Ottumwa’s out-going mayor is again trying to scuttle a local development project that’s won a state “Vision Iowa” grant. While many will ring in the New Year at party, the Ottumwa City Council will hold a rare New Year’s Eve meeting. The term of Mayor Van Gates is to expire at noon on Friday, and he plans to veto a resolution setting in motion the city’s purchase of land for the 21-MILLION dollar Bridgeview Center events center. The Mayor’s expected to veto the deal sometime today or tomorrow, as his last official act. It will take a four-to-one vote of the Ottumwa City Council to override the Mayor’s veto of the $400,000 real estate transaction that paves the way for the project.
