of this project, and to whom may the public present questions about, and/or aid in the implementation of this effort? Vallery: Actually Celeste, right now there is no timeline. However, we would like to get this done as quickly as possible, in terms of getting the petition signed and so on. We need to get the petitions in the hands of the powers that be, so that we can move forward. I don’t know if there are other names that are being thrown around…and so because we don’t know that…we need to make sure that we can get Ruth Ann Gaines’ name out there…and we can move forward. Ruth Ann Gaines In order to view a bio of Representative Ruth Ann Gaines go to https://www.legis.iowa.gov/ legislatorslegislator?ga=88&personID=9413. Her guidance should be celebrated, and this is just a perfect way to celebrate it forever. Celeste: Thank you, Heather. Part 2: Interview with Vallery Griffis Celeste: In what way(s) may the public provide support to this effort? Vallery: Let me start by saying that our goal is to gather 2,500 signatures. Presently we have 2,301 signatures. So…if people who have not signed the petition, which has come back again…it had gone down at one point…I am not sure why it was taken down, but anyway, it was taken down and has gone back up recently…and our goal again is to get 2,500 signatures. If we could get people to go back, those people who have not already done so…to go on and sign the petition. That would be just wonderful. I would hope that we could exceed our goal…that would be outstanding. That is probably the best way right now that we can have people help us as we go through this process. Celeste: What is the timeline for the completion We are trying to follow a process that we thought was in place, I am not sure that process was in place… and I’ll share that in just a minute…but, I have been trying to contact people who could have assisted us, in terms of what goes on in the (school) district office, the people who might be in the know. I just learned though…as recently as this morning…as I was talking to a person with whom I had spoken with previously at the district…and she said that there is really no process. What we wanted to do is to make sure that we were following a process. I don’t know whether the precedent had been set…or whatever…I just wanted to make sure that if there was a process for submitting a name for a person to be honored…in terms of a building, a stadium, or whatever…we wanted to follow that process. So, I was throwing around questions to people at the district. I understand that Heather Ryan has spoken to the district thoroughly…and I hope I am not digressing… but, Heather Ryan has spoken to the district…and gone to the school board…I’m sorry…at some point early on…right before COVID-19…I’m not sure when it was…but when she left, things didn’t seem to happen anymore, and I’m not sure what happened with that. So, when I asked about that, I was told by a person at the district level that she had remembered Heather speaking to them. I asked her what action was taken… and her comment was that there was no action, because it was just a presentation to the board. So, 37
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