City council approves promoting Asst. Chief Schwarz to full-time Fire Chief
During the Le Mars city council meeting on Tuesday, the council officially appointed Assistant Fire Chief Steve Schwarz to replace outgoing Fire Chief David Schipper, effective upon Schipper’s retirement in August.
The Fire-Rescue Chief Interview Committee recommended Schwarz to the council after reviewing the four applications for the position. Schwarz has been a member of the department for 25 years, and has served as a Command Officer for 12 years and briefly as Acting Chief in place of Schipper. During the meeting, Chief Schipper asked councilmembers to “give him a chance” and stated that Schwarz was “the most qualified in-house candidate” for the role. Schwarz will be officially sworn in as Chief on August 14th.
Also during the meeting, the council approved a budget amendment adding over $13 million to the current fiscal year’s budget, proceeded with planning a road patching project on Business Highway 75 South, and approved plans to establish a property owner service line protection program. The council is scheduled to meet next on Tuesday, June 2nd.
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Board of Supervisors holds regularly scheduled meeting
The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors held a regularly scheduled meeting yesterday morning, and during the meeting, the Board approved a budget amendment for the current fiscal year. The amendment will add $137,905 in additional unbudgeted revenue from several sources and add $136,200 in new expenses, primarily on administration expenses.
The Board also approved the hiring of Nick Hansen to replace the retiring Jim Jones as director of Plymouth County Veterans Affairs effective June 16th, as well as approving a liquor license renewal for Country Celebrations Event Center and setting a public hearing concerning an ordinance that will establish new policies for road construction and reconstruction.
The Board will not meet over the next two weeks due to the primary elections on June 2nd; the next scheduled meeting of the Board will take place on June 9th at 9:30am.
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Damage assessment numbers in Kingsley after Sunday’s severe weather
Plymouth County Emergency Management has released numbers from their damage assessment following Sunday’s severe weather events in Kingsley.
According to Rebecca Socknat of Emergency Management, 1 residential building was declared uninhabitable, while 11 residences suffered major damage, 30 suffered minor damages, and 12 residences suffered additional damage. 17 agricultural buildings and structures were destroyed in Sunday’s storm, while 14 buildings and structures suffered major damage, and 4 suffered minor damages. In addition, 1 business suffered minor damage while another business suffered additional damage.
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State officials warn of storm-related scams following recent severe storms
In the wake of the weekend’s severe weather and extreme winds across the state, the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services would like to remind residents to be on the lookout for scams and contractors looking to exploit storm relief efforts. Following storms, scammers often take advantage of communities during times of need, with the Department noting contractor fraud, insurance scams, and FEMA scams as prevalent.
Following storms, disingenuous contractors known as “storm chasers” may offer to repair your home and disappear without doing or completing the work after accepting payment. Never pay large sums up front, and always verify a contractor’s credentials and registration with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing.
Be on the lookout for scammers claiming to assist with or expedite insurance claims. Only deal with your insurance company directly. Scammers may also try to impersonate FEMA representatives to obtain personal information. If a FEMA representative comes to your home following a disaster event, check their official FEMA identification. FEMA will never ask for your financial information or charge for assistance.
If concerned about a shady contractor, report them to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office at (888) 777-4590. If worried about an insurance scam, contact the Iowa Insurance Division at (877) 955-1212 or (515) 654-6600.
