Plymouth County Board of Supervisors Approve To Vacate Roads
(Le Mars) — Plymouth County Board of Supervisors have approved to vacate two different gravel roads. The county governing board decided to vacate a portion of 340th Street that serves as a border with Woodbury County. The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors must take up the measure and give their
approval in order for the road to be vacated. The road in question is 340th Street, south of Kingsley near Highway 140 and Quartz Avenue. A landowner with land near the road proposed to be vacated wasn’t against closing the road, but he did encourage Plymouth County and Woodbury County to consider moving the access driveway into his field further south so it would be easier to gain access into his fields with larger farm equipment. Plymouth County Engineer Tom Rohe assured the landowner that he thought the field access driveway could be modified to accommodate the landowner’s wishes. The second
road that was approved to be vacated is 100th Street which serves as a border road with Sioux County. Paul May owns land on the Sioux County side, and spoke against vacating the roadway in question. May says the road acts as a dam that helps hold back water and prevents soil from eroding. May also
spoke in favor of replacing a bridge to the west of his property that is on 100th Street and has been closed for nearly 20 year when an overweight construction equipment that tried crossing the bridge and the bridge collapsed. Plymouth County Engineer Tom Rohe informed the supervisors and the gathered crowd, that the estimate to replace the bridge would be more
than $800,000. Rohe offered a compromise, suggesting the county could proceed to close the road, but Plymouth County would build an earth berm in place of the road to help prevent water from draining from May’s property into the area owned by Southern Sioux Water Association. Plymouth County Attorney Darrin Raymond inquired of Rohe as to how the area would appear?
Raymond wanted to make certain motorists would know the road was closed and not for traffic usage. Final approval for the vacated road will depend on Sioux County Board of Supervisors when they decide upon the issue during their next meeting.
In other action, the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved moving the 25 mph speed limit zone on County road C-60 460 feet to the west. The resolution will also need Hinton’s city council approval. The action was taken at the request of Hinton city officials following a pedestrian accident at the location. County officials indicated additional measures may
be needed by both the Hinton City Council and the Hinton Community School District’s Board of Education to make the area safer for children crossing the road to go to school.
Demolition of Grain Elevator Could Take Place This Week
SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) – Demolition could begin later this week of a northeastern Nebraska grain elevator heavily damaged in an explosion last week.
A large crane and other equipment were to begin arriving at the South Sioux City site Tuesday. Fire Chief Clint Merithew says work to take down the unstable structure should begin Thursday.
The blast on May 29 blew a gaping hole into the Andersen Farms elevator and injured a worker. Residents of 26 houses near the elevator also were evacuated and have not been able to return to their homes, as officials fear the 230-foot (70-meter) grain tower could collapse.
Officials say corn inside the elevator continues to smolder.
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Sioux City Council Approves Fire Department To Charge Fees For Gas Line Rupture Calls
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The City Council has approved the Sioux City fire department plan to charge companies for firefighters’ responses to ruptures of natural gas lines.
The council voted for the plan on Monday.
The city will bill the company that causes a break $2,000 for the first hour of response and $250 for each additional 15 minutes. There will be more charges for additional personnel, vehicles, ambulance service or supplies.
The fees won’t apply to small leaks that do not require a full response, incidents lasting under 30 minutes or leaks occurring to above-ground piping inside buildings.
Sioux City Fire Rescue estimates it would have received more than $640,000 for its responses to gas line breaks since 2001 if the fee structure were in place.
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Voters Given Wrong Text Messages Regarding Primary Elections
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Election officials are warning that some Iowa voters are receiving text messages directing them to the wrong polling places. Secretary of State Paul Pate tweeted Tuesday morning that his office is investigating the texts. He said some of the primary day texts erroneously start with “Tomorrow is the Democratic Primary.” Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald says county auditors were told a preliminary investigation suggests the texts are a mistake by a campaign and not malicious in intent.
Former Finance Director Challenging Governor Reynolds For Not Conducting An Investigation Into Sexual Harassment Charges
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A lawyer for former Iowa Finance Authority director Dave Jamison is excoriating Gov. Kim Reynolds for firing him without investigating allegations of sexual harassment. During an unemployment appeal hearing, Jamison attorney Bruce Stoltze Jr. attacked state officials for refusing to share the allegations with Jamison or give him the chance to respond. He complained the state has withheld evidence and refused to make Reynolds available to testify.
