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Billboards used to promote Keokuk
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By Cindy Iutzi/Gate City Staff Writer
The city of Keokuk is making a name for itself along two major highways south of Iowa.
A “Keo - what?” billboard catches the eye two miles south of Hannibal, Mo., and a “Keokuk You're always welcome” billboard gives travelers south of the Iowa line advance notice that the next exit on U.S. Highway 27 is, in fact, Keokuk.
Both city-promoting signs are evidence of an effort to get Keokuk's name out there.
The Keo-what? sign has been effective so far, Kirk Brandenberger, executive director of the Keokuk Area Convention and Tourism Bureau, told the city council Thursday.
“It's being seen, people are recognizing it,” Brandenberger said. “The typical tourist wonders ‘How do you pronounce that last name again?' It's a little out of the box.”
Brandenberger was struck by the comment the First Impression group made about Keokuk. First Impression “secret shoppers” delivered a critique about Keokuk's services, appearance, personality and visibility recently after visiting the city last year.
“They didn't see anything outside of town encouraging people to come to Keokuk,” he said. “This plants a seed - ‘I've been thinking about going to Keokuk and I haven't.' I want to put Keokuk out in front of a lot of people, 1,000 cars a day.”
Keokuk Mayor David Gudgel asked Brandenberger how the hotel and motel business in Keokuk was affected by the Flood of 2008 in late spring and early summer.
Keokuk's lodging sector held up well and actually saw some benefits, as did places that sell food and gasoline, Brandenberger said.
Workers in Burlington and Hannibal, Mo., couldn't get rooms in their cities, so they had rooms in Keokuk and commuted to their jobs.
Brandenberger plans to place another billboard on U.S. Highway 136 near Carthage, Ill.
The city council agreed to contribute $7,600 to the $13,498 project, which also is funded by a $5,912 Iowa State Tourism Grant.
The billboard project extends through June 30, 2009.
Several council members said buying billboard space would be less expensive if the contract stretches over several years.
“I wanted to get a read on it before getting locked into it,” Brandenberger said.
In other business, the city council:
n Discussed the sidewalk program, whether to concentrate on fixing existing sidewalks or put in new sidewalks where they are needed. The consensus was to fix them and develop a separate program for putting in new sidewalks. Community Development Director Pam Broomhall said the city could look into applying for an Iowa Department of Transportation Safe Route to School Grant. The very competitive grants have a $250,000 limit with no matching funds required.
n The Keokuk Downtown and Community Ad Hoc Streetscape Committee, a group of volunteers comprised of members of Main Street Keokuk, Inc., the Cultural and Entertainment District and Keokuk Area Chamber of Commerce, informed the city council that the committee intends to develop a master plan for the “greening and blooming of Keokuk.”
The committee asked for input and support by the city, as well as the city's “assurance that it would be willing to consider proposals that would improve the community and would consider providing funding and/or assistance. Components of the plan may include city sidewalks or city rights of way.”
An application will be submitted to the Iowa Department of Transportation for a $100,000 matching grant (70-30 match) to develop the master plan. The application is due by Oct. 1.
The 2009 Great River Gala has pledged a portion of its proceeds to the project.
A “Keo - what?” billboard catches the eye two miles south of Hannibal, Mo., and a “Keokuk You're always welcome” billboard gives travelers south of the Iowa line advance notice that the next exit on U.S. Highway 27 is, in fact, Keokuk.
Both city-promoting signs are evidence of an effort to get Keokuk's name out there.
The Keo-what? sign has been effective so far, Kirk Brandenberger, executive director of the Keokuk Area Convention and Tourism Bureau, told the city council Thursday.
“It's being seen, people are recognizing it,” Brandenberger said. “The typical tourist wonders ‘How do you pronounce that last name again?' It's a little out of the box.”
Brandenberger was struck by the comment the First Impression group made about Keokuk. First Impression “secret shoppers” delivered a critique about Keokuk's services, appearance, personality and visibility recently after visiting the city last year.
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Keokuk Mayor David Gudgel asked Brandenberger how the hotel and motel business in Keokuk was affected by the Flood of 2008 in late spring and early summer.
Keokuk's lodging sector held up well and actually saw some benefits, as did places that sell food and gasoline, Brandenberger said.
Workers in Burlington and Hannibal, Mo., couldn't get rooms in their cities, so they had rooms in Keokuk and commuted to their jobs.
Brandenberger plans to place another billboard on U.S. Highway 136 near Carthage, Ill.
The city council agreed to contribute $7,600 to the $13,498 project, which also is funded by a $5,912 Iowa State Tourism Grant.
The billboard project extends through June 30, 2009.
Several council members said buying billboard space would be less expensive if the contract stretches over several years.
“I wanted to get a read on it before getting locked into it,” Brandenberger said.
In other business, the city council:
n Discussed the sidewalk program, whether to concentrate on fixing existing sidewalks or put in new sidewalks where they are needed. The consensus was to fix them and develop a separate program for putting in new sidewalks. Community Development Director Pam Broomhall said the city could look into applying for an Iowa Department of Transportation Safe Route to School Grant. The very competitive grants have a $250,000 limit with no matching funds required.
n The Keokuk Downtown and Community Ad Hoc Streetscape Committee, a group of volunteers comprised of members of Main Street Keokuk, Inc., the Cultural and Entertainment District and Keokuk Area Chamber of Commerce, informed the city council that the committee intends to develop a master plan for the “greening and blooming of Keokuk.”
The committee asked for input and support by the city, as well as the city's “assurance that it would be willing to consider proposals that would improve the community and would consider providing funding and/or assistance. Components of the plan may include city sidewalks or city rights of way.”
An application will be submitted to the Iowa Department of Transportation for a $100,000 matching grant (70-30 match) to develop the master plan. The application is due by Oct. 1.
The 2009 Great River Gala has pledged a portion of its proceeds to the project.
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Reader Comments
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Former Wayland Mo Resident wrote on Aug 25, 2008 8:42 PM:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_27
Perhaps you meant Missouri Route 27?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Route_27 "