Le Mars run-off election: Bixenman reelected as mayor, Conyers fills council seat
Voters headed to the polls for the second time in as many months yesterday in Le Mars, as a city run-off election was held. In the end, incumbent mayor Rob Bixenman will stay in office, and Derek Conyers will fill the open seat on the city council.
Bixenman received 1,013 votes compared to challenger Brian Hughes’ 935 votes. Although it was another close race, the incumbent mayor reached a majority of votes with 51.4% total. Although Hughes’ share of the total vote increased by over a percentage point, he lost nearly 300 votes from the November election. On Election Night, Bixenman told KLEM that he was looking forward to serving the city for two more years.
In the city council race, Derek Conyers again won a large victory against fellow candidate Beth Meyer, receiving 1,183 votes to Meyer’s 767 votes. Conyers won with nearly 60% of the total vote, and he will serve in elected office for the first time. On Election Night, he told KLEM that he was ready to get to work.
In total, 1,972 votes were cast in yesterday’s run-off elections, a decrease from the 2,619 votes cast for the two races in November. To view the results, click here.
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Le Mars hotel/motel sales tax grant applications available now
The city of Le Mars has announced that applications for funding from the city hotel/motel sales tax are now available online or at City Hall.
Non-profit and not-for-profit organizations in Le Mars qualify for hotel/motel sales tax funds for use on projects. In order to receive funding, these projects must begin no earlier than July 1st of next year, and must be completed by June 25th, 2027. If an organization wishes to have multiple projects receive funding, separate applications must be filled out. Organizations that receive hotel/motel tax funds cannot request additional funding towards the same project from the Le Mars city council. Applicants will be informed of awards in late March after city budgets have been approved.
All applications must be typewritten, and must be returned to City Hall by noon on December 30th for consideration. Applications received after this time will not be considered for funding. For questions, contact Jessica Brownmiller of the Le Mars CVB Tourism Committee at 712-548-4971.
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Six northwest Iowa communities await FEMA decision on buyouts
Communities in northwest Iowa are waiting for FEMA to approve buyouts for properties that were damaged by flooding in the summer of 2024. Tom Van Maanen (MAHN-in) — the city administrator in Rock Valley — says his community is asking for federal funding to help buy and demolish just over 12 dozen homes.
Under FEMA’s buyout program for homes in flood zones, 75 percent of the funding comes from the federal government, the state provides 10 percent and 15 percent comes from the local community. Rock Valley is seeking 40 MILION dollars from FEMA to support buying 145 homes, but FEMA asked for more information about a few of the properties.
State officials say Sioux County as well as the cities of Spencer, Rock Rapids, Hawarden, Correctionville and Sioux Rapids have submitted buyout requests to FEMA. Estherville and Cherokee are still finalizing their applications and have until the end of the year to submit the paperwork to FEMA. Once a property is purchased under this program, the parcel becomes public land and made into a park or water retention area.
(Story via Radio Iowa)
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