Pingree Grove mayor's campaign promise fulfilled

Pingree Grove Village President Clint Carey says he's not easily rattled.

But for years, the bumpy railroad tracks along Reinking Road did just that each time he drove across them.

That irritated him so much that while he ran for the town's top post in the spring, he vowed to fix the crossing once he got into office.

He made good on that promise Tuesday, with workers from the Iowa Chicago and Eastern Railroad that owns them, replacing every part, making it a much smoother drive.

But getting the ball rolling wasn't easy and involved numerous phone calls to railroad officials and state Rep. Chris Lauzen. Carey said he even cajoled railroad workers he saw near the crossing.

The railroad work was due to be completed Tuesday night.

"It's a good day for Pingree Grove to get those (tracks) fixed," said Carey, who describes himself as a perfectionist. "Since the day I was been elected I've been making phone calls … to finally get to this, and I'm just glad it's finally getting done."

Carey wasn't the only one who had a beef with the old railroad tracks.

Marjorie Morton, the town's utility clerk who also answers the phones at village hall, says she fields 10 calls a week from motorists complaining about the tracks.

Now that this problem has been resolved, Carey says he'll tackle yet another quality of life issue -- the rampant mosquitoes buzzing around town.

"If I could figure out the mosquito problem, I'd be in office for life," Carey quipped.