(SHELDON)–Northwest Iowa Community College Trustees today are asking voters to approve a 13-point-four-million dollar bond issue over 15 years.
The bond issued is on the ballot for voters in Sioux, O’Brien, Lyon, and Osceola counties as well as the Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn School District geographic area.
If approved by the majority of voters, the funds would be used for career and technical education facilities, advanced technology and energy conservation and efficiencies.
A homeowner with an assessed valuation of 100-thousand dollars would pay additional taxes of $16.65 per year. The ag land tax is estimated at 31 cents an acre for ag land assessed at an average of 13-hundred dollars per acre.
The general obligation bond vote follows a facilities assessment by Northwest Iowa Community College administration.
Phase 2 building project is board topic
(LE MARS)–A decision about an estimated nine-point-four-million dollar building project may be made by the Le Mars Community School Board of Education in November.
School administrators updated the board last night on the construction and remodeling project known as Phase 2.
The improvements would provide a gym with a capacity of 2,000; wrestling; art and band and practice rooms; parking lots; and tennis courts.
Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt said property taxes would not be increased for the remodeling and building which is to be paid for largely with school infrastructure local option sales tax (SILO) extended by voters to 2022.
Listen here
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The other part of the financing is the Physical Plant and Equipment property tax known as PPEL. Wendt suggested the board allow the current voter approved PPEL levy to end in 2012 and replace it with a board approved PPEL levy. That would lower the tax rate 67 cents.
Listen here
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Annual operating costs for the expanded facility are projected at $50,000 which would be taken from the district’s general operating fund.
Board President Patrick Murphy looked to November vote, if the project moves through upcoming meetings. Murphy encouraged the board to review the details presented by administrators at the meeting.
Listen here
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If a timeline is followed and the board moves forward with the remodeling and building project, ground breaking could be in the spring with completion in 15 months. However, no action was taken on the project Monday night.
The next step is to have the district’s architect meet with the board. That’s expected October11th.
High School Addition and remodeling
Gym (2,000 capacity)/Lobby/Wrestling room $4,378,420
Band and Art Room addition $1,078,000
Locker Rooms/Public Toilets $1,713,600
Toilet remodeling $167,750
Remodeling (next to Kitchen) $81,900
Building sub-total $7,419,670
Replace existing parking lot $380,000
North Parking Lot $100,000
Tennis Courts (2) $40,000
Utilities Lump Sum $150,000
Sub-total (site development) $620,000
Sub-total Building site and development
$8,039,670
Contingency $160,793
Total Construction $8,200,463
Soft costs such as Architect/engineering fees, furniture, equipment, testing during construction $1,230,070
Total Project Costs $9,430,533
(Source: Cannon Moss Brygger and Assoc., Sioux City, Sept. 8, 2010)
(Le Mars)–A Le Mars attorney is the President of the Le Mars Community School Board of Education.
Patrick Murphy was re-elected to serve as board president during a meeting Monday night.
Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt noted the officers are usually elected after school board elections. However, Wendt told the board the Iowa Legislature has changed election of board of education members to odd number years. An election was not held this fall.
Murphy was unanimously re-elected as board president. He said this would be his last year as an officer of the board of education.
A board member since 1995, Murphy is an at-large member of the board of education whose term expires in 2011.
Brenda Phelan of rural Le Mars was re-elected as board vice president. Phelan represents District Four and has been a member since 2006. Her term expires in 2013.
Board work is focused on Road Department Tuesday
(LE MARS)–Plymouth County supervisors will focus on weekly work with the County Engineer today (Tuesday).
Tom Rohe brings road business to the board at 10 this (Tuesday) morning. The agenda lists a contract for a culvert project, contracts for right of way and a truck box quote.
The County Engineer is also slated to provide an update on construction projects.
The board’s weekly meeting in the lower level of the Courthouse begins at 9:30 this morning.
Tuesday, September 14, 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
7. New Business
A. Open and review mail/correspondence (Discussion)
B. Open public forum (Informational)
10:00 AM Tom Rohe, Plymouth County Engineer
(Action Items)
1.Contract-Project LC-142650
2.Right of Way Contracts – Projects LC-141340, LC-142650, LB-352190
3.Tile Crossing Permit-Sec 5/8 Henry Twp
4.Tile Crossing Permit-Sec 10/15 Grant Twp
5.Permit- Southern Sioux Rural Water-Sec 2 Perry Twp
6.Truck Box Quote
(Discussion Items)
(Informational Items)
Update on construction projects
Isebrand honored for work with students
(LE MARS)—A librarian for the Le Mars Community School District is the first “School Employee of the Month” for this school year.
Nancy Isebrand who works in the Middle School and High School Media Center received the honor Monday.
Isebrand is a 14-year school employee who was nominated for the “Employee of the Month” award by two students who wrote they’d be shocked if she was not selected. The nomination was made by Trevor Westhoff and Logan Schneider
They wrote about her efforts with everything from homework to computers and books. The nomination read, in part, “She always knows where to go when a kid needs help with research or with writing and with the computers. She helps kids with homework every time they need help.”
LCHS Royalty named
(LE MARS)–The Le Mars Community High School Homecoming Queen and King will be crowned Friday afternoon.
The 2010 Homecoming Royalty include king candidates Palani Permeswaran, Judd Herzberg, Jeremy Bohlke, Hunter Rohde, Curt Durr and Cody Ortmann. Queen candidates are Erica Westhoff, Kristen Ahlers, Lauren Morehead, Lindsay Martin, Leah Clement and Kasie Collins
The Pep Rally at Carey Gym is Friday at 1 pm following by coronation at 1:30. The parade begins at 2:15 p.m. Listen for live coverage on 1410-AM, 96-point-9-FM, KLEM.
The Bulldogs take on the Spencer Tigers Friday night at seven.
NCC reports record breaking enrollment
(SHELDON)–Record breaking fall enrollment is being reported at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon.
This year’s fall numbers are 1,654 students which represents a two-and-a-half percent increase over last year.
Northwest Iowa Community College President Bill Giddings says the record growth this fall includes a three percent increase in credit hours over last fall’s record numbers.
He says increased enrollments in long standing programs such as Powerline, electrical, transportation and nursing have contributed to this increase in enrollment. There are also new programs such as photography which has enrollments beyond expectations.
Jurors need to report Tuesday
(LE MARS)–Plymouth County jurors are asked to report today (Tuesday). According to a notice from the Clerk of Court, the jurors are to report to the Clerk of Court’s office on the third floor of the courthouse by 9 this (Tuesday) morning.
Trial set for conspiracy suspect
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Trial for a Minnesota man indicted on charges linked to a break-in at an animal research laboratory at the University of Iowa is scheduled to begin today (Tuesday) in Iowa.
Scott DeMuth, of Minneapolis, is charged in U.S. District Court in Davenport with one count of conspiracy. If convicted he could face up to 3 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Telephone and e-mail messages left for his attorney were not immediately returned but DeMuth has previously denied any involvement in the break-in.
The 23-year-old DeMuth is accused of conspiring to cause physical disruption to Spence Laboratories at the University of Iowa and Lakeside Ferret Inc., in Minnesota.
He is accused of damaging and causing the loss of animals, computers and documents and causing economic damage in excess of $10,000.
Former sandpit reborn as park
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) Cedar Rapids’ newest park is about to open and visitors are invited to bring along their fishing poles, walking shoes and bicycles.
The Prairie Park Fishery is an old industrial sandpit. It’s been transformed into a park that features two lakes, boat ramp and 1.7-mile trail around the water. It opens on Saturday.
According to the Gazette, Martin Marietta Materials gave the sandpit to Cedar Rapids, which accepted it in 2005. The flood of 2008 hit just as construction got under, and it loused up initial grading work and left debris 20 feet up in the trees.
None of the damage was covered by Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster funds.
The construction price is now estimated at $1.5 million.
Crop report: winds dry fall crop
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Recent cooler, drier weather is helping Iowa farmers get into their fields and harvest early planted corn and soybeans.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Monday that Iowa had several breezy days last week that helped dry crops, and rainfall amounts were not enough to keep farmers out of their fields.
Crop conditions also remain good. The USDA says corn is rapidly maturing, with a majority of acres now safe from frost.
Soybeans also are maturing quickly, thanks to the weather, and “sudden death syndrome” is becoming less of a concern for farmers as many of the soybean acres reach maturity.
Most of the alfalfa acres already have been harvested in Iowa. Mild weather also has been good for newborn calves.
Police restrain man who jumped from bridge
BETTENDORF, Iowa (AP) Police used a Taser stun gun to subdue a man after he jumped off a bridge connecting Iowa and Illinois.
The man jumped Monday morning about 100 feet off the Interstate 74 Bridge into the Mississippi River and survived.
KWQC-TV in Davenport reports a call came in around 10 a.m. that a man had crashed his vehicle on the bridge. He was seen walking around, then jumped into the river and managed to swim to a nearby small island.
Capt. Greg Trudell with the Bettendorf Police Department says the man “appeared to be quite disturbed.”
Officers say when they reached the man, he wouldn’t talk or listen to officers, forcing them to use a Taser.
The man was taken to a hospital. It’s not clear why he jumped.
Real estate sales lag a year ago
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A real estate group reports August home sales in the Des Moines area rebounded from July but were still down from a year ago.
The Des Moines Area Association of Realtors said Monday that Des Moines metro home sales fell nearly 30 percent in August compared with a year earlier, while pending sales fell 35 percent.
But the group says closed sales in August rose 6 percent from July while pending sales increased nearly 8 percent in August over July.
The Des Moines Register reports the average sale price rose $12,000 to $176,900 in August over a year earlier an increase of 7 percent.
Another bright spot was the average sale price in August was $9,700 over July’s $167,000, an increase of nearly 6 percent. Homes were on the market an average of 86 days, eight days fewer than July and seven days fewer than August 2009.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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