It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Fairfax Court House Historical Marker gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Fairfax, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Van Dyck Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Ruth's Chris Steak House or visit Ratcliffe-Logan-Allison House, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Fairfax, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Fairfax, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Fairfax, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Marty Lenss, director of The Eastern Iowa Airport, says building the plant at the proposed location would erase ‘50 years of work by past community volunteers serving on the airport commission’FAIRFAX — The City of Fairfax will consider a change to its zoning code that would provide a path for Alliant Energy to site a gas-fired power plant within city limits, near The Eastern Iowa Airport.This comes as Alliant Energy has proposed a new plant adjacent to the Travero facility on the south side Fairfax, which is ...
Marty Lenss, director of The Eastern Iowa Airport, says building the plant at the proposed location would erase ‘50 years of work by past community volunteers serving on the airport commission’
FAIRFAX — The City of Fairfax will consider a change to its zoning code that would provide a path for Alliant Energy to site a gas-fired power plant within city limits, near The Eastern Iowa Airport.
This comes as Alliant Energy has proposed a new plant adjacent to the Travero facility on the south side Fairfax, which is in close proximity to the airport. The proposed facility would be a natural gas fired generation plant with two stacks rising 190 to 250 feet above the ground.
This proposal would construct the plant about four miles from the end of the airport’s main runway, less than three miles from the current secondary runway, and less than two miles from a proposed future third runway.
Chris Phillips, zoning administrator for the City of Fairfax, said the city’s planning and zoning commission will bring its recommendation to change the city’s zoning code to the Fairfax City Council meeting next month.
“In my opinion, it fits within that current ordinance chapter section but again, (Alliant) hasn’t made a proposal yet, so we don't have all the details,” Phillips said Tuesday at a Fairfax City Council meeting.
The proposed ordinance, Phillips said, would change the section of Fairfax’s zoning code related to heavy industrial districts by adding power generating stations to the list of special exceptions that are permitted. To qualify for an exception, the applicant must seek approval from the city’s board of adjustment before taking the rezoning to the planning and zoning commission.
Last week, Phillips told the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission that the City of Fairfax was “blindsided” by the commission’s opposition to Alliant’s proposal to build the plant close to the airport. The commission has requested more say in the decision.
“We were also kind of blindsided by the airport commission wanting to reject (Alliant’s proposal) automatically before the studies are in,” Phillips said at the airport commission’s Aug. 5 meeting. “It does abide by the FAA regulations. … This is an excellent opportunity for Fairfax for economic development.”
But Fairfax Mayor Jo Ann Beer, who also attended the Aug. 5 commission meeting, said the City of Fairfax was “not yet positioned to offer an opinion” on the project.
“The only presentation by Alliant so far has been to our planning and building commission and to a small group of council members and staff. At this point in time, there's no scheduled Alliant presentations (to) the city council. The city council will have the ultimate decision in this process, gathering information and proceeding slowly is of utmost importance to the community of Fairfax,” Beer said last week. “We want to be good partners in all of this and also protect the interests of our community.”
Eastern Iowa Airport Director Marty Lenss told the Fairfax City Council on Tuesday that the airport commission is “ready to work collaboratively with whomever to move the project forward, just not at this site.”
Lenss told the council the current proposed location near the Travero site would pose an “unnecessary risk mitigation safety.”
Alliant Energy Senior Project Manager Eric Curtis told the airport commission on Aug. 5 that the proposed facility’s two stacks would connect to a combustion turbine in the facility, and each would produce a plume.
Lenss told the city council the commission is opposed to the facility being built at this particular site because of how it could impact the airport’s operations.
He said the vertical stacks from the facility could produce “upward air velocity,” which could create more turbulent air in the airport’s arrival and departure corridors — which he said are “critical” parts of flight. Depending on weather, Lenss said the plumes might vary if they are visible or not but could also create hazards, like fog.
Lenss also said that the Federal Aviation Administration — the FAA — will not step in to “be a judge in this process.”
“A lot of people get confused by thinking the FAA will ultimately make a decision whether you can put it here or there. That's not their goal. So they leave local jurisdictions, local communities to protect the public investment of an import through appropriate zoning,” Lenss said. “So, please know the FAA will not come in and take the decision away from us. The decision rests with us and our local zoning ordinances as drafted.”
If the project moves forward at the proposed site near the airport, Lenss said it “will likely be the end of our region's ability to develop the third runway.”
“If we do not protect the investment in the airport, the FAA may view the power plant location as a fatal flaw and not support the construction of this runway through vital FAA grant dollars,” Lenss said. “That alone erases 50 years of work by past community volunteers serving on the airport commission.”
Alliant previously told the airport commission it is looking at other locations for the power plant, but declined to identify them.
Curtis said Alliant’s timeline remains “fluid” as the company continues working with stakeholders and completes alternative sites analyses.
In the meantime, the airport commission members agreed to pursue a study looking at the potential impacts of the plant. The study will cost the airport just over $67,000, and will take several months to complete.
Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. She is also a contributing writer for the Ag and Water Desk, an independent journalism collaborative focusing on the Mississippi River Basin.
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Fairfax city officials want to weigh in, say such a plant could boost the city’s economyThe Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.CEDAR RAPIDS — Members of the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission told Alliant Energy representatives that they feel “blindsided” by the company’s proposal to build a gas-fired plant on land adjacent to The Eastern Iowa Airport.“I feel like you checked us against the glass on this deal,” airport commissi...
Fairfax city officials want to weigh in, say such a plant could boost the city’s economy
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
CEDAR RAPIDS — Members of the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission told Alliant Energy representatives that they feel “blindsided” by the company’s proposal to build a gas-fired plant on land adjacent to The Eastern Iowa Airport.
“I feel like you checked us against the glass on this deal,” airport commission’s past chair Barry Boyer told Alliant Energy representatives at a Tuesday morning meeting.
The Eastern Iowa Airport Director Marty Lenss said the airport staff was made aware June 18 of a desire by Alliant Energy to build a plant adjacent to the Travero facility in Fairfax. Travero is a subsidiary of Alliant Energy.
Alliant Energy Senior Project Manager Eric Curtis told the commission the facility would be a natural gas fired generation plant with two stacks rising 190 to 250 feet above the ground.
Curtis said each stack would connect to a combustion turbine in the facility, and each would produce a plume.
He said the plant also would have a water cooling system that would use about 1/20 the amount of water a standard water cooler uses.
“We do have an obligation to provide energy to our customers, both existing and new customers, and we need to do that reliably and cost affordably,” said Dave Herkert, assistant vice president of strategic projects for Alliant. “So, we look at multiple options in order to do that today. We're going to be talking about some projects and some alternative, potential alternative sites, and we'll be looking at treating those with the same focus on safety, complying with laws and permits, reliability and customer affordability.”
Lenss said the plumes would create additional hazards, such as fogs, and the stacks would create a vertical obstruction in the airport’s “critical approach to departure” landing area of the airport.
“Siting a power plant at the proposed location is not compatible with the current and future operations, and the airport is asking that the site be removed from further consideration,” Lenss said. “The airport is ready to assist and work with Alliant to determine alternative sites that would be compatible with airport operations and really flip the script on this and make it a ‘win-win’ solution.”
At a commission meeting last week, members of the airport commission agreed to pursue a study looking at potential impacts of the proposed plant. The study will cost the airport just over $67,000, and will take several months to complete.
Alliant has said there are other potential locations identified for the project, but the company’s representatives declined to share those locations with the commission because if they disclose the other sites, they said that information could put the company in a “negative position from a cost perspective” as it continues its evaluations of potential sites.
Although Alliant is evaluating other locations for the project, company representatives didn’t take filing with the Iowa Utilities Commission in October off the table during Tuesday morning’s meeting. That timeline remains “fluid” as Alliant continues working with stakeholders and completes alternative sites analyses, Curtis said.
Alliant representatives said that a project filed with the IUC must have the final project site determined. They expected a decision could take more than a year and construction would take about three years, company officials said.
The proposed location in Fairfax would construct the plant four miles from the end of the airport’s main runway, less than three miles from the current secondary runway and less than two miles from a proposed future third runway.
If the project is approved and the plant is built, Lenss said it will impact the airport.
“There's no other way to say it, (this) will negatively impact this airport's ability to grow in the future, and will have negative impacts on operations,” Lenss said. He pointed specifically to the plumes the plant would create, which he said could cause “real safety of flight issues.”
As of Tuesday, the airport commission had received multiple letters about the proposal — both before and after the meeting. The letters, obtained by The Gazette through a public records request, all opposed the project.
Michael Gries, senior director of Certification & Airworthiness at Collins Aerospace said the company has had the “good fortune” to be an aviation tenant for the airport for the past 80 years, saying the business as grown alongside CID. The proposed site would create vertical obstruction hazards for pilots in critical times during flight processes, thermal plumes and wake effects, potential electromagnetic interference and other potential negative impacts, he said in his letter.
“The combination of hazards to aircraft put aircrews and passengers at unnecessary risk,” Gries wrote. “The proposed facility also undermines decades of careful airport planning.”
Resident Peter Nielsen wrote to the board to ask about a more appropriate site for the plant.
“With Google’s build in CR, are there any innovations or beneficial advantages that could be offered as advantageous?” Nielsen wrote, referring to the Google data center that’s being built near the airport. “Otherwise, I see NO reason to allow this site selection as it could/would limit growth options for CR airport expansion.”
Walford resident Todd Gibbs wrote to the commission expressing “deep concern and opposition” to the location of Alliant’s proposed plant. Gibbs, who has spent 35 years in aviation — including serving in the U.S. Air Force — said he’s concerned the plumes would create a hazard.
“I strongly urge decision-makers at Alliant to remove the Fairfax/Travero site from further consideration and to direct the project to a location that does not compromise aviation safety or limit the airport's future,” Gibbs wrote. “In the event they don't, I urge the Iowa Utilities Board to consider the damaging impact to the airport as a vital public asset when weighing their decision to allow the siting of this plant. It would seem ill advised to risk the viability of an established public asset for that of a power plant with alternative sitting locations yet to be built.”
Lenss said the Federal Aviation Administration will not weigh in on the project.
“Local communities must decide local land use issues, and the FAA will hold the airport accountable via grant assurances, should the airport and the community make poor decisions and not protect the federal investment in the airport through compatible land use protections,” Lenss said.
He added that “plumes are not something the FAA would even render,” but if the situation were reversed and the commission wanted to build an airport next to the power plant, they would not be allowed to do so.
City officials from Fairfax are asking to be included in the decision making process about the plant.
“We were also kind of blindsided by the airport commission wanting to reject (Alliant’s proposal) automatically before the studies are in,” Chris Phillips, zoning administrator for the City Fairfax, said during public comment at Tuesday’s meeting. “It does abide by the FAA regulations. … This is an excellent opportunity for Fairfax for economic development.”
However, Fairfax Mayor Jo Ann Beer told the commission that the city is “not yet positioned to offer an opinion” on the project and still is in the information gathering phase.
“The only presentation by Alliant so far has been to our planning and building commission and to a small group of council members and staff. At this point in time, there's no scheduled Alliant presentations (to) the city council. The city council will have the ultimate decision in this process, gathering information and proceeding slowly is of utmost importance to the community of Fairfax,” Beer said. “We want to be good partners in all of this and also protect the interests of our community.”
Fairfax is expected to discuss the issue at its Aug. 12 council meeting and at a planning and zoning commission meeting later this month, city officials said.
Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. She is also a contributing writer for the Ag and Water Desk, an independent journalism collaborative focusing on the Mississippi River Basin.
The Eastern Iowa Airport Commission says proposed site could jeopardize future runway, seeks alternative location and public meetingMembers of the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission raised sharp concerns Monday after an apparent plan by Alliant Energy to construct a gas-fired power plant on land adjacent to Fairfax.The proposed facility — which airport staff said would include stacks of 190 to 250 feet tall — is located too close to the airport and would be just over a mile from the end of a long-proposed third runway....
The Eastern Iowa Airport Commission says proposed site could jeopardize future runway, seeks alternative location and public meeting
Members of the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission raised sharp concerns Monday after an apparent plan by Alliant Energy to construct a gas-fired power plant on land adjacent to Fairfax.
The proposed facility — which airport staff said would include stacks of 190 to 250 feet tall — is located too close to the airport and would be just over a mile from the end of a long-proposed third runway.
The Eastern Iowa Airport director Marty Lenss said the airport staff was made aware June 18 of a desire by Alliant Energy to build a gas fired power plant in Fairfax adjacent to the Travero Logistics facility. The land is already owned by Iowa Land and Building Company, a subsidiary of Alliant.
The site is adjacent to the data centers on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids.
In the commission meeting, Lenss said “an alternative site is certainly preferred by the airport.” Data shared with the airport showed exhaust would have plumes of air at temperatures significantly higher than the surrounding ambient air.
“Given the information we have received to date, our determination of an airport hazard, the existence of alternative project sites, and Alliant’s expressed urgency to move the project forward, we request the proposed site near The Eastern Iowa Airport be removed from further consideration,” Lenss wrote in a July 14 letter to Alliant obtained by The Gazette. “Additionally, we ask Alliant further explore the alternative sites you had designated as potential options for this project, which would not pose the negative impacts to the safe airport operations.”
Members of the airport commission on Monday agreed to pay Foth Infrastructure & Environment about $67,000 for a study looking at potential impacts of the proposed plant on the airport. The study was needed because Alliant had indicated wanting to present the project to the Iowa Utilities Commission for approval in about 60 days.
Commission members also said they want an public meeting with Alliant as soon as possible so commission members could ask questions in public. A meeting had not yet been set.
In an email to The Gazette on Monday, Alliant spokesperson Taylor Adams said that company is in the “early stages” of selecting a location for the natural gas facility.
“At this time, we are working with the cities of Fairfax and Cedar Rapids and reviewing the proposed facility’s compatibility with airport operations,” Adams said. “We intend to work with the airport to provide necessary information and continue to seek their input as we do with any local stakeholders on generation location and potential site decisions. Our timeline remains fluid to ensure we can conduct proper conversations with local communities and stakeholders.”
Jo Ann Beer, the mayor of Fairfax, said the city is in the early stages of gathering information about Alliant’s proposal.
“The Eastern Iowa Airport Commission must express their approval for this to go any further. If they approve the proposed plan, a rezoning request and Public Hearing would be the next step in Fairfax’s processes,” Beer told The Gazette in an email on Monday. “At this point in time, we do not have enough information to determine concerns or support.”
Alliant first met with City of Fairfax staff on June 16, Beer said, to share the proposal and the concept of the project. She said this meeting was followed by a tour of a similar Alliant facility in Marshalltown on July 7. Alliant’s 650-megawatt Marshalltown generating facility became operational in 2017 after more than two years of construction and a cost of more than $600 million.
Beer said Alliant Energy personnel then provided an overview of the project to the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission on July 15.
As of Monday, Beer said Alliant has not yet presented their proposal to the Fairfax City Council.
Airport Commission chairman Barry Boyer said past commissions and airport staff had been thorough in their planning and have worked hard to make the airport successful. That meant that future airport construction had been included in strategic plans “for decades.”
“This feels like a red line to me,” Boyer said in Monday’s meeting as he asked for a public meeting to discuss the project.
While Alliant told the airport staff there are additional sites that are possible, Lenss said it is clear they are not really in play. Because of the tight timeline, Lenss said the airport cannot conduct adequate studies of potential impacts of a facility on their own.
“This site, because it’s a permanent facility — and there are long-term ramifications for the airport, we really need to bring in experts. We need help, based on this timeline, to get this done,” he told members of the commission.
The proposed facility would be four miles from the end of the main east-west runway, less than three miles from the current secondary runway and just over one mile from the proposed future third runway.
Alliant officials did not detail the project to the media on Monday. However, the airport letter noted the facility was expected to have two combustion turbine engines and a steam engine, plumes that would be created from the exhaust of natural gas combustion.
“If the script were flipped and the power plant was sited first, we would not be siting the airport at its present location,” Lenss said.
In a letter to Alliant on July 14, Lenss said the power plant would be considered an “airport hazard” and that “support for its construction cannot be provided by the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission.”
Lenss also asked Alliant to explore alternative sites that were other potential sites for the project which would “not pose the negative impacts to the safe airport operations.”
“CID is a significant economic driver to the Eastern Iowa economy,” Lenss said in the letter. “While we have shared interest in seeing the region flourish, please know our determination of an airport hazard may seem as inconvenient, the long-term protection of airport operations at CID ultimately benefits Alliant Energy.”
Alliant did not provide details of the proposed facility on Monday.
“This potential facility underscores Alliant Energy’s ongoing commitment to a balanced energy approach that delivers safe, reliable and cost-effective energy to customers through the integration of traditional and renewable energy resources,” Adams said.
Additionally, the commission adopted a lease amendment to QTS for an additional 86-acres of land at the intersection of land at 76th Ave. SW and Cherry Valley Rd. The additional leased land — now totaling 226 acres — translates to about $700,000 in additional revenue for a total of about $1.9 million. The land is being used as a staging area for QTS construction, and because the project is being built out quicker than first expected, additional land was necessary, said Caleb Mason, Director of Properties & Business Development for the Eastern Iowa Airport.
Olivia Cohen covers energy and environment for The Gazette and is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues. She is also a contributing writer for the Ag and Water Desk, an independent journalism collaborative focusing on the Mississippi River Basin.
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The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.Members of the Cedar Rapids airport commission raised concerns this morning after an apparent plan by Alliant Energy to construct a gas-fired power plant on land adjacent to Fairfax.While the plans for a facility had not yet been made public, airport commissioners expressed concerns to the proximity of the city’s airport.Eastern Iowa Airport director Marty Lenss said the airport staff was made aware June 18 of a desire by...
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
Members of the Cedar Rapids airport commission raised concerns this morning after an apparent plan by Alliant Energy to construct a gas-fired power plant on land adjacent to Fairfax.
While the plans for a facility had not yet been made public, airport commissioners expressed concerns to the proximity of the city’s airport.
Eastern Iowa Airport director Marty Lenss said the airport staff was made aware June 18 of a desire by Alliant Energy to build a gas fired power plant in Fairfax adjacent to the Travero facility. Details of the facility were not immediately available.
The site is located in close proximity to the data centers on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids.
Members of the airport commission agreed to pay Foth Infrastructure & Environment for a study looking at potential impacts of the proposed plant. The commission also said they want an open meeting with Alliant as soon as possible to ask questions about the project.
“This feels like a red line to me,” said airport commission chairman Barry Boyer.
While Alliant told the airport staff there are additional sites that are possible, Lenss said it is clear they are not really in play. Because of the tight timeline, Lenss said the airport cannot conduct adequate studies of potential impacts of a facility on their own.
“This site, because it’s a permanent facility – long-term ramifications for the airport, really bring in experts. We need help, based on this timeline, to get this done,” he told members of the commission.
The proposed facility would be four miles from the end of the main runway, less than three miles from the current secondary runway and less than two miles from the proposed future third runway.
“If the script were flipped and the power plant was sited first, we would not be siting the airport at its present location,” Lenss said.
Alliant was planning to go to the Iowa Utilities Commission as soon as October for approval of the plant, Lenss said.
Additionally, the commission adopted a lease amendment to lease an additional 86-acres of land at the intersection of land at 76th Ave. SW and Cherry Valley Rd. The additional leased land — now totaling 226 acres — translates to about $700,000 in additional revenue annually for a total of about $1.9 million.
This is a developing story. Click here for updates.
FAIRFAX, Iowa (KCRG) - The city of Fairfax said it had started looking into illegal wells being dug at the site of the two Cedar Rapids data centers weeks ago.According to Fairfax Water Department Supervisor Brian Merta, he was having a conversation with the company that was digging a city well when he was told that the company was then going to dig wells in the “Big Cedar” Industrial area.Merta said that was when he started asking questions because it was the city’s understanding that there wouldn’t be ...
FAIRFAX, Iowa (KCRG) - The city of Fairfax said it had started looking into illegal wells being dug at the site of the two Cedar Rapids data centers weeks ago.
According to Fairfax Water Department Supervisor Brian Merta, he was having a conversation with the company that was digging a city well when he was told that the company was then going to dig wells in the “Big Cedar” Industrial area.
Merta said that was when he started asking questions because it was the city’s understanding that there wouldn’t be a need for a well. The city even offered the use of city water, but was told it wouldn’t be needed.
“It seemed like no one knew what was going on,” he said.
Merta said that was when he reached out to the Department of Natural Resources and the Linn County Department of Public Health. That led to an investigation, which uncovered 40 de-watering wells north of the project site with plans to dig up to 75. Merta stated that those wells were discharging approximately 1.7 million gallons of water daily.
“Those are shorter wells, about 20-30 feet deep,” he said. “They make it so you can dig the dirt without it caving in around you.”
His big concern was 3 deep wells that were to be dug on the property, one that had already been dug and two more that were in the process of being permitted.
QTS did give TV9 a statement: “QTS is committed to sustainability, safety, and responsible development of our data centers. As part of the infrastructure buildout for our data center campus in Cedar Rapids, temporary water sumps have been installed to support the construction of essential water and sewage lines. These sumps are a standard and necessary part of the development process. We are working diligently with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Linn County to ensure full transparency, alignment, and compliance with regulations.”
Merta said the city planned to continue reaching out and finding answers as to what is going on.
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