate. It gave me the chance to go to college and get a job that I want,” Reed said in a news release from the school district

Reed plans to attend community college to study psychology.

Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Gazette reporters Marissa Payne and Grace King contribute.