City Council Approves Budget, But Votes Down Extension On Recreational Trail
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council convened Tuesday at the city council chambers for its bi-monthly meeting. A public hearing was held regarding the Le Mars Municipal campground improvements and expansion. The council acted on and approved the funding recommendations presented by the Le Mars Convention and Visitors Bureau advisory board for the usage of the hotel-motel tax. The city council also discussed the Surface Transportation Block Grant application for joint funding between the federal, state, and local governments for the re-surfacing of 12th Street South extending from 2nd Avenue to 7th Avenue east. Surface Transportation Block Grants have traditionally had an 80 percent to 20 percent split, with the federal government financing 80 percent of the construction expenses, and the local government financing the remaining 20 percent. The city council did vote down a proposal for an extension of the recreational trail that would have joined the current recreational trail and follow Madison Avenue to link up with Highway 60. City administrator Scott Langel informed the council the Iowa Department of Transportation, when making Highway 60 a four-lane road, did allow enough room on the shoulder for a bicycle path. Clark Goodchild asked if Madison Avenue was within the city limits? Langel said it falls on county property. Goodchild then asked if any city officials had discussed the idea with the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors? Langel said several years ago the initial conversation was held, but nothing has been brought to the County Supervisors attention since that time. Goodchild mentioned he didn’t want to see the city “open up another can of worms.” When it came time to vote on the measure, the proposal failed on a 2-to-2 vote. Goodchild and Wick voted no, with Nelson and Rexwinkel voting in favor of the measure. Councilman Rex Knapp was absent from today’s meeting. The city council also adopted the proposed city budget with an expected revenue of $21,975,000, with total expenditures at $21,551,000 with a tax levy rate of $12.50. During the meeting, city waste water superintendent Ron Kayser submitted his annual report, as did Le Mars Police Chief, Kevin Vande Vegte submitted the police department’s annual report.
Police Annual Report Shows An Increase In Activity Incidents
(Le Mars) — During his annual report to the city council members, Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte informed the council the overall activity within Le Mars reached a five-year high at 14,684 incidents. Complaints were down roughly 500, and Vande Vegte says it may be due to a drop of traffic citations and warnings. Vande Vegte says the Le Mars Police Department does not look at citations as a source of revenue, but rather an opportunity to correct a situation. Arrests were holding nearly steady at 450 this past year. The five-year average is 426 arrests. Accidents are at a five-year low since 2013. The Le Mars Police Chief credits the slower speed limits on Business Highway 75, as a main reason for the drop in accidents. Vande Vegte mentioned that Le Mars has been fortunate not to have a fatality accident during 2017. An area that was started by Chief Vande Vegte after he was named the chief of police is what he refers to as “Community Police Contacts” when officers are circulating with the community at different events and functions. Vande Vegte says since September, Le Mars Police have established 734 community contacts.
Farmers Market Vendors Seek Assistance From City
(Le Mars) — People interested in organizing a farmers market for Le Mars spoke before the Le Mars City Council on Tuesday. Barb Johnson is a vendor that utilizes a farmers market to sell home grown honey and other bees wax products. Due to the fact the Olson Cultural Events Center is scheduled to undergo construction this summer as part of the Community Betterment Project, vendors are searching for another viable option. Johnson asked the city council if they would approve the Farmers Market using the parking lot facilities of the new Le Mars Police Department headquarters located on Business Highway 75. One of the concerns vendors have is the low traffic count. City Administrator Scott Langel informed the council and Johnson that traffic count surveys show at least 5500 vehicles travel on the north end of Business Highway 75 on a daily basis, allowing for the visibility the vendors are seeking.
State Pork Producers To Hold Regional Conference At Le Mars
(Le Mars) — The Iowa Pork Producers Association, along with the Iowa Pork Industry Center as part of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will host a Regional Conference today at the Le Mars Convention Center. The conference will examine three areas: Environmental Regulations as presented by Eldon McAfee, an attorney with the Brick Gentry Law Firm. The Swine Market Outlook will be covered by Iowa State University Livestock Extension Economist, Lee Schultz, and State Extension Swine Veterinarian Dr. Chris Rademacher will discuss vaccines and antibiotic changes.
Rademacher says pork producers and their veterinarians are taking a long look at whether or not antibiotics are needed as much in today’s production operations, as they were in the past.
That regional pork conference is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. Prior to the start of the conference, Iowa State University Extension Swine Specialists will offer producers a Pork Quality Assurance Plus training seminar which will begin at 9:30 a.m.
National FFA Week Is This Week
(Lawton) — Blue corduroy jackets can be seen this week across the nation as FFA members celebrate National FFA Week. “I believe in the future of agriculture…” Those are the first words of the F-F-A creed, and thousands of young people are celebrating agriculture and the national organization this week. Brett Oetken serves as the Agriculture Advisor for the Le Mars Community FFA program. He says the reason FFA celebrates this week is because it has a rich tradition with our first president, George Washington.
Oetken says the organization has evolved through its 80 years of existance. It started as an organization called Future Farmers of America, and was created to teach young men about the benefits of farming. However, today, young women account for more than half the membership, and the name was changed to reflect the expansion of agriculture.
The Le Mars FFA instructor says today’s FFA emphasizes leadership development, public speaking, parlimentary procedure, and a host of other character building qualities. Oetken says the leadership and speaking skills, along with the networking contacts, that a student learns today through FFA will remain with the individual through college and beyond when they pursue their career.
Oetken says Vocational Agriculture and FFA falls in line with the state’s educational goals of implementing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or STEM into the classroom.
Investigators Are Not Certain What Caused A Deadly Fire At Missouri Valley
MISSOURI VALLEY, Iowa (AP) – Investigators say they can’t be certain what caused a fire in downtown Missouri Valley that killed two people.
The investigation into the Thanksgiving Day blaze has ended.
The fire was reported about 7:45 a.m. Nov. 23 at CTI Electronics. The bodies of 44-year-old Stacy Larsen and 44-year-old Chad Stevens were found in the building. Their deaths were ruled accidental.
The State Fire Marshal Division says the damage where the fire started and the lack of witnesses kept investigators from concluding what sparked the blaze. The agency listed a possible cause: flammable vapors from an aerosol can ignited by an open flame, most likely from a candle.
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Discarded Smoking Material Blamed For Cedar Rapids Fatal Fire
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Authorities blame discarded smoking materials for an apartment fire that killed a Cedar Rapids man.
Cedar Rapids Fire Department investigators on Tuesday said the smoking materials ignited a chair inside the apartment, causing the Saturday morning fire.
When firefighters entered the apartment, they found 57-year-old Thomas Jones inside, near the chair.
Jones was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City, where he died Saturday afternoon.
