MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
OCTOBER 2, 2007
Chairperson Harney called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order at the Yoder Auction Barn, 2016 500th Street SW, Kalona, at 6:03 p.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Larry Meyers, Terrence Neuzil, Sally Stutsman, and Rod Sullivan.
Harney said that after public inquiries, he had talked with staff from the U.S. Board on Geographic Names in Reston, Virginia, who had suggested a meeting with citizens followed by a recommendation from elected officials. He said the Board on Geographic Names was reluctant to change community names that may honor a family without evidence of local support. Harney said the Board would listen to residents and then take action at a future formal meeting.
Neuzil noted that the large sign as he entered the community reads "Frytown," and asked if any businesses used the name "Williamstown." No members of the public responded.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Rick Dvorak said the town plat was filed in 1851 as Williamstown, and in the 1950s a resubdivision was also named Williamstown. Since that time, records have read Williamstown.
Neuzil asked how the community was initially named Frytown. Harney said Board on Geographic Names staff had noted they had not received a proposal addressing the name question of the community called both Amish and Joetown.
Shirley Yoder Bell said she would like to see correct information available, and a recent newspaper report was incorrect. She said the land was purchased by William Fry in 1851, and in 1854 Fry sold land to Cyrus Williams. In 1884 a surveyor laid out the town. In 1854 a request was made to the County Recorder that the land be laid out and named Williamstown after the surveyor. There was already another Williamstown in Chickasaw County. At that time, residents began using the name "Frank Pierce," after the President. That name was used for a post office from 1853 until 1903, when Kalona began rural delivery and the post office closed. Fry was the first postmaster. Yoder Bell said everybody had always called the community Frytown. Members of the Fry family lived in the area until roughly 1960. Stutsman asked if any members of the Williams family had lived in the community. Yoder Bell said no.
Neuzil and Harney encouraged members of the public to offer input. Meyers said the Supervisors did not have a strong preference and wanted to know what residents thought. Mary Yoder said she has lived in the area 30 years and it had always been called Frytown, and the use of Williamstown on maps causes confusion. Grace Rumpel said she has always heard the name Frytown used. Stanley Stutsman said he has lived in the community 47 years and always called it Frytown. Stan Yoder said he has never used the name Williamstown, and people know the name Frytown.
Judy Steblow of the Johnson County Historical Society said she did not have a strong preference but she would not have recognized the name Williamstown. Julia Venzke asked how the Frytown signs had been placed. Harney said several years ago there had been a request to place the signs. Jamie Ward asked if any residents ever remembered a sign saying Williamstown. Several people said no.
Neuzil asked what the process for achieving State support would be. Assistant County Attorney Andy Chappell said there was a form that could be sent back without any official action. Harney said he had discussed the issue of how many birth or death records may be on file from the Williamstown era with County Recorder Kim Painter, and Painter had explained there was no way to find out without checking individual names.
Yoder Bell said residents have called the community Frytown forever, and while Williams was just a surveyor who came and went, Fry owned the land and lived in the community. She noted William Fry's son Jacob Fry ran the store for many years.
Stutsman said one reason for the meeting was to see if anyone strongly favored the Williamstown name. Neuzil asked if anyone had expressed that opinion. No members of the public responded. Stutsman said she thought the feeling was the opposite and residents strongly favored Frytown. Chappell asked for a show of hands. A large majority of audience members raised their hands as favoring Frytown. No one raised their hands as favoring Williamstown, and a small minority of audience members raised their hands as having no opinion. Chappell said the support for Frytown appeared almost unanimous.
R. Sullivan asked if the Board would make a formal recommendation. Harney said the issue would be placed on a future informal agenda for more discussion. Harney asked what would be the effect of the name change. Chappell said internet mapping sites and resources probably use Federal data rather than local data, and that would be the biggest obvious change. Mailing addresses would likely remain Kalona.
Harney said the Board on Geographic Names meets monthly and there was no hurry for action. Ward said the Board on Geographic Names has stated it may take two to three years before the name was incorporated on maps. Neuzil said that may be due to printing schedules. Kathy Venzke said she was a relative newcomer to the community and had only lived there 40 years, and when she first moved there people from Iowa City had difficulty finding her because Frytown was not on the map. Neuzil said for clarity and good business practice it would be good for maps to list Frytown.
Assistant Planning and Zoning Director R.J. Moore said he was working on a master plan for the village of Frytown, and he was hoping to meet with residents in the near future to plan future growth. Stutsman noted the County road map says Frytown. Meyers said members of the public were welcome to attend when the Board considers formal action, but that opinion among the audience members present seemed to be pretty unanimous.
Adjourned at 6:27 p.m.
Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor
By John Deeth, Recording Secretary