Kirchoff Says He Plans To Run Again For Le Mars Mayor Position
(Le Mars) — Mayor Dick Kirchoff made the announcement Tuesday during the city council meeting that he plans to again run for the position of mayor when his current term expires. The mayor informed the council members of his decision during the discussion focusing on the mayor and council’s salaries. Currently, the mayor position is paid an annual salary of $12,000 a year, and each of the council members are given a salary of $6,000 per year. Councilman Rex Knapp was
complimentary of the job Mayor Kirchoff has performed, and he suggested he would favor a salary of anywhere between $15,000 to $18,000 per year for the mayor’s position. Councilman Clark Goodchild was also complimentary of the job
performance of Kirchoff, but said he worries there may be a day when a person may want to run for the mayor’s position solely because of the salary.
Councilman John Rexwinkle added he would oppose a salary increase for council members. Councilman Ken Nelson suggested a public hearing be set in order to allow residents the opportunity to address the topic of council and mayor
salaries. The mayor and the city council have not had any increase of salary since 2006. According to city code, any increase of salary is not to take effect until the conclusion of the council member’s and mayor’s term. No action was taken, but the city council will hold a public hearing on the matter during the January 17, 2017 council meeting.
In other discussion, the city council talked about the proposed overlaying project of Business Highway 75. Initially, Schlotfield Engineering presented a proposal to council members that would cost the city an estimated $1.6 million dollars to place an overlay on Business Highway 75 from 18th Street to Highway 3
or Plymouth Street. Scholtfield projected a start date of mid-April with completion of the entire project by July 1st. However, after much discussion, council members approved a plan that would offer a higher incentive amount of bonus money to the contractors, if the entire project could be completed within
six weeks instead of three months. Councilman Rex Knapp suggested instead of an incentive of $1000 per day, he thought contractors would be more apt to complete the project if the incentive was set at $3000 a day. Council members voted and
approved the higher incentive.
Le Mars Area Betterment Foundation Closing In On Matching Goal
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Area Betterment Foundation received another gift in the form of a check for $25,000 as presented from Iowa State Bank officials. The contribution was done Tuesday during the Le Mars city council meeting following
a report by Mike Donlin, president of the Le Mars Area Betterment Foundation. Donlin says the amount of money needed to match the $2.5 million dollar challenge grant from Wells Enterprises is rapidly closing.
Donlin says certainly several businesses have stepped up to make pledges and contributions, but he says many of the community’s residents are also donating to the Community Betterment Project fund.
Donlin says he has heard several positive comments from Le Mars residents who have stated they hope to help, and are excited about the community betterment project. He says the comments made by representatives of the Iowa State Bank
are common among Le Mars residents.
Plymouth County Fair Asks Supervisors For $28,000
(Le Mars) — During Tuesday morning’s Plymouth County Board of Supervisor meeting, Rich Benson, president of the Plymouth County Fair appeared before the county governing board to request funding for the 2017 Plymouth County Fair.
Benson informed the supervisors the fair board would like to make some capital improvements to the fair. Benson asked the supervisors to consider appropriating $28,000 for the fair. Benson says the capital improvements would depend on if funding would be approved. He says they would include adding
another sidewalk to the west side of Pioneer Village, as well as installing a drop ceiling in Century Hall. Benson says a drop ceiling would help the acoustics in the building. He says it would also help the improve the looks of the interior portion of Century Hall. In addition to the new ceiling, Benson says the fair board is considering updating the heating and cooling system to
more efficient units. Benson says another project the fair board is examining is to update the lighting system in the Commercial Building to make it brighter. Another planned improvement would be to paint the inside of the Commercial building. The supervisors praised Benson, and the members of the fair board,
along with the several volunteers for making the Plymouth County Fair as one of the top county fairs in Iowa. The supervisors inquired about the fair board’s financial position, which Benson replied by saying, the new building, or the
Hall of 2015, is the only major item carrying debt. Benson informed the supervisors that if the fair has another good year for attendance, the fair board would be able to finish paying off the remaining debt for the building.
The supervisors also inquired about the fair’s attendance levels, which Benson told the county board that this past year was a new record for attendance with an estimated 107,000 people.
In action items, the county board of supervisors approved a public hearing date of December 20th at 10:30 a.m. for the issuance of Bishop Heelan bonds. The supervisors approved Dacia Bates as the new clerk for Liberty township. The
supervisors also approved two permit requests from Southern Sioux Rural Water Assocation to conduct work in both Grant and Portland townships. County Attorney Darin Raymond gave a brief report regarding the finances that have been
collected through the law enforcement center. Raymond also informed the county board regarding some changes that will begin after the start of the new year.
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Holding Annual Convention
(Des Moines) — Delegates of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, the state’s largest farm organization, are in Des Moines this week for their 98th annual meeting and convention. President of the Iowa Farm Bureau, Craig Hill, says the
convention will reflect on its past successes, as well as look forward to the future.
Hill is scheduled to address the delegation this morning. He says he will address the need for the state to focus its attention on water quality. Hill will also be introducing the key-note address speaker, former Iowa governor and current U-S Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
Even though the current farm bill doesn’t expire for another couple of years, the Iowa Farm Bureau President says at this year’s convention, the voting delegates will begin discussions for the next farm bill.
Hill says the Iowa Farm Bureau membership have a list of important issues they hope the state legislature will address during the upcoming general session.
