Home News KLEM News Update April 19, 2011

KLEM News Update April 19, 2011

(LE MARS)–A decision on requests for grant funds is expected at the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors meeting today.

 A Local Option Sales Tax Advisory Board (LOST) recommended 18 of the 32 grant requests be funded with some or all of the local option funds requested. Supervisors provided 100-thousand dollars for grants in the new county budget which begins in July.

The recommendation on the use of the money was given to Supervisors one week ago by Advisory Board Chair Mary Thorson-Lucken of Akron.

The board considers a resolution for a state request for investment tax credits for I-M-L Containers Iowa. The Le Mars plastic container maker plans to expand investing 11 million dollars and creating 29 new positions. The business is located at 1620 24th Street Southwest.

Supervisors will discuss the Courthouse Annex cement, parking lot options.

Payment of claims for the ECO Center construction at the Hillview Recreation Area will be presented by Conservation Board Director Dennis Sohl.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

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
1. Discuss Courthouse Annex cement, parking lot options (Discussion and possible Action)
2. Approve Local Option Sales Tax Advisory Board recommendations for FY 11-12 grant funds (Action)
7. New Business
1. Review and approve Resolution for submission of IDED application for investment for tax credits for
IML Containers, Iowa, Inc. (Action)
8. Open public forum

10:15 AMDennis Sohl, Plymouth County Conservation Director – ECO center payment of claims (Action)

10:30 AMTom Rohe, Plymouth County Engineer
(Action Items)
1.Permit-Tile Crossing-Sec 2/3 Fredonia Twp

(Discussion Items)
Questions/Discussion of the Secondary Road Department

(Informational Items)
Update on construction projects 

www.co.plymouth.ia.us.

(LE MARS)  A request that would help a Le Mars industry continue its growth at a southwest Le Mars manufacturing site will be considered by the Council today (Tuesday).

I-M-L Containers Iowa makes food containers at its 24th Street Southwest location. The City Council will consider a request for tax credits for the firm through a state program. The Council agenda also indicates the request to be discussed includes a five-year tax abatement.

Widening improvements for Lincoln and Lake are to be awarded to a contractor.

The City Council will also consider a building for the Le Mars Airport to store the new snow removal equipment. All but five percent of the construction costs are to be federally funded.

The public meeting begins at noon in the Council Chambers at City Hall.

NOTE: AGENDA ORDER SUBJECT TO CHANGE

LE MARS CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2011, 12:00 P.M.
AGENDA

A. CALL TO ORDER – MAYOR
ROLL CALL – CITY CLERK
COUNCILMEMBERS: NELSON_____, KNAPP_____ REXWINKEL_____,
LEONARD______, IHRKE_______

B. GENERAL DISCUSSION
1.Citizens
2. “Thumbs Up” Award

C.CONSENT ITEMS
All items listed under “Consent” Agenda will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion on those items unless a request is made prior to the time the Council votes on the motion.
1.Approval of April 5, 2011 Regular Meeting Minutes
2.List of Bills for Period Ending 4/15/11
3.Monthly Financial Statement for March 2011
4.Investment Tax Credits – IML Container North America
5.Interfund Transfer Resolution
6.IDOT – Agreement for Maintenance and Repair of Primary Roads in Municipalities
7.Renewal of Liquor License (Red Hanke)
8.Airport Snow Removal Equipment

D. ACTION ITEMS
1.Lincoln/Lake Widening Improvements – STP Project – Award of Contract
2.Airport SRE Building

E.DISCUSSION
1.Council/Mayor
2.City Administrator/Public Works Director
3.Assistant City Administrator

F. ADJOURNMENT

Next Resolution No. 11-12
Next Ordinance No. 893

Le Mars City Council Meeting
Tuesday, April 5, 2011, 12:00 P.M.
Minutes

Mayor Kirchoff presided. Present: Ihrke, Rexwinkel, Leonard, Nelson, Knapp. Absent: None.

Nelson moved, Leonard seconded that the following items be approved under the “Consent Agenda.” On Roll Call: Ayes: All present. Nays: None.
-Regular meeting minutes of March 15, 2011.
-List of bills for period ending 3/31/11.
-Listed property (ambulance cots) be declared as surplus and staff be authorized to dispose of.
-Agreement with Siouxland Aging Services, Inc. for Elderly Nutrition Project.

Ihrke moved, Leonard seconded Resolution No. 11-11 be adopted rescinding Resolution No. 11-5 (parking restrictions on 4th St. S. – Franklin School). On Roll Call: Ayes: Nelson, Rexwinkel, Knapp, Ihrke, Leonard. Nays: None.

NOTE: Annual Report was presented by the Ambulance Department.

Nelson moved, Ihrke seconded the meeting be adjourned at 12:40 P.M. On Roll Call: Ayes: All present. Nays: None.

________________________________________________
Beverly Langel, City ClerkDick Kirchoff, Mayor

CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

ConsentREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
List of Bills for Period Ending 4/15/11
Item No.
C-2

Attached is the list of bills for the period ending 4/15/11.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Approval of bills for the period
ending 4/15/11.

(No Roll Call)

CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

Consent
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
Monthly Financial Statement for March 2011
Item No.
C-3

Attached is the monthly Financial Statement for March 2011.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Motion acknowledging receipt of monthly
Financial Statement for March 2011.

(No Roll Call)

CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

Consent
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
Investment Tax Credits – IML Container North America
Item No.
C-4

Information:

IML Container North America is proposing to expand business operations and creation of jobs in Le Mars, and is pursuing financial assistance for a portion of the costs of this project. They are requesting approval from the City of Le Mars to submit application to the Iowa Department of Economic Development through the High Quality Job Creation Program for assistance in the form of Investment Tax Credits. A resolution is attached.

Recommendation:

Staff recommends approval.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Motion adopting Resolution No. ______ approving the Application to Iowa Department of Economic Development for the IML Container North America project.

(Roll Call)

CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

Consent
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
Interfund Transfer Resolution
Item No.
C-5

Information:

The Finance Committee is recommending transfers as shown in the attached Resolution for the 2010-2011 budget year.

Staff Recommendation:

Council Finance Committee and Staff recommend Council approval.

Financial Impact:

These transfers will account for the expenditures properly and within the appropriate fund.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Motion adopting Resolution No. _______ making certain interfund transfers for the
2010-2011 fiscal year.

(Roll Call)

CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

ConsentREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
IDOT – Agreement for Maintenance and Repair of Primary Roads in Municipalities
Item No.

C-6

Information:

Attached is a copy of the Iowa Department of Transportation Agreement for Maintenance and Repair of Primary Roads and Municipalities, which historically has been approved and executed once each 5 years.

This agreement is identical to the Agreement signed in April 2006.

Staff Recommendation:

Public Works Superintendent recommends Council approval.

Financial Impact:

Same as previous years.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Motion approving the Iowa Department of Transportation Agreement for Maintenance and Repair of Primary Roads in Municipalities for five (5) years (July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2016) and authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the same.

(No Roll Call)

CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

Consent
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
Renewal of Liquor License (Red Hanke)
Item No.
C-7

Application has been received from Red Hanke Saloon for renewal of their Class C Liquor License. Papers are in order. Approved by Police Chief and Fire Chief.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Motion (approving) (denying) renewal of a Class C Liquor License for Red Hanke Saloon.

(No Roll Call)
CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

Consent
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
Airport Snow Removal Equipment
Item No.
C-8

Information:

Mr. Matthew Ferrier of Bolton & Menk has prepared the final report for FAA for the airport snow removal equipment and recommends the Council accept the equipment and release the retainage for the project.

Staff Recommendation:

Bolton & Menk and Staff recommend acceptance.

Financial Impact:

Le Mars is a recipient of the FAA grant for this equipment.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Motion accepting the 2010 Snow Removal Equipment as fully completed by Holcomb Freightliner, Inc.

(No Roll Call)

CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

Action
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
Lincoln/Lake Widening Improvements – STP Project – Award of Contract
Item No.

D-1

Information:

At its March 15, 2011 meeting, the Council held the public hearing and approved the plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of costs for the Lincoln/Lake Widening Improvements STP Project from 4th Street SW to 24th Street SW as prepared by DGR.

Bids will be received by the IDOT Office of Contracts in Ames on the Project on April 19, 2011 at 10:00 A.M.

Cost Estimate is $300,000 (with $240,000 STP and $60,000 City)

Staff Recommendation:

Remaining Schedule:

Bid Letting by IDOT April 19, 2011 (10:00 AM @ IDOT)
Award Construction Contract April 19 (or May 3, 2011 Mtg)
Begin Construction Unknown at this time
End Construction Unknown at this time

Financial Impact:

Maximum Federal = $240,000 (80/20 split)
Estimated City Cost $60,000 + Engineering Costs
Le Mars Urban Renewal or Joint Urban Renewal are both eligible for local funding.
Le Mars Urban Renewal is recommended.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Motion adopting Resolution No._____ awarding the contract for the Lincoln/Lake Widening Improvements STP Project, to ________________________. of ______________ in the amount of __________________.

(Roll Call)

CITY OF LE MARS, IOWA

Action
REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Date:
April 19, 2011

Description:
Airport SRE Building
Item No.
D-2

Information:

Bolton & Menk has prepared technical plans and specifications for the Airport SRE Building and will be available by phone at the meeting to answer questions. Attached is email letter, cost estimate and select plan sheets.

The remaining schedule is as follows:

April 19Council to authorize the project
May 3rdPublic Hearing
May 16thOpen Bids
May 17thCouncil to review / award bids to lowest approved bidder, subject to FAA approval
Week of May 17thComplete FAA grant application

Staff Recommendation:

Staff recommends Council proceed. Notice has been received that City of
Le Mars is a recipient of the FAA grant for this Airport SRE Building at 95/5 grant.

COUNCIL ACTION REQUESTED

Motion establishing May 3, 2011 at 12:00 P.M. for a public hearing on plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the Airport SRE Building and establishing May 16, 2011 as the bid opening date with said bids to be considered on May 17, 2011.

(No Roll Call)

www.lemarsiowa.com

(DES MOINES)–A Le Mars Police Officer is being recognized for outstanding achievement in keeping impaired drivers off the road.

One of five awards in Iowa from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau has been given to Le Mars Police Senior Patrolman Dan Plueger. Plueger was honored for his work as a Drug Recognition Expert known as D-R-E.

Jim Meyerdirk is the State Drug Recognition Expert Coordinator.

Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/dre1.mp3{/audio}

Meyerdirk explains the skills drug recognition or d-r-e trained officers have may be used in two ways.

Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/dre2.mp3{/audio}

Plueger earned the state award for the northwest Iowa area in 2010

Listen here
{audio}images/stories/mp3/April2011/dre3.mp3{/audio}

Plueger has a Le Mars Police Officer since August of 2001.

(SIOUX CITY)–A traffic accident has snarled travel in one area of Interstate 29 in Sioux City.

Police report a semi loaded with cat food was traveling south on Interstate 29 about two this (Tuesday) morning. The driver lost control and went through the center median ending up on its side, blocking all of the northbound lanes. At the time of the accident, traffic was backed up for several miles.

Police report northbound traffic on Interstate 29 is being exited to Singing Hills Boulevard. That detour was expected to continue until after seven this morning.

(ALVORD)–Two people are being held in the Lyon County Jail after an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.

Forty-one-year-old Emilio Ibarra and 39-year-old Maria Gonzoles Hernanadez, both of Alvord, are charged with felony forgery  

Hernandez is accused of having a false resident alien card and a false Social Security card. Ibarra is accused of using  a false Social Security card to obtain a job.

They were arrested after a search of a residence in Alvord by the Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol Sunday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Legislature is moving quickly on a package that makes changes to the current state budget.

A House-Senate conference committee Monday unanimously approved the plan, sending it to the full Senate and House for debate. Both are expected to approve the measure.

The plan backed by the panel uses the first $60 million of any budget surplus for tax cuts. It also speeds business depreciation tax breaks and increases the earned income tax credit. It sets aside $18 million to pay legal bills for the poor and $27 million for mental health, prisons and community colleges.

Committee members say they worked closely with Gov. Terry Branstad’s office and predict the governor will sign the measure into law.

Asked about the issue, Branstad would not commit to signing the entire measure.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa House has approved a bill that requires state and local public employees charged with a crime to repay any salary they received while on paid leave if they later are convicted of the offense.

The measure was approved 95-1 on Monday and now goes to Gov. Terry Branstad for his signature.

Lawmakers say the bill was spurred by the case of former University of Iowa assistant professor Toshiki Itoh (toh-SHE’-kee EE–toh). He received more than $200,000 over two years while facing several charges.

Itoh resigned Feb. 23 following an earlier guilty verdict on two counts of assault. He later made an Alford plea to assault with intent to commit sexual assault. That plea admits the prosecution could likely prove the charge.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Acting Iowa Ombudsman Ruth Cooperrider has been named to head the agency that deals with questions and complaints about state and local government.

Cooperrider’s appointment was announced on Monday. She succeeds Bill Angrick, who retired in June 2010 after 32 years. Cooperrider worked with Angrick for 20 years, first as legal counsel and then as deputy. She was named acting director last summer.

The Legislature gave final approval to Cooperrider’s appointment last week, effective July 1. The nonpartisan Legislative Council appoints an ombudsman to a four-year term, pending legislative approval.

Cooperrider is a 1981 graduate of the University of Iowa law school. Before joining the ombudsman’s office, she worked as a law clerk and an assistant county attorney.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A cool and wet spring has prevented many Iowa farmers from planting their corn, and this week’s forecast could further delay the planting season.

A report released Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that just two percent of Iowa’s corn acreage has been planted so far. That’s down from 16 percent in 2010.

The annual average for this point in the season is six percent.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says the precipitation and cool weather expected for this week could limit the amount of planting that gets done.

State climatologist Harry Hillaker says last week was Iowa’s wettest since early November.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa says that former basketball player and NCAA official Floyd Magnusson has passed away.

The university says Magnusson died Saturday at his home in Fort Dodge, Iowa. He was 85 years old.

Magnusson was a four-year letter winner for the Hawkeyes in 1944 and 1947-49. Magnusson’s career broken up by his service in the Navy during World War II.

Magnusson later spent 16 years as a college official, mostly working games in the Big Eight, Big Ten and Missouri Valley conferences.

Funeral services for Magnusson will be held Wednesday at Grace Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A small family-owned office supply business in Des Moines is being confused with the billionaire brothers of the same name who fund many conservative causes and politicians.

Dutch Koch (Coke), president of Koch Brothers in Des Moines, says people have mistaken his company with Kansas-based Koch Industries, one of the nation’s largest privately held companies. It’s owned by Charles and David Koch (Coke).

The Des Moines Register says the Des Moines Koch has received at least 20 emails and 15 calls, including a death threat, from people confusing the names since Jan. 1.

Koch thought the mix-up was funny until he received the death threat on his answering machine. He says he reported the threat to the FBI.

He speculates people find him online, then do no further research.

MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man accused of cutting his father’s pacemaker from his chest with a pocketknife has pleaded guilty to several charges.

Jesse Fierstine (FIRE’-stine), of Manchester, was charged with attempted murder and willful injury. The Gazette in Cedar Rapids says Fierstine pleaded guilty on Monday to willful injury, going armed with intent and two counts of assault causing serious injury.

His trial was set for June 8. Defense attorney Mike Lahammer says a plea deal with Delaware County Attorney John Bernau (BER’-naw) was reached during a status conference on Monday. Sentencing will be set later. Fierstine faces up to 20 years in prison.

Fierstine was charged with attacking his 63-year-old father, Charles, in April 2009. Charles Fierstine, who recovered from the attack, died in 2010 after a lengthy illness.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say thieves are grabbing guns during daytime burglaries in southern Iowa.

Union County Sheriff Rick Piel (peel) told KCCI-TV in Des Moines on Monday that homes in his county have been hit. Deputies in Ringgold and Clarke counties are also looking into a string of gun thefts during the past few weeks.

Authorities say more than 50 guns have been stolen. The thieves break into homes and other buildings during the day and are apparently taking only guns because electronics and other valuables are left behind.

In the Union County town of Lorimor, authorities say 10 guns were stolen from a safe at the American Legion hall. The safe that was chained to the wall was pried open. Local legion member Dennis Hiatt says the guns were ceremonial.

Submit your news release, photo, confidential news tip or news idea by email klemnews@lemarscomm or by calling 712.546.4121 or 712.546.9672 fax.