A meeting that dealt with the future of the Bunker Mill Bridge restoration was held at the Kalona Chamber of Commerce last night. The meeting was led by the North Skunk River Greenbelt Association, or NSRGA, the non-profit that helped save the bridge from being torn down and controls the Friends of Bunker Mill Bridge group.

The announcement made last week that the Friend’s board had disbanded was addressed. It was revealed conflicts that began in September between members of the board and Julie Bowers, the Executive Director of the Friends group and NSRGA, was followed by the legal removal of two board members and resignation of six board members. The board’s officers then resigned, dissolving the board.

One of the main sources of tension was the fact that NSRGA controls the group and owns the bridge. Bowers assured those who attended that ownership of the bridge will be handed over to a non-profit controlled by local citizens, which has not been setup, when the restoration is complete.

Moving forward, committees are being setup that will focus on different aspects of the bridge’s restoration.