(HINTON)–Plans are complete for a new environmental education center to be built near Hinton.
The ECO Center is a project for the Plymouth County Conservation Board. Conservation Board Director Dennis Sohl says the architect tells the board the plans are complete and have been sent to the State Fire Marshall’s office. Sohl explains the review is required because it is a public building and Plymouth County does not have a building inspector.
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Unless changes are needed after the state review, Sohl expects bids to be the next step. That is expected to be a two-to-three week process. There have been some favorable changes for bidding.
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The new outdoor environmental education center is to be funded with county local option sales tax, a state Vision Iowa CAT grant and fund raising by the Conservation Board Foundation.
Planning for potential funds is agenda item for Plymouth County Supervisors
(LE MARS)–Paperwork to bring state funds to the Plymouth County Courthouse Annex building project is before the Board of Supervisors today.
Supervisors will review the resolution to accept I-JOBS funds for the Annex Storm Shelter at 9:30 this morning.
The board is slated to appoint a member to the Plymouth County Conservation Board to fill a vacancy. Letters of application were accepted by the board.
The quarterly report will be presented by Recorder Jolynn Goodchild. Truck Chassis and box quotes will be considered by the board during Engineer Tom Rohe’s weekly agenda time.
Agenda Tuesday, July 13, 2010
9:30 AMJim Henrich – Plymouth County Board Chairman
1.Call meeting to order
2.Approve this agenda (Action)
3.Approval of prior Board meeting minutes (Action)
4.Approval of claims and payroll (Signatures)
5. Committee Reports (Discussion)
6. Old Business
A. Open and review applications and appoint a member to serve on the Plymouth County
Conservation Board (Action)
7. New Business
A. Review and approve Resolution for township trustee appointment (Action)
B. Board to sign and approve 2009 Homestead credit application (Action)
C. Review and approve a resolution to accept IJOBS funds for Annex Storm Shelter
(Discussion and Action)
D. Approve extension to Maddens Minor Subdivision (Action)
E. Open and review mail/correspondence (Discussion)
F. Open public forum (Informational)
10:10 AMJolynn Goodchild, Plymouth County Recorder – Present Recorder’s Office quarterly report for
approval (Action)
10:20 AMTom Rohe, Plymouth County Engineer
(Action Items)
1.Permit-Premier Communications – Sec 28 Preston Twp on C-16
2.Lundell Construction – Sec 19/20 Grant Twp-Impala Ave North; Sec 19/20 Grant Twp-Impala Ave South
3.Truck Chassis Quotes / Box Quote
(Discussion Items)
Questions/Discussion of the Secondary Road Department
(Informational Items)
Update on construction projects
Funds to prepare request for downtown designation turned down
(LE MARS)–A request for state funds for a project to place a portion of downtown Le Mars on the National Register of Historic Places was turned down.
The Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission asked for the 20-thousand dollar state grant.
The project cost is estimated at $40,000.
Iris Hemmingson of the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission says the state declined the Le Mars request, but all comments about the project were good.
Applying for a different grant is the next step in the Downtown Le Mars Historic District project.
The Le Mars City Council, in March, supported the Preservation Commission’s request. The Council pledged the cash portion of the grant up to 10-thousand dollars over two years. The city’s funding source was Hotel/Motel Sales Tax.
Hemmingson says a request for funds for the next state grant fund request will be made to the Council.
Relay for Life tops 2009 fundraiser
(LE MARS)–A fund raiser to fight cancer passed its 24-thousand dollars goal.
Nineteen teams walked the city of Remsen track Friday night and early Saturday morning for the Plymouth County “Relay for Life.”
Co-chair Shelly Clay says the total amount raised so far through Relay for Life is over 30-thousand dollars. Of that total, 17-thousand 800 dollars was raised by the “Relay for Life” teams.
Clay says there was a really large crowd Friday night. This was the first time the event was held in Remsen.
Donations will be accepted until August first. Anyone who would like to donate may call Clay at 548-7666 or Co-Chair Stacey Kliever at 540-8135.
‘A Million Spokes’ premieres in Sioux City
(SIOUX CITY)–A film about the largest and oldest bicycle touring event in the world will be screened in Sioux City.
“A Million Spokes,” is a feature-length documentary filmed during RAGBRAI 2009–the Des Moines Register’s Great Bike Ride Across iowa.
The 2010 ride begins in Sioux City July 25th. The RAGBRAI Expo and “Smashmouth” are July 24th.
“A Million Spokes” is directed by Varda Hardy.
The first public viewing of “A Million Spokes” is at the Riviera 4 Theater in Sioux City July 23rd at 5 p.m. Tickets are limited for the special screening which includes time to meet the film’s director, producers and many characters.
There are additional screenings on July 23 and 24th at the Riviera 4 Theater.
Harkin announces HUD grants of $2.5 million
WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin says two housing groups in Iowa will receive a total of more than $2.5 million to help the elderly and people with disabilities live independently.
The Iowa Democrat said Monday the funding comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Manning Community Services, Inc. in Carroll County will receive $964,400 for a program which allows elderly people to live as independently as possible in the community by increasing the supply of rental housing where supportive services are available.
Mosaic in Harrison County will receive $1,606,900 for a similar program for persons with disabilities.
Gingrich says he’s considering presidential run
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he’s considering running for president and expects to make a decision by early next year.
In an interview Monday with The Associated Press, Gingrich predicted a Republican would defeat Democratic President Barack Obama in 2012. He called Obama a “disaster” who would go down as the worst president in modern times.
Gingrich says he’ll focus on the midterm elections this fall, then decide whether to seek the Republican nomination by next February or March.
Gingrich was in Des Moines for a fundraiser and workshop for local Republican candidates.
Gingrich says he briefly considered seeking the 2008 Republican nomination but would take a more serious look at a presidential campaign this time.
Culver lists federal investments of $9.8 million
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Gov. Chet Culver has announced American Reinvestment and Recovery Act investments totaling more than $9.8 million in two Iowa communities.
The grants announced Monday are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative. They seek to create new economic opportunities, to promote local and regional food systems that benefit rural communities.
The larger guaranteed loan, of $8 million, goes to World Food Processing LLC. Another guaranteed loan of more than $1.8 million goes to North American Co-Pack, LLC.
Homes sales improve in Des Moines
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) An association of Des Moines-area real estate agents is reporting home sales in June increased by 9 percent over May.
Des Moines Area Association of Realtors president Joanne Mangold says the expectation is for a decent summer for home sales, as long as interest rates stay low.
According to a report released Monday by the association, written contracts were up from 468 in May to 586 in June. The number of new contracts in June remained will below the 924 contracts written in the same month last year.
Contracts closed rose from 932 in May to 1,015 in June. The average sale price rose 9 percent, from $158,828 in May to $172,510 in June.
The Realtors report shows there were 5,795 active listings in June, up from 5,713 in May.
Construction worker killed by dump truck
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) Authorities say a construction worker has been struck and killed by a dump truck in a construction area on Interstate 80 in Iowa City.
Iowa City Police, Iowa State Patrol, Johnson County Ambulance and the Iowa DOT responded to the accident late Monday morning, but the victim was dead when they arrived at the scene.
The victim’s name was not being released Monday evening, and the incident remains under investigation.
Man accused of lascivious acts with child
AMES, Iowa (AP) An Ames man has been charged with inappropriately touching a 4-year-old girl.
According to the Story County sheriff’s department, deputies arrested 18-year-old Michael Trachta and charged him with lascivious acts with a child.
According to county investigators, Trachta admitted touching the child at different times over several months. Trachta is an acquaintance of the young girl’s family.
Trachta was being held Monday in the Story County Jail in lieu of $30,000 bond.
It was not immediately known if Trachta has obtained legal representation.
Researchers use 3-D scanner on covered bridges
WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) Researchers are using a 3-D laser scanner on four historic covered bridges in Madison County this week.
The research team will be at Roseman Bridge, Imes Bridge, Hogback Bridge and Cutler-Donahoe Bridge.
They say they plan to use the laser scanner to capture tiny details on each bridge for historical record. The laser will record all visible data and detail of the construction of the bridges that will be used to create detailed computer-generated drawings and models.
The scanner takes a 360-degree picture.
Researchers say the scans will serve as a guide for rebuilding or repair should the bridges be damaged or destroyed. The Cedar Creek Bridge was destroyed by arson in 2002.
Kitten found in trash to be adopted
ANKENY, Iowa (AP) Officials with the Animal Rescue League say a kitten found alive in a bag of garbage earlier this summer in Ankeny is now ready to be adopted.
The kitten has been named “Alley.” Refuse workers at Waste Management found her in a bag of kittens that someone had put out with their trash.
Alley’s four littermates were dead, but Alley has been nursed back to health and is ready for adoption.
People interested in adopting her should show up at the Animal Rescue League office at 11 a.m. Wednesday to fill out applications. A drawing will be held at 11:15 to see who gets to take the kitten home.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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