The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The Ottumwa City Council held a work session tonight and the financially challenged Bridge View Center’s budget was on the agenda.

Bridge View’s General Manager Nichole Pasqual stresses the community needs to help support the center, using it more regularly and attending its events.

Though they are in the red, she said cutting back is not the answer.

“That is going to hurt the facility because when you cut back on maintenance, repairs, things that make it look pretty and good food, then really one is going to turn out. So, just straight out of the shoot, that’s what we really need is the public’s support,” Pasquel said.

The public safety report was another item on the agenda and one hotly debated item was possibility of raising licensing tags for Ottumwa pet owners.

Director of Public Safety, Police Chief Clark also expressed the need to build new fire stations.

As a way to fund new fire stations, Clark proposed adding a voluntary $3 donation to the city water bill.