SUPERVISORS PASS BUDGET RESOLUTIONS
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors passed several resolutions pertaining to the county’s new budget. One resolution sets salaries for deputies in the offices of elected officials, including the county attorney, sheriff, auditor, treasurer and recorder. Maximum salaries for deputies can be up to 85% of the elected official’s salary. many of the deputies listed in the resolution also receive longevity payments.
Another resolution sets operating transfers from one fund to another in the next fiscal year.
A third resolution passed by the Supervisors today appropriates funds to county departments as outlined in the recently-approved Plymouth County budget. The funds are distributed through the General Basic, Rural Services, Secondary Road, and Debt Service funds. There are two categories of Other Funds in the couinty budget. These are designated for funds received from grants, or from federal, state, or local sources.
PROJECTS AND PERMITS
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors approved right of way purchases for three local culvert projects in the county.
The county purchased additional right way for projects two miles east of Remsen on 165th St, On Iris Ave, north of the intersection of county road C38, and 2 miles northwest of Remsen on Quest Ave in Fredonia Township. Total cost of the parcels were around 11-thousand, three hundred dollars.
The Supervisors also approved a permit for a tile crossing on 130th St west of K22 in Preston Township, and a permit for extension of service by Cherokee Rural Water on Tamarack Ave in Henry Township.
WET CONDITIONS SLOW CROP PROGRESS
Planting progress was slowed again last week by wet conditions. The U-S-D-A crop report says there just two days suitable for field work due to the rain. The amount of corn planted went from 47 to 57 percent — which is now one week behind last year — after being just two days back the week before. Soybean planting moved from 30 to 39 percent complete, and is now also one week behind last year’s pace.
While the rain has slowed planting, it has helped continue to push back the drought conditions. D-N-R Hydrologist Tim Hall says the timing of the rain has been important.
He says there has been some flooding, but the lack of soil moisture has kept that down.
The U-S-D-A weekly report shows 92 percent of topsoil moisture is now adequate or at a surplus — compared to 73 percent that showed adequate or surplus moisture one week ago.
FLOYD VALLEY PHASE 2 MASTER FACILITY PLAN
With another goal reached, Floyd Valley Healthcare is moving on with the next step of their master facility plan.
During the open house of the physical therapy wing, CEO Dustin Wright said a second phase of their facilities plan is now underway.
This phase includes expansion of the maternal health area at the hospital.
Phase 2 also includes an expansion of laboratory facilities.
Wright says this work should be completed by the end of the year.
CANDIDATE SAYS INCUMBENT NOT CONSERVATIVE ENOUGH
The Republican who’s challenging Congressman Randy Feenstra in next month’s G-O-P Primary says Feenstra is not conservative enough to represent the fourth district. Kevin Virgil cites Feenstra’s support for the six budget bills that passed the House in March.
Virgil grew up on an O’Brien County farm and served in the Army. He joined the C-I-A after 9/11 and, after leaving the agency, Virgil founded a software firm that has won multi-million dollar contracts with the U-S Defense Department. In December, Virgil moved from New York to his family’s century farm near Sutherland.
Virgil made his comments at the Iowa G-O-P State Convention. Virgil supports “drastic measures” to reduce the federal government’s budget, power and authority. Virgil says Feenstra failed to support limits on a program federal intelligence agencies say is used to disrupt terrorist activities and cyber attacks.
Feenstra, who is seeking a third term in the U-S House, says he supported the national security legislation because due to Biden’s failed foreign policy our enemies no longer fear us and our allies no longer trust us. The June Primary is three weeks from today.
NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET 4.2% HIGHER THAN THE CURRENT ONE
The governor has another week to sign or veto the remaining bills passed by the 2024 Iowa legislature. She’s already approved a billion dollar tax cut and the state spending plans for the fiscal year that begins July 1st. The nearly nine billion state budget is four-point-two percent higher than the current year’s spending level. The budget for the state’s court system includes a five percent salary increase for Iowa judges. The governor has signed bills that divert 10 million dollars from Iowa’s Area Education Agencies to set up a new division in the Iowa Department of Education to oversee the A-E-As. As many as 62 new state employees will be hired for the Division of Special Education.
IOWA AG ATTENDS TRUMP TRIAL
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird was in New York City Monday, among a group of supporters who’ve joined Donald Trump at his trial. Bird endorsed Trump last October, the only statewide elected official to publicly back Trump before the 2024 Iowa Caucuses. In a written statement issued after her arrival in New York, Bird called the criminal charges against Trump “lawfare” and an effort by President Biden’s allies to keep Trump off the campaign trail by keeping him tied up in court. Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Rita Hart says Iowans deserve an attorney general who’s focused on serving her constituents rather than pursuing her political ambitions at a photo op 11-hundred miles from the Iowa Capitol.
