OFFICIALLY APPROVED

Osceola officially has a new city logo.

During a Sept. 2 Osceola City Council meeting, the council approved the “map” logo design that was presented earlier this summer.

“Really, the intention of this logo is to be so diversified that there really isn’t a limit to what you can put into it,” said Andrew Clark with Spoke Communications, a consultant on the logo project.

The logo is now city property.

Lots of work

The new city of Osceola logo has been a year-long project.

There have been several public meetings and a committee was formed to help design the logo.

Eventually, the new logo will be found on city vehicles, business cards, signage, letterheads, shirts and more.

The new logo is actually two different versions that are essentially the same design. There’s a large version of the logo, as well as a smaller one.

The logo design could also be used for different city departments with the GPS locator, by incorporating a First Aid cross for emergency personnel such as police officers or firefighters.

Clark said the intention of the locator pin is to show where something is at, where the city of Osceola is and what is offered throughout the city.

“That pin, that map pin means something, and it’s always where you want to be,” Clark said.

Different wording?

Earlier in the meeting, Robert Conrad of Osceola presented examples to the city council on other phrases that could be used in the logo, instead of “Proud of our history. Ready for the future.”

What appeared to be a popular phrase from Conrad’s examples was “Great People. Great Location. The Spirit of Osceola.”

During the meeting’s discussion, councilmen asked what was the next step to take at that point.

Ty Wheeler, city administrator/clerk, said once the logo was approved, work could be done on the city website and city entities and departments, such as making business cards.

“I think our web presence, or lack thereof, is something we’ve talked about for a long time, and needing to improve that,” Wheeler said.

Bill Trickey, executive director of Clarke County Development Corporation, said the development corporation has its own logo, but would put the city’s new logo on its website so it would be an online link.

“It fits with all of our work quite nicely, and I particularly like the flexibility that icon provides, and I like the map,” Trickey said. “We, in Iowa, have tendency to know where Clarke County is, but other people don’t. We know where Osceola is, but there’s also an Osceola County.”

Special amendment

Before the councilmen approved the city’s new logo, they approved an amendment to the logo, stating the wording on the logo could be changed, if desired, at a later time.

“I hate to say it, but I like the ‘Great People. Great Location,’” said Councilman Dr. George Fotiadis.