County Supervisors To Hear About Airport Zoning
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors are scheduled to hold their weekly meeting today at the County Courthouse Board Room beginning at 9:30 a.m.
The supervisors will hear from Le Mars Assistant City Administrator, Jason Vacera as he will give an informational update on airport zoning. County engineer, Tom Rohe will also appear before the county governing board to discuss current road construction projects. Rohe will also preview this evening’s meeting for landowners, tenants, and other interested parties regarding the reconstruction of 150th Street from Highway 60 going east to Marble Ave. Tonight’s meeting will begin at 5:00 p.m. and will be held at the Landfill Office Conference Room. The
purpose of the meeting is to answer questions concerning the grading plans on 150th Street. Preliminary plans for the project will be available to show how the grading will affect the various parcels of property along the roadway.
City Council To Discuss Animal Control
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council will gather today at the city council chambers beginning at 12:00 noon. The city council is expected to approve a request for two police officers to fill the vacancies of Kevin Vander Vegt as he moved up to become the new police chief and Captain Tim Hop, who has announced
his retirement to occur at the end of the month. The Le Mars City council will also review the law enforcement mutual aid agreement which would add the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Cherokee Police Department to the Special Response Team that already consists of the Le Mars Police Department, Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, and Sioux County Sheriff’s Office. As for action items, the council will discuss the Iowa Department of Transportation Agreement with a
proposal to construct new fencing to surround the Le Mars Airport. The city council will also address animal control, and the requirement to have licenses for dogs. The council is also scheduled to address the airport zoning ordinance.
National Farm Safety Week Is This Week
(Le Mars) — This week is National Farm Safety Week. It is designed to call attention to the dangers of farming, especially during harvest season. Iowa State University Extension Agricultural Engineer and Safety Specialist Chuck Schwab says agriculture ranks as one of the most dangerous and deadliest
occupations.
Schwab says the most common accidents involving agriculture include: tractor roll-overs, ATV roll-overs, roadway collisions with farm equipment, grain suffocation, electrocution, and machine entanglement. Another, are injuries sustained from animals. He says one reason for agriculture to be listed high with injuries and deaths is because so many people from a wide age demographic
are involved with agriculture.
The Iowa State University Safety Specialist says the same is true with the younger generation.
Schwab says the best thing a farmer can do is to make good decisions, and to take a break from the action and have a moment of rest.
State Environmental Panel Rejects Idea To Change Master Matrix
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A state panel has rejected a petition from two environmental activist groups that sought stricter standards for proposed animal feeding operations.
The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission denied the petition Monday from Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Food & Water Watch. The groups called for the commission to require cattle feedlots
and confined hog operations to require more distance from neighbors and take other actions that would protect water and air quality.
The organizations argue current rules aren’t tough enough and that the state panel approves nearly all proposed livestock facilities. The Environmental Protection Commission oversee the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Commissioners turned down the petition, saying the proposed rules were so strict that the result would be a halt in approving any new operations. Some commissioners called for upgrading the state’s approval process but say that’s a task that should be left to the Legislature.
Tarah Heinzen, a staff attorney for Food & Water Watch, said in a statement that the commission’s action shows the DNR “lacks the political will to fix its broken regulations.”
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Governor’s Office Looks Over Data Relating To Injured Workers
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa governor’s office and the organization that sets workers’ compensation rates are disputing over whether a new law influenced a recent rate reduction in premiums for employers.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance announced an 8.7 average premium reduction for Iowa employers that will begin January 2018.
The Des Moines Register reports Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a news release Aug. 28 that says the decrease is a “direct result” of reforms that took effect in July. The legislation cuts benefits for injured workers, makes it more difficult for injured workers to claim lump sum payments and limits attorney legal fees.
The compensation insurance council says the reduction was based on data from premium years 2014-15 and a decrease in claims.
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