Mount Pleasant CSD Sees Enrollment Decline, Plans Facilities Review

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 at 6:39 am CDT

MOUNT PLEASANT — The Mount Pleasant Community School District reported a drop in certified enrollment for the 2025–26 school year during Monday’s school board meeting. Superintendent Henriksen said the district’s count on October 1 dropped nearly 60 students, from 1,757 to 1,697, potentially reducing state funding by about $480,000. 

The Iowa Department of Education had projected 1,702 students for the year, closely matching the actual count. Future projections show continued declines, with enrollment expected to drop to roughly 1,523 by 2029–30. Henriksen noted the district works with neighboring schools to confirm student residency and avoid duplicate counts. 

Board members also received an update on the Facilities Ad Hoc Committee, which will review elementary programming and attendance centers. A community kickoff meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 16, where the public has a chance to hear about those plans. 

Henry County Historic Preservation Commission to Meet Wednesday 

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 at 6:39 am CDT

The Henry County Historic Preservation Commission will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, October 15, at 1:00 p.m. at the Henry County Heritage Center. 

The public is invited and encouraged to attend to learn more about ongoing preservation efforts and local history projects. 

Van Allen Fifth Graders Featured in School Board Student Spotlight 

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 at 6:37 am CDT
Van Allen Elementary 5th Graders Present to the School Board

Fifth graders from Van Allen Elementary were recognized at Monday night’s Mount Pleasant School Board meeting for their leadership and Panther Pride. 

Teachers introduced the group of students, explaining how the fifth graders have taken on new responsibilities as the oldest students in the building. 

Students shared highlights from their work on the Homecoming Committee, where they helped plan dress-up days and design posters, and their roles in Morning Announcements, writing and reading daily updates for the school. 

They also discussed the Wellness Ambassador Program, which promotes healthy choices through activities like “Mighty Miler” runs, Wellness Days, and Field Day planning. 

Board members thanked the students for their enthusiasm and leadership, commending them for setting a positive example of Panther Pride at Van Allen. 

Public Hearing Held on P.E.O. Memorial Building Demolition Project

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 at 4:57 am CDT

A public hearing was held Monday evening at the start of the Mount Pleasant Community School Board meeting regarding the estimated costs, specifications, and proposed plans for the demolition of the P.E.O. Memorial Building, located on the former Iowa Wesleyan University campus.

Architect Thomas McInerney presented details of the project, explaining that the plan calls for the full demolition of the two-story, reinforced concrete structure built in 1927. The project will include interior “soft stripping,” removal of electrical and mechanical systems, decommissioning of the geothermal system—preserved for potential future use—and complete basement and foundation removal, followed by site restoration.

The demolition also includes careful removal of the building’s cornerstone, which may contain a time capsule believed to have about a 70% chance of being present. McInerney noted that the building’s limestone cornices are deteriorating and pose a safety hazard.

“It’s already starting to have signs of decay,” McInerney said. “Pieces of the cornice are crumbling off, and it’s become a danger.”

The estimated cost of the demolition and restoration is $371,000, with bids due October 27th at 2 p.m. A contractor walkthrough is scheduled for this Thursday, and the work is expected to be completed by December 15th, before winter weather sets in.

District officials explained that no state grant funding is available for this project, unlike previous assistance the district received for the old gymnasium demolition. Superintendent John Henriksen shared that the district currently spends about $13,500 per year on utilities for the unused building and recently incurred an $8,000 repair bill after sewer and drain backups.

The building’s geothermal wells, located on the south lawn, are self-contained and not connected to other campus buildings. Those wells may be placed on standby for future district use.

The district has also worked closely with local and international P.E.O. chapters to allow for the removal and preservation of historical or sentimental items from the building, including plaques, medallions, and the inscription stone. Additionally, smaller items such as doors, doorknobs, and light fixtures will be offered to Preservation Station in Burlington for reuse and historical resale.

Despite the district’s plans, some community members spoke against demolition. One local resident, Tom Tipton, urged the board to consider rehabilitation rather than destruction, citing examples of historic buildings he has successfully restored in Mount Pleasant; The Colonial Apartments, The Union Block, Mt.Pleasant Civic Center and Library, Amtrack Depot and many other smaller projects in The city.

Another speaker, a software engineer from Cedar Rapids, proposed an adaptive reuse of the structure for a business venture specializing in digital media preservation. He noted that the building’s layout would suit his needs without major modification and asked the board to delay demolition to explore potential reuse options.

Henriksen responded that while the district had considered various scenarios when purchasing the central campus property for $1.1 million, the P.E.O. building was not viewed as viable for district use due to its deterioration and significant renovation costs—estimated between $1.5 and $2 million to restore safely and make code-compliant.

“We knew the P.E.O. building came with the purchase,” Henriksen said. “But given its condition and the financial liability it poses, we felt moving forward with demolition was the responsible step.”

No board action was taken on demolition during the hearing itself. Monday’s session was held to authorize the district to move forward with accepting bids, with final approval of a demolition contract expected after bids are opened later this month.

MOUNT PLEASANT PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION October 14th, 2025 5:30 P.M.

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 at 4:50 am CDT

MOUNT PLEASANT
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
October 14th, 2025
5:30 P.M.
AGENDA
The Mount Pleasant Planning and Zoning Commission will meet on October 14th,
2025, at 5:30 p.m. in Mount Pleasant City Hall, 307 E Monroe St., in the large
conference room.
AGENDA:
1. Call to order
2. Approve minutes from September 30, 2025, meeting
3. Review Site Plan for Hershey Hall Parking Lot
4. Open forum
5. Adjourn

Joyce Elaine Bauer Gilleard

By Hayden Douglas · Tuesday, October 14th, 2025 at 4:49 am CDT

Joyce Elaine Bauer Gilleard, 85, of New London, Iowa, died Thursday, October 9, 2025 at New London Specialty Care. She was born September 10, 1940 in Burlington to Arthur Emil and Dorothy Aretha Judd Bauer. She married Gale Gilleard in 1959; they later divorced.

Joyce graduated from Danville High School and was a supervisor at the IAAP in Middletown for many years. She was of the Christian faith and a member of the New London Women’s Club and New London Women’s Bowling League. She enjoyed puzzles, playing rummy with her sisters, reading, and drinking tea and eating peach rings.

She is survived by two daughters; Terry (Jeff) Johnson and Wendy (Lonnie) Jones both of New London; three grandchildren, Whitney Greenleaf, Lance Jones, and Eli Johnson; six great-grandchildren, Lana, Jocelyn, Beckham, Cash, Liam, and Lydia; several nieces and nephews; and her loving companion, Max Kirkpatrick of New London.

Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Gene Bauer and Ralph Calhoun; and three sisters, Evelyn Sines, Linda Allen, and Lois Mohnike.

A private family burial next to her beloved father was held at Burge Cemetery. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for EveryStep Hospice and All God’s Creatures. Joyce’s family would like to thank the wonderful EveryStep staff for the excellent care and compassion they showed during her final journey.

Elliott Chapel, New London, is assisting the family and online condolences may be left at www.elliottfuneralchapel.com

Dolores Eileen (Parker) Wittmer

By Hayden Douglas · Monday, October 13th, 2025 at 2:53 pm CDT

Dolores Eileen (Parker) Wittmer, 91, of Mount Pleasant passed away peacefully on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the New London Specialty Care Center, with the comfort of Every Step Hospice.

 

Dolores was born on August 28, 1934, in Van Buren County, the daughter of Ancle and Nellie (Roberts) Parker.   She graduated from Keosauqua High School and went to college to get her degree in accounting.  Dolores was married to Harold Ensminger and later to Alie Wittmer who preceded her in death on November 8, 2003.

 

Dolores owned and operated the Speed Queen Laundromat in Burlington and was an accountant for many different businesses and individuals.   She worked for the Mount Pleasant local grain elevator, Messer Feeds and then later sold to Agri Center and retired soon after that.  Dolores loved the wilderness and the wildlife in it; she had many odd wildlife pets that visited her house daily that she fed and talked to and took care of as well.   

 

Dolores had no children but had good friends and neighbors to rely on.  Gary and Faye Newman looked after her and helped her after her husband passed away.  She became sick in 2022 and moved to the New London Specialty Care Center.

 

She is survived by her niece, Deborah Hoskins and her nephew, Stephen Hoskins. 

 

Dolores is preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, her sister, Miriam Hoskins, and her brother -in-law, Albert Hoskins. 

 

Dolores will be missed by all who knew her and especially her neighbors.

 

Private services will be held, and burial will be in the Forest Home Cemetery of Mount Pleasant. 

 

The Murphy Funeral Home of Mount Pleasant is honored to serve the family with love, comfort and dignity as we celebrate the life of Dolores Wittmer.

 

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

 

Prep Football: Mt. Pleasant Moves Up to #8 in Latest RPI Rankings

By Slaten Swords · Monday, October 13th, 2025 at 2:16 pm CDT

Prep Football- The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released the week 7 rankings for classes 2A, 1A, A, and Eight-Player along with the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) for classes 5A, 4A, and 3A and Mt. Pleasant kept their spot within the top 10.

Class 5A

#1 Waukee Northwest retained the crown after obliterating a top 10 ten team in Southeast Polk last Friday, 38-7. The undefeated Wolves still have two top 20 teams on their schedule, but an undefeated regular season appears likely.

A host of 6-1 teams make up the rest of the top 10, including Dowling Catholic, Valley, and Sioux City East as the #2, #3, and #4 teams, respectively.

The defending championship, holding a 4-3 record after their loss to the Wolves, still remain in the top 10 at #10 (tied with Dallas Center-Grimes) but the Rams have a far way to go to make it back to the Dome.

For a full look at the rankings, follow the link: Class 5A Week 7 RPI

Class 4A

There’s something to be said about subjectivity when it comes to the rankings as the purely numbers-based algorithm placed Burlington just ahead of Davenport North at #15, despite the Wildcats holding Keshawn Wyldon to just 56 yards in a 47-17 contest held at Bracewell Stadium.

Both teams, in the same district and leveled with 5-2 records, will most likely have it settled by the first round of the postseason but something to chew on until then.

Otherwise, #1 Xavier and #4 Gilbert remain as the only undefeated teams in the class, but Sergeant Bluff-Luton slid back from #5 to #2 after walloping Le Mars 35-7, bringing down their opponents’ record.

Decorah and North Polk moved into the #2 and #3 slots for Class 4A.

For a full look at the rankings and standings, follow the link: Class 4A Week 7 Standings and RPI

Class 3A

Take a deep breath Mt. Pleasant, week 7 is over and the Panthers survived a thriller in Keokuk to improve to 6-1 on the season and 3-0 in District 4. The district championship will be up for grabs when #3 Solon, who is undefeated and fresh off beating Washington 42-0, comes to town on Friday night.

Clear Lake and West Delaware remained at #1 and #2 in the rankings with perfect records. The stage is set for these two titans to meet at Lions Field for a week 9 showdown to decide the district champion. Clear Lake is allowing just five points per game, while West Delaware has knocked off last year’s champion.

Mt. Vernon was ousted from the top 10 after Central DeWitt’s high-flying offense stuck it to the Mustangs in a 33-24 final. The Sabers, who are ranked at #12 and has beaten Mt. Pleasant this season, are led by the duo of Hudson Krukow, an outstanding senior quarterback, and junior running back Cooper Small, as he gashed Mt. Vernon for 209 yards and two touchdowns.

For our other district four teams, Washington and Keokuk remain attached at the hip, but both teams tumbled back to #25 and #26, respectively. Fairfield’s one-sided victory over #34 Fort Madison actually moved the Trojans back to #29 in the RPI.

Still, the race for that automatic playoff bid is not over quite yet. Fairfield still has Keokuk and Mt. Pleasant on their schedule, the Trojans could get in via tiebreaker. Panthers are in the driver seat, but nothing is out of the realm of possibility.

For a full look at the rankings and standings, follow the link: Class 3A Week 7 Standings and RPI

Class 2A

Nothing changed in the top 10 with #1 Kuemper Catholic still touting an undefeated record followed by one-loss PCM and unbeaten Okoboji.

Mid-Prairie jumped Osage to #6 after scoring 62 points on Mediapolis last Friday as they secured their second consecutive district championship. The Golden Hawks’ one loss came against #8 Alburnett this season but two losses since then for the Pirates pits them under the nest of the Hawks.

Dropped from the top 10 was Western Christian as they fell to Cherokee Washington 56-36, bringing their season point differential average to -1. West Branch took over the unoccupied spot with a 5-2 record and those two losses coming narrowly against Regina Catholic and Alburnett.

Class 1A

West Lyon, Grundy Center, and Regina Catholic move into the final week of the season with perfect records and as the top three teams in the class. The top nine remained unchanged.

Interstate 35 was replaced by Ridge View after the Roadrunners were left as roadkill in a 43-0 shutout at the hands of West Marshall.

Class A

Much like Class 1A, the top three teams are undefeated in MMCRU, Saint Ansgar, and ACGC. Wapsie Valley and North Linn each leapfrogged up a spot in the rankings to #5 and #6, respectively, as both teams are ranked at #1 and #2 in the power rankings on Bound.

8-Player

The top eight is still the same with Bishop Garrigan on top of the standings and Iowa Valley back at #4. The top seven teams in the class are still undefeated.

Kingsley-Pierson was knocked out of the top 10 after losing 62-42 to GTRA. Replacing them was #10 Bedford. The Bulldogs have one loss on the season and have an average point differential of +50.

More

Our local district standings will be listed below and for a full look at the top 10 for classes 2A, 1A, A, and Eight-Player, follow the link: Week 7 Rankings

Local District Standings

Eight-Player Local District Rankings

District 5

#4 Iowa Valley: 7-0 (4-0)

Belle Plaine: 3-4 (3-1)

WACO: 3-4 (2-2) Point Differential: 5.50

Winfield-Mt. Union: 2-4 (2-2) Point Differential: -4

English Valleys: 4-3 (2-3) Point Differential: -1.20

HLV/TC: 1-6 (0-5)

Class A District 5

Pekin: 7-0 (5-0)

Danville: 5-2 (4-1)

Columbus: 3-4 (3-2)

Wapello: 5-2 (3-2)

Van Buren County: 3-4 (2-3)

Class 2A District 6

#6 Mid-Prairie: 6-1 (4-0)

Wilton: 5-2 (3-1)

West Liberty: 3-4 (2-2)

Mediapolis: 3-4 (2-2)

West Burlington/Notre Dame: 3-4 (1-3)

Central Lee: 2-5 (0-4)

Class 3A District 4

#3 Solon: 7-0 (3-0)

#8 Mt. Pleasant: 6-1 (3-0)

Keokuk: 3-4 (1-2)

Fairfield: 2-5 (1-2)

Washington: 3-4 (1-2)

Fort Madison: 0-7 (0-3)

Class 4A District 3

Western Dubuque: 5-2 (3-0)

North Scott: 4-3 (2-1)

Davenport North: 5-2 (2-1)

Burlington: 5-2 (2-1)

Clinton: 3-4 (0-3)

Davenport West: 0-7 (0-3)