Municipal Governments

Local ambulance service strong, director says (03/19/10)
The Le Mars Ambulance Service is "exceeding" the expectations of local residents, according to Director Bill Rosacker. Appearing at this week's Le Mars City Council session, Rosacker commended the 21-member ambulance staff for its dedication and the "exceptional" job he feels they do for the community...

Law would take away guns from domestic violence offenders (03/18/10)
Convicted domestic violence offenders in Iowa could lose their right to own guns and ammunition if the governor signs a bill into law Monday. A person accused of domestic violence who has a protective order placed against them can be required to relinquish their firearms temporarily, the bill states...

Council tables acceptance of Highway 3 project (03/18/10)
The Le Mars City Council put off accepting an engineer's statement to the Iowa Department of Transportation on the completion and owners contract for the Highway 3 widening project. City Manager Scott Langel acknowledged that the city had already, due to state legislative direction, in essence accepted the $721,701 project when the widened portion of the highway was opened last November...

Knapp calls business owners to protest property assessments (03/17/10)
Councilman Rex Knapp took the public podium Tuesday, asking local business owners to protest what he calls inaccurate business property assessments. Knapp stepped aside from his duties as a Le Mars city councilman to address the council with his own business concerns...

State looking to raise revenue from traffic violation fines (03/17/10)
The Iowa Senate passed a bill Tuesday that could double or triple traffic violation fines. The purpose of the bill, which passed the Senate 31-17, is to combat shortfalls in the state's budget. The 207 proposed fine increases would add $8.8 million in revenue to the general and judiciary funds, Sen. Randy Feenstra said...

Le Mars finance director sees city audit as positive (03/17/10)
"All in all a very positive audit" was Le Mars Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole's observation on the city's annual financial report for the year ending June 30, 2009. The report was presented to the city council Tuesday. Cole said he was "very satisfied" with the report indicating the city's general fund with 97 days worth of coverage considered "a good sign" when the auditor's recommendations are in the 80 to 120 day coverage period...

MidAmerican customers may help finance nuclear study (03/16/10)
The 7,184 MidAmerican Electric Company customers in Plymouth County may see a monthly increase in their payment due to a proposed law. The increase would come if Iowa Gov. Chet Culver signs a bill to allow MidAmerican to boost electric consumer payments throughout the state by $15 million to study the possibility of bringing a second nuclear plant to Iowa...

LOST dollars could rebuild laundromat, buy laptops for school (03/15/10)
Twenty-nine area groups are vying for grants from Plymouth County's $100,000 Local Options Sales Tax grant pool. The requests range from $50,000 to demolish and rebuild the fire damaged Kraft Kleaners in Kingsley to $1,928 for the Le Mars Fire and Rescue Department to buy rope rescue equipment to use with the aerial ladder fire truck...

2010 census: Step up and be counted, officials urge (03/11/10)
Participating in the 2010 U.S. Census could save thousands of dollars, services and programs -- when numbers of people matter. Local and state officials are asking residents to be diligent in filling out census forms and mailing them back by the April 1 deadline so an accurate population count can be obtained...

Plymouth County schools find ways to make cuts (03/10/10)
Editor's note: This is the second of two stories looking at budget cuts for Plymouth County schools. Plymouth County school districts are trying to figure out ways to reduce already lean budgets. Because Legislators haven't decided whether or not to cut the 2 percent allowable growth, each school district does not know yet if it will receive state funding...

Drug court could fall victim to budget cuts (03/10/10)
A program that has changed lives in Plymouth County may be threatened. Adult drug court, in which adults facing drug-related charges meet with a panel of their peers and follow its recommendations, could be cut in Plymouth County if a lack of money is available, according to Mary Buhman, drug court coordinator...

Supervisors limit weight on road (03/10/10)
The Plymouth County Supervisors put a weight restriction on part of Marble Avenue Tuesday. The weight of trucks and other vehicles cannot exceed 6 tons per axle on Marble Avenue from 160th Street south to the concrete paving. The restriction will be effective Tuesday through May 28. It will be enforceable as soon as signs are erected, said Tom Rohe, county engineer...

LCS board will budget on anticipated allowable growth money (03/09/10)
Le Mars Community School Board of Education members gave their approval to a budget timeline that will culminate in a certified 2010-11 budget to be filed with the state by April 15, 2010. The board directed Superintendent Dr. Todd Wendt to develop the 2010-11 budget working under the assumption of a 2 percent allowable growth in state funding and a Cash Reserve Levy of $750,000...

Plymouth County's lean school budgets may receive another chop (03/08/10)
Editor's note: This is the first of two stories looking at budget cuts for area schools. Lean school budgets throughout Plymouth County may receive yet another cut from the State of Iowa. And the possible cut -- taking away the 2 percent allowable growth -- would be deep...

Cyclists hope bike safety bill pedals through Legislature (03/04/10)
Last year a Plymouth County woman was hurt after being struck by a beer can while riding her bicycle along a country road. Erin Schroeder still gets butterflies in her stomach when she climbs on her bike. She hopes a proposed bicycle safety bill in the Iowa House of Representatives moves forward to help protect cyclists on the roadways...

Council approves city budget with no levy increase (03/04/10)
Le Mars will begin fiscal year 2010-2011 with a balanced budget of $16.1 million. The good news for local residents? The budget will retain the current $13.75 tax levy for another year. Le Mars City Council members put their official stamp of approval on the budget after a public hearing Tuesday. The budget must be submitted to the state by March 15...

County budget passes without a hitch, despite 'no' vote (03/03/10)
Taxpayers had nothing to say Tuesday before Plymouth County's 2010-11 budget was finalized. The Plymouth County Supervisors approved the $21,891,804 budget with a 4-1 vote, after no one attended a public hearing.

City approves Historic Preservation grant match request (03/03/10)
Le Mars City Council members Tuesday agreed to give the local Historic Preservation Commission $10,000 throughout two years to help place portions of downtown Le Mars on the National Register of Historic Places. The money, which will be paid $5,000 per year in 2011 and 2012, will be the local match of a grant...

City, county to seek energy efficiency grants (03/03/10)
Energy efficiency was on the front burner Tuesday for members of the Le Mars City Council and the Plymouth County Supervisors. Members of both entities applying for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants (EECBG) for projects that will save energy and enhance economic development by creating local jobs...

Budget cuts limit low income housing for Plymouth County (03/01/10)
Assistance for low income housing in Plymouth County and surrounding areas will be cut back in 2010. It's a result of lower budgets for the Siouxland Regional Housing Authority (SRHA) which provides low income housing support for Plymouth, rural Woodbury, Cherokee and Manona counties, and the area north of Highway 20 in Ida county...

Fire chief to hang up helmet after more than 40 years (02/26/10)
Le Mars Fire-Rescue Chief Wayne Schipper is about to start a new chapter in his life. Retirement. "I've had a pretty rewarding time," Schipper said. He will retire in June after 27 years as fire chief. He's been with the department 41 years. He started with the Le Mars fire auxiliary in the 1960s while still in high school, and since then rules for becoming a firefighter have evolved, Schipper said...

Proposed texting and driving ban receives local support, criticism (02/26/10)
As soon as this summer, Iowa drivers who text and drive might see flashing blue and red lights in their rear view mirror. The Iowa House and Senate have both passed their own versions of a bill that would ban texting and driving. However, they have to come to an agreement before the law can move forward...

Branstad says it's time to clean house, Iowa (02/19/10)
Former Gov. Terry Branstad is OK with ice cream for breakfast, but he's not OK with Iowa's government the way it is now. That's what he told the crowd at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars Thursday morning on a campaign stop for the 2010 governor's race...

Merrill residents apprehensive on proposed Kissinger closure (02/18/10)
Final decision time is nearing on the question of whether to close Kissinger Elementary School in Merrill. The Le Mars Community Schools Board is holding a special meeting 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday) for public input and comments regarding proposed budget cuts, which include shuttering the Merrill elementary...

County reminds recyclers to keep it clean (02/18/10)
Plymouth County citizens are being reminded to use the large metal recycling bin at the Plymouth County Courthouse responsibly. The large metal recycling bin on the Plymouth County Courthouse block is provided for the rural citizen of Plymouth County to deposit their recyclable materials...

City's $16 million budget approved for public hearing (02/17/10)
The city's 2010-11 budget is officially accepted by the Le Mars City Council. Now only one more step, a March 2 public hearing, remains before the city's adoption of a $16,164,421 budget for the coming year. The balance spending package will allow for continuation of the city's current $13.75 tax levy, said Bill Cole, Le Mars' assistant city administrator...

County construction means less LOST money for grants (02/16/10)
The Plymouth County Supervisors set aside $100,000 in Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) money in their proposed budget to be used for grant requests. That's $80,000 less than last year -- but the county has two new major construction projects to pay for with LOST revenue in the next fiscal year...

Branstad plans Thursday Le Mars stop (02/16/10)
Iowa gubernatorial candidate former Gov. Terry Branstad will be in Le Mars Thursday. Branstad is hosting a 9 a.m. Plymouth County "Iowa Comeback Tour" stop at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor. Branstad, who served as Iowa's governor from 1983 to 1999, is making five town hall stops as part of his campaign Wednesday and Thursday...

Legislators and taxpayers talk budget, unions (02/15/10)
Iowa Legislators Rep. Chuck Soderberg and Sen. Randy Feenstra discussed the gaping hole in the state budget, union bills, ethanol requirements and state tax returns Saturday with about a dozen people at the Le Mars Public Library. Soderberg and Feenstra were in Le Mars for a legislative forum where they invite the public to come and ask questions and find out how the legislators feel about the current legislative session...

Huseman seeks re-election (02/15/10)
Rep. Dan Huseman (R-Aurelia) announced Friday he will be running for re-election to the Iowa House. Huseman represents Cherokee County, 10 townships in eastern and southern Plymouth County and nine townships in northern Woodbury County. "State government must manage Iowans' tax dollars wisely. ...

Public employee bargaining: The reasons behind the raises (02/12/10)
(Editor's note: This story is the second of two stories taking a closer look at public employees' bargaining.) Le Mars City Employees Bargaining Unit: Pay freeze for six months, 3 percent raise starting in January 2011. Plymouth County Secondary Roads Bargaining Unit: 3 percent raise for each year of a three-year contract...

Public employee bargaining: Designed to protect citizens (02/11/10)
(Editor's note: This story is the first of two stories taking a closer look at public employees' bargaining.) In the business world, salaries and benefits of a business' employees are somewhat dependent on how well the business is doing. However, in the public sector, employees like teachers and city workers are given the chance to organize and bargain collectively based on Iowa Code Chapter 20...

Vander Plaats ready to put government on chopping block (02/09/10)
Gubernatorial hopeful Vander Plaats thinks he has some answers for Iowa's troubled economy -- and the top one is shrinking the government. Vander Plaats spoke Monday to about a dozen people at the Le Mars Pizza Ranch during a tour hitting all 99 of Iowa's counties...

City council to discuss golf course liquor license (02/08/10)
The Le Mars City Council will hold a special meeting at noon Tuesday to consider a liquor license and outdoor service area for a golf course. Mike Fiddelke of Willow Creek Golf Course filed an application for a new 12-month Class C liquor license and outdoor service area for the golf course bar and grille...

TIF: a powerful tool being overused? (02/05/10)
Out of all 99 Iowa counties, Plymouth County is ranked second for using Tax Increment Financing (TIF). About 15.2 percent of the county's taxable valuation is in TIF, according to the Iowa State Association of Counties. TIF is a taxing tool different than regular taxes, according to Plymouth County Auditor Stacey Feldman...

Vander Plaats in Le Mars Monday (02/05/10)
Monday as part of his campaign trip, making appearances in every region of the state in the next week. Vander Plaats will be at the Le Mars Pizza Ranch at 6 p.m., Monday to talk about his bid to unseat Gov. Chet Culver and outline his priorities for the state...

City officials ask for resident support during upcoming census (02/04/10)
Le Mars Mayor Dick Kirchoff has called on local residents for their cooperation in compiling accurate figures for the community as they receive their 2010 census letters. "Accurate figures are important to the city in that they can impact on future grants and funding," Kirchoff said...

Council gives first reading approval to code changes (02/04/10)
Le Mars City Council members Tuesday, following a public hearing, gave first reading approval to an ordinance amending the city's Fire Prevention Code from the International Fire Code 2006 edition to the 2009 edition. Members also gave first reading approval after a public hearing to the city's sign code ordinance to update terminology and incorporate the ICC Zoning Code, 2009 edition, into the present ordinance...

Hotel/motel tax dollars may boost fairgrounds, chalk festival (02/03/10)
Twelve local agencies and organizations and the city are likely to be the beneficiaries of $36,033 in local option Hotel/Motel Sales Tax dollars this year. The Le Mars City Council received the requests for annual allocations of the sales tax revenue from the Hotel/Motel Sales Tax Advisory Board at its Tuesday session...

Budget changes add dollars for cemetery roads (02/03/10)
Finalization of the city's budget for the fiscal year 2011 moved a step closer to reality Tuesday. Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole shared with Le Mars City Council members current changes in the $16.1 million spending package. Changes resulting from last week's Jan. ...

Sheriff seeks more inmates to help county budget (01/28/10)
The Plymouth County Jail has felt a drop of about $160,000 in revenue due to housing only half the number of federal inmates as in previous years. Currently, seven or eight federal inmates reside in the jail at $75 a day. But the jail was built to house six to eight more...

Job training program revision, could limit local businesses (01/28/10)
One-half million dollars for Plymouth County business could be at stake as the State of Iowa discusses adjustments in funding to the Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program. Plymouth County businesses that received job training funding in 2009 were Plymouth Energy - $250,612, Plymouth Oil - $153,000, Wells Dairy - $25,000 and Bodeans Baking Company - $63,403...

City squeezing its way to a balanced budget (01/27/10)
"Bare bones" and "lean" were the words used to describe the 2011 city budget during a Le Mars City Council workshop Tuesday. "We asked all the departments to make a 10 percent cut after we've had cuts the last two years," Assistant City Administrator Bill Cole said. "There is not a lot of cushion."...

Potholes to get some attention...soon (01/27/10)
The Le Mars City Council addressed the growing potholes on Business Highway 75 during their Tuesday meeting. "Barring any other strange weather situations, your plan is to go after those potholes," Councilman Ken Nelson said to Steve Hansen, superintendent of public works...

A second stimulus could help local roads (01/25/10)
If there is a second federal stimulus, Plymouth County and Le Mars are lined up for a piece of the pie. Local planners found out last Thursday that, should the U.S. government approve a second stimulus bill, the Plymouth County roads department may receive $900,000 and the City of Le Mars $450,000 for road projects...

City calls on state to retain road use tax funding (01/22/10)
The City of Le Mars has voiced its opposition to Iowa Governor Chet Culver and area legislators on the proposed use of state road use taxes to "bail out" other state programs. City Administrator Scott Langel asked that the road use tax system "be kept intact and available for its historical and intended purposes" and that the city's share of the tax monies be maintained...

County budget cutting begins with conservation, sheriff, fair (01/22/10)
The chopping has begun with the Plymouth County Supervisors starting cuts to make the 2011 budget work. Tuesday, the board agreed to trim back dollars from requests made by county conservation, the sheriff, the county fair, the county libraries and the county museums...

State to scrutinize question of court reporters (01/21/10)
The decision between court reporters and digital recording devices in Iowa's courtroom isn't black and white -- and it won't be made for some time. That's according to John Goerdt, assistant state court administrator. Earlier this month, Iowa's Judicial Council reviewed a research committee's report about the accuracy and expense of putting digital recording systems in Iowa's 316 courtrooms...

Snow blower damage triggers possible curb landscaping changes (01/21/10)
The Le Mars City Council's discussion on whether to purchase a new snow blower laid the ground work for future decrees on what can and cannot be placed on the curbside property. The city's 20-year old snow blower was damaged during recent snow clean-up thanks to a large decorative curbside boulder hidden beneath the snow, according to City Administrator Scott Langel...

Bohnenkamp appointed to LOST board (01/21/10)
The final seat on the Local Option Sales Tax Advisory Board was filled Tuesday. The Plymouth County Board of Supervisors appointed Lynn Bohnenkamp, of Le Mars, to the District 1 seat of the board, which had previously been left open with no applicants to fill it...

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