City of Blue Grass, Iowa - City of Blue Grass, Iowa

Municipal Code Book

2017 08 28 Blue Grass Municipal Code

The last update was implemented October 1, 2018; therefore, Amendments made after that have not yet been implemented. Please contact City Hall if you have any questions or inquries. Thank you.

Notice:

CENSUS ADDRESS CANVASSING OPERATION

Be aware that Address Canvassing is commencing.

Census workers will be working throughout communities until October 18th, verifying locations of houses, apartments, shelters and other places where people could live or stay.

The purpose of Address Canvassing is to ensure the census address list is accurate and complete for the 2020 Census.

When will Census Bureau employees be in my neighborhood?

Census Bureau employees will be in your neighborhoods knocking on doors from early August through mid-October.

How do I know the person at my door works for the Census Bureau?

Census employees will have:

Badges with photo IDs
Black canvas bags and laptops with 2020 Census Logos

How is the Census Bureau informing the public of the Address Canvassing operation?

The Census Bureau will work with local authorities to inform the public about when Census Bureau workers will be in your area.

Who can I contact to find more about Address Canvassing in Iowa?

Chicago Region (AR, IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, WI):
312-579-1500
Chicago.rcc.partnership@2020census.gov

CENSUS 101

What is a census and why is it important?

Once a decade, America comes together to count every resident in the United States, creating national awareness of the importance of the census and its valuable statistics. The decennial census was first taken in 1790, as mandated by the Constitution. It counts our population and households, providing the basis for reapportioning congressional seats, redistricting, and distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support states, counties and communities’ vital programs — impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy.

HOW THE CENSUS BENEFITS YOUR COMMUNITY

Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are based on population totals and breakdowns by sex, age, race and other factors. Your community benefits the most when the census counts everyone. People in your community use census data in all kinds of ways, such as these:

Residents use the census to support community initiatives involving legislation, quality-of-life and consumer advocacy.

Businesses use Census Bureau data to decide where to build factories, offices and stores, and these create jobs.

Local government officials use the census to ensure public safety and plan new schools and hospitals.

Real estate developers and city planners use the census to plan new homes and improve neighborhoods.

The next census is coming in 2020. Counting an increasingly diverse and growing population is a massive undertaking. It requires years of planning and the support of thousands of people.

Ultimately, the success of the census depends on everyone’s participation. The Census Bureau depends on cross-sector collaborations with organizations and individuals to get people to participate.

The 2020 Census is important for you and your community, and you can help.

Learn more about the 2020 Census.

Blue Grass Volunteer Fire Department

"Proud to Serve. Serve to be Proud."

Blue Grass Volunteer Fire Department
606 W. Mayne Street
Blue Grass, IA 52726

Emergency: 911
Non-emergency: 1-563-381-1234
Fax: 1-563-381-4652

The volunteer fire department total roster as of 07-01-10

Blue Grass Fire Department Roster "2020"

Brian Seamer, Chief - 20 years of service
Brad Schutte, Assistant Chief - 15 years of service
Jon Grunder, Captain - 22 years of service

Scott Powell, Captain, 20 years of service
Bob Downing, Captain - 15 years of service
Eric Morrison, Captain - 10 years of service
Jason Verschoore, Captain - 15 years of service
Chad Lofgren - Lieutenant - 12 years of service
Jake Freeman, Lieutenant - 11 years of service
Brandon Schadt - Lieutenant - 11 years of service
Spencer Ripperger - Lieutenant - 9 years of service
Lee Schmidt, Firefighter - 15 years of service
Justin Kinzer, Firefighter - 9 years of service
Sean Frantz, Firefighter - 6 years of service
CJ Downing, Firefighter - 5 years of service
Russ Johnson, Firefighter - 3 years of service
Greg Harrison, Firefighter - 3 years of service

Kyle Davis, Firefighter
Spencer Werthmannn, Firefighter
Jeff Oswald, Firefighter

Courtney Oswald, Firefighter

Fire Department Services

BGFD responds to fire, EMS, HAZ MAT and rescue calls. Calls average between 300 per year.

Approximately 65% are EMS calls.

BGFD is now working out of a state of the art building that houses 7 pieces of equipment, 3 pumpers (750 gpm, 1,250 gpm and 1,500 gpm), 2 tankers with 500 gpm pto pumps (1,500 gal. and 3,000 gal. capacity), a brush truck, a rescue truck and a command vehicle. Rescue equipment includes the Jaws of Life, shears, cutting shears, rams, air bags and numerous other items to perform heavy duty rescue. The Department also carries an AED in each truck and all medically qualified personnel are qualified in their operation. All members are certified in CPR.

BGFD serves a 50-square mile area with approximately 1650 residences. This includes a 300+ trailer park and numerous housing additions outside the city limits. If the BGFD responded to a call that required all trucks they could respond with approximately 7,000 gallons of water.

BGFD has one training and one business meeting per month. It conducts most of its training in-house. All new personnel are required to acquire their fire fighter I training within their first year on the Department.

BGFD belongs to the Scott County Fire Chief’s Association, Scott County EMS Association, Iowa Firemen’s Association, Iowa Association of Arson Investigators and the Iowa Chief’s Association.

Police Services

We are dispatched through the Scott Emergency Communications Center located in Davenport. If you need an officer to respond for any reason we ask that you call 911. If you are willing to wait for an officer to call you back, you can leave a message at the phone number listed above. When a Blue Grass Officer is not on duty, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department is dispatched to the call. Our office is a sub-station for the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, where they can complete and transmit their reports as well. The Blue Grass Police Department is here to serve and protect our citizens and to assist other agencies whenever needed. In additon to enforcing local and state laws, we provide house watches for when our citizens are on vacation or on an extended leave, and we provide fingerprint services free of charge.

Grant Awards

THE CITY OF BLUE GRASS AWARDED GRANT MONIES FROM THE RIVERBOAT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

The City of Blue Grass was awarded a grant from the Riverboat Development Authority during their Spring 2018 Grant Cycle to construct a shelter with electricity at Lauretta Park. Without the grant funding, the City would not have been able to complete this project. Since then a basketball hoop and picnic tables have been added to the Park along with playround equipment. A special thanks to the Bi-State Regional Commission for the writing of this grant and hands off to the Park Board on carrying out the construction of the shelter.

BLUE GRASS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS AWARDED GRANT MONIES FROM

THE SCOTT COUNTY REGIONAL AUTHORITY

The City of Blue Grass Police Department was awarded a grant from the Scott County Regional Authority to purchase new “life saving” equipment in the spring of 2019. According to Police Chief Garrett Jahns, the Officers at the Blue Grass Police Department were in desperate need of life saving equipment such as tourniquets, and other trauma equipment and AED’s to better serve in emergency situations.

The Blue Grass Police vehicles and officers now have lifesaving equipment equipped both on their uniform and in their vehicles ever ready to face any kind of medical need from cuts and scrapes to bullet and stab wounds. Since the grant was awarded, the blue grass police department used the trauma kit on a person involved in a motor vehicle accident who had minor injuries. The AED’s thankfully have not had to be used as of yet.

Chief Jahns commented, “With the current times we are in, where all cities are experiencing budget crunches, this purchase could not have been made possible without the help of the Scott County Regional Authority. This emergency equipment can make the difference between life and death. Thanks to the SCRA Grant, our officers are better equipped and ever ready to save a life.”

BLUE GRASS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS AWARDED GRANT MONIES FROM

THE SCOTT COUNTY REGIONAL AUTHORITY

The Blue Grass Police Department was recently awarded grant monies during the Spring 2014 grant cycle in the amount of $25,000.00 from the Scott County Regional Authority to help offset the costs to purchase a 2014 Chevy Tahoe Enforcement Vehicle. The Police Department was also awarded grant monies from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau to help offset the cost of the new camera system.

On behalf of the City of Blue Grass and the Blue Grass Police Department, thank you “Scott County Regional Authority” and the “Governors Traffic Safety Bureau” for making this project feasible as without your support, projects of such would not be possible.

We would also like to thank the city staff and the Bi-State Regional Commission for the writing of the grant. Great job!

Thank you Scott County Regional Authority and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau for making this happen.

BLUE GRASS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS AWARDED GRANT MONIES FROM

THE SCOTT COUNTY REGIONAL AUTHORITY

The Blue Grass Police Department was recently awarded grant monies during the Fall 2014 grant cycle in the amount of $12,192.00 from the Scott County Regional Authority to purchase two solar powered radar signs to remind motorists to “slow down” when approaching the School Zone area.

The City matched 15 percent of the project.

Both the City and Police Department are very grateful to the Scott County Regional Authority for their continued support, as the speed signs will help create a safer place for our children when commuting to the Blue Grass Elementary School.

We would also like to thank the city staff and the Bi-State Regional Commission for the writing of the grant.

Great job!

Scott County Regional Authority awards the Blue Grass Police Department monies

to purchase new mobile computers:

The Blue Grass Police Department was one of two police departments in the area to receive a grant from the Scott County Regional Authority on December 1^st, 2017 to purchase new equipment. According to Chief Jahns, the Blue Grass Police Department was desperately in need of new mobile computers for their department.

As a major tool for routine patrols, many police cars are fitted with laptops otherwise known as mobile data terminals (or MDTs), which are connected wirelessly to the police central computer at the Scott Emergency Communications Center in Davenport and they enable the officer to call up information such as vehicle and license details, offender records, and incident logs. The laptops in these vehicles can be used for nearly anything including mapping and GPS pinpointing. Using a mobile data terminal (MDT) software application such as, “New World Systems” shows the officer dispatch information, dispatcher notes, and it allows officers to update dispatch personnel on call status tactically. Furthermore the mobile computer allows officer to complete field reports, and assist in issuing citations to traffic violators. The laptops also allows police officers to access information databases such as, records from the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) for driver's license information and gives them access to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) to collect information and conduct arrest warrant searches.

In addition to checking driver’s licenses and printing tickets, the use of the laptops and the software systems allow officers to share information, allowing all police forces in Scott County that use the software to see information recorded about people they’ve stopped. Field data collection, recordkeeping, and quick access to vehicle records, for example, are now vital tools in everyday law enforcement. In-vehicle computing devices make it easier for officers to take advantage of data out in the field. For example, officers are able to access necessary information out in the field that is instrumental in apprehending criminals within the moment. All of the law enforcement agencies in Scott County also share information by using mobile computers. Other information accessed on laptops are those with protection orders, prior calls for service at a location, and criminal histories. The computers purchased by the Blue Grass Police Department also acts as a camera and they have the capabilities of recording video as well during an investigation.

Chief Jahns said, “These are state of the art laptops, they also double as a tablet so we can take them into a call without compromising officer safety. We are so thankful to have been awarded this grant. We were in desperate need of new laptops. The two we had were outdated and one was barely functioning. With the current times we are in, where all cities are experiencing budget crunches, this purchase could not have been made possible without the help of the Scott County Regional Authority. These laptops are exactly what we have needed to better serve those who call on us.”

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