PLYMOUTH COUNTY SUPERVISORS
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors passed a motion this afternoon which sets salary increases for elected officials. This action sets a standard for shaping department budgets for the next fiscal year. The Supervisors reviewed the budgets of the County Treasurer, Conservation Board, and the Sheriff. These budgets were based on recommendations of the county compensation board, which recommended salary increases of 8% for the Supervisors, and 9% for the rest of the county’s elected officials. This has a trickle-down effect in each department. After their review this afternoon, Supervisor Mike Van Otterloo suggested the Supervisors set these salaries at 6% for the themselves, and 7% for the rest of the elected officials. Craig Anderson supported the idea, saying he doesn’t want to make these pay scales unattractive to future elected officials. Supervisor Gary Horton then made a motion that the Supervisors take a 4.5% increase, and the rest of the elected officials 6.5%. He said he was thinking about the impact on the taxpayer and businesses. Supervisor John Meis seconded the motion. The motion passed on a voice vote. Chairman Don Kass said he supports the motion, but wants to make sure department heads can set employee pay increases at their discretion.
GOP PRIORITY BILLS
House Republicans have unveiled a list of 13 priority bills, including one that forbids classroom instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through the third grade. Another would require schools to notify a parent if a student asks to be identified by a different gender when they’re at school. House Speaker Pat Grassley says the bill specifies that school employees cannot facilitate, encourage or coerce students to withhold that kind of information from parents.
House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst says these bills are mean-spirited attacks on L-G-B-T-Q teenagers and adults.
Another bill on the House G-O-P agenda would require schools to provide parents with details about coursework, including what books and other materials will be used. It’s similar to legislation the House passed in 2022. Thirty-one of the 64 House Republicans have also filed a bill that would require social studies classes in all of Iowa’s public and private schools to teach that communism conflicts with freedom and democracy.
IOWA STATE FAIR LEADER
The leader of the Clay County Fair in Spencer is the next leader of the Iowa State Fair. Jeremy Parsons will take over in early March to replace Gary Slater, who announced in October that he was retiring after leading the State Fair since 2001. Parsons is familiar with the Iowa State Fair after working there as a seasonal employee early in his career. He was also a volunteer at his home county fair in Leon. Parsons was a teacher and coach before taking over as the executive director of the Missouri State Fair Foundation. He has been the C-E-O of the Clay County Fair in Spencer since 2011.
RURAL EMERGENCY HOSPITALS
A bill introduced in the Iowa House would set up a state licensing process for “rural emergency hospitals.” Federal rules now let small rural hospitals discontinue in-patient care and just provide an emergency room and outpatient services. Representative Martin Graber (GRAY-ber) of Fort Madison says this could be a financial lifeline for more than 30 small Iowa hospitals where very few patients are being admitted for an overnight stay. The Rural Emergency Hospital license Graber and others are working on would increase the government’s reimbursement rates for Medicare and Medicaid patients treated in an emergency room.
WINTER STORM WATCH
A Winter Storm Watch is in effect Wednesday, for the potential for heavy snowfall. The Watch extends from 6 am Wednesday to midnight Wednesday. Snow accumulations in the area could be anywhere from 5 to 12 inches. The National Weather Service says temperatures should be such that the precipitation Wednesday will be mainly snow. Travel could be difficult Wednesday. The Le Mars forecast includes snow starting mainly after noon ,with accumulations three inches Wednesday and another five inches possible Wednesday night. The snow will end Thursday morning.
Another weather note this morning. The Sioux County Sheriffs office says roads have become slick and ice covered in the county. You are urged to use caution while driving this morning.
PLYMOUTH COUNTY SUPERVISORS
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors meets this morning. They will hear a wage increase proposal from the county’s Secondary Road Bargaining Unit. There will also be a discussion with the county Drainage Board about a project and special assessment. Later this morning, the Supervisors will discuss the county’s budget for fiscal year 2023-24. They will meet with various department heads, and they will discuss the compensation commission’s salary recommendation for elected officials.
LEMARS CITY COUNCIL
The Le Mars City Council meets in regular session at noon today. They will begin this meeting with a public hearing on plans, specifications, and form of contract for the PlyWood Trail Project, Phase 1B. The council will also set a public hearing date on plans to extend storm sewer pipe along what is now a drainage ditch between 12th St. SW and Prospect St. SW. The council will also consider an agreement with a consulting firm to create a new addition to the Le Mars Industrial Park. The council will consider setting another public hearing for the sale of the old public works property alogn 1st St NE.
ORANGE CITY PROJECTS
The city council of orange city authorized loan agreements for two projects. One allows up to 2.9 million dollars in Capital Loan Notes to be issued for building infrastructure west of the new MOC/Floyd Valley Elementary School along 14th Street. Another 700-thousand dollars in Capital Loan Notes were authorized for construction of the Puddle Jumper Park. The city council also hired a Des Moines firm to act as bond counsel for the sale of these loan notes. The council also approved a resolution approving the severance of a 4.5 acre parcel of property in the Gelderland Addition, adjacent to the Alton city limits. This allows the voluntary annexation of the parcel to the city of Alton. This is part of an earlier agreement between the two communities. Alton will receive the property, while Orange City’s boundary north of Iowa Highway 10 will expand closer to Jefferson Avenue.
FATAL SHOOTING
The victim of a fatal shooting Saturday night in Sioux City has been identified. 31-year-old Sarah Zoelle died from a gunshot wound after being shot at her residence located at 3319 Nebraska Street.
The suspect, 23-year-old Austyn Self, is charged with first degree murder and three counts of child endangerment.
Sgt. Tom Gill of the Sioux City police says Zoelle and Self were in a relationship and he was the father of their 6 month old child.
The night of the shooting, Zoelle made a 9-1-1 call to plead for help. A shot was heard by the dispatcher. Gill says Zoelle was shot in the abdomen, and two ther children were in the home ages 4 and 5 at the time of the shooting.
Other family members are now caring for the three children. Self remains held in the Woodbury County Jail.
