LE MARS LAND SALE
There will be a public hearing later this month on an offer to purchase property in the Southview Industrial Park.
The final plat of the industrial park has not been completed, but the proposal meets the city’s concept of that area. Le Mars economic development director Mark Gaul says the buyers want to start a dog grooming, boarding and daycare business at that site this spring. Gaul says the city can establish a legal description of the property in order to sell the parcel, but any additional sales could happen only after the plat is established. The buyers are offering 137-thousand dollars for the parcel, or two dollars a square foot. Gaul suggests that that price be set for all the lots in the new plat. The council set a public hearing for March 21 to consider the proposed sale.
ARMORED VEHICLE
The Sioux City Police Department has received approval from the city council to apply for grant funding from the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department to purchase an armored rescue vehicle for their swat unit. Police chief Rex Mueller says the vehicle would provide protection for officers in dangerous situations.
The chief says this vehicle would replace a larger military surplus vehicle that was donated by the military and vehicle itself has only been deployed once or twice a year.
Councilman Alex Watters shared his concerns as well as from a citizen that the vehicle was militaristic.
Chief Mueller responded that’s why he wants to replace the current vehicle, because it is a military design and not as practical for many police needs. He would turn the current vehicle back over to the government if the grant is approved. The homeland security grant is for 240-thousand dollars. If funding is awarded, the police department plans to utilize 50-thousand dollars in state asset forfeiture funds to complete the purchase of the new armored rescue vehicle.
E-15 SUIT
The attorneys general of Iowa and Nebraska say they will sue the EPA over what they say is the agency’s illegally delayed decision regarding the year-round sale of E-15 blended fuel.
Brenna Bird and Mike Hilgers demand that the EPA change the proposed rule to allow for E-15 sales this summer instead of waiting until next year.
Governor Kim Reynolds led a bipartisan group of seven governors in a letter to the EPA on April 28, 2022, requesting a waiver to extend the sale of E-15 through summer months.
Although federal law states tat the EPA must respond to the governors within 90 days, it took nearly a year for them to do so. The EPA’s late proposed rule has an effective start date of April 28, 2024, exactly two years from when the states sent their original request.
The letter requests that the EPA issue a waiver allowing the sale of year-round E-15 starting April 28, 2023.
Should the EPA fail to change the rule’s start date, the states have reserved the right to sue.
SPECIAL ELECTIONS
One school bond issue passed, another failed yesterday. For the second time, voters in the West Sioux school district missed the 60% majority threshold to pass a 14.9 million dollars bond issue. The measure had a 58.5% majority, but needed 60% in order to pass. The tally was 379 yes and 269 no. The school district proposed selling bonds to finance construction on elementary buildings in Ireton and Hawarden.
Voters in the South O’Brien School District approved a 25.9 million dollars bond issue for several construction projects at the Junior/Senior High School at Paullina, and renovations at a facility at an elementary school at Primghar. The vote was 676 in favor, and 418 opposed, a 61.8% majority.
Doon voters, in Lyon County, overwhelmingly approved a 1.5 million dollars bond sale for construction of a new community center. 159 voters said yes, and 51 no – a majority of 75.7%. The new building will house a gymnasium, the town library, and city offices.
A special election yesterday in the Hinton School District will update the district’s SAVE fund. This measure directs where the funds raised by SAVE proceeds will be used. Hinton voters, by an 85.7% majority, agreed to direct funds to school infrastructure and property tax relief.
ARMORED VEHICLE
The Sioux City Police Department has received approval from the city council to apply for grant funding from the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department to purchase an armored rescue vehicle for their swat unit. Police chief Rex Mueller says the vehicle would provide protection for officers in dangerous situations.
The chief says this vehicle would replace a larger military surplus vehicle that was donated by the military and vehicle itself has only been deployed once or twice a year.
Councilman Alex Watters shared his concerns as well as from a citizen that the vehicle was militaristic.
Chief Mueller responded that’s why he wants to replace the current vehicle, because it is a military design and not as practical for many police needs. He would turn the current vehicle back over to the government if the grant is approved. The homeland security grant is for 240-thousand dollars. If funding is awarded, the police department plans to utilize 50-thousand dollars in state asset forfeiture funds to complete the purchase of the new armored rescue vehicle.
PIPELINE TRIAL
A bench trial involving a company wanting to build a carbon pipeline on property owned by rural residents who refused to give permission for surveyors to be on their land took place Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court.
Navigator Heartland Greenway LLC took Vicki and William Hulse to court, Seeking a permanent injunction forcing the landowners to allow company surveys of their land.
The Hulse’s have refused Navigators request and claimed it is unconstitutional to be forced into allowing surveyors access to their property.
The Hulse’s also claimed Navigator has not complied with the restricted certified mail requirement of notifying them of their intent.
Navigator claimed they had sent a cretified letter, but the Hulse’s state they never received it.
The Hulse’s also want Navigator to pay ll court costs in the case.
Navigator now has five days to file post trial briefs and the Hulse’s will have a similar amount of time to respond.
GMO CORN
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley applauds news the U-S Trade Representative plans to formally dispute Mexico’s proposed ban on genetically-modified corn from the U-S. If those imports to Mexico are cut off, Grassley says it’ll mean millions of tons of Iowa corn won’t have a key buyer.
Republican Grassley, a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, says Mexico’s proposed ban on G-M-O corn would begin in January of 2024. He says such a ban would have “a devastating impact” on farmers across America and in Iowa.
Grassley was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee when the U-S-Mexico-Canada Agreement was crafted. The U-S-M-C-A took effect in July of 2020.
U-I BUDGET HOLD
A state senator is calling for the dismissal of University of Iowa athletic director Gary Barta. Republican Senator Annette Sweeney of Alden says the more than four million dollar legal settlement to former black players who alleged there was racial discrimination in the football program is a boondoggle. Sweeney cites three previous payouts in discrimination lawsuits over other Hawkeye sports and Sweeney says there will be — in her words — “a stench hanging over the university” until Barta either resigns or is fired. Sweeney says it’s despicable that football coaches who were fighting the allegations weren’t consulted about the settlement. Sweeney is suggesting legislators put a hold on next year’s state budget plan for the University of Iowa until Barta is dismissed. Barta has issued a written statement about the settlement, but has not addressed calls for his dismissal.
