MUSCATINE, Iowa — A trio of area residents bent more than one empathetic ear at Monday night’s Muscatine County Board Supervisors meeting when board members expressed interest in an idea to create a housing complex for military veterans.

Muscatine residents John Haskins, Jim Nepple and David Casstevens told the Supervisors they wanted to examine the possibility of using the old residence hall at the Muscatine County Farm to provide affordable housing for military veterans.

The farm, located off Cedar Street near Discovery Park, is also the site of the Old Barn, a restored historic structure that was originally used as a dairy barn in the early part of the 20th Century. It was slated for demolition in 2006 but was saved by the Friends of the Old Barn group.

Haskins, president of the Friends group, and a veteran of the Vietnam War, said the County Farm was originally used to provide housing for people in the early 20th century.

Some of his fellow veterans are not as fortunate as he is, said Haskins, and are in need of housing.

 The housing would be for employable, eligible veterans of all conflicts and branches who need affordable housing.

Residents who do not have jobs would be encouraged to seek employment, said Haskins.

He suggested that the Muscatine County Conservation Board’s adjacent Discovery Park and Environmental Learning Center might provide sources of employment.

Haskins said the housing complex could generate funds that would in turn help support continued maintenance and restoration of the farm’s Old Barn, which his group has restored and opened to the public.

The residence hall is large enough to accommodate other non-profit groups who might want to have offices there, said Haskins.

Supervisors Wayne Shoultz and Tom Furlong told Haskins they are also Vietnam veterans and were interested in learning more about his idea.

But, both men stressed, a solid financial plan is a must.

Supervisor Kas Kelly said the the Friends of the Old Barn did a fine job restoring that structure and she thinks they would do well with the veterans’ center plan.

Nepple said his group would have more information in two to three months.

County engineer Keith White also had a request for the supervisors. White presented a bid for $310,130 from Brandt Construction Co. in Milan, Ill., for emergency repair, grading and paving of the county’s Saulsbury Road that was damaged by summer floods.

In other business

The Supervisors accepted a bid from the Muscatine architectural firm, Bankhead Associates, to install new windows at the Muscatine County Courthouse.

The work will include the replacement of the windows and possibly the exterior doors of the courthouse. The work will reflect the historical era of the courthouse, which is on the national registry. The windows and doors will also meet the requirements for energy efficiency.

In order to complete the project, the architects plan to meet with county officials and discuss all phases of the project.

The firm will charge an hourly rate for the work and will not exceed 4 percent of the construction cost.

The estimated cost for the project would be less than $400,000.

According to the bid, the hourly rate for the principal architect will be $60 with an hourly rate of $25 for technical support and $20 for clerical support.

Reporter contact information

Cynthia Beaudette 563-262-0527

cynthia.beaudette@muscatine