Yes, we can all dream, can’t we?

Rick Wimer

When the recent Powerball jackpot was around $1.8 billion and the cash value was $820 million; had I won, as many do, I fantasized as to how I would spend it. First of all, I would invest it to ensure its protection and viability for years to come. Even at 4% interest, that would provide around $33 million a year. 

I would set my five daughters and their kids up for life. I would buy or build two one-story homes, side by side, on the shores of Storm Lake: one for us, the other for visiting family and friends. I would purchase a really nice motor home, hire a permanent driver and tour every state, starting with Iowa, in our marvelous country with my wife.

I would also hunt down a few previous employees who gave me their all and do a little giving back. I would support my Kiwanis Beavers and multiple local charities and two of my favorites — Mr. Goodfellow and Tunnels to Towers.

You all know from my writings in the Times-Pilot and Facebook and “You might be from Storm Lake, if” that I truly loved growing here and returning to live here after an almost 60-year absence. With my newfound wealth, I would do the following things to improve it.

Sidewalks first

First of all, I would repair every one of our magnificent park sidewalks, resurface every street in Storm Lake. The city police and fire department would never want for any equipment or staffing needed to complete their missions. 

I would make the county or state, or whoever owns it, an offer they can’t refuse to purchase the Marina that is just sitting there languishing and, seemingly, not doing the city, county and the state any good at all. It would contain boat sales, storage, repair, annual detailing, boat docks and a mini-Queen that would give tours of our beautiful lake, trips to King’s Pointe and the Cobblestone and be available for dinner cruises to Rick’s Island.

In addition, there would be a mini convenience/bait store, a nice restaurant and bar area along with meeting rooms and possibly a large BNB or small motel for overnight guests. I would attempt to syndicate it with local Storm Lake investors to insure its longevity. I have no doubt, if done well, it would be a financial boon to Storm Lake.

I would encourage the city to annex it, if possible. I would name it Lairds Lagoon after my Boy Scout Scoutmaster and mentor Robert (Bob) Laird. In addition, I would also fund, along with possible state grants, whatever it takes to complete a bike path all the way around the lake. I’d name it Mike’s Meander after my once Des Moines Register paper customer and mentor Mike Kelly.

Being an avid bike rider and experiencing ridership in other trails in Iowa and throughout the U.S. and the influx of bikers on them on a regular basis leads me to believe that a safe trail around Storm Lake would also be good for generating revenue for local businesses and the city.

How else would I use my winnings to benefit Storm Lake?  I would buy the former Meta Bank building and convert it to the Bradford Community Center in honor and remembrance to the 100-room Bradford Hotel that stood there for over half a century and contributed immeasurably to our city and myself.  It could be designed for multiple functions that would contribute to the quality of living and the unification of all the ethnicities of the Storm Lake Community. 

Along with it, and incorporating the city hall parking lot, I would build a multi-level pay parking building that could also be available to those that reside downtown, especially in the winter months. Its name would be Clarence Court after my manager of the Bradford and most certainly one of my all-time mentors.

I would buy every unkempt rental unit and mobile home park in Storm Lake; create a property management company, and clean up and refurbish and manage all of them to a standard that their occupants and the City of Storm Lake would be proud of.

Buy King’s Pointe?

In addition, I would buy King’s Pointe and rename it Reese’s Resort, after Jim Reese of Storm Lake Little League fame and yet another mentor. And along with it, Laird’s Lagoon, the Bradford Community Center, Clarence’s Court, and Mike’s Meander, I would syndicate all with my newly incorporated company, R. Wimer and Friends.

Investors, small and large would be only Storm Lakers, past, present and future who want to preserve the memories, the beauty and magic of their hometown. And like any other corporation, RW&F Inc. would provide a monthly newsletter, monthly financials and annual results and projections.

I would create a fund for the city to go through every neighborhood and clean up each and every useless piece of debris and junk and give those that need it a full landscaping manicure. And at the same time rewrite city code to enforce the standard.

Curb appeal

And while there are many great examples in Storm Lake, I would encourage Iowa Central, if they don’t have one already, to provide what I call a customer service class to include curb appeal training that applies to every business in Storm Lake, small and large.

• Curb appeal, in my endeavors starts with answering the phone quickly, the exchange of names done professionally, cheerfully, helpfully and last but not least, getting the caller to visit your business. The call should paint a picture of what they can expect when the come for a visit.
• Curb appeal continues when that customer approaches your business. Is what they see an almost pristine vision that was painted on the phone call? In all directions, was the curb line, parking lot and entryway debris-filled, weedy, windows dirty? Is the landscaping impeccably manicured? It’s the first impression of what they may find as they enter. 
• Are window displays professionally done and representative of the product within? When opening the door to enter, are customers knocked over by the strong unpleasant odors of food, air freshener, bathroom and/or body odor or other offensive smells?
• Is it dark and dingy or bright and cheery?
• Is there hard rock, rap or other forms of ear-piercing music blaring as you enter?
• Is the facility dirty or spotless? 
• Are the displays unorganized, disheveled or neatly and professionally presented? 
• Are you cheerfully greeted upon entry or not acknowledged at all?
• Once greeted, do you have to try to read an obscurely placed name tag, if any at all or do they introduce themselves asking your name? Is your greeter professionally dressed?
• Are you qualified as to your needs and wants and shown the way to fulfill them or left to find them on your own?
• Are you enamored with the warmth and sincerity of your greeter that you would trust them with your life? 
• Depending on what you are looking for, are you shown options based on your expressed wants or needs?
• Are you asked if you need anything else? Are you asked to buy?
• Are you thanked for your purchase and invited to return? 
• Does anyone call you to ensure you are satisfied with your purchase and invite you back anytime you have a need for their product, and will you? 
• Did you like it all enough to give them a five-star Google review?

BVU and SLU

Endowment of Buena Vista University to ensure its existence as an excellent learning center and beautiful campus would receive my utmost support. I would also support the awesome Storm Lake United in every endeavor that they come up with for the community that would promote neighborhood pride throughout and that would add more and more businesses to all of the curb appeal businesses in Storm Lake.

Finally, the last thing, I would create a social media network, name it the Storm Lake Spectacular and use it to expound on the awesomeness our Storm Lake community far and wide to every venue possible.

Alas, I did not win the lottery, but it’s been great fun and a sincere effort to express my visions of what I would like to see happen in “The City Beautiful.” I’ll keep trying! Lightening could strike, ya never know!

A thought just occurred to me; maybe WE could do it.

Rick Wimer writes from Storm Lake.