O’Toole Park Project
The Le Mars City Council awarded the O’Toole Park Improvement Project contract to Graves Construction in their meeting yesterday (Tuesday.) The firm was the low bidder for the project which totals close to two-point-four million dollars.
Le Mars City Administrator Jason Vacura outlined for KLEM what the project that features a splash pad includes.
The project will be funded by local option sales tax and also funds from Le Mars Area Community Betterment Foundation. Completion is slated for Spring of 2027.
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Le Mars Town Hall Meeting Set
The next Le Mars Town Hall meeting is set for next week. Residents of Le Mars are invited to attend the meeting on Tuesday, September 9th starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Willow Creek Golf Course Banquet Hall. Those in attendance will hear about the upcoming November referendum for a new fire station. The public is invited to bring up any other topic for City staff and the Council.
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Wastewater Industrial Pretreatment Facility Project
No public comments were received Tuesday during a Le Mars City Council hearing concerning the Wastewater Industrial Pretreatment Facility. The proposed facility will pretreat all industrial high strength wastewater from Wells Enterprises and Kemps. The project schedule includes bid opening on October 9th. Final completion is expected to be August of 2028. Negotiations continue with Wells and Kemps for an agreement with these industries for funding this project.
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Solid Waste Contract
Le Mars City Administrator Jason Vacura told the Le Mars City Council Tuesday that a new solid waste contract is being negotiated with Van’s Sanitation. The current five-year contract expires at the end of this year. The public works committee is looking at a three-year contract that includes a yearly review. The new contract would require City Council approval.
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Le Mars Fire-Rescue Monthly Report
Le Mars Fire-Rescue answered 179 calls for service during August. The department’s monthly report listed 9 all-staff fire-rescue calls and 98 calls including 9-1-1 calls, mutual aid, and transfers. The August report also included 20 investigations and 48 special operation calls.
Training for the department included drafting water for rural fires, hose line operations, self-contained breathing apparatus use, EMS airways training, and a low air alarm drill.
The department also ordered a Life-Pak 35 defibrillator. The $58-thousand cost is being paid with county opioid funds.
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School Bus Safety
The Le Mars Police Department is reminding drivers to obey school bus stop signs and lights.
Iowa Code requires drivers to make a complete stop when approaching a school bus that has its stop signal extended. The driver is required to remain stopped until the stop signal arm is retracted. In addition, drivers are to slow down and are not allowed to pass a school bus when the bus displays red or amber flashing lights.
Drivers are typically cited a few ways for violating this law. If an officer observes a violation or a school bus driver reports a violation to the police department, the violator can be ticketed.
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K.C. Phonathon
Phones will be ringing all over Plymouth County today (Wednesday, September 3) during the 45th annual Knights of Columbus phonathon benefiting Life Skills Training Center and the Iowa Special Olympics.
Life Skills Executive Director Jessica La Fleur says the phonathon is a huge benefit for both programs, last year raising over $66-thousand for Life Skills and close to $7-thousand for the Special Olympics.
The Knights of Columbus will be making calls in Le Mars, Remsen, and Akron. The Kingsley Knights conduct a letter campaign for that area.
KLEM will broadcast updates from the K.C. Hall in Le Mars throughout the day Wednesday.
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