(DES MOINES) - Governor Terry E. Branstad today announced appointments to Iowa's boards and commissions.

The following individuals' appointments are effective November 20, 2014, unpaid, and are subject to Iowa Senate confirmation in the 2015 legislative session:

Health Facilities Council:

Kathleen Parris, Audubon

Board of Social Work:

Karilynne Lenning, West Des Moines

Vision Iowa Board

Rebecca Anderson, Burlington

Commission of Asian and Pacific Islanders Affairs

Manisha Paudel, Dubuque

Board of Physician Assistants

Dennis Janssen, Clive

Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Council

Timothy Carmody, Council Bluffs

Iowa Emergency Response Commission

Yuxiang (Angela) Chen, Windsor Heights

Rock Island, IL: The Rock Island Public Library is planning ahead for future library needs and it wants your input. The library will host open community forums with veteran library planner George Lawson on Monday, Nov. 24 and Tuesday, Nov. 25.

The forums will be held at 6:30 pm on Nov. 24 and at 2:00 pm on Nov. 25 at the Rock Island Main Library downtown, 401 19th Street. Ample free parking is available in the library lot, just off 4th Avenue and 20th Street. The open focus group forums will allow the public to share their ideas for future library services and facilities.

"Providing comfortable, responsive spaces that meet current and emerging patron needs is part of our four-year strategic plan," said Angela Campbell, Rock Island Public Library Director. The sessions are designed to provide the library's planning team with information on community needs for library spaces and services.

Lawson is an Ames, Iowa based library space needs consultant with 39 years of library experience. He focuses on building, strategic and operational planning, and has consulted on more than 400 library building projects, including studies for Moline, East Moline, River Valley Library District (Port Byron,) and Clinton Public Libraries.

The Rock Island Public Library board of trustees engaged the team of Gere Dismer Architects, George Lawson Library Planning, KJWW Engineering Consultants and Missman Civil Engineers to create a Library Master Plan Study that will include a facility assessment of all three branches and planning recommendations for each.  Since Oct. 15, the study team has been working on a library needs assessment, which includes touring the three library locations, observing operations, interviewing staff, and reviewing worksheets.

Once the needs assessment portion of the study is completed, the team will develop recommendations and a final report, which could include recommendations for building, space utilization, conceptual design, engineering needs, site planning, and cost estimates.

Buildings included in the study are the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street, 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street, and the Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

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The Rock Island Public Library is planning ahead for future library needs and it wants your input.  

The library will host open community forums with veteran library planner George Lawson on:

Monday, Nov. 24 at 6:30 pm

Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 2:00 pm

Both forums are at the Rock Island Main Library downtown, 401 19th Street.

Ample free parking is available in the library lot, just off 4th Avenue and 20th Street. The open focus group forums will o provide the library's planning team with information on community needs for library spaces and services.

Lawson is an Ames, Iowa based library space needs consultant with 39 years of library experience. He focuses on building, strategic and operational planning, and has consulted on more than 400 library building projects, including studies for Moline, East Moline, River Valley Library District (Port Byron,) and Clinton Public Libraries.

The Rock Island Public Library board of trustees engaged the team of Gere Dismer Architects, George Lawson Library Planning, KJWW Engineering Consultants and Missman Civil Engineers to create a Library Master Plan Study that will include a facility assessment of all three branches and planning recommendations for each.

Once the needs assessment portion of the study is completed, the team will develop recommendations and a final report, which could include recommendations for building, space utilization, conceptual design, engineering needs, site planning, and cost estimates.

Buildings included in the study are the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street, 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street, and the Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

The LeClaire Civic Club has established an emergency assistance fund for low-income residents in the greater LeClaire area whose immediate need is not fully met through local food banks, clothing closets, and individual churches. It will be operated by the "Christmas in LeClaire" subcommittee which will insure that ALL funds received for the project will directly assist individuals and family in need.

Does the need exist? "We thought so," said organizers, "but were overwhelmed by the support we received from business owners when announcing the project during a LeClaire Marketing Alliance meeting. We received our first donation before the meeting adjourned!"

The November 2014 "Trivia Night in LeClaire" proceeds have been designated for the benevolent fund, and grant applications have been submitted, as well.

"We're off and running, and excited by the support already received!" they added. Referral arrangements are being finalized with local churches and other likely referral sources. "We don't want to duplicate efforts, we want to provide additional help when existing resources cannot meet the need."

Members of the club said it is exactly the sort of project the Civic Club non-profit status promotes, "... the promotion of social welfare (with) primary activities (that) are engaged in promoting the common good and general welfare of the community."

Direct donations to the fund can be made by check payable to "Christmas in LeClaire," adding "Emergency Fund" on the notation line. Mail to: LeClaire Civic Club PO Box 562, LeClaire IA 52753.

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More information: Joyce Kuehl (H) 563-289-4205