City Council Delays 27th Street Improvement Project
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council met Monday afternoon to further discuss the 27th Street RISE project, but additional hurdles were put in place, causing the city council to
again table the project until the next regularly scheduled meeting for Tuesday, November 20th. The city council was originally wanting to award the construction project to Vander Pol Excavating of Orange City, Iowa for having the lowest bid. However, RISE projects are partially funded by the Iowa Department of Transportation, and the DOT did not give their approval for Vander Pol Excavating. Instead, the Iowa DOT informed the city council through JEO engineering of South Sioux City, Nebraska that the project should be awarded to Concrete Specialty, Incorporated, the project’s second to the lowest bidder. Jerry Rus of Vander Pol Excavating offers his opinion about the bureaucratic red tape.
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Jerry Ripley of JEO Engineering serves as the project manager and offers an explanation for the DOT’s position.
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The IDOT indicated that Concrete Specialty, Incorporated meets all the requirements of soliciting subcontractors by notifying those targeted small business that have a portion of the ownership retained by a woman, minority, or handicapped individual. Vander Pol was unaware they no longer met the criteria for such construction projects as stipulated by the IDOT. Officials from Vander Pol appealed to the city council to delay its decision until such time they had a chance to appeal the IDOT’s decision. Vander Pol hopes to hear from state officials by the end of the week. The city of Le Mars would like to start the project perhaps by this next week.
Floyd Valley Trustees To Meet
(Le Mars) — The Floyd Valley Hospital Board of Trustees are scheduled to meet this evening and they will discuss the latest updates regarding the north addition, plus the trustees will review the latest Press Ganey Satisfaction Quarterly Report. The trustees will hear from director Bill Rosacker discuss the community health advisory quarterly report.
Supervisors To Canvass Election Results
(Le Mars) — The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors will convene for their weekly meeting at the courthouse this morning. The supervisors are expected to review and sign a letter of intent and application to the State of Iowa, Department of Human Services to form a mental health region. The supervisors is also expected to appoint Kenneth Maass as Henry Township clerk to replace Roger Irwin. The supervisors will hold a public hearing for vacating Quarry road, section 26, as part of the Elkhorn township. The supervisors are also scheduled to canvass the 2012 general election results.
Matthew Jandreau Trial To Begin
(Le Mars) — Jury selection for the trial for Matthew Jandreau is scheduled to begin today. Jandreau is accused of kidnapping, burglary, and theft resulting from incidents that occurred in March. The trial has been delayed four times.
Sioux City Police Look For Theft Suspect
(Sioux City) — The Sioux City Police is investigating a burglary and theft. Apparently, on Sunday at about 7:30 p.m. an unknown male suspect entered East End Mini Mart located on Morningside Avenue. He was holding a knife and demanded money from the clerk. The unknown male was wearing a black sweatshirt along with a black bandana that had skulls on it. The suspect had the hood on the sweatshirt up and the bandana across his face. The suspect is described as being a white male, approximately 5’6″, weighing 150 pounds. The suspect made off with $286 in cash.
EPA Tells Iowa To Clean Up Its Act
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has threatened to take over protection of Iowa’s waterways from the state.
A federal investigation shows the state has been lax in requiring that livestock operations follow rules to keep manure out of Iowa’s creeks and rivers, ponds and lakes.
The EPA report says the state hasn’t properly inspected livestock facilities and failed in its duties about half the time when responding to livestock pollution.
The Iowa Natural Resources Department says the EPA criticism is misplaced.
DNR spokesman Kevin Baskins says his agency has been encouraging compliance, rather than imposing fines and other penalties as punishment for failure to follow environmental rules. And Baskins
says there’s evidence the strategy is working.
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Ankeny Residents Sign Petition Against Casino
ANKENY, Iowa (AP) – Several residents have begun a petition drive against construction of a casino in the Des Moines suburb of Ankeny.
Almost 40 people gathered at Kirkendall Public Library on Monday to begin their drive for 6,600 signatures.
Ankeny resident Mike Meyerring told The Des Moines Register that the group members know the petition would have no binding effect on the City Council.
On Oct. 29 the council approved a contract to support efforts by Wild Rose Entertainment to acquire a state license.
The $150 million casino project would be built near a new interchange on Interstate 35 in the Des Moines suburb.
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