Early Morning Snow Causes Vehicle Accidents
(Le Mars) — The light snow and freezing conditions are making the highways slick this morning. A number of early morning accidents have been reported so far this morning. The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department and the Le Mars Ambulance Service and the Merrill Fire Department responded to an accident just
north of Merrill near the bridge that crosses the Floyd River. That accident was reported at about 5:30 this morning. Sioux City first responders are dealing with a roll-over accident on Highway 75 by-pass near Highway 20 and East Gordon
Drive. We don’t know the extent of injuries associated with either of those accidents as of yet. The Iowa Department of Transportation is telling motorists that icy conditions due exists on many bridges and overpasses.
One Vehicle Accident Occurs On Le Mars East Side
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department along with the Le Mars Ambulance responded to a one-vehicle accident that happened last evening at about 6:15 p.m. The accident happened on the east edge of Le Mars near Marble Avenue and Plymouth Street. No word on the name of the victim or the extent of those injuries.
Claussen’s Building To Get State Grant For Renovation
(Des Moines) — The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) awarded $965,500 in Main Street Iowa Challenge Grants to 14 communities around the state. One of those grants will benefit a Le Mars project.
The grants will benefit local improvement projects such as façade upgrades and restoration, upper floor rehabilitation, building stabilization and repairs and remodeled spaces for expanding downtown businesses. The announcements were
made during a ceremony held Tuesday at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden.
One of the grants awarded was to Le Mars for the renovation of the Claussen’s building second floor. Mary Reynolds, Director of the Le Mars Main Street explains the process in obtaining the state grant that started four months ago.
Reynolds says the grant amounts to $75,000 from the state, but the city of Le Mars has also agreed to help with the project.
The Le Mars Main Street director says Le Mars has twice previously benefited from the Main Street Challenge grants with money allocated to renovate the American Legion hall, as well as the Le Mars Beauty College.
The Challenge Grant program is funded through an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature. Since the first appropriation in 2002 through 2015, approximately $6.8 million in state and federal funds have leveraged over $45 million of private reinvestment. Over the life of the program, 124 projects in 47 Main
Street Iowa commercial districts have received funding.
Merrill To Benefit From State Lowering Interest Rate On Loans
(DES MOINES) – The Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources today announced that 29 Iowa communities with current State Revolving Fund loans for water quality projects will save a total of more than $1.3
million in interest over the remaining life of their loans as a result of the their interest rate being reduced from 3% to 1.75%.
The State Revolving Fund is one of Iowa’s primary sources for financing projects designed to improve Iowa’s water quality. Two funds, one for drinking water and one for wastewater and pollution control, have provided low-cost financing to
projects in 600 Iowa communities as well as to farmers, watershed groups and others for water quality projects. The program is jointly administered by the Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
The town of Merrill is one of the communities to benefit from the lowered interest rate. Merrill is expected to save $10,293.75 by having its loan re- structured.
City Council Re-certifies TIF Economic Development Programs
(Le Mars) — The Le Mars City Council held a special meeting during the lunch hour on Tuesday to take action on a Tax Increment Financing indebtedness certification and annual urban renewal report. The city council passed a resolution to re-certify the economic development programs.
Parks And Recreation Department And YMCA Submit Quarterly Reports
(Le Mars) — Both the city’s parks and recreation department along with the YMCA have issued their quarterly reports to the city. At the YMCA, executive director Todd Lancaster reports the local Y saw an increase of participants at the outdoor pool over last year’s numbers. A total of 17,532 people enjoyed
swimming at the outdoor pool during the summer months of May through September.
A year ago, the outdoor pool attracted 15,428 swimmers. Total revenue from the outdoor swimming pool was at $104,285 which was slightly less than the total expenditures which were at $104,558. The number of people using the YMCA facilities is slightly lower this year compared to a year ago for the period of
August through October. 6,325 people have utilized the facilities and equipment this year compared to 6,558 from a year ago.
As for the Parks and Recreation Department, Superintendent Brad Eppling reports his crew finished the landscaping around the new deck at the Convention Center and around the new golf course sign. They installed new roofing shingles on the
downtown restroom. The Parks and Recreation crew also added playground features to O’Toole and West Floyd parks, and they planted trees, as provided by MidAmerican Energy, to O’Toole Park and the golf course. The city’s parks and recreation people also repaired the outdoor swimming pool surface, re-caulked and painted the facility. The Parks and Recreation crew also installed timers at various parks and facilities to help illuminate the areas for the evening hours.
Branstad Proposes Changing State Pension Program
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says he’s open to discussing changes in public employee pension plans, sparking a discussion about whether a switch to a defined contribution plan, similar to a 401(k), would meet worker
needs and better protect taxpayers.
Democratic State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald says public employees in the state should be concerned about the potential to do away with the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, also known as IPERS. The system has 350,000
members.
Fitzgerald says the problem with defined contribution plans proposed by some lawmakers and organizations is that they place the financial risk on employees who are stuck with high fees for investments.
The Iowa Chapter of Americans for Prosperity, Iowans for Tax Relief and the Public Interest Institute in Mount Pleasant have endorsed shifting IPERS to a defined contribution plan.
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