Pg 44
Picture: “Mechanicsville’s new municipal building houses the community’s modern fire department as well as the city council room and office.”
| | MAYORS OF MECHANICSVILLE |
| | |
| 1868 | T. C. McClelland |
| 1869 | Wm. H. Sharp |
| 1870-71 | T. C. MCClelland |
| 1872 | J. W. Dould |
| 1873 | C. T. Wheller |
| 1874 | A. Armentrout |
| 1875 | T. C. McClelland; A. Armentrout was elected Mayor in September, 1875 when T. D. McClelland resigned |
| 1876-77 | A. Armentrout |
| 1878 to 1899 | No record |
| 1899 | L. L. Kennedy |
| 1900 | G. E. Mattison |
| 1901 | G. E. Mattison until June when L. L. Kennedy took over |
| 1902-1905 | L. L. Kennedy |
| 1906-1909 | O. H. Helmer |
| 1910-1911 | Len Hines |
| 1912-1913 | W. A. Jackson |
| 1914-1915 | Len Hines |
| 1916-1919 | W. J. Dallas |
| 1920-1921 | F. M. Wilson |
| 1922-1923 | John Secor |
| 1924-1927 | Forest P. Hines |
| 1928-1929 | John Secor |
| 1930-1931 | W. J. Dallas |
| 1932-1933 | John DeWald |
| 1934-1939 | Frank Miller; Mrs. Emma Miller was appointed Mayor after the death of her Husband in December of 1939 |
| 1940-1945 | H. D. Nicoll |
| 1946-1947 | Buell Pieper |
| 1948-1949 | J. C. Houle |
| 1950-1951 | Earl Miller |
| 1952-1959 | A. W. Cruse. J. Philip Sorensen was appointed Mayor in September after the Death of A. W. Cruse |
| 1959-1963 | J. Philip Sorensen |
| 1964-1969 | Cecil Smay |
| 1970- | Philip Nies. Clarence Maher appointed Mayor after Philip Nies resigned in June |
| 1971 | Clarence Maher |
| 1972 | Thomas Railsback |
Pg 45
Picture: “Muddy streets framed with concrete curb and gutters were familiar sights in the paving crises in the early 1960s. The view on North Cherry street (below) was taken after completion of paving.
TOWN CLERKS
J. H. Onstott, A. F. Fairchild, H. J. Maurer, C. W. Norris, E. M. Baxter, W. E. Davis, Wayne Smith, Archibald Butler, C. A. Burmeister, Elizabeth Ward, Betty Fuller and the present Clerk, Carol Balster.
PAVING
The first paving of streets was done in Mechanicsville in 1925. This was Main street or, as is listed on the new map of the town, as First street. Owners of property abutting the street were assessed for their share of the pavement costs.
In 1959 Shive Engineering Company, Cedar Rapids, was hired to complete a survey of needed street improvements within the town. They were replaced by Howard R. Greene Company, Cedar Rapids, on April 18, 1960 to complete the street improvement programs. Bids were let in February, 1961 and the low bid of $270,165.31 by the Iowa Road Building Company, Fairmont, Minn., was accepted.
A long legal battle followed that made national papers and the project was not completed until July of 1964.
The town applied for federal funds for assistance in the construction of a sanitary sewer system and sewage treatment plant in August 1938. The request was denied. On June 5, 1939 a sanitary district for the town was established by Ordinance #46. Storm sewer improvements were let for bids in August. All bids were rejected. On Sept. 5, 1940 a bid of $5,039 from the Christensen Construction Co., Cedar Rapids was accepted by the town council. In January of 1950 the system was reviewed and it was decided to purchase a plant site on the northeast edge of town from Mr. and Mrs. John Mulherin in November of that year. The contract was awarded to Fred Eisert Construction Co., Shenandoah for $148,109.00.
