MVL Sun — 7.30.26

SPORTS | 8 MV softball: Mustangs bow out in semifinal at state

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Getting ready for football

MV moves ahead with application for Community Block Development Grant Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com

Mount Vernon has moved forward with a Community Block Development Grant for the uptown business district with Eastern Central Iowa Council of Governments help.

Tom Gruis with ECICOG explained that businesses participating in the block grant will contribute roughly $307,000 of the funding for the project, while the City of Mount Vernon will contribute $260,000 towards the project. The rest of the funding for the roughly $1.189 million project will come from the grant provided by the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Grant applications are due on Aug. 17.

At the July 20 council meeting, the city approved a resolution designating a slum or blighted area to apply for the grant.

Council member Scott Rose said that when people hear slum or blighted area, it can be shocking.

“We’re not calling our uptown a slum, it’s just the terms required to apply for this particular grant to help with work to business facades,” Rose said.

The council then approved the City of Mount Vernon’s $260,000 contribution.

“It’s more money than I anticipated the city spending for a project, but it’s very important that this project goes through,” said council member Mike Andreasen. “I was concerned we’d be spending too much money on uptown and not focused on other business districts, but we can still do work on both districts. This is a perfect project for Mount Vernon and the businesses contributing to it.”

City administrator Chris Nosbisch explained that by participating in this grant process, Mount Vernon could qualify for grants that would help in the city’s upcoming streetscape project.

“That alone is worth the $260,000 investment in this project for me,” Nosbisch said, as the grant for the streetscape could greatly benefit that future project. The estimated cost of the streetscape project is $4.5 million to $6 million.

The façade project does need to be completed before the streetscape can receive a grant.

Council member Scott Rose asked if this project was purely cosmetic work on facades, or if other issues were found would those be addressed.

Gruis said while it focuses on facades, if there are structural issues that are found and need to be

Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Football camp participants work on stretches at the top of the camp event at Lisbon’s Sports Complex.

Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com

A small but mighty group of Lisbon and Mount Vernon athletes participated in a flag football camp at the Lisbon Sports Complex Saturday, July 25.

The camp was run by Phil Miksch (a coach with the Lisbon Flag Football program), Jake Coons (a Solon graduate and University of Iowa and UNI player) and Jordan Myles (Louisiana Tech player).

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Miksch said one of the important qualities to carry with them is respect for themselves and respect for their teammates.

“We’re all different sizes, different athletic abilities and different ages, and we need to respect that,” Miksch said. “Football is a team sport, and to successfully run plays, you need to work together as a team.”

The day started with a number of different stretches.

Myles explained that each stretch FOOTBALL | 2

Lisbon Sauerkraut Days 2026 brings changes Cadence Dighton Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

“It’s important to get together annually, from a Lisbon perspective, news@mvlsun.com to celebrate us,” said Sauerkraut Days board president Jerry Dietsch. “It’s Lisbon’s annual Sauerkraut Days just a good way to celebrate the comwill be hosted Aug. 13 through Aug. munity, and I think we should do that, 15, and there are changes to take note honestly, more often.” of as it approaches.

The marketing coordinator of SauSince it began in 1909, Lisbon’s erkraut Days, Emily Coppess, is not Sauerkraut Days has functioned as a originally from the area, but since celebration of the community to bring experiencing Sauerkraut Days with her the citizens of Lisbon together. family, she agrees with Dietsch.

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The focus for all three coaches was to help students be better in fundamental skills than they were when they started for the day.

Myles explained that the thing that gets him fired up is having youth excited and ready to learn by echoing their enthusiasm.

Coons explained that the things under everyone’s control are their attitude and actions.

“If you come in with an enthusiastic attitude, that carries,” Coons said. “If you come in here gloomy because it’s a gloomy day, that carries as well.”

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“It is just a great opportunity to bring everyone together,” Coppess said. “It’s a really cool celebration of community.”

This year, a Kids’ Fun Zone will be included downtown from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday in collaboration with the Lisbon Library and the Iowa Children’s Museum in Coralville.

According to Coppess, the Kids’ Fun

6 | Records - 7 | Sports - 8-12 | Public Notices - 11-16

SAUERKRAUT DAYS | 2

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2 | THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

FOOTBALL

Ahead of one of the drills, coach Miksch talked about the importance of their stance, especially they were doing could trans- coming from an offensive or defenfer over to other sports they sive line. With a more solid form take part in, and that the goal out of a crouch and moving down with stretches and warm-ups the field, it’s easier to withstand was to get ready for what is to someone pushing you to effect come next. your balance.

The group then moved on to feet Other skills practiced included drills, focused on improving agility wide receiving, catching and some and coordination with their feet. blocking. from 1

MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM

Great Jones County Fair Queen Volume 157 I Issue 31

108 1st St SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Phone: 319-895-6216 news@mvlsun.com The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun strives for accuracy and fairness in reporting news. If we’ve made an error or a report is misleading, let us know about it: news@mvlsun.com

STAFF

Publisher Jason Brummond jason.brummond@dailyiowan.com Editor Nathan Countryman nathan.countryman @mvlsun.com

Contributed photo Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Coaches Phil Miksch and Jordan Myles highlight how proper stance and footwork helps balance a player.

GRANT

project will address handicap accessibility for businesses in the uptown. Nobisch said no, it addressed, those will be tackled. wouldn’t. With the coming streetNosbisch said a number of struc- scape, that might be something tural problems are discovered that can get addressed for some when seeing brick sloughing at businesses, but many are grandwhere it meets the sidewalk. fathered in due to when they were A citizen on Zoom asked if this constructed not to address the from 1

SAUERKRAUT DAYS from 1

Zone will include things like sensory activities, and an author will be reading a book to the children.

Activities will be swapped out throughout the day so children can return and find something to do at all times once they get bored of the rides.

Additionally, the wrestling takedown tournament that was held for the first time at the 2025 Sauerkraut Days festival will be continuing in 2026. If the weather holds out, the tournament will be in the grass lot next to Lloyd’s Table Company at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 14.

Alongside new activities, changes are also being made to existing activities. For example, instead of hosting the children’s pedal pull, there will be a big wheel race instead. Registration for the big wheel race will be held around

Emma Dietsch was named the 2026 Great Jones County Fair Queen (center) at coronation ahead of the fair Tuesday, July 21. Dietsch is a Lisbon High School Student, the daughter of Jerry and Megan Dietsch.

Pictured with Dietsch are Miss Congeniality Landri Hansen and Fair Princess Dani Gravel. issue and the historical nature of the uptown district.

Joe Jennison, grant writer for the City of Mount Vernon, said that if this project does well and other businesses like what they see, there is also a potential to complete a second phase of façade improvements for area businesses

as well.

As part of the application, Gruis collected information on other topics including, community housing needs for low-to-moderate incomes, improvements planned for infrastructure, and trail and recreational projects the city is working to address.

the corner from City Hall at the we’re all tired, but they’re going to ever, Dietsch still encouraged Lisbon Fire Department. come in and volunteer for us, so patrons to contact 911 if the situheck yeah! We’re going to make a ation requires it. donation their way,” Dietsch said.

If patrons find themselves needSauerkraut Days as a ing a break from the heat, City Hall fundraiser Accessible Parking, First will function as the designated Not only is the festival a celebracooling station and will provide tion of Lisbon, but it also acts as a Aid, Restrooms and Hours restrooms for those who need it. fundraiser. According to Dietsch, Without the City Hall parking lot Port-a-potties will also be availthe festival is not for profit, and being used for the big wheel race, able throughout Main Street. Thus, all proceeds are re-invested into that parking lot has now been the Dietsch asked that patrons use the things like redoing the stage for designated area for accessible provided amenities instead of the Sauerkraut Days, or providing parking. The temporary accessible business along Main Street. donation checks to local organiza- parking signs from the new sports Friday, Aug. 14, the food ventions and businesses. complex will be placed in the City dors, rides, and the beer tent will Last year, eight checks were dis- Hall parking lot. open at 5 p.m. and end at about 11 tributed, including to the bands, Once patrons have arrived at p.m., or whenever the band finthe fire department, local sports the festival, if emergencies were to ishes for the night. teams, and anyone who helped arise, there will be First Aid availSaturday, Aug. 15, the Kraut with Sauerkraut Days. able in the food tent and at the beer Route 5K will begin at 8 a.m., and For the 2026 Sauerkraut Days tent ticket booth located on West all other events will begin at 11 a.m. festival, the Lisbon Boys’ Wres- Main Street.

The festival will close at midnight tling Team will be helping with the According to Dietsch, the Sau- on Saturday night, and teardown Sunday teardown, which will earn erkraut Days committee will also will begin Sunday morning. them a donation check. have radios that provide direct According to Dietsch, all help is “[Teardown is] the toughest contact with the Lisbon-Mount welcome for the Sunday morning time for us as a committee because Vernon Ambulance Service. How- teardown.

One injured in two-vehicle crash

Advertising Manager Paul Rowland paul.rowland@mvlsun.com Production Manager Heidi Owen heidi.owen@dailyiowan.com Advertising Director Juli Krause juli.krause@dailyiowan.com Reporting Interns Cadence Dighton Ella McEntaffer John Charlson Grace Escritt Digital/Social Media Interns Abigail Princehouse Breck Goodman Official Newspaper: Mount Vernon, Lisbon, Bertram, Linn County, Mount Vernon Community School District, Lisbon Community School District The Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun (USPS 367-520), a division of The Daily Iowan, is published weekly on Thursdays by Student Publications, Inc., 100 Adler Journalism Building, Room E131, Iowa City, Iowa 52242.

Periodicals Postage Paid at the Mount Vernon Post Office and additional offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, 108 1st St SW, Mount Vernon, IA 52314.

Subscriptions: Contact Paul Rowland at 319-895-6216 or paul.rowland@ mvlsun.com for additional information.

Subscription rates: Linn and adjoining counties – $55 annually; elsewhere in Iowa – $75 annually; out of state – $85 annually.

Copyright 2026 Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun, a division of The Daily Iowan and Student Publications, Inc. All articles, photographs and graphics, both in print and online editions, are the property of Student Publications, Inc., and may not be reproduced or republished without written permission.

mvlsun.com

Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com

Dieudonne Kimbulu, 49, Cedar Rapids was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Hwy. 30 Wednesday, July 22. Kimbulu was transported to a local hospital by Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance services with non-life threatening injuries.

According to Sgt. David Omar of the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, first responders were called to a crash at 5:38 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of Hwy. 30, a half mile east of

Sports Ryan Suchomel ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

Contributed photo

A driver of a USPS postal truck was injured in a two-vehicle crash Wednesday, July 22. the intersection with Knapp Road.

Responders found that a United States Postal Delivery truck driven

by Kimbulu had collided with a blue Ford truck hauling a boat operated by Jacob Mathers, 28, of

Marion. Both vehicles came to rest in the median of Hwy. 30. Mathers and a passenger were uninured in the crash, and all occupants of both vehicles were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.

Other agencies responding to the crash included Linn County Sheriff’s Rescue, Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department and Mount Vernon Fire Department.

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THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | 3

Pop-up bakeries arrive in eastern Iowa Cadence Dighton Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun news@mvlsun.com

For a few years, pop-up bakeries, also known as farmstands, have been showing up around the country. Recently, eastern Iowa has seen the arrival of several pop-up bakeries, including Country Club Farm Stand and Neighbor’s Farm Stand in Mount Vernon, and Wapsi River Bakery Home Baked by Mama Hawker in Olin.

Country Club Farm Stand After spending their whole lives in Mount Vernon, the Thuerauf family moved to 340 Country Club Drive SE about a year ago. In April, the Country Club Farm Stand popped up when their 11-year-old daughter, Kate, decided that she wanted to take her baking hobby to the next level.

“Kate loves to bake,” said Lindsay Thuerauf, Kate’s mother. “It’s just fun, and we like serving the community.”

According to Kate’s father, Jon Thuerauf, it is important that people know it is just a hobby for Kate.

“Our kids are busy, you know, and there’s going to be times when there’s nothing out there. [...] This isn’t a business; it’s not a fulltime job; it’s just a hobby,” Jon said.

With her parents supervising and her 8-year-old brother, Mason Thuerauf, acting as the taste-tester, Kate’s hobby has become a family affair.

Often, the golfers from Kernoustie Golf Club across Country Club Drive are their most loyal customers, which Mason takes advantage of. Alongside the farm stand, Mason will hold lemonade stands on hot days, which tends to get the attention of golfers.

Additionally, Mason picks the flowers for the bouquets that are sold at the farm stand, and pitches ideas for their next product, like chopping and selling firewood.

“It’s a team effort,” Lindsay said. Oftentimes, Lindsay will join Kate in the baking process, and as the owner of Renewed Homes LLC, a custom home building business, Jon built the farm stand when Kate brought up the idea.

When Jon is not building homes, and Lindsay is not working part-time as a nurse, the family is often running around to the children’s events, like softball all

and baseball.

“When we have time, we put it down there,” Lindsay said.

With the success of Country Club Farm Stand, however, came requests for specific products which sometimes have the Thueraufs awake at 4 a.m. to complete.

Several of the items sold at Country Club Farm Stand are available for pre-order, such as the sourdough bread, cookies, or flower bouquets. However, since items like sourdough bread loaves take a few days to make, any request needs to be made at least a few days in advance.

As a business owner, Jon sees the value of his children running Country Club Farm Stand as a business of their own.

“Maybe it’s an opportunity where you can learn some stuff that school may not teach you. Track what our costs are and what you are making, and can you keep and inventory?” Jon said. “I think it’s a good thing for them to know what goes into owning a business.”

Although Kate does not want to turn this hobby into a full-time job as she grows older, she hopes to continue doing it on the side, as she is going now.

Items sold at Country Club Farm Stand include loaves of sourdough bread, muffins, cookies, granola, and snack mix. According to Lindsay, the intention behind the products they sell is that they are easy to grab on the go.

Going forward, the Thuerauf family hopes to sell pumpkins grown on their property and a wider variety of bouquets, as they intend to plant a larger garden to grow the flowers.

There are no designated hours, but Lindsay updates the Facebook and Instagram pages, both titled @countryclubfarmstand, when the farm stand is restocked.

Wapsi River Bakery Home Baked by Mama Hawker Similarly to Country Club Farm Stand, Wapsi River Bakery Home Baked by Mama Hawker, also known as Wapsi River Bakery, also functions as a hobby at the moment.

Located at 507 Resident Street in Olin and owned by Amanda Hawker, Wapsi River Bakery began in June after Hawker had seen countless people on social media sharing about their pop-up bakeries.

According to Hawker, there is a woman

in Cedar Point that she has been following for a couple years, which was part of what inspired her to begin her own pop-up bakery.

Although Wapsi River Bakery currently functions as a hobby for Hawker, her goal is to make it her full-time job so that she can stay home with her two boys, 12-year-old Dominik, and 2-yearold Maverik. Currently, Hawker works part-time at Collins Aerospace Friday through Sunday.

One desire Hawker has is to use an app called Hot Plate for pre-ordering. Using Hot Plate would allow customers to select items from a menu provided by Hawker, and she would only have to make what is ordered, which she can set the limit for. Thus, no product would be wasted, as it would all be going toward existing orders.

According to Hawker, no product has been wasted as a lack of sales; instead, it has been a result of the weather. With the previous structure she had been using—a wooden entertainment center— rain caused the structure to no longer be usable, which made her remaining products go unsold.

Additionally, with recent summer storms, people are visiting the stand less often, which also leaves her products to go unsold. However, to keep up with fluctuating sales, Hawker plans to begin attending farmer’s markets in Anamosa and Clarence to sell her products.

“Whatever doesn’t sell out of those two, I plan on putting in my stand Friday, Saturday, Sunday,” Hawker explained.

“Then we’ll be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., so then that way, hopefully, I’ll get that stuff sold.”

However, Hawker has heard that people have successful days at the Anamosa and Clarence farmer’s markets and often don’t leave with any remaining product.

Alongside that, Hawker also remains optimistic about the farmer’s markets, as she has been contacted directly about attending, which shows a demand for her product.

When the weather holds out and she is not selling baked goods at the farmer’s markets, Hawker plans to have her stand open all seven days of the week.

Fortunately, since the stand is shaded by a tree in her yard, the product stays intact all day long.

However, Hawker can only make certain products, as she operates under the Iowa Cottage Law, which means that she

does not need to have inspections completed, as long as she provides a label stating that her products were made in a residential kitchen and can sit on a shelf.

As a result, Hawker makes products like loaves of sourdough bread with flavors like chocolate chip and cinnamon and sugar, as well as various kinds of cookies, including chocolate chip, M&M, and peanut butter chocolate chip.

In the future, Hawker hopes to sell produce from her garden and make things like cake pops as well, as she has the supplies, but isn’t quite ready to add another item to the mix yet.

“The research I’ve done has said, you know, don’t go in and like, ‘Okay, I’m making all this, and then I’m making this, and then I’m making this.’ Like, kind of have a base first of what’s your signature, and then move on,” Hawker explained.

Alongside her baked goods, Hawker also owns Hawker’s Handcrafted Creations, in which she makes things like t-shirts, and plans to make other things like lanyards and bookmarks.

Additional information about Wapsi River Bakery Home Baked

by Mama Hawker can be found on the Facebook page under the same name.

Neighbor’s Farm Stand Another that just popped up over the past weekend is the Neighbor’s Farm Stand, located on Palisades Road across from U.S. Nameplate. The business is run by Cherie Guillaume and neighbors.

The stand is a pay-what-you can food stand, and those who frequent the stand are encouraged only to take what you and your family would use in a day and to pay what you are able.

Cash left in the cash box and Venmo are options to pay at the stand. @Cherie-Guillaume is the Venmo screen name.

Items are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day, and more selection on weekends.

Fresh produce and items like sourdough cinnamon rolls and other baked goods are offered at the stand currently.

Special orders can be inquired at 319310-8965.

The food stand is monitored by video surveillance, and the Guillaume’s ask people respect the system.

Editor Nathan Countryman contributed to this story.

IOWinds Alliance brings world renowned saxophonist to Mount Vernon The concert will support music education while introducing community to nonprofit’s mission Ella McEntaffer Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun news@mvlsun.com

A non-profit dedicated to expanding opportunities for young wind and brass musicians will bring a world renowned performer to Mount Vernon next month while raising support for music education across Iowa.

IOWinds Alliance will present a concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church. The performance will feature internationally recognized saxophonist Kenneth Tse, professor of saxophone at the University of Iowa, along with pianist Casey Dierlam Tse. Mount Vernon musician Mike Livingston also will join the performance for one selection.

Founded to support students in grades 6 through 12, IOWinds Alliance focuses exclusively on wind and brass education through festivals, competitions, masterclasses, and outreach concerts.

“To my knowledge, we are the only organization in Iowa that is geared specifically to wind and brass players,” Casey Dierlam Tse said. “We try to think of it as a twopronged mission of both inspiring students to want to learn more, but then offering the educational opportunities which can help with that.”

While Iowa has many organizations that support string and piano students, Dierlam Tse said opportunities tailored specifically to wind and brass musicians are limited.

The organization also believes students benefit from hearing professional performers on their own instruments.

“So often you hear piano and you hear solo violin,” she said. “We try to create concerts and events that can be inspirational for students who play flute or other wind instruments.”

The Mount Vernon concert grew out of conversations with Livingston, owner of

Mount Vernon Repair Shop, after IOWinds Alliance recently presented another outreach concert in Iowa City. Livingston suggested Mount Vernon United Methodist Church as an ideal venue because of its supportive audience for classical music performances.

“We’re doing these concerts to help communities know that we exist because a lot of people don’t even know about the organization yet since we’re pretty young,” Dierlam Tse said. “It’s a great way to offer something to the community, talk a little bit about what we do and why we do it.”

The concert also reflects the organization’s desire to partner with local musicians and businesses. Livingston will perform alongside the Tses during one piece, while Mount Vernon Repair Shop and Music Works are helping sponsor the event’s expenses so audience donations can directly benefit the nonprofit.

Dierlam Tse said every donation received at the concert will support WindFest 2026, the organization’s annual educational event scheduled for Sept. 12.

The approximately hour-long program

will feature six or seven selections, including Latin inspired works by composers from Uruguay and Cuba, along with a “West Side Story” medley intended to appeal to a broad audience. The performers will introduce each piece by sharing background information about the music and composers before a brief intermission.

“It’s classical saxophone. It’s not a jazz concert, but it’s a really diverse program that I think audiences will enjoy,” Dierlam Tse said. “It’s not crazy avant garde music or anything. It’s just enjoyable, fun music.”

Following the performance, audience members will have an opportunity to meet the artists during a reception.

As the concert approaches, organizers are working to spread the word throughout the community with flyers, social media, and local partnerships.

“We really want people to come listen to the music,” Dierlam Tse said. “If they want to support the organization, great, but we just really want people to come hear great music.”

4 | THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN

OPINIONS/NEWS

OPINIONS

How dare that offensive foreign weather come here!

Living in Iowa Dan Brawner In an Aug. 27, 1897 issue of the Hartford Courant, the editor, a long-time friend of Mark Twain, Charles Dudley Warner wrote, “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.”

That is so true. The Philippines has 20 typhoons a year. The Russian city of Oymyakon routinely gets 76 F. below zero. In England, it rains all the time.

Why do they allow this to go on? It’s just irresponsible and lazy. And what about those Canadian wildfires that blow their second-hand smoke into the U.S.? Even here in Iowa, walking around in the polluted air is like smoking seven cigarettes a day. What are we going to do about it?

It turns out Donald Trump has a plan.

I understand the idea came to him in his sleep—during a cabinet meeting. The president is proposing to impose a ten percent tariff on Canada. He explained, “The United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted and unhealthy air” resulting from “willful negligence.”

(Darn that negligent Canadian wind!)

Sadly, the tariff will probably, like the previous ones, be ruled illegal. Alternatively, Trump could establish a special account to fine countries whose offensive weather impacts the United States. And every time there is a volcanic eruption in Italy that enters our atmosphere or a dust storm from the Sahara Desert—ka-ching!

--they have to put money in the account.

It works like a “swear jar” when, every time you say a bad word you have to drop in a quarter. It will be named the Donald J. Trump Memorial Annoying Weather Compensation Fund…or something.

What will the money be used for, you ask?

Trump will think of something.

There’s no reason this should be strictly limited to weather. Take the Mexican lettuce cyclospora parasite invasion, for example. How is this America’s problem?

Did we ask for explosive diarrhea? (Talk about Montezuma’s Revenge!) Americans are suffering, so Mexico has to pay.

Fortunately, the president himself hasn’t come down with the illness. Yea, like Trump would ever eat a salad!

Some Canadian environmental experts complain that the wildfires are not their fault and that global warming is to blame.

Dr. Patrick James of the University of Toronto observes, “Weather doesn’t care about international borders.” He says that weather goes wherever the wind takes it. Is Dr. James suggesting that Canada refuses to control its wind? Well, then, it’s going to cost them.

Unregulated rain from Cuba, tsunamis from Japan, snow from Greenland are all the origins of rotten weather and the potential sources of unlimited revenue.

As long as the rest of the world persists with its reckless use of weather, they will have to pay the price. And if they decide to do something about it, then maybe we can finally put an end to bad weather once and for all.

MVLSUNCOM

SUN EDITORIAL

EMS district vote now has an election date It’s taken us several months to get to this point, but we now have a calendar date for the EMS district vote.

Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance Service director Jacob Lindauer and volunteers with the service collected hundreds of signatures to advance this to a special election this past winter, and the measure went to Linn County, Johnson County, City of Lisbon and City of Mount Vernon.

And the matter was stalled as the district boundaries were ironed out by the counties, as well as when a date for the election could go live. For months of meetings, the resolution sat on the City of Mount Vernon’s council agenda, waiting for action.

At Monday, July 20’s city council meeting, Mount Vernon became the third of the four entities who finally set the election date as September 1, the first Tuesday in September, to establish this EMS district for our area.

As was outlined over the past year, this is a vote to certify the EMS district to receive funding from tax dollars to fund the

service for the work they do in providing an essential service.

It will especially help with making sure there are paramedics able to staff the service more regularly.

As Lindauer has noted in his reports to the Lisbon and Mount Vernon city councils, the number of calls that volunteers respond to has increased each year. Some of those are mutual aid responses, alongside our fire department and police department. Some are transfers.

But each of those calls are responded to in an expedient manner by our local EMS, with roughly only a handful of calls not responded to in a year because the staff had multiple calls at the same time.

EMS service is one of those areas where response time matters, that every minute that responders arrive quicker, the more likely lives are saved.

We’ll definitely be reporting more on this between now and the September vote, but we urge everyone to mark Sept. 1 down on their calendars and vote in the special election.

Powering through novels, comics ny side

Nathan Countryman I’ve been doing a great job on keeping track of the movies I’ve watched in a year, thanks to Letterboxd, but I’m a little more hit and miss on doing the same with the books I’ve read.

Partly because I’ve always had an aversion to doing reviews of books back from grade school days. It would irk my teachers to no end who would see me reading a book in class, sometimes outside of free reading time, but when it came to logging or reviewing it for credit I would just go “no thank you.” Mainly because how do I boil down my thoughts on a three-hundred-page journey to under 500 words. Ask me questions? I can talk about a book, characters, plot points I enjoyed… But make me write reviews for a class to prove I read the book? No thanks. I’ll just read another.

I know my year started with Jim Butcher’s latest in the Harry Dresden series, “Twelve Months,” which was a nice reprieve in the series, a year of a character dealing with grief while still protecting from supernatural threats to the city of Chicago.

February and early March saw me reading a lot of graphic novels that I’d purchased, mainly in Uncanny X-Men by Gail Simone, a handful of one-offs for Spider-Man and then the Secret Six omnibuses by Gail Simone. I still have two knee high stacks of omnibuses and graphic novels I need to power through in the

remainder of this year. Part of the Winter Adult Reading program at Cole Library spurred at least the graphic novels to get completed, as I read comics extremely fast.

Sometime in March area I finally finished the oral history on Mad Max: Fury Road’s development I’d been reading for over a year on my Kindle. In that same time period, I cranked through “A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear,” a non-fiction book exploring what happens when you stop paying taxes and essential services in your community.

In April area, I started Demon Copperhead, Barbara Kingsolver’s update of David Copperfield. It was a book that sat on my shelf for over a year and I just hadn’t cracked the spine. It was a book I read at the first Silent Book Society at Wren and Purl.

May saw me finally finish Demon Copperhead and continue my work on the Dungeon Crawler Carl series with Books 4 and 5, as book 8 was releasing soon.

June I started John Scalzi’s “Fuzzy Nation” knocking off 100 pages of that book. I also read a July saw me read through Book 7 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, This Inevitable Ruin, and then move on to Paddle Your Own Canoe by Nick Offerman. I’m starting on Jenny Lawson’s newest book next, and then debating between The Great Beanie Baby Crash or The Ministry of Time.

Unlike movies, though, I don’t have a hard and fast count of books or pages I’ve read. Nor am I anywhere near clearing my stack, because like movies, every month when I go shopping, I add more to the cause.

With August being a challenge of reading every day, I’m hoping to try to do that as I continue on with a watch of “Twilight Zone” original series, as much as I can get through.

GUEST EDITORIAL

Remember those who put out forest fires C. Sherene Hansen Player When the air turned all smoky a week ago, I heard lots of people complaining about it. Sure, it was harder to breathe and it was strange to look outside and to have everything all hazy, but I didn’t understand why people were frustrated by it. There was a reason that it was smoky and there was nothing that could be done about it.

We were lucky that we didn’t have a large fire nearby that was causing the opaque skies here. Can you imagine how large the fires are in Canada that we would experience such conditions here, one thousand miles away? Living in such a land-locked state, it is inevitable that we will experience the ramifications of fires happening in places far away from Iowa.

This has been a devastating fire season for North America.

According to CBS News, “More than 100 wildfires raged in Canada and strong winds were carrying their smoke — plus more from a few large fires in Minnesota — across the Upper Midwest and northeastern U.S., exposing millions to harmful pollution.

Around 3,500 Canadian fires have enveloped about 2.3 million acres of land this year.”

The story from CBS News continued, with information that hits closer to home: “In the U.S., close to 40,000 fires have torn through more than 3.6 million acres so far in 2026, including half

a million acres in July, according to the U.S. National Interagency Fire Center. That’s almost 10,000 more fires, and almost a million more acres burned, than the 10-year average for mid-July. Of the 48 large wildfires still active nationwide, 10 are in Colorado or Utah. Most others are scattered across Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington State.”

A few days after we had those hazy conditions, the smoke had dissipated and our lives were back to our usual hot July days. But for me, the smoke had been a reminder of what my daughter has faced almost every day for the past three summers.

Sadie always loved visiting Palisades-Keplar State Park and one summer during college she was able to work there. This was a monumental experience because it changed the trajectory of her life. She had been attending the University of Iowa, majoring in biology, with plans to go to medical school after she graduated.

But after spending the summer in her beloved woods, she decided to focus on field biology instead.

After graduation in 2024, she accepted a job with US Fish and Wildlife and was stationed in Minnesota. Each summer since then, she has been called out on wildfires all over the western United States and northern Minnesota. She shows incredible strength and grit and she shoulders a chainsaw and picks up a shovel and heads into the fire to hold it back and help protect the land around it from even more devastation.

NEWS

MVLSUN.COM | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN

On some assignments her team is able to stay in a nearby town, but on other fires, such as how she spent much of June and July, she is in her little pup tent each night in a

pop-up town of firefighters who have all come to put their lives on the line to protect the forest and the people who live nearby.

I get asked all the time, “Don’t you worry about her?”

Of course I do. But this is her passion and I know she has been trained for all kinds of situations. I know that she has always been dedicated to whatever she puts her mind to. I know that she will give it her all and that she will be there to protect the other people on her crew.

At the end of June, three firefighters died and two were injured in the Knowles Fire along the Colorado/Utah border. Sadie arrived in Colorado to work on a fire nearby just after that. It was a sobering time for her and her crew. The fire doesn’t stop just because everyone is in mourning.

Last year a woman that she had worked with on her very first fire was killed by a tree that came down on her.

And so, when the smoke from far away fires filled the skies of Iowa last week, I was grateful that we weren’t in any imminent danger. But I was reminded of my Sadie and so many other wild lands fire fighters who put their lives on the line to hold the line and contain these fires to protect the forests and all those who live nearby. The smoke is the only evidence we see of the horror they face for others.

MV citizen running for House District 83 seat Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | 5

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Mount Vernon resident Mike Bergman has announced plans to run for the House District 83 seat on the Democrat side of the ticket.

Bergman, a 20 year resident of Mount Vernon, said seeing Rep. Cindy Golding running potentially unopposed as well as a few key issues pushed him to throw his hat in the ring.

“I’ve just seen a lot of crazy bills come out of Des Moines in the past few years,” Bergman said. “When it appeared that Golding might run unopposed, that didn’t sit well with me.”

Key issues in the election for Bergman include school funding. Bergman said that the education savings accounts are one of the worst pieces of legislation he’s ever seen.

“There’s no means test for the funding, and no strings attached to the dollars,” Bergman said. “With any other Supreme Court, this law would have been found unconstitutional.”

Another recent bill that was passed that Bergman cited as why he was running, was a bill that would have prevented local municipalities for setting wages higher than $7.25.

Bergman also views the establishment of the Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa, as well as requiring students to take six credits from the institution as an issue.

Finally, the refusal by the legislature at the end of the session to fund water quality monitors is an issue.

“Especially when the legislature made such a big deal of throwing a lot of money at the issue, but to not then spend $300,000 on the sensor system is a mistake,” Bergman said. “We need to collect data on the nitrate levels in

Painting • Drywall • Siding Tile Floors • Tuckpointing • Decks • Replacement Windows Prefinished Hardwood Floors • Flat Roofs • Roofs Bath & Kitchen Remodel • Repairs • Insured

Nathan Countryman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Mike Bergman of Mount Vernon (right) visits with those interested in his campaign Friday, July 17.

our water. Funding the sensor system was the right thing to do, it was cheap and it was a popular decision. Why that did not get approval at the end of the session is mind-boggling.”

Bergman spent 26 years in the Air Force, retiring as a colonel in 2006. In the Armed Forces, his primary duty was managing the development and fielding on new systems. He also spent three years in the Pentagon, working on budget issues.

He has served as a mediator for the

Sixth Judicial District.

Bergman currently owns and manages 330 acres of Linn County farmland, those crops including tillable ground planted to native prairie.

He’s a lifetime member of Pheasants Forever, a member of Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and a supporter of Linn County Conservation.

Bergman is also a lifetime hunter, fisherman, canoeist and motorcycle rider, as well as a private pilot for the past 15 years.

MV CITY COUNCIL BRIEFS

EMS election setting for Sept. 1 Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

on the matter within 60 days, putting the special election for the EMS nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com district for the first Tuesday in September (Sept. 1).

And then there was one entity left The Linn County Board of Superto set the election date for Lisbon visors are the last entity that needs and Mount Vernon Ambulance Ser- to approve the engineer’s report and vice’s EMS district. set a public election date.

The City of Mount Vernon At the election, Lisbon-Mount approved the engineer’s report and Vernon Ambulance Service director election date for the matter, join- Jacob Lindauer said that aside from ing the City of Lisbon and Johnson approving the establishment of the County Board of Supervisors. district, voters will also be approvBy approving the engineer’s ing three of the trustees for the new report, an election has to be held district.

Mount Vernon approved a receipt of grant monies from Firehouse Subs to benefit the Mount Vernon Fire Department for some AED equipment purchase.

City administrator Chris Nosbisch explained that the fire department had received this grant for the third fiscal quarter from the sub sales of the business.

“They have been an excellent corporate sponsor to fire houses in the past,” Nosbisch said.

The council also approved a security camera at the Mount Vernon Visitor’s Center tied to the same system used at city hall, LBC and police station, in light of incidents near the center. The cost of the camera is not to exceed $3,200.

CALENDAR & PUZZLES

6 | THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

MOUNT VERNON

CHURCHES

St. Paul Lutheran Church L.C.M.S. 600 Fifth Avenue South Pastor: Rev. Sean Hansen www.splcmv.org; send e-mail to info@splcmv.org Sun.: 9:30 a.m. In-person worship Please refer to our website or contact the church directly for additional worship information.

First Presbyterian Church 301 1st St. N.W. www.firstpresmv.com 319-895-6060 Pastor: Rev. Lori Wunder Sun.: 9:30 a.m. in-person worship.

Online services stream beginning at 9:20 a.m. on Facebook St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Rev. Andrew Awotwe-Mensah, parish priest Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Justus Hallam, Bishop Meeting at: 4300 Trailridge Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids Sun.: 11:30 a.m. in person services. Also an option for digital worship services.

United Methodist Church Pastor Vicki Fisher www.umcmv.com An LGBTQ affirming congregation June worship times: 8:30 Praise, 10:15 Traditional July worship time: 9:30 All Worship August worship times: 8:30 Praise, 10:15 Traditional No Sunday School: June, July, August Follow our Facebook page.

Community Bible Church 940 W. Mount Vernon Rd. www.mvcbc.org, 895-6269 Teaching Pastor Brandon Glaza Discipleship Pastor Dennis Fulkerson Youth Pastor Lonnie Speidel Sun.: 9:30 a.m. In-Person Worship Service Wed. - 6 p.m. Encounter and Youth Group Linn Grove Presbyterian 2000 Linn Grove Rd., Mt. Vernon Sun: 9 a.m. in-person worship, also, weekly readings, prayers and sermons are posted on the church’s Facebook page.

Baha’i Faith Nina Scott, Group Secretary, 319-270-9230

Seeds of Faith Lutheran Church, ELCA 798 Brenneman Lane, 455-2599 (Off Hwy. 30 on eastern edge of Lisbon) www.seedsoffaithlutheran.org/ Pastor Erika Uthe 9 a.m. — In-person worship. Services also livestream via Seeds’ Facebook Page.

BERTRAM United Methodist Church 319-365-8077 Rev. Jay Admundson, Pastor Sun.: 10:30 a.m. — In-person worship service

MARTELLE Christian Church Sun.: 10:30 a.m. — in person worship service Services also stream online at Martelle Christian Church’s YouTube page.

United Methodist Church Sun.: 10:30 a.m. Worship service.

No Sunday school.

SPRINGVILLE United Methodist Church Sun.: 9 a.m. Worship service.

Wed.: 6:30 p.m. Praise service Faith Christian Fellowship Pastor Joseph Bielema Sun.: 9:30 a.m. worship at Springville Memorial Library, in the Buresh Room (264 Broadway Street) St. Isidore Catholic Church Sat.: 6 p.m. Mass

MECHANICSVILLE Living Hope Bible Church Mechanicsville Memorial Building First Presbyterian Church 408 E. First Street.

Christian Community Church of Mechanicsville 307 East First Street 563-432-7716 Sun: Sunday School 10-11am and in-person Worship Services at 11:15am with Fellowship to follow.

LISBON

St. Mary’s Catholic Church Pastor: Father James Flattery Thurs.: 8:30 a.m. — mass Sun.: 8 a.m. Mass

Living Hope Global Methodist Church 200 E. Market St., 455-2000 livinghopegmc.org Pastor Andrew Bee

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Thursday, July 30

Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m.

Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.

SELCC Summer meals, SELCC in Lisbon, noon to 1 p.m.

Summer movie at Lisbon Public Library “Zootopia,” Lisbon Public Library, 1 p.m.

Bingo, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10-11:30 a.m.

Linn Lunch Bunch, Southeast Linn Community Center, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

SELCC Summer meals, First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon, noon to 1 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 1

Rhubarb Botanicals farm store, Rhubarb Botanicals farm, 9 a.m. to noon Write together, Lisbon Public Library, 10 a.m.

Monday, Aug. 3

Bingo, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10-11:30 a.m.

Linn Lunch Bunch, Southeast Linn Community Center, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

SELCC Summer meals, Mount Vernon UMC, noon to 1 p.m.

Dog Tales, Lisbon Public Library, 4 p.m.

Mount Vernon City Council, Mount Vernon City Hall, 6:30 p.m.

Edited by Will Shortz No. 0625

Services live streamed at Living Hope Global Methodist Church’s YouTube page Sundays at 9:45 a.m.

Sun.: 9:45 a.m. — In-person worship.

CrossLife Community Church Pastor Erik Bennett Sun.: 10:30 a.m. – In-person worship service. Services also livestream on Facebook page.

Friday, July 31

MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM

Summer activity in Lisbon’s Heritage Hall “Linn County Master Gardeners,” Lisbon Heritage Hall, 1-3 p.m.

Yarn Squad, Cornell College Cole Library, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 5

SELCC Summer meals, SELCC in Lisbon and First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon, noon to 1 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 6

Story Time, Cornell College Cole Library Browsing Room, 9:30 a.m.

Fiber Friends, Southeast Linn Community Center, 10:30 a.m.

SELCC Summer meals, SELCC in Lisbon, noon to 1 p.m.

Summer movie at Lisbon Public Library “Zootopia 2,” Lisbon Public Library, 1 p.m.

Across

1 Some terminals 7 Gamer’s state of invincibility enabled by a cheat code 14 Listens to, as a radio station 16 Achieves success for the first time 17 *They may result in people wrongly being sent to jail 18 *Bonny young girl 19 Spanner of 11 time zones 20 Klondike territory 22 Copacabana locale 23 *Exercise experts 26 Bit of improv 28 One end of a playground “telephone” 30 Wish for a romantic pairing between, in modern lingo 33 “Thor: Ragnarok” actress Thompson 35 *Advocate of women’s equality 38 Tower in the water 39 Hi-fi spinners 41 Ewe said it!

42 School org.

43 *“Let’s pick up the pace!”

46 Preschooler’s wheels 48 Trivia contest venues 49 Restaurant icon McDonald 51 Breakfast that may be prepared overnight 54 *Some online courses 58 “The Matrix” character 60 N.C.A.A. basketball powerhouse, informally 62 Cantina freebie 63 & 65 Market no-no … or a hint to entering the answers to the starred clues 68 Simply taboo 69 Melted adhesive 70 Categorizes 71 Removes a curse?

Down

1 Up 2 Front-line hero during the 2020

pandemic 3 “We’re live!” studio sign 4 Goes 5 Spanish pronoun 6 The Science Kid, in children’s television 7 Get an eyeful 8 Some McFlurry ingredients 9 Knocked back a few 10 Bad start?

11 Analyze excessively 12 Slicer’s place 13 ExxonMobil brand 15 “Bye Bye Bye” boy band 21 Falcons’ grp.

24 Congressional divide 25 Like purchases made while playing freemium games 27 Distinctive doctrine 29 Point of writing 31 “So that’s how it is” 32 Organizer of an after-school event, in brief 33 You might go on tiptoe in this 34 Consequences of compliments 36 Sharansky who wrote the memoir “Fear No Evil” 37 Country rocker Steve with the album “Exit 0” 38 Medicinal amt.

40 Paul McCartney, for one 44 Org. that hires cryptanalysts 45 Minor municipality 47 Conventioneer’s passport 50 First grade of high school, typically 52 Old royal house 53 Lilac, e.g.

55 Twinkle-toed 56 Preceding time 57 Solomonic figures 58 1492 caravel 59 Grandson of Eve 61 Get a lode of these!

64 Words sealed with a kiss 66 ___ blind 67 W.N.B.A.’s Dream, on scoreboards

SUDOKU To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.

Tuesday, Aug. 4

SELCC Summer meals, SELCC in Lisbon, noon to 1 p.m.

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS ON PAGE 2

MVLSUN.COM | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN

RECORDS

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | 7

MVLCT presents “Defying Gravity”

Cole Corner

Nathan Countryman Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Cathy Boggs Cole Library

nathan.countryman@mvlsun.com

Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Theatre will be presenting the play “Defying Gravity” Friday, Aug. 7, Saturday, Aug. 8, Friday, Aug. 14 and Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 9, at 2 p.m. at First Street Community Center Theatre. Tickets are available now at mvlct.com.

Following each Friday evening’s performance will be an opportunity to have a talk back about the production.

The play, written by Jane Anderson, interweaves the past with the present and the lives of participants and bystanders, drawing parallels among painter Claude Monet’s artistic quest, the zest of the teacher selected to the first civilian astronaut, the perspectives of her grieving daughter, the aspirations of elderly tourists who drive their Winnebago to Florida to watch the space shot and dream of hotels in space, the guilt felt by a NASA mechanic, and his girlfriend’s fear of heights.

Director Kami Zbanek-Hill said she read this play years ago and fell in love with the script.

“For me, directing is usually script specific,” ZbanekHill said. “People can pitch different shows to me, and I will usually turn them down unless the script resonated with me. When I read ’Defying Gravity’ I felt the script was definitely meant for me. I’d done enough work with Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Theatre that I knew this would be a good fit for them as well.”

Zbanek-Hill pitched the script a few different times, and it was on the schedule to be produced in 2020. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

With the 40th Anniversary of the Challenger explosion this year, it felt like this was the correct year to do the show.

Zbanek-Hill said that she has loved working with this cast and the human flourishes they each bring to their characters.

“It’s so great watching people connect with something in the work and bring about something organically in a character that I couldn’t get them to do via directing,” Zbanek-Hill said.

If there is a challenge for Zbanek-Hill, it is honoring the six who died in the explosion.

“I want to do right by the folks that this piece is portraying,” Zbanek-Hill said. “I want our representation of them to be as empathetic and heartfelt as possible and not exploitative.”

Christine Enderle plays Betty in the production, her first role with MVLCT. “I recently did a show with John and Kami in Coralville,” Enderle said. “I read this script, and thought it was awesome.”

Enderle said she has loved the process of bringing this show to life with this set of actors.

If there’s any challenges, it is just learning the lines she has.

Enderle grew up in Iowa, and has recently returned to the area and getting back into theater.

Courtenay Baker plays the role of teacher in the production.

“I auditioned for this show because the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion was a touchstone in my life and generation,” Baker said. “It’s a unique show in how it looks at the impact of that moment in a different way.”

Baker has enjoyed being on stage, especially with this cast to help tell this story.

Sam Nester is returning to MVLCT for this production as CB. “I read the script and thought it was a really great story,” Nester said.

Nester said he hasn’t done a lot of plays, and so this gave him something to stretch his acting abilities.

“I love this supportive group of people I get to work with in this show as well,” Nester said.

His challenges have been the science elements in the script.

“I’m not as science minded, so it’s taken some work to spout that dialogue off convincingly,” Nester said.

Emily Irwin plays Elizabeth in the show.

Irwin said she read the script with the MVLCT board and liked how it balanced the emotion and characters.

“I loved seeing the way it interweaves these four different stories and how they come together,” Irwin said.

One of her challenges as an actress is she is playing the role of Elizabeth both as a 5-year-old and as a 25-year-old.

“That challenge of how much of the childlike influence do you keep, and how have the 20 years changed that experience for Elizabeth,” Irwin said. “How do you feel differently about some things in that span of time?”

“At the play’s core, it is a story about a huge news story that keeps the mind that these are real people and real families involved in the event,” Zbanek-Hill

Story times continues year round at Cole Library

Mehrdad Zarifkar contributed photo

Monet (Jennifer Smith), teacher (Courtenay Baker) and Elizabeth (Emily Irwin) in a scene from “Defying Gravity”.

said. “It’s told in an amazing way, in a heartfelt way.”

“It’s a story that makes you think, even if you didn’t see the Challenger explosion,” Irwin said. “It will make you reflect on something similar that has happened in your life and reflect back on that impact.”

“You should come see this because it’s a really good show,” Nester said. “It embraces the impact of the Challenger tragedy, while highlighting the courage to pursue what you want to do.”

“It’s a really interesting look at a piece of history,” Baker said. “It explores the topic from an outer space viewpoint. It’s also a PG-13 level show and a 90 minute show, so you can see it and still have time in your evening to do other things.”

Summer Reading ends this week - Story Time does not. Story Time is a program that Cole Library offers year round on Thursday mornings at 9:30 a.m. The Story Time program lasts about half an hour and includes three stories, each followed by a song or finger play, and ends with a simple arts and crafts activity. Behind the scenes, I have spent time looking at the pieces of early literacy – print motivation, print awareness, narrative skills, vocabulary, and phonological awareness – and put together a theme with books that strengthen these skills for participants.

Then I add a dash of fun and a touch of silliness, and story time is ready!

If your child is in a day care setting and unable to attend Story Time, we do offer a monthly Book Buddies program.

Book Buddies is a free library delivery service to in-home day care providers within the city limits of Mount Vernon.

To sign up for Book Buddies or learn more about it, email me at cboggs@cornellcollege.edu.

For children unable to attend story time we also offer Story Time to Go bags. Story Time to Go follows the Story Time format used in the library. Each bag includes three books, two songs or finger plays, and a simple craft. For the craft, we will provide everything but scissors, glue, or tape. The Story Time to Go Bags are located on the first floor near the Book Sale Shelf. They are not in the Children’s Room but clearly marked and easy to spot.

I hope to see our preschool patrons at Story Time or at their day care when I drop off books. The first three years of listening to stories, playing with books, and learning new words are truly the building blocks for language and literacy development – not to mention great fun!

Thursday, July 30: 8am-4pm Friday, July 31: 8am-4pm Saturday, August 1: 10am-2pm Sunday, August 2: Closed Monday, August 3: 8am-8pm Tuesday, August 4: 8am-8pm Wednesday, August 5: 8am-4pm Thursday, August 6: 8am-4pm

Monday: 9:00 - 5:00 (Lunch: noon - 1:00) Tuesday: 1:00 - 5:00 Wednesday: 9:00 - 5:00 (lunch noon-1) Thursday: 1:00 - 7:00, Friday: 1:00 - 5:00 Saturday: 10:00 - 1:00, Sunday: Closed

Happy 90th Birthday!

SPORTS

8 | THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN

MVLSUNCOM

MV SOFTBALL

Mustangs bow out in semifinal at state Williamsburg rallies for two wins against MV Ryan Suchomel Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun ryan.suchomel@mvlsun.com

Scoring six runs to rally past PCM at the Class 3A State Tournament. That's so Mount Vernon.

"That is just what we do," Mount Vernon coach Robin Brand said. "We are tough from top to bottom in the lineup."

But bouncing back from a loss to knock the Mustangs out of the same tournament. Well, that's so Williamsburg.

Unfortunately.

The Raiders derailed the Mustangs with two wins, 6-0 and 9-1, on Wednesday, July 22. But then No. 1 Williamsburg was denied its fourth straight 3A title on Friday, July 24, when No. 2 Dubuque Wahlert beat them 13-6 in the 3A championship.

It was almost a much earlier exit for No. 4 Mount Vernon (35-9).

Fourth seed and fourth-ranked PCM and their pitcher, Libby Winters, had a 3-hit shutout through five innings in a 3A first-round game Monday, July 20, at Rogers Softball Complex in Fort Dodge.

And in the top of the sixth inning, Winters hit a two-run home run to right field to put PCM on top, 2-0.

"They did not let the game get too big," Brand said. "They trusted in the process and each other."

Winters arrived in Fort Dodge with a 0.00 ERA. And she was as hot as the July temperatures early on.

"We knew she was good," junior Hayden Gookin said. "Honestly, I wasn't too nervous. I knew we'd get on her at some point."

With one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, Gookin started things off with a base on balls. Then Brynlee Bettcher had a single to right center.

"Us sharing in those big moments help us get motivated to come together as a team, one connected team," Bettcher said.

"We can get those runs in one at a time."

Kinley Nissen tied the game up with a flare down the first-base line that hit fair and spun foul. Two runs scored on Nissen's double.

After Winters walked Rylee Rasmussen, PCM changed pitchers, bringing in Camden Webb. But Webb walked the next two hitters — Carly Elliott and Annebelle Smith — with Smith recording the go-ahead RBI. After an RBI ground out by No. 9 hitter Sorell Telecky, leadoff hitter Sophia Patten hit a high chopper for an infield hit and another RBI. Six runs in, no massive bombs, just a lot of bloops and blurps.

"That's just kind of how we are," Gookin said. "We were so close to putting good at-bats together. I think Brynlee getting that first hit and Kinley putting it the perfect spot ... I think that got everybody going. We knew we were on her.

"We are a power-hitting team, but we don't need home runs to win games."

Brand had seen it all year.

"Any of the girls can get something started, they really can," Brand said.

"They can just do incredible things. We're gamers. We're ready to play."

With a four-run lead, Gookin then slammed the door on any PCM comeback, retiring the side in the top of the seventh inning. She had one strikeout, and Mount Vernon left fielder Annabelle Smith made the other two outs.

In total, Smith had six putouts in the game, including a diving catch in the fifth inning.

"Annabelle did an incredible job," Brand said. "I asked 'did you keep your eyes open?' She told me, 'the whole way, coach.'"

Gookin got the pitching win, striking out four and sweating it out on the mound.

"It was definitely hot," Gookin said.

"The 3-minute breaks were pretty crucial.

In the bottom of the fourth, when the bases were loaded ... I was gassed. It was hot. But it was hot for everybody."

Gookin got out of that jam by forcing a pop up.

Mount Vernon's momentum carried over the next game, the next day, when the Mustangs beat Williamsburg, 5-4.

Bettcher had a solo home run in the second inning, and plated another run on a Raider error in the fifth inning. Rylee Rasmussen had a big two-run double, also in the fifth, to make it 5-1.

Williamsburg chipped away at that lead and had the tying run on in both the sixth and seventh innings. Gookin struck out Braylee Plotz with the tying run on third base to end the game.

But Williamsburg bounced back with a 4-2 win over PCM on Tuesday night in the new double-elimination format. That set up a rematch with Mount Vernon on Wednesday, July 22.

Williamsburg No. 2 pitcher Kaylin Becker limited the Mustangs to just four hits and one walk. Williamsburg won, 6-0.

But, since it was double-elimination, the Raiders had to win twice. The two teams met a few hours later, and Williamsburg won, 9-1, in five innings.

The Raiders started Becker again, who gave up just three hits and one run, a solo home run by Gookin. Jersey Metz pitched the final two innings.

Wahlert, which didn't have to play an extra game, rolled in the championship.

Gookin and Nissen were named to the Class 3A All-Tournament team. Winters was picked for PCM and Sanchez, Harper Meyers, Metz and Ava Hocker made it for Williamsburg. Wahlert had Julia Roth, Ruth Tabuer, and captain Natalie Ruba.

Van Meter had Aniston Netten.

The good news for Mount Vernon is that everybody returns, except for senior second baseman Carly Elliott.

And the Mustang girls have a recent history of coming close the year before, then winning it the next go-round.

They've done that in the last few years in volleyball, basketball and track.

"For a team that hasn't been here, you wouldn't know it," Brand said after the PCM win.

PCM 000 002 0 -- 2 3 3 Mount Vernon 000 006 x -- 6 6 2 Libby Winters, Camden Webb (6) and Ryan DeVore; Hayden Gookin and Brynlee Bettcher. W - Gookin. L - Winters.

2B - Libby Winters (PCM), Kinley Nissen (MV). HR - Libby Winters (PCM).

Photos by Breck Goodman | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Top: Mount Vernon’s Kinley Nissen was named player of the game and celebrates the Mustangs’ advancement after the 6-2 win in the first round of the State Softball tournament against PCM on July 20.

Above: Mount Vernon’s Kinley Nissen makes contact while at bat in the 6-2 win in the first round of the State Softball tournament against PCM on July 20.

Top left: Mount Vernon’s Hayden Gookin and Brynlee Bettcher embrace after the 6-2 win in the first round of the State Softball tournament against PCM on July 20.

Bottom left: Mount Vernon second baseman Carly Elliot throws to first after getting the out at second. Pershing throws to first, forcing a double play in the 6-2 win in the first round of the State Softball tournament against PCM on July 20.

MVLSUN.COM | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN

SUMMER SPORTS CONGRATS

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | 9

MOUNT VERNON & LISBON s n o i t a l u t a r g n o C SUMMER 2026

PARKS AND REC BALL TEAMS

LISBON INTRO TO T-BALL RED

Members of the Red team include: (front) Oliver Dirks, Gunnar Taylor, Leonard Sutton (middle) James Blythe, Brantley Ortmann, Maddox Woodward, Weston Larson (back) coach Connor Woodward, Jayla Donaldson, Charlotte Jubeck, Penelope Boddicker and coach McKenna Woodward.

LISBON T-BALL RED

Members of the Red team include: (front) Eve Light, Vada Robertson, Maeve Blood, (middle) Gage Greiner, Tucker Simpson, Andrew O’Neill, Abner Light (back) coach Chris Robertson, Brody Boyd, Henry Brus and coach Nick Brus.

LISBON T-BALL GREEN

Members of the Green team include: (front) Dane Elrod, Wyatt Miller, Grayson Miller, (middle) Dorothy Blythe, Elliott Slaton, Colt Applegate, (back) coach Brittany Elrod, Callan Roe, Agnes Poduska, Chase Stricker, Lachlan Flory and coach Tracy Flory.

Congratulations

O D

MOUNT VERNON EYE CLINIC

LISBON INTRO TO T-BALL BLUE

Members of the Blue team include: (front) Whalen Bedell, Zoe Knight, Eli O’Rourke, Bergen Pruess, Corbin Kohout (middle) Gillious Weber, Leon Graver, Isaac Ratliff, Marshall Funke (back) coach Levi Montague, Marshall Montague, Julie Beck and coach Matt O’Rourke.

LISBON T-BALL BLUE

Members of the Blue team include: (front) Cole Shanahan, Blakely Wieneke, Nicholas Johnson, (middle) Lane Macke, Grayson Lakey (back) coach Kyle Sporrer, Parker Shanahan and Harrison Sporrer.

MV T-BALL YANKEES

Members of the Yankees team include: Winry Broulik, Ellie Drees, Leo Drees, Truett Durgin, Lula Everitt, Philip Hankemeier, Evan Smith, Conner Wall, Witten Hanselman and head coach Steve Hankemeier.

LISBON INTRO TO T-BALL GREEN

Members of the Green team include: (front) Beau Reisner, Luke Kruse, Kolson Moore, Chloe Hook, Silas Hansen, (middle) Cash Boyd, Hudson Mann, Kallen Tucker (back) coach Hunter Mann, Ansh Chaudhari, Jorie Blink and coach Anthony Kruse.

LISBON T-BALL GRAY

Members of the Gray team include: (front) Mariah Thompson, Arlene Cox, Connelly Olsen, (middle) Cohen O’Connor, Dillon Atkins, (back) coach Makayla Kamberling, Wade Wendler, CJ Schwennen and Gunnar Montgomery.

MV T-BALL ATHLETICS

TMembers of the Athletics team include: Emmy Austin, Nash Hepker, Dakota Hoy, Theodore Kray, Maggie Stineman, Kolton Swaim, Boone Takes, Lillian Wirth and head coach Mike Kray.

CONGRATS

TO THE SUMMER 2026 PARKS & REC BALL TEAMS ON A FANTASTIC SEASON

SUMMER SPORTS CONGRATS

10 | THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

MV T-BALL PIRATES

Members of the Pirates team include Kennedy Abel, Shane Becklund, Mya Borrison, Josephine Jones, Macallister Jones, Harrison Kraus, Tatem Schmit, River Vozenilek, Matilda Dietert and head coach Joel Becklund.

MV T-BALL RED SOX

Members of the Red Sox team include: Liliana Alger, Mikki Alger, Quinn Alger, Finnegan McGuire, Henrik Rasmussen, Zaidyn Tharp, Nora Wheeler, Arlo Holmquist, Amirah Holmquist and head coach Derrick Alger.

MV T-BALL PHILLIES

Members of the team include Emmett Anderson, Avalyn Axtell, Ella Clark, Gunnar Greene, Wyatt Kirby, Kainslee Rawson, Konyx Rawson, Sammuel Zenisek, Leo Jamshidi and head coach Ashley Axtell.

MV COACH PITCH LIME LIZARDS

Members of the Lime Lizards team include: Iris Everitt, Willow Fitzpatrick, K.J. Hach, Natalie Hines, Ellie Mitchell, Ava Olsen, Matilda Pickett, Zella Ridgway, Hayden Ryan, Riley Vozenilek and head coach Jess Fitzpatrick.

MV COACH PITCH PINK PONIES

Members of the Pink Ponies team include: Emery Desaulty, Maggie Eastburn, Laiklyn Farrington, Amiah Gilmore, Rory Kerr, Adeline Laborde, Emerson Miller, Alivia Osborn, Parker Rouse, McKenna Wall and head coach D Eastburn.

MV T-BALL ROCKIES

Members of the Rockies team include: Cora Craig, Colson Farrington, Miranda Hines, Maverick Latta, Iliza Schinstock, Eli Stevens, Rys Trumpold, Henry Wolter, Leroy Tuthill and head coach Jake Craig.

MV T-BALL GIANTS

Members of the Giants team include: Donald Arnold, Grace Gleesner, Elias Herb, Emalyn Hotchkin, Charlotte Koser, Jack Shanahan, Norah Shanahan and head coach Nick Shanahan.

MV T-BALL BLUE JAYS

Members of the Blue Jays team include: Harvey Kerr, John Laborde, Laine Lapel, Mike Ridgway, Stevie Ridgway, Jasper Rolling, Sadiee Suthers, Commander Younggreen and head coach Clark Younggreen.

MV COACH PITCH GREY

MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM

MV T-BALL MARINERS

Members of the Mariners team include: Hallie Brannaman, Franklin Dickie, Colton Giomo, Matilda Hartzler, Sam Mitchell, Amelia Rowe, Ike Tuetken, Matt Wieland and head coach Megan Tuetken.

MV T-BALL DODGERS

Members of the Dodgers team include: Rose Brehm, Billy Dengler, Charlotte Hall, Maren Kenyon, Zayla Logue, Jonah Stelken, Nolan Stelken, Pierce Olsen Virlee and head coach John Brehm.

LISBON COACH PITCH BOYS’ BLUE

Members of the Blue team include: (front) Ben Lansing, Jovi Reinhardt, Alex Gutierrez, Max Duwa, Colton Lenz, (middle) Carter Halemeyer, Averie Blinks, Hank Davis, Jude Lansing, Carson Kruse, Noah Maschmann, (back) coach Dustin Lenz and coach Anthony Kruse.

MV COACH PITCH MAROON MUSTANGS

Members of the Grey team include: Evelyn Dye, Eleanor Hankemeier, Maisel Jordan, Fiona Kirby, Naomi Reasland, Brooklyn Stafford, Kailyn Swaim, Izzabella Woodland, Denali Woolley-Hallam and head coach Steve Hankemeier.

Members of the Mustangs team include: Madelyn Alger, Annie Craig, Josie Doolady, Evelyn Hall, Josie Henik, Reagan Moore, Brynn Paysen, Florence Reinken, Mya Taylor, Ingrid Virlee and head coach Jake Craig.

MV COACH PITCH GREY

LISBON COACH PITCH GIRLS’ RED

Members of the team include: Bennett Arnold, James Crump, Sutton Guerber, Members of the Red team include: Isabella Hoeppner, Maesyn Ties, Hazel Greiner, Ellie Zacceri Lees, Jude McElroy, Preston Randel, Maverick Tuthill, Anderson Unser, Sutton, Emma McKendreee (back) Paisley Sutton, Abigail Bauer, coach Bre Ties, Quinn Colton Vavricek, Elliott Weber, Nate Wieland and head coach Marcy McElroy.

Gavin, Kohyn Carstensen and Gabi Gutierrez.

MVLSUN.COM | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN

SUMMER SPORTS CONGRATS

MV COACH PITCH MAROON

LISBON COACH PITCH GIRLS’ BLUE

Members of the team include Grayson Arnold, Eliet Gemmell-Biondo, Leo Calcara, Members of the Blue team include: Jolee Donaldson, Brynlee Houlsworth, Ellie Ryan Drumeller, Judd Lane, Abel Lewis-Furrow, Kolby Marks, Marlowe Pickett, Rundle, Josey Halemeyer, (back) Emma Sconyers, coach Jared Donaldson, Layla Dutch Reinken, Calen Schwiebert, Colt Vandenberg, Grant Wirth and head coach Kleinmeyer, Aaral Chaudhari, coach Jehri Donaldson and Autumn O’Neill.

Daniel Drumeller.

MV COACH PITCH BLUE

Members of the team include Colter Biery, Deacon Doyle, Cliff Drees, Weston Harms, Abraham Koth, Hayes Krapfl, Leo Nichols, Jax Petersen, Caleb Smith, Beau Stamp, Holden Wolter and head coach Kyle Koth.

MV 3-4 GREY WOLVES

Members of the Grey team include: Evelyn Brennan, Nora Brennan, River Douglas, Daryn Drumeller, Felicity Frost, Dakota Hyke, Emmy Jubeck, Allison Lass, Lily Olen, Abigail Ratliff, Josie Salier, Everlee Shook, Sterling Staab, Dawsyn Techau and coaches Jackie Drumeller, Elissa Frost and Michael Douglas.

8U LISBON LAZERS

Members of the Lisbon Lazer 8U team include: (front) Levi King, Teddy Nelson, Cole Porter, (middle) Griffin Olsen, Mason O’Connor, Owen Haas, Titus Weber, (back) Briggs Black, Grant Larson, Cole Salier, Ben Gogel and Camden Kirkpatrick.

MV 3-4 BASEBALL MAROON

Members of the Maroon team include: Beau Berner, Harrison Carver, Miles Duwa, Ryker Hartman, Finnegan Holub, Harrison Hoy, Leonard Jordan, Brian Kapurch, Jr., Charlie Mizer, Eli Owen, Bryson Patterson, Grayson Reyna, Roland Schinstock, Wesson Schminke, Oscar Stockman, Joey Wieland and coaches Tony Schinstock and Jackie Stockman.

MV 5-6 MAROON MUSTANGS

Members of the Maroon team include: Dylan Berner, Charlie Cechota, Kamdin Coleman, Eli Davis, Lincoln Glaister-Wentworth, Liem Hebl, Theodore Lobermeier, Jacob Ratliff, Parker Schminke, Barrett Suckow, Rhys Suckow, Ryne Utley and coaches CJ Schminke, Lori Leeman and Bob Hebl.

9U LISBON LAZERS

Members of the Lisbon Lazer 9U team include: (front) Vyn Gibson, Wyatt Nielsen, Ethan Coppess, Theo Logan, Everett Schlotterbeck, Will Parpart, (back) Kyson Carstensen, Eli Kamerling, Ethan Pfab, Jett Meeks, Axel Jamison and Noah Robertson.

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | 11

LISBON COACH PITCH BOYS’ RED

Members of the Red team include: (front) Ethan Ratliff, Lincoln Owen, Odin Brokal, Atlas Wieseler, (middle) Lucas Cox, Connor Simpson, Gavin Light, Briggs Wallace, Wes Wendler, Reeson Farrell, (back) coach Ryan Wieseler and coach Brian Farrell.

MV 3-4 BASEBALL GRAY TWISTERS

Members of the Twisters team include: Henry Alger, Matthew Avila, Sawyer Brennan, Charles Howell, Hector Klaus, Myles Leeman, Zander Leeman, Jase Loper, Mathias Melichar, Beckett Mosier, Avery Nost, Isaac Reed, Andrew Silver, Liam Studt, Samuel Tuthill, Will Utley and head coach William Tuthill.

7U LISBON LAZERS

Members of the Lisbon Lazer 7U team include: (front) Cash Dains, Quentyn Wiegel, Ranger Jamison, Gunnar Sawyer, Rocco Jamison, (middle) George Taylor, Easton Logan, Bower Brokel, Crew Horman, Conway Montague, Brody Sawyer, (back) coach Chris Taylor, coach John Logan, coach Jesse Jamison.

10U LISBON LAZERS

Members of the Lisbon Lazer 10U team include: (front) Truett Ripke, Ty Siggins, Ryker Hall, Beau Baker, Koby Clark, (middle) Finn Welsh, Nolan Blanchard, (back) Rodes Krall, Will Feaker, Axl Bagby, Koye Kahl and Paxton Horman.

12U LISBON LAZERS

11U LISBON LAZERS RED TEAM

Members of the Lisbon Lazer 11U Red team include: (front) Walker Smith, Sawyer Edwards, Mason Brus, Noah Brus, Tanner Nelson, Montana Mayhew, (back) Aaron Siegle, Wyatt Sedenka, Damon Phillips, Elijah Bogges and Nolan Wolfe.

11U LISBON LAZERS BLACK TEAM

Members of the Lisbon Lazer 11U Black team include: (front) Andy Ebert, Micah Robertson, Parker Davis, Easton Kamerling, Teddy Mitchell, (back) Jace Czarnecki, Will Mollenhauer, Beckam Horman, Gabe Resor and Maverick Jamison.

Members of the Lisbon Lazer 12U team include: (front) Jackson Gavin, Braxton Jones, Henrik Ripke, Levi King, Cole Halemeyer, Andrew Reed, Liam Johnson, (middle) Carter Kimbrough, Oliver Broulik, Kaden Porter, Remington Sedenka, Colton Williams, Colton Bedell, Lincoln King (back) coach DeWayne Gail, coach Trey Sedenka, coach Ryan Johnson, coach Kevin Halemeyer, and coach Troy King.

SUMMER SPORTS CONGRATS

12 | THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026

8U LISBON FIRE RED TEAM

Members of the Lisbon Fire 8U red team include: (front) Aurora Zerbe, Hannah Carlson, Elsie Poduska (middle) Everly Coppess, Ainsley Streit, Huxley Light, Amelia Richey, Swayzie Duecker, (back) Hollis Ripke, Kinley Leighty, Whitley Bedell and Hanna Macke.

8U LISBON FIRE BLACK TEAM

Members of the Lisbon Fire 8U black team include: (front) Sarah Siegle, Kennedy Strauch, Lux Hall (middle) Emma Kruse, Bennett Aaron, Emma Scheil, Sawyer Nielsen (back) Maeve Kingland, coach Jacob Kingland, Maddie Ties, Eden Kluver, Coach Darrell Aaron, Paislee Worby and Maddie Brannaman.

MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM

9U LISBON FIRE TEAM

Members of the Lisbon Fire 9U team include: (front) Kinsley Wieneke, Mara Englund, Amelia Swanson, (middle) Emery Brandt, Lauren Donovan, Hadley Light, Dottie Walthart, Alayna Easton, Milie Elrod, Lakelyn Gutierrez, (back) Elsie Broulik, Rosie Heimer, Carter Martin, Carolyn Donovan and Audrey Brannaman.

CONGRATS! 11U LISBON FIRE TEAM

Members of the Lisbon Fire 11U team include: (front) Piper Walton, Kinlee Dains, (middle) Maggie Armstrong, Collins Aaron, Emry Schlotterbeck, Amelia Mayhew, Aleighsia Houlsworth (back) coach Ashley Kruse, Elliette Kruse, Alissa Heimer, Jordyn Clark and coach Ann Streeper.

12U LISBON FIRE TEAM

Members of the Lisbon Fire 12U team include: (front) Piper Walton, Aubrey Sporrer, Kinlee Dains (middle) Bryn Ties, Bella Butteris, Heidi Von Behren, Eden Baker, Abi Kelsey, Addie Brown, Henley Light, (back) Skyler Boggess, Konner Martin, coach Nikki Sporrer, Ella Smith and Amy Macke.

Photos courtesy of CJ Studios (Lisbon) and Erin Fencl (MV)

Mount Vernon Quilting Group creates community and friendship Cadence Dighton Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun news@mvlsun.com

When the Mount Vernon Quilting Group first began over 15 years ago, they met in their homes once a month. As time went on and the group grew, they had to adapt.

Now, the group meets regularly at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Vernon on the third Wednesday of each month.

According to Marcia Hinrichs, the group has grown from being made up of only Mount Vernon and Lisbon members to drawing members from other communities like Cedar Rapids and Solon.

“We’re from everywhere, and we needed a place big enough, because at one time there were like 12 of us, and we were doing it in our homes and taking turns,” Connie Boettcher, one of the longest members of the Mount Vernon Quilting Group, said.

Commonly, the attendance of the group fluctuates. According to Boettcher, sometimes there are three members who show up, and other times there are 12.

“That’s the nice thing about the group. If you can’t make it, you can’t make it. We’ll miss you, but we’re going to keep going,” Boettcher said.

Historically, the group has worked on collective projects that get sent to places like the Iowa Donor Network or Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

According to Boettcher, “If somebody finds out that somebody’s in need, we do our best to help them out.

Fortunately, however, the group

typically works on their own projects, so if only a few people show up to a meeting, there isn’t extra work for those members.

Additionally, although it is called the Mount Vernon Quilting Group, the members are allowed to do more than just work on their quilts.

For example, members like Linda Nost and Crystal Graves showed up to work on their quilts, whereas Marcia Hinrichs was knitting.

“We say it’s quilting, but we don’t have to do that. I mean, you can just come and sit if you want to,” Hinrichs said. “It’s pretty much whatever you want to do, so it’s focused more on quilting, but not strictly.”

Hinrichs shared that in the past, the group had a member whose vision had deteriorated over time.

Despite not being able to see well enough to continue her projects, the woman’s husband drove her to and from the monthly meetings so she could still spend time with the group.

The sense of community of the Mount Vernon Quilting Group has reached the other members as well, including Geneva Marsh, one of the newest members of the group.

For Marsh, the best thing about the group is that it provides an opportunity for the members to get together once a month. Since Marsh is not originally from Iowa and does not live in Mount Vernon, the monthly meetings are the only time she gets to see the other members.

“We’re all from different walks of life. Most of them, I only see once a month, so it’s not a clique group,” Marsh said. “It’s just a great group of

people. [It’s] the only time I ever see, probably, three-fourths of them.”

Additionally, Marsh is a caretaker who tries to get out at least once a week, so the group allows her to do so.

Alongside Marsh, Hinrichs was not originally from the area either, so what she finds to be the best thing about the group is the friendship that the group has provided to her.

“I don’t come to this to figure that I’m going to get a lot done. It’s more enjoying each other’s company and enjoying the sewing and quilting that we like to do,” Hinrichs said.

For all members of the Mount Vernon Quilting Group, new and old, it is important that people who show up for the first time know that they don’t need to know everything on the first day.

Judy Dietsch didn’t have any family or friends who knew how to quilt, so when she showed up, she had to learn from everyone there.

“That’s the way quilters learn,” Dietsch said. “It was the people who were showing me what I did wrong.”

“We will help you learn. If you don’t want constructive criticism, then that’s okay too, but it’s a lot easier to learn,” Boettcher said.

The Mount Vernon Quilting Group is open to new members and invites them to visit; however, they don’t want the group to become too large.

“If somebody wants to bring a friend, that’s great. [...] It’s basically come and show up,” Boettcher said.

“We don’t want a huge group,” Hinrichs added. “We’re not wanting the whole town to show up. But if people are interested, they could come by and check it out.”

Photos by Cadence Dighton | Mount Vernon-Lisbon Sun

Top to bottom: Linda Nost works on her quilt at the monthly Mount Vernon Quilting Group meeting on July 15, 2026.

Geneva Marsh (left) helps Connie Boettcher (right) figure out how to cut fabrics at the monthly Mount Vernon Quilting Group meeting on July 15, 2026. Crystal Graves works on sewing a portion of her quilt at the monthly Mount Vernon Quilting Group meeting on July 15, 2026.

MVLSUN.COM | MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN

IowaPublicNotices.com LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA MONDAY, JULY 13, 2026 10:00 A.M. (These are the minutes in their entirety.

Archived minutes can be found at www. linncountyiowa.gov) The Board met in session at the Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center.

Present: Chairperson Running-Marquardt, Vice Chairperson Scheetz and Supervisor Meisheid. Board members voting “AYE” unless otherwise noted.

Chairperson Running-Marquardt called the meeting to order.

Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve minutes of July 6, 2026 as printed.

Sara Bearrows, Finance Dir., discussed a service agreement between Nyhart and Linn County to provide actuarial services for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, in the amount of $7,600 and for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, in the amount of $3,000. This is part of the audit process and a routine item that is done every 2 years. The Board will approve Wednesday.

Charlie Nichols, Planning & Development Dir., presented a Vacancy Form request for a full-time Residential Combination Inspector for Planning & Development. This is not a new position but rather a job change due to the specialized set of certifications needed. It is also anticipated that a current Associate Combination Inspector in his office will fill this position.

Their existing budget will be used for this position. The Board will approve Wednesday.

Lisa Epp, Asst. County Attorney, presented a 28E Agreement to Provide Morgan Creek Park, Linn County, Iowa, with Law Enforcement and Fire Department Response Services and specify the initial responding agencies when dispatching emergency services. This updated agreement is due to confusion about which agency should be dispatched to Morgan Creek Park as several agencies are involved and was requested by GIS. The Board will approve Wednesday.

Darrin Gage, Dir. of Policy & Admin., presented a Resolution Setting a Public Hearing on a Preliminary Plat and Engineer’s Report for the Lisbon - Mount Vernon Area Benefited Emergency Medical Services District. The EMS district was previously established last fall and setting a public hearing is the next step in order to hold an election. The election must be held within 60 days. The public hearing will be on August 3rd, 2026 at 10 a.m.

Supervisor Scheetz questioned other jurisdictions impacted by this new EMS district and Gage responded that others are doing a similar process for a September election.

Jake Lindauer, Service Dir. of Lisbon-Mt Vernon Ambulance, stated that he has nothing additional to add. He noted that there are other resolutions in progress for a September 1st election.

Supervisor Running-Marquardt expressed her admiration for Myrt Bowers noting that she is one of the reasons they have emergency services in Mount Vernon and throughout Linn County.

Supervisor Meisheid added that they need to press for some legislation changes regarding EMS districts and Running-Marquardt stated that she spoke to Auditor Taylor about this for the upcoming legislative session.

Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to adopt Resolution 2026-7-94 A RESOLUTION SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON A PRELIMINARY PLAT AND ENGINEER’S REPORT FOR THE LISBON – MOUNT VERNON AREA BENEFITED EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES DISTRICT WHEREAS, On October 1, 2025, the Linn County Board of Supervisors (the “Board”) received a petition requesting the establishment of a proposed emergency medical services district in parts of Bertram, Franklin, Linn, and Putnam Townships, Linn County, Iowa; and WHEREAS, The Linn County Auditor, acting in the Auditor’s capacity as county commissioner of elections pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 47, verified that the petition met the requirements of Iowa Code Section 357F.2 for a valid petition for a public hearing concerning the establishment of a proposed benefited emergency medical services district; and WHEREAS, On October 1, 2025, pursuant to Iowa Code Sections 357F.2 and 357F.4, the Board adopted Resolution No. 2025-10-144, setting the date for a public hearing concerning the establishment of a proposed benefited emergency medical services district and authorized and directed the publication of a Notice of Public Hearing; and WHEREAS, On October 29, 2025, the Board held the duly noticed public hearing and invited all interested persons to present written or oral comments concerning the establishment of the proposed benefited emergency medical services district; and WHEREAS, On November 5, 2025, the Board adopted Resolution No. 202511-171 establishing the Lisbon – Mount Vernon Area Benefited Emergency Medical Services District consisting of parts of Bertram, Franklin, Linn, and Putnam Townships, Linn County, Iowa; and WHEREAS, On November 5, 2025, the Board appointed Snyder & Associates, Inc. to prepare a preliminary plat and report in accordance with Iowa Code Section 357F.6; and WHEREAS, Pursuant to Iowa Code Section 357F.7, after the engineer’s report is filed with the Linn County Auditor’s Office, the Board shall give notice of a public hearing to be held concerning the engineer’s preliminary plat.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Linn County Board of Supervisors as follows: • The Board shall hold a public hearing on the preliminary plat and engineer’s report concerning the Lisbon – Mount Vernon area benefited emergency medical services district for parts of Bertram, Franklin, Linn, and Putnam Townships on August 3, 2026, at 10 a.m. in the Formal Board Room of the Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center, 935 2nd Street SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, at which time any person may appear and be heard on

the preliminary plat and engineer’s report as filed.

The Board hereby authorizes and directs publication of a Notice of Public Hearing as required by law.

Public Comment: Jon Lee, 2510 Sisley Grove Rd. SW, Cedar Rapids, thanked the Board for ensuring the County Attorney will be at the scheduling meeting at the Iowa Utilities Commission on July 16th.

He explained what takes place at this meeting. Lee is asking the County Attorney to ask them to hold an in-person public comment hearing in Linn County when it goes on the official record. Alliant is fighting this currently. The County Attorney should back that hearing Thursday on record and not let Alliant stop it. Public Health told him that they will be waiting to issue the air pollution permit until after the IUC approves the plant. His issue with this public process is that the decisions will already have been made. They would be following the rules and commenting on a process that is already done. The County Attorney should ask the commission to fix the order. Let the public process happen first, not after. This is not a vote they are asking them to speak for or against the plant, it’s making sure the county that already has a seat in this room, speaks up while they are there. Whether they want the plant built or not, they should still want their people’s voices heard. He asked the Board to please have their County Attorney speak up on these things.

Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve payroll authorizations (detail is available upon request).

Adjournment at 10:15 a.m.

Respectfully submitted, TODD E. TAYLOR, Linn County Auditor By: Amanda Brown, Deputy Auditor Approved by: KIRSTEN RUNNING-MARQUARDT, Chairperson Board of Supervisors Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2026, 9:00 AM (These are the minutes in their entirety.

Archived minutes can be found at www. linncountyiowa.gov) The Board met in session at the Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center.

Present Chairperson Running-Marquardt, Vice Chairperson Scheetz and Supervisor Meisheid. Board members voting “AYE” unless otherwise noted.

Chairperson Running-Marquardt called the meeting to order.

Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve the minutes of July 8 and 9 2026 as printed.

Board heard updates from the following Department Heads: Brad Ketels, County Engineer: reported on three important metrics: Bridge conditions, Pavement and responsiveness to constituents; An update on a significant void on Maple Grove Road was caused by rainfall; Supervisor Running-Marquardt discussed College Community School District bus routes on Maple and on 76th; Budget is balanced and on track, likely to include a FY27 Fall amendment; Discussion on HQ opening followed. Running-Marquardt publicly recognized the hard work of the Dustin and Kurt for their efforts on behalf of the department.

Carter Baldwin, LIFTS Dir.: Department is fully staffed; The Medicaid Waiver on Transportation had a setback despite verbal approval and will need to seek help from LCCS Dir. David Thielen to resolve; Running-Marquardt added Thielen could also help with the MCO’s for transporting vulnerable populations. Also discussed was an MOU regarding EMA and Duane Arnold Nuclear plant; Baldwin notes FEMA typically covers disaster transportation costs; Running-Marquardt encouraged collaboration with budget Director Sara Barrows, legal review then back to the BOS for approval.

Lisa Powell, Human Resources dir.: HR successfully rolled out pay increases and a new leave model in Dayforce. The latest onboarding event saw strong attendance, with the next scheduled for October 8. HR is implementing new LMS and recruiting modules. A leadership session on psychological safety is set for Thursday, with additional sessions through November.

Deferred compensation plan participation is increasing.

Cara Matteson, Sustainability Dir.: Discussed Water Monitoring & Environmental Planning; The ECICOG-led group did not receive the EPA Brownfields grant, this time; Welldrilling for the county’s water monitoring network begins soon, with interns processing logs; a thank you to County Recorder Siebrecht for housing the interns; Collaboration continues with the Iowa Geological Survey on groundwater mapping and surface water assessments, due in September; discussion continued on water, pollution, studies, drilling, testing and uses of this data. Matteson by the Board for her dedication Adjournment at 10:34 am.

Respectfully submitted, TODD E.TAYLOR, Linn County Auditor Approved by: KIRSTEN RUNNING-MARQUARDT, Chairperson Board of Supervisors Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2026 10:00 A.M. (These are the minutes in their entirety.

Archived minutes can be found at www. linncountyiowa.gov The Board met in session at the Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center.

Present: Chairperson Running-Marquardt, Vice Chairperson Scheetz and Supervisor Meisheid. Board members voting “AYE” unless otherwise noted.

Chairperson Running-Marquardt called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Motion by Scheetz, seconded by Running-Marquardt to approve accounts payable checks dated 07/15/26 #71021834 to 71021880 in the amount of $195,147.68; and ACH in the amount of $1,623,794.77; for a total of $1,818,942.45 and voids totaling $1,107.10.

PUBLIC NOTICES

Motion by Scheetz, seconded by Running-Marquardt to approve payment to Brandy Meisheid in the amount of $207.10.

VOTE: Running-Marquardt & Scheetz – Aye, Meisheid - Abstain Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to amend Consent Agenda to change the dates on the Display Fireworks permit to August 8 & 15, 2026.

Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve Consent Agenda as amended: Receive and place on file the Recorder’s Quarterly Report (4th Quarter) for April 1, through June 30, 2026.

Receive and place on file a Linn County Outstanding Warrant Report over one (1) year old Warrants submitted by the Linn County Auditor’s Office.

Resolution 2026-7-95 A RESOLUTION APPROVING PETITIONS FOR THE SUSPENSION OF THE COLLECTION OF FISCAL YEAR 2027/ ASSESSMENT YEAR 2025 PROPERTY TAXES WHEREAS, the Linn County Board of Supervisors is this day presented with properly filed, duly sworn petitions for the suspension of the collection of property taxes and/or special assessments pursuant to Iowa Code Section 427.8; and WHEREAS, the properties for which the assessments against the Petitioners are made lie within Linn County, Iowa; and WHEREAS, the Petitioners are unable to contribute to the public revenue by reason of age, infirmity, or both.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED by the Linn County Board of Supervisors, this date met in lawful session, that the attached petitions are approved for the Petitioners, parcels, and tax years described as follows: PETITIONER................................PARCEL# ............................................... TAX YEARS Allison, Marla................................ 18344D. ..........................................................2027 Becker, John............. 14292-53028-00000. ......................................................... 2027 Burnley, George........ 14294-56005-00000. ..........................................................2027 Connor, Laura........... 07034-36002-00000. ..........................................................2027 Corum, Kazuko.......... 14243-55004-01000. ..........................................................2027 Dyson, Janet............. 14202-27024-00000. ..........................................................2027 Fraley, David.............. 20012-76004-00000. ..........................................................2027 Gogel, Tracie............. 14223-82032-00000. ..........................................................2027 Hadenfeldt, Larry...... 05092-88009-00000. ..........................................................2027 Harnish, Cathleen...... 14231-52014-00000. ..........................................................2027 Irwin, Linda............... 14301-54003-00000. ..........................................................2027 Kaeberle, Stephen..... 14293-33006-00000. ..........................................................2027 Lawrence, Irene........ 14082-26002-01001. ..........................................................2027 Lietz, Sherri............... 14331-76001-00000. ..........................................................2027 Mahoney, Lisa........... 11354-79006-00000. ..........................................................2027 Mason, Jonathan & Joanne.......................

20022-51008-01070..........................2027 McDaniel, Louis.....................8H4207222J. ..........................................................2027 Meyer, Janet.............. 14102-52023-00000. ..........................................................2027 Mitten, Marilyn.......... 14271-26002-00000. ..........................................................2027 Nassif, Shaker........... 14263-01002-00000. ..........................................................2027 Patterson, Sandra..... 13252-53003-00000. ..........................................................2027 Robertson, Bradley... 14234-52012-00000. ..........................................................2027 Rossiter, Chirsty........ 20012-76017-01007. ..........................................................2027 Sisson, Michael......... 13243-30008-00000. ..........................................................2027 Smith Brice............... 15063-26009-00000. ..........................................................2027 Stanek, David............ 14304-01033-00000. ..........................................................2027 Starks, Kenneth & Patricia......................... ................................. 01283-76002-00000. ..........................................................2027 Tedoro, Vigil............................................... ................................. 20022-77003-01076. ..........................................................2027 Varvaris, Katherine.... 14143-83007-00000. ..........................................................2027 Wise, Nancy.............. 14294-76006-00000. ..........................................................2027 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Linn County Board of Supervisors orders the Linn County Treasurer to suspend the collection of the property taxes assessed against the Petitioners or the Petitioner’s estates, for the parcels listed above for the tax years as indicated.

Approve purchase order PO941 in the amount of $15,193.23 to HP INC for laptops for the Facilities Department.

Approve purchase order PO943 to Metal Culverts Inc. in the amount of $53,948.04 for Corrugated Metal Pipe (CMP) round culverts and culvert bands of varying sizes for the Secondary Road Department.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County FY27 Provider and Program Participation Agreement for Substance Abuse Commitments between Linn County and Unity Point St Lukes Hospital effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County FY27 Provider and Program Participation Agreement for Substance Abuse Commitments between Linn County and Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Unity Point St Lukes Hospital, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Abbe Center for Community Mental Health, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Tanager Place, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provid-

er Agreement between Linn County and Heart and Solutions LLC, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Families, Inc., effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Mount Vernon Family Counseling, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Brooke Arp PLC dba Envision Therapy Associates, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Four Oaks Family and Children Services, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Alicia Gerber LMHC LLC dba Guiding Light Christian Counseling Center, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and The Arc of East Central Iowa, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and The Respite Connection, Inc., effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Life Connections, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Associates for Behavioral Health, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize Chair to sign a Linn County Children’s Mental Health Assistance Program FY27 Provider Agreement between Linn County and Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve and authorize the chairperson to sign a Medical Advisor Agreement between Dr. Richard Pope and Linn County (Community Services) for medical advising services at Options of Linn County the amount is not to exceed $2,731 term is effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Approve a 60-month copier lease agreement with Gordon Flesch Company in the amount of $348.59 per month for the County Attorney’s Office.

Approve a 60-month copier lease agreement with Gordon Flesch Company in the amount of $271.60 per month for the County Attorney’s Office (Civil).

Approve a 60-month copier lease agreement with Gordon Flesch Company in the amount of $293.37 per month for the County Attorney’s Office (Juvenile).

Approve a 60-month copier lease agreement with Gordon Flesch Company in the amount of $326.31 per month for the Human Resources Department.

Approve a 60-month copier lease agreement with Gordon Flesch Company in the amount of $251.15 per month for the Correctional Center.

Approve a 60-month copier lease agreement with Gordon Flesch Company in the amount of $133.84 per month for the Correctional Center.

Approve a 60-month copier lease agreement with Gordon Flesch Company in the amount of $247.48 per month for the Correctional Center.

Approve a 60-month copier lease agreement with Gordon Flesch Company in the amount of $271.29 per month for the Board of Supervisors Office.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Service Agreement between Nyhart and Linn County to provide actuarial services for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, in the amount of $7,600 and for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, in the amount of $3,000.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a 28E Agreement to Provide Morgan Creek Park, Linn County, Iowa, with Law Enforcement and Fire Department Response Services and specify the initial responding agencies when dispatching emergency services.

Approve application for Display Fireworks permit for Daniel Marovets to conduct a display at 5104 Sunset Dr, Cedar Rapids on August 8, 2026 with a rain date of August 15, 2026, noting all conditions have been met.

Approve and authorize the Chairperson to sign a Vacancy Form request for a fulltime Residential Combination Inspector for Planning & Development.

Mike Tertinger, Planning & Development, discussed third and final consideration of a request to rezone 9.29 acres located in the 7400-7600 block of Elf Lane, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from Agricultural (AG) to Rural Residential 2-Acre (RR2) District. No oral or written objections have been received.

Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to approve upon third and final consideration Ordinance #6-72026, a request to rezone 9.29 acres located in the 7400-7600 block of Elf Lane, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, from Agricultural (AG) to Rural Residential 2-Acre (RR2) District.

Tertinger then discussed a Resolution for a Final Plat for Elf Lane First Addition, located in the 7400-7600 block of Elf Lane, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He explained the process of how to qualify for final plat approval.

Motion by Running-Marquardt, seconded by Scheetz to adopt Resolution 2026-7-96 A Resolution approving a Final Plat for ELF LANE FIRST ADDITION. The following description is a summary of Resolution No. 2026-7-96 as passed and approved by Linn County Board of Supervisors, effective July 15, 2026.

ELF LANE FIRST ADDITION (Case #

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | 11 PF26-0007) to Linn County, Iowa, containing three (3) lots, numbered lot 1 and lettered lot A and lettered lot B has been filed for approval, a subdivision of real estate located in the NE NE of Section 26, Township 84 North, Range 08 West of the 5th P.M., Linn County, Iowa, described as follows: OUTLOT A OF KRAMER FARMLAND FIRST ADDITION TO LINN COUNTY, IOWA. DESCRIBED PARCEL CONTAINS 9.29 ACES. The full text of the Resolution may be inspected in the Linn County Auditor’s Office located at 935 Second Street SW, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, during regular business hours, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or on the Linn County website at www.linncountyiowa.gov.

Public Comment: Jon Lee, 2510 Sisley Grove Rd. SW, Cedar Rapids, stated that he has heard talk about a push to go back to a 5-person Board of Supervisors. He questioned what happens to the salary if they go back to 5. He isn’t sure what they make but is guessing it’s between $400k and $450k. Will that jump to almost $700k if they go to 5 or would they split what 3 of them make now? In 2006, the voters voted to expand to 5 and the people who signed those petitions wanted them to make what 3 of them did. That isn’t what happened and the pay went up and then they cut it back to 3. He is asking each of them on the record, if this ends up on the ballot, will they commit to the cost to the taxpayers not going up to pay their salaries? Lee’s other question is this, has anyone approached the Board about expanding the group? 3 is fine with him, 5 is fine with him too, if 5 costs what 3 costs. He understands that there is not a compensation board anymore so they set their own pay so there is no one else for him to ask.

Adjournment at 10:09 a.m.

Respectfully submitted, TODD E. TAYLOR, Linn County Auditor By: Amanda Brown, Deputy Auditor Approved by: KIRSTEN RUNNING-MARQUARDT, Chairperson Board of Supervisors Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

LINN COUNTY LIST OF BILLS PAID

FOR 7-10-2026 THROUGH 7-15-2026 https://www.linncountyiowa.gov/413/ Accounting-Services VENDOR DESCRIPTION AMOUNT 09 PROPERTIES LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE...........................................$900.00 126 20TH AVE LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE...........................................$447.50 A&L PROPERTY MANAGEMENT GENERAL ASSISTANCE............................$600.00 ABBE CTR FOR CMH CONTRACT LABOR.. ..................................................$2,342.34 MHAC MEDICAL DIRECTOR ON CALL....... ..................................................$3,383.09 ABC DISPOSAL SYSTEMS INC WASTE REMOVAL.....................................$111.95 ACCESS SYSTEMS OFFICE EQUIPMENT RENT.............................................$143.19 ACME TOOLS HAND TOOL...........$279.00 ACTERRA GROUP LLC RELOCATED FUEL TANK & SERVICE.......................$7,750.00 ACTION PEST MANAGEMENT LLC PEST CONTROL......................................$530.00 ADCRAFT PRINTING CO INC OFFICE SUPPLIES..............................................$39.00 AFFORDABLE HOUSING NETWORK GENERAL ASSISTANCE.......................$760.00 AGING SERVICES INC LPHS MONTHLY CHARGES.....................................$614.23 WITWER SUPPORT...................$1,349.75 ALLIANT UTILITIES UTILITIES..$5,392.18 ALLIANT UTILITIES - ASSISTANCE GENERAL ASSISTANCE.......................$957.15 VA ASSISTANCE............................$748.74 ALLIED OIL & TIRE CO LLC GEAR OIL...... ..................................................$1,474.55 ALLIED UNIVERSAL ELECTRONIC MONITORING US INC GPS MONITORING FEES. .....................................................$271.50 AMAZON CAPITAL SERVICES INC HARDWARE & OFFICE SUPPLIES..........$469.57 AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION INC CPR/AED TRAINING......................$109.25 ANAHEIM CORPORATION CONTRACT LABOR.......................................$4,807.38 ANDERSON ERICKSON DAIRY CO FOOD & PROVISIONS.............................$535.91 ANDERSON-BOGERT ENGINEERS & SURVEYORS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ........ ..................................................$9,414.50 AREA AMBULANCE CONTRACT LABOR.... ................................................$30,059.67 ASCENDANCE TRUCKS EASTERN IOWA LLC PART........................................$20.49 AXON ENTERPRISE INC TASERS............... ................................................$25,240.80 BALANCED FITNESS & HEALTH LLC WORK COMP INVOICE.................$350.00 BAUER BUILT INC TIRE REPLACEMENTS & REPAIRS...................................$691.12 BEARROWS, SARA TRAVEL EXPENSE...... .....................................................$681.93 BITUMINOUS MATERIAL & SUPPLY DUST CONTROL MATERIAL....$50,174.63 BLAIRS FERRY TIRE & AUTO SERVICE AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIES...........$2,523.68 BOB MICKEY COLLISION CENTER VEHICLE REPAIRS.............................$4,595.72 BRAKSIEK ROBERT MD PC CONTRACT LABOR.......................................$2,708.26 BRIDGEWATER, JODY TRAVEL EXPENSE. .....................................................$158.78 BROOKE ARP PLC/ENVISION THERAPY HEALTH ASSISTANCE...................$168.92 BROWN, AMANDA FITNESS REIMBURSEMENT..............................................$90.00 CAPITAL SANITARY SUPPLY - CEDAR RAPIDS CLEANING SUPPLIES..$4,078.23 CDW GOVT SERVER EQUIPMENT............. ................................................$53,300.40 CEDAR RAPIDS CITY OF EAP SERVICES... .......................................................$22.24 CEDAR RAPIDS MUNICIPAL UTILITIES UTILITIES................................$18,972.30 CEDAR RAPIDS MUNICIPAL UTILITIES ASSISTANCE VA ASSISTANCE......$234.89 CENTEC CAST METAL PRODUCTS INC VA BRONZE GRAVE MARKERS.......$1,777.51 CENTER FOR DISEASE DETECTION LAB TESTS...........................................$126.50 CENTRAL CITY CITY OF PRP PUMP HOUSE..........................................$545.60 CENTRAL IOWA JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER SALARIES..................$50,385.23 CENTURYLINK COMMUNICATIONS LLC E911- BASIC PHONE SERVICE.....$468.47 CERTIFIED LABORATORIES CUSTODIAL SUPPLIES.....................................$740.00 CHILDREN OF PROMISE MENTORING PROGRAM BOYS AND GIRLS MENTORING PROGRAM..........................$1,460.00 CIVICPLUS LLC WEBSITE MAINTENANCE

CONTRACT..............................$48,969.83 CJ COOPER & ASSOCIATES INC PRE EMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREEN/RANDOM DRUG SCREENS...........................$355.00 COGGON MUNICIPAL LIGHT PLANT UTILITIES..........................................$1,048.06 COLLECTIVE DATA SUBSCRIPTION........... ..................................................$1,047.00 COMMUNITY AND FAMILY RESOURCES INTENSIVE INPATIENT TREATMENT.......... .....................................................$900.00 CONTINUANT INC PHONE RENTAL & MANAGED SERVICES................$4,356.93 COOK APPRAISAL LLC APPRAISAL REPORT.........................................$3,800.00 CORRIDOR ENERGY COOPERATIVE UTILITIES..........................................$9,529.64 COTTRELL, TINA M TRAVEL EXPENSE...... .......................................................$13.78 CRAWFORD QUARRY ROCK.........$280.21 CRAWFORD SUPPLY COMPANY COMMISSARY ITEMS...........................$854.64 CRITICAL HIRE PLC CRITICAL HIRE PROFILE REPORT................................$100.00 CULLIGAN ULTRAPURE INC GENERAL SUPPLIES.....................................$257.48 D&D REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS LC GENERAL ASSISTANCE.......................$900.00 D6 PROPERTIES LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE...........................................$900.00 DAVISON, ROBERT W ATTORNEY FEES.... .....................................................$272.00 DECKER, MARY A VA ASSISTANCE........... .....................................................$250.00 DEJONG, TRACY R FITNESS REIMBURSEMENT...................................$86.55 DETWEILER, KRISTIN L TRAVEL EXPENSE...........................................$342.64 DUNLAP MOTORS INC VEHICLE REPAIRS .......................................................$63.70 EAST CENTRAL IOWA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS GENERAL AND NON-METRO ASSESSMENTS......................$128,990.00 TREE GRANT.................................$840.00 ELLIPSIS INC LINN COUNTY SHELTER..... ..................................................$1,399.50 ELY CITY OF ELY WATER CAPACITY PROJECT...............................$147,018.05 EMC RISK SERVICES LLC WORK COMP INSURANCE.............................$62,256.10 EMERSON SPECIALTY HARDWARE & LOCKSMITHING INC REPLACEMENT WORK RELEASE KEY........................$7.00 EQUIFAX INFORMATION SERVICES LLC BACKGROUND CHECKS..................$60.16 ESCH, LAURA TRAVEL EXPENSE...$14.50 F&W SERVICE COMPANY INC AIR COMPRESSOR & LIFT REPAIRS .........$498.50 FIDLAR TECHNOLOGIES INC SOFTWARE.. .....................................................$100.00 FIER, HOLLY E TRAVEL EXPENSE...$21.75 FRESH START MINISTRIES JAIL CHAPLIN/VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR SERVICES ........................................$7,500.00 FRIEDA COONROD EMBROIDERY UNIFORMS..............................................$6.50 FROESE, DAWN M TRAVEL EXPENSE....... .....................................................$170.00 GALLS LLC UNIFORMS................$177.38 GARDNER, BRIAN TRAINING EXPENSE.... ..................................................$4,251.04 GAZETTE COMMUNICATIONS ANNUAL MEETING NOTICE...........................$13.13 GORDON FLESCH COMPANY INC COPIER LEASE & FEES...........................$3,728.83 GREAT WESTERN SUPPLY CO CLEANING SUPPLIES.....................................$153.95 HACAP CONTRACT LABOR......$41,951.88 HANDS UP COMMUNICATIONS INTERPRETER FEES...............................$668.00 HEART OF HEALTH LLC ECI GRANT, HEAL GRANT, AHP HOURS WORKED.................. ..................................................$4,551.00 HILLIARY COMMUNICATIONS LLC E911BASIC PHONE SERVICE..................$27.50 HORIZONS A FAMILY SERVICE ALLIANCE MOBILE MEALS SUPPORT .......$9,162.75 HP INC DESKTOP COMPUTERS................ ..................................................$2,662.16 HUMBLE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE THE INTERPRETATION SERVICES........$2,550.00 ILMIR INC CONTRACT LABOR................... ................................................$10,830.00 IMON COMMUNICATIONS INTERNET SERVICE....................................$1,097.89 VA ASSISTANCE..............................$68.14 INTECH SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS INC ANNUAL ELECTION SOFTWARE SUBSCRIPTION ........................................$27,133.00 IOWA ASIAN ALLIANCE - ASIAN FEST 2026 ASIAN FEST VENDOR TABLE............ .......................................................$50.00 IOWA OFFICE OF THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER MED EXAM FEES...$32,708.62 IOWA ORTHO WORK COMP INVOICE........ .....................................................$155.98 IOWA STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES MEMBER DUES.........................$6,800.00 JOHNSON COUNTY - DAP RENT..$840.00 KEEFE SUPPLY COMPANY COMMISSARY ITEMS........................................$2,463.56 KING CONSTRUCTION & OVERHEAD DOOR INC CONTRACT LABOR................... ..............................................$234,070.77 KURTH, KIMBERLEY A LICENSE RENEWAL...................................................$99.00 L & L MURPHY ASSOCIATES CONSULTING SERVICES ..........................$9,791.81 L L PELLING PREMIX...................$713.69 LARKSPUR ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION LLC INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL ........... ................................................$14,550.00 LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC, A LUMEN TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY INTERNET SERVICE................................$675.33 LINDALE MANOR MHP LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE..................................$1,501.08 LINDER DONALD J DO PC MED EXAM FEES...........................................$8,291.63 LINN COOP OIL INC #395000 (CONSERVATION) DIESEL........................$2,169.20 DRONE SEEDING .........................$266.50 LINN COOP OIL INC #395050 (ROADS MISC) DIESEL............................$5,389.72 LIONBRIDGE TECHNOLOGIES LLC TELEPHONE INTERPRETING................$454.37 LISBON CITY OF WATER2022-001 - WELL 5 IMPROVEMENTS - APRIL-JUNE 2026.... ................................................$17,526.03 LYNCH DALLAS PC TORT LIABILITY......... ..................................................$3,440.00 MADISON NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY INC SHORT TERM DISABILITY ..................................................$4,399.15 MAILING SERVICES INC POSTAGE PROCESSING ......................................$221.19 MARION MUNICIPAL WATER DEPARTMENT WATER.................................$94.64 MARTIN EQUIPMENT OF IA-IL INC COMPACT EXCAVATOR.................$146,900.00 MULCHING HEADS..................$55,800.00 MCKESSON MEDICAL-SURGICAL GOV SOLUTIONS MEDICAL SUPPLIES.............. .....................................................$138.55 MEADOWVIEW DRIVE HOLDINGS LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE................$900.00 MEDCO ANNUAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INVEST ...........................$5,000.00 MEDIACOM E911- INTERNET ......$400.00 MEISHEID, BRANDY Z TRAVEL EXPENS-

PUBLIC NOTICES

14 | THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 ES.................................................$207.10 MIDAMERICAN ENERGY - ASSISTANCE GENERAL ASSISTANCE................$371.99 MILLS, LISA L EYE EXAM REIMBURSEMENT..............................................$80.00 MOLO COMPANIES CAR WASH......$48.00 NETSMART TECHNOLOGIES INC IDENTITY & ACCESS MGMT.................$1,663.20 ORACLE AMERICA INC SOFTWARE ANNUAL RENEWAL & MAINTENANCE........... ..................................................$4,158.00 ORKIN LLC PEST CONTROL......$4,280.00 PALO COOPERATIVE TELEPHONE ASSOC E911 PHONE SERVICE....................$72.00 INTERNET.......................................$64.95 PARAMOUNT HEALTH OPTIONS (PHO) MEMBERSHIP DUES ................$1,575.00 PARTS AUTHORITY LLC PARTS...$764.37 PERFORMANCE FOODSERVICE LLC FOOD & PROVISIONS................$4,224.92 PETERSON CONTRACTORS INC 31ST STREET ROAD RECONSTRUCTION........... ................................................$42,217.85 PHYSICIANS CLINIC OF IOWA PC WORK COMP INVOICE.............................$149.40 POWELL CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC PC WORK COMP INVOICE...................$55.08 PRAIRIE OAKS HOMES LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE.................................$473.07 PRAIRIE RESERVE VA ASSISTANCE.......... ..................................................$1,083.58 PROFESSIONAL HEALTH SERVICES PC MED EXAM FEES..........................$185.00 RICOH USA INC COPIER LEASE & FEES.... .....................................................$295.57 ROCHESTER ARMORED CAR CO INC ARMORED CAR SERVICE..................$237.16 RUDD EQUIPMENT COMPANY INC PARTS ..................................................$6,663.63 RULE, ADRIENNE M TRAVEL EXPENSES.. .......................................................$32.92 S2 CONSTRUCTION LLC ROADSIDE CUTTING.........................................$40,925.75 SAFE PLACE FOUNDATION, THE GENERAL ASSISTANCE.........................$2,700.00 SANSI GENERAL WELFARE SERVICES SUPPORT......................................$625.00 SCHNEIDER GEOSPATIAL LLC SPATIALIST CONTRACT........................$11,554.20 SCHNEIDER, SARAH TRAVEL EXPENSES.. .......................................................$76.13 SNYDER & ASSOCIATES PROFESSIONAL SERVICES..................................$4,995.00 SOLUTIONS MANAGEMENT GROUP INC BASE RATE CHARGES..................$221.13 SPECIAL INSPECTIONS & DESIGN, LLC QUALITY ASSURANCE.............$29,511.00 SPEE-DEE DELIVERY POUCH TO DES MOINES........................................$135.85 SPITZNER, ARIEL L TRAINING EXPENSE.. .....................................................$440.00 STANLEY MATHEW MD WORK COMP INVOICE.............................................$61.29 STEELE, KELLY D ATTORNEY FEES........... .....................................................$340.00 STEELE, TODD E FITNESS REIMBURSEMENT............................................$160.44 STIVERS FORD LINCOLN FORD INTERCEPTOR SUV.........................$146,502.00 STULL INVESTMENTS LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE.....................................$550.00 T MOBILE USA INC PHONE SERVICE........ .......................................................$18.78 TANAGER PLACE CONTRACT LABOR........ ................................................$14,145.02 TAYLOR, TODD TRAVEL EXPENSES.......... .....................................................$158.00 TEAH, MERCY Y TRAVEL EXPENSES......... .....................................................$128.47 THIELEN, DAVID TRAVEL EXPENSES........ .......................................................$69.60 TNT TUCKPOINTING & BUILDING RESTORATION LLC BUILDING EXTERIOR REPAIR...........................................$5,975.67 TOADALLY AWESOME PETS LLC SPEAKERS FEE........................................$186.00 TOWER TERRACE MHC LLC GENERAL ASSISTANCE.................................$543.09 TRINITY SERVICES GROUP INC FOOD & PROVISIONS ...........................$15,029.00

Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

UNIFORM DEN INC UNIFORMS....$109.10 UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HEALTH CARE MEDICAL SERVICES.....................$120.75 USA COMMUNICATIONS E911- CIRCUIT SERVICE.........................................$69.78 WATERHOUSE’S WATER COND SERV RENTAL SERVICE.........................$240.00 WAUL, LISA A TRAVEL EXPENSES............ .......................................................$84.63 WEBER STONE CO INC ROCK.......$180.95 WEBER, ALISHA MED EXAM FEES............ ..................................................$1,008.87 WELTER STORAGE EQUIPMENT CO INC FURNITURE...............................$5,358.62 WENDLING QUARRIES INC ROCK............. ................................................$34,635.08 WHEELER, JENNIFER L TRAVEL EXPENSES.................................................$119.41 WOLFORD, ELENA TRAINING/CONFERENCE..........................................$1,193.35 YOUNG PARENTS NETWORK CONTRACT LABOR.....................................$44,520.90 TOTAL.................................$1,812,648.79 Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

TRUST NOTICE

IN THE MATTER OF THE TRUST: REVOCABLE TRUST AGREEMENT OF CLIFFORD C. MOORE To all persons regarding Clifford Charles Moore, deceased, an unmarried person who died on or about June 19, 2026. You are hereby notified that the trustees listed below are the trustees of the Revocable Trust Agreement of Clifford C. Moore dated on November 28, 2012.

Any action to contest the validity of the trust must be brought in the District Court of Linn County, Iowa, within the later to occur of four (4) months from the date of second publication of this notice or thirty (30) days from the date of mailing this notice to to all heirs of the decedent settlor whose identities are reasonably ascertainable. Any suit not filed within this period shall be forever barred.

Notice is further given that any person or entity possessing a claim against the trust must mail proof of the claim to the trustee(s) at the address listed below via certified mail, return receipt requested, by the later to occur of four (4) months from the second publication of this notice or thirty (30) days from the date of mailing this notice if required or the claim shall be forever barred unless paid or otherwise satisfied.

Dated July 20, 2026.

Jacqueline M Moore 1649 Bloomington Road Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Corine A Moore 807 1st Avenue NW Mount Vernon, IA 52314 Douglas D. Wolfe #AT0008572, Attorney for Trustee(s) Wolfe Law Offices 202 1st Street SW, PO Box 174 Mount Vernon, Iowa 52314 Date of second publication: August 6, 2026.

Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

LISBON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES

JULY 8, 2026 - 6:00 P.M. President Caspers called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Members present: Prasil, Caspers, Richey, Baker, Bagby Members absent: none Motion by Richey, second by Baker to approve the Agenda. All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Motion by Richey, second by Prasil to approve the 2026-27 School Fee Schedule as presented. All ayes

motion carried (5-0).

Motion by Baker, second by Richey to approve the following Resolution.

Resolved, that the Board of Directors of Lisbon Community District wishes to transfer the amount of $10,942.52 from the General Fund to the Student Activity Fund, as allowed per HF 564, to purchase and recondition protective and safety equipment required for extra curricular interscholastic athletic contents or competitions sponsored by the School District. All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Motion by Prasil, second by Richey to approve the First Reading of the 600 Policy Series. All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Motion by Prasil, second by Richey to approve the Renewal of Property/Casualty Insurance Coverage EMC Insurance as presented. All ayes motion carried (4-0). President Caspers abstained.

Motion by Richey, second by Baker to approve the Renewal of Cyber Security and Excess Liability - Jester Insurance Services as presented.

All ayes motion carried (4-0). President Caspers abstained.

Motion by Prasil, second by Richey to approve the 2026 IASB Legislative Priorities. All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Motion by Prasil, second by Baker to approve the 2026-27 Meal Prices as presented. All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Motion by Baker, second by Bagby to approve the Open Enrollment Requests as presented. All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Board Member Baker gave a facility update to include AEA Study for the North parking lot and addressing the water leaks in the courtyard area.

Upcoming Board Meetings are as follows: Aug 12, 2026 - 6:00 pm Regular School Board Meeting September 9, 2026 - 6:00 pm Regular School Board Meeting Motion by Prasil, second by Richey to approve the Consent Agenda. All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Motion by Baker, second by Richey to move into Closed Session - Superintendent Evaluation Pursuant to Iowa Code 21.5 (1)(i);New language in accordance with Code: “to evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose hiring appointment, performance or discharge is being considered to prevent needless and irreparable harm to that individual’s reputation and that individual requested a closed session. ” at 6:00 pm. A roll call vote was taken as follows: Caspers - aye, Prasil - aye, Richey - aye, Baker aye, Bagby - aye. Also present was Superintendent Pino and Board Secretary Angie Santis.

Discussion took place.

Motion by Baker, second by Prasil to Adjourn the Closed Session at 8:53 pm.

All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Motion by Bagby, second by Prasil to adjourn at 8:53 pm. All ayes motion carried (5-0).

Angie Santis, Board Secretary Jen Caspers, Board President Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

LISBON SCHOOL DISTRICT LIST OF BILLS

JUNE, 2026 Ability Physical Therapy P.C. training s .....

.......................................................969.00 Ace Hardware soil / oil....................551.59 Ace Refrigeration cooler rep...........372.75 Alburnett High School JH track e....150.00 Alliant Energy Alliant AC.............16,449.65 AMAZON Capital Services classroom ........ ....................................................3,757.60 Anderson’s HOCO suppl..................198.97 Cassidy N Arch IHSMA Solo...........850.00 Coca-Cola concession..................1,597.04 Autumn Pino june cell ......................50.00 Auxiant Auxiant AC ......................3,796.23 Amanda Bagby Refund-Str ...............35.00 Bart Miller Ref V Base ....................169.61 Bijou Movie Theater 6th grade .......100.00 Blair Klinefelter Ref FS Sof .............137.30 Klayton Bolkema Ref JV Bas ..........138.19 Brandon C Horman june cell ............50.00 Cameron Eichhorn june cell .............50.00 Ashley A. Campbell reimburse .......221.87 Carolina Biological Supply Company HS science .............................................84.14 Chris Henze Ref JV Sof ..................139.55 City Of Lisbon water/sewe ...........3,398.19 CJ Nelson DJ service .....................200.00 Clearfly phone serv ........................428.58 Collection Svs Center, DHS Misc P/R D .... .........................................................30.00 Covenant Family Solutions counseling ...... ....................................................1,040.00 Covenant Workplace Solutions June EAP s .....................................................296.80 Daniel Craig Ref Baseba .................173.84 D & K Products MVP Turfac ........1,564.00 Delta Dental Dental Ins ................3,974.36 Roger B DeYoung judge for ...........150.00 Thomas J Donaldson reimburse ....110.00 Ecolab Pest Elimination building a .144.43 Electronic Clearing House, Inc. Monthly Fe ...................................................119.00 Elite Sports baseball h .................2,380.23 EMS Detergent Services detergent ............ .......................................................249.80 Meegan J Englund reimburse ........142.91 EO Johnson Business Technologies district c ..............................................315.25 Epic Sports Inc baseball p ...........1,209.84 Equitable State Plan Tsa/Ira/An ...3,041.32 Eric Krob alt school .....................1,000.00 Fareway concession ....................3,617.28 Fleming Irrigation replace ir ...........695.08 Fred Griffiths Ref JH Sof ................348.44 Gary’s Foods HS science ..................39.13 Goodwill Industries of the Heartland May Career .........................................1,502.00 Grant Wood AEA GWAEA SE F .................. ..................................................43,425.30 Troy Greene Ref Baseba .................171.31 Seth D Hall track work................... 250.00 Hills Bank and Trust Boys Baske ....500.00 Huber Fencing lecc fence ............4,770.00 Internal Revenue Service Fica ................... ................................................124,507.00 Treasurer-State Of Iowa State Inco ............ ..................................................12,696.00 Iowa High School Music Assoc. band award .............................................155.00 IPERS IPERS............................ 86,410.78 Jack Leighty june cell .......................50.00 Jaeger Sports Inc baseball s ..........274.79 James Packingham Ref V Soft .......163.13 Melanie Jochimsen Ref F/S so .......136.52 Jordan’s Property Care mowing & w ......... ....................................................6,275.00 Jostens, Inc. HS Val - S .................226.98 JourneyEd.com Inc MS office .....1,779.50 Justin Brown june cell ......................50.00 Kim Patik 3 dates as .........................30.00 Lance Kamaus reimburse .................11.50 Laura St. John reimburse ...............251.85 Leaf Elem copie ...........................1,864.98 Lenoch & Cilek Ace Hardware custodial .... ....................................................6,440.65 Linn Co-Operative Oil Co diesel sup .......... ....................................................4,080.90 Linn County Conservation 1st grade ......... .......................................................112.00 Lisbon CSD - Activity Fund PBIS certi ....... .........................................................27.00 Lisbon CSD Flex Spending IRS 125 Pa ..... .......................................................792.97 Lisbon CSD - Nutrition Fund April pk4 ...... .......................................................365.75 Martin Bros. Distributing Co Inc. food suppl .................................................4,575.47 Mass Mutual Tsa/Ira/An .................200.00 Derek Matlock Ref V Soft ...............156.12 Mechanicsville Fiber alt school ........64.94 MediaCom internet s ......................900.00 Menards cleaner /.......................... 494.43 Michele McCoy june cell ..................50.00 Levi D. Montague AD mileage ........660.96 Monticello Sports baseball j ........1,152.00 Moose Mechanical LLC parts-boil ............. ..................................................14,543.00 Mosyle Corporation additional .........20.16 NCS repair tra ................................710.00 Night Shift cleaning s ................18,487.92 Nippon Sanso Matheson Inc gas tank r .... .........................................................30.00 Jenna J Novak reimburse .................10.00 Office Express card stock .................71.96 Oskaloosa High School girls golf ...135.00 Performance Foodservice kitchen fo ......... ..................................................14,655.80 Prairie Farms milk for k ...............2,899.46 Principal Life Insurance Disability ............. ....................................................2,953.14 RevTrak processing ..........................87.07 Richard M Ripley Ref JV Sof ..........136.52 Riverside Insights licenses f .......1,654.35 Rod Kelley june cell ..........................50.00 Wesley Sadler reimburse .................10.00 Erin Salier Refund-Str ......................85.00 Angela N. Santis staff end ................88.06 Schumacher Elevator Co., INC. elevator m . .......................................................165.94 Scott Hansen Ref F/S so ................140.28 Jeff W Silver cpr instru ..................150.00 Lonnie A. Speidel athletic r ..............78.00 Springville CSD food scien .............175.00 Steve Stafford Ref FS Sof ...............135.65 Student Publications Inc legal/minu .......... .........................................................40.50 Summit Fire Protection diagnosis ..614.00 Timothy Rogers Ref V Soft ............166.20 Tipton CSD JH coed tr ...................100.00 Town & Country Wholesale Co. concession .............................................5,643.86 U.S. Cellular Monthly Fe ..............1,548.87 Under-Hill Truck and Auto Repair parts re ...................................................593.63 Visa girls stat ............................17,236.64 VOYA Tsa/Ira/An .............................866.66 VSP Vision Service Plan Vision Ins ........... ....................................................1,077.61 Anne M Wagner reimburse ..............17.50 Steven Wagner Ref V Soft ..............162.69 TreviPay-Walmart binders an........... 23.18 Washington Community School girls golf . .......................................................100.00 Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical In ..............................................74,606.73 Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa Monthly Fl ...................................1,089.85 West Music Co. band suppl .............42.99 Jennie M. Zerbe mileage - ..............304.98 Total.........................................521,820.00 Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM

SECTION 00 1115 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

FOR IOWA CITIES, COUNTIES AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT 7TH AVE SW PARKING LANE EXTENSION MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT To Whom It May Concern: You are hereby notified that at 6:00 PM, Central Time on August 3, 2026, at the Mount Vernon High School, 731 Palisades Road SW, there will be a public hearing on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract, and estimated cost of the project. Any persons interested may appear and file objections to the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract, or cost of such improvement.

The following is a description of the Public Improvement Paving work to construct additional parking for the Mount Vernon Community School District. The parking will be located along 7th Avenue SW, directly south of the Mount Vernon Middle School. Work includes removal of the existing south curbline of 7th Avenue SW and widening of the roadway for on street parking. Work includes site grading, paving removal, PCC pavement, pavement markings, seeding and erosion control, new conduit and street lighting.

The location of the project is as follows: 7th Avenue SW, directly south of the Mount Vernon Middle School Proposed drawings, specifications, and form of contract may be examined at Rapids Reproductions, DFS Plan Room, Shive-Hattery Custom Portal, rapidsrepro. com, 6015 Huntington Ct. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.

Published by order of the Board of Directors, Mount Vernon Community School District.

Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES

04/13/2026 6:30 PM Through effective and intentional collaboration, the Mount Vernon Community School District will be an exemplary district of choice.

Attendance Voting Members Rick Elliott, Board President Jeremy Kunz, Board Vice-President Tim Keegan, Board Member Suzette Kragenbrink, Board Member Kristi Meyer, Board Member Maggie Hartzler, Board Member Non-Voting Members Matt Leeman, Superintendent Michael Marshall, School Business Official I. Call to Order President Elliott called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. II. Approval of Agenda Motion for the approval of the agenda, as presented.

Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Kristi Meyer Voting results: Unanimously Approved III. Fiscal Year 2027 Certified Budget Public Hearing President Elliott opened the public hearing on the 2027 Certified Budget.

No comment was made.

President Elliott closed the public hearing on the 2027 Certified Budget.

IV. Public Comment No public comment was made.

V. Superintendent Report Superintendent Leeman presented on the following items: 1. Brian Doyle-- Gallagher Insurance-Brian presented on the FY2027 Insurance Renewal.

2. Dave Panos-- Shive-Hattery- Dave gave a Parking Lot Project Update.

3. Board Group Email 4. Lunch w/Leaders Wrap Up 5. District Roundtable Follow Up 6. Letters from 8th Graders VI. Information and Action Items 1. Program Division A. Approval of Second Reading Amendments/Updates Motion to table the second reading of the listed amendments and updates, as presented.

Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Maggie Hartzler Voting results: Unanimously Approved B. Approval of First Reading Amendment/Updates Motion for the approval of the first reading of the listed policies, as presented.

Motion made by: Kristi Meyer Motion seconded by: Tim Keegan Voting results: Unanimously Approved 2. Personnel Division A..Approval of New/Amended Contracts Motion for the approval of the contract(s), as presented.

Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved 3. Administrative Division A. Approval of AEA Nutrition Agreement for 26-27 Motion for the approval of the attached agreement with Grant Wood AEA for Nutrition Purchasing for the 2026-2027 school year, as presented.

Motion made by: Suzette Kragenbrink Motion seconded by: Maggie Hartzler Voting results: Unanimously Approved B. Approval of Classified Staff Contracts for 26-27 School Year Motion to approve the classified staff salary agreement and issuance of contracts for an average increase of 3.04% for the 2026-2027 school year, as presented.

Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Kristi Meyer Voting results: Unanimously Approved C. Approval of Exempt Staff Contracts for 26-27 School Year Motion to approve exempt/administrative staff salary agreement and issuance of contracts for an average increase of 3.78% for the 2026-2027 school year, as presented.

Motion made by: Maggie Hartzler Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved D. Approval of Amended Insurance Statement-- Classified/Certified Staff Motion to approve the amended language to the 2026-2027 insurance state-

ment for Classified/Certified Staff, as presented.

Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Kristi Meyer Voting results: Unanimously Approved E. Approval of Amended Insurance Statement-- Exempt Staff Motion for the approval of the amendment to the 2026-2027 insurance statement for the Exempt Staff, as presented.

Motion made by: Kristi Meyer Motion seconded by: Maggie Hartzler Voting results: Unanimously Approved F. Approval of Fiscal Year 2027 Certified Budget Motion for the approval of the Fiscal Year 2027 Certified Budget, as presented.

Motion made by: Kristi Meyer Motion seconded by: Maggie Hartzler Voting results: Unanimously Approved G. Approval of Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Guarantee Resolution Motion for the approval of the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Guarantee Resolution, as presented.

Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved H. Approval of Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Amendment Public Hearing Date Motion to establish the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Amendment Public Hearing on May 11th at 6:30 PM. Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Kristi Meyer Voting results: Unanimously Approved I. Resolution to Consider Approving Transfer of Funds to the Flexibility Account Within the General Fund and Setting Hearing on Proposed Resolution Approving Expenditure of Funds in the Flexibility Account Motion for the approval of the Resolution to consider approving the transfer of funds to the Flexibility Account within the General Fund and setting a public hearing on the Proposed Resolution approving expenditures of funds in the Flexibility Account.

Motion made by: Maggie Hartzler Motion seconded by: Tim Keegan Voting results: Unanimously Approved 4. Facility Division A. Approval of Van Purchase Motion for the approval of the purchase of a 2024 Ford Transit Connect XLT from Vaughn Ford in the amount of $39,479.00, as presented.

Motion made by: Kristi Meyer Motion seconded by: Maggie Hartzler Voting results: Unanimously Approved B. Resolution Fixing the Date of Sale of Approximately $4,900,000 School Infrastructure Sales, Services and Use Tax Revenue Bonds, Series 2026, Approving Electronic Bidding Procedures and Approving Official Statement Motion to approve the presented Resolution fixing the Date of Sale of Approximately $4,900,000 School Infrastructure Sales, Services and Use Tax Revenue Bonds, Series 2026, Approving Electronic Bidding Procedures and Approving Official Statement.

Motion made by: Suzette Kragenbrink Motion seconded by: Jeremy Kunz Voting results: Unanimously Approved VII. Board Report 1. Reports President Elliott gave an update from a recent MVFAA. Highlights included new officers for the organization, and looking at new band uniforms.

Director Meyer gave an update on WeTAP, highlighting fundraising and upcoming events.

Director Keegan gave an update on the MS PTO, highlighting the MS 5k Fundraiser.

2. Unfinished Business 3. Upcoming Meetings to Note VIII. Consent Agenda Motion to approve the consent agenda, as presented.

Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Kristi Meyer Voting results: Unanimously Approved 1. Greeter - Jeremy Kunz 2. Minutes 3. Bills 4. Financials 5. Open Enrollments 6. Resignations 7. Out of State Trip Requests 8. Agreements IX. School Board Calendar 1. Management Team Meeting, Wednesday, April 15, 2026-- District Office Conf Room 2. Special Meeting-- Friday, April 17, 2026-- 7:30am-- District Office Conference Room 3..School Board Meeting, Monday, May 11--6:30 pm in HS Library 4. Special Meeting, Tuesday, May 19-TBD in DO Conference Room 5. School Board Meeting, Monday, June 8--6:30 pm in HS Library 6..School Board Meeting, Monday, July 13--6:30pm in HS Library X. Meeting Adjournment Motion for adjournment.

Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved Adjourned at 8:15 PM. Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT REGULAR BOARD MEETING MINUTES

05/11/2026 6:30 PM Through effective and intentional collaboration, the Mount Vernon Community School District will be an exemplary district of choice.

Attendance Voting Members Rick Elliott, Board President Jeremy Kunz, Board Vice-President Jason Clark, Board Member Tim Keegan, Board Member Suzette Kragenbrink, Board Member Kristi Meyer, Board Member Maggie Hartzler, Board Member Non-Voting Members Matt Leeman, Superintendent Michael Marshall, School Business Official I. Call to Order President Elliot called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM. II. Approval of Agenda Motion to approve the agenda as pre-

PUBLIC NOTICES

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sented.

Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Kristi Meyer Voting results: Unanimously Approved III. Fiscal Year 2026 Certified Budget Amendment Public Hearing President Elliott opened the public hearing.

No comment was made.

President Elliott closed the public hearing.

IV. Public Hearing on Flexibility Fund President Elliott opened the public hearing.

No comment was made.

President Elliott closed the public hearing.

V. Public Comment No comment was made.

VI. Superintendent Report Superintendent Leeman updated the Board on the following items: 1. School Board Recognition Month 2. Superintendent Staff Survey and EOY Evaluation 3. May 19 Special Meeting Update 4. EBR Update 5. District Roundtable — Final Meeting, June 1 VII. Financial Report Garret Pochop from Piper Sandler gave an update to the Board on recent legislation regarding the SAVE fund.

VIII. Information and Action Items 1. Program Division A. Transportation Dept Presentation Transportation Director Dave Johnson presented on the district’s transportation department.

The Board recessed at 8:05 PM. The Board reconvened at 8:14 PM. B. Approval of Second Reading Amendments/Updates Motion for the approval of the second reading of the listed amendments and updates, as presented.

Motion made by: Jason Clark Motion seconded by: Jeremy Kunz Voting results: Unanimously Approved C. Approval of First Reading Amendment/Updates I move for the approval of the first reading of the listed policy, as presented.

Motion made by: Kristi Meyer Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved 2. Personnel Division A..Approval of New/Amended Contracts Motion for the approval of the contract(s), as presented.

Motion made by: Maggie Hartzler Motion seconded by: Jeremy Kunz Voting results: Unanimously Approved 3. Administrative Division A. Approval of District Developed Service Delivery Plan (DDSDP) Motion for the approval of the District Developed Service Delivery Plan, as presented.

Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Jason Clark Voting results: Unanimously Approved B. Approval of Fiscal Year 2026 Certified Budget Amendment Motion for the approval of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Amendment, as presented.

Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Maggie Hartzler Voting results: Unanimously Approved C. Approval of Expenditure from Flexibility Account Board Resolution Motion to approve and adopt the presented resolution directing expenditures from the flexibility fund.

Motion made by: Jason Clark Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved 4. Facility Division A. Parking Lot Design Plans Presentation Davos Panos from Shive-Hattery walked through the final design plans for the upcoming parking lot construction project.

B. Approval of Resolution Tentatively Approving the Plans, Specifications, Form of Contract and Estimated Total Cost for the Mount Vernon Community School District Parking Lot Improvement Project; Setting the Time, Date, and Location for a Public Hearing on the Project; and Authorizing the Posting of a Notice Seeking Competitive Bids for the Project.

Motion for the approval of the Resolution Tentatively Approving the Plans, Specifications, Form of Contract and Estimated Total Cost for the Mount Vernon Community School District Parking Lot Improvement Project; Setting the Time, Date, and Location for a Public Hearing on the Project; and Authorizing the Posting of a Notice Seeking Competitive Bids for the Project, as presented.

Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Jason Clark Voting results: Unanimously Approved Yes: Rick Elliott Yes: Jeremy Kunz Yes: Jason Clark Yes: Tim Keegan Yes: Suzette Kragenbrink Yes: Kristi Meyer Yes: Maggie Hartzler IX. Board Report 1. Reports President Elliott gave highlights from a recent MVFAA meeting.

Director Hartzler attended a recent WeTAP meeting.

Director Keegan attend the MS PTO meeting.

2. Unfinished Business 3. Upcoming Meetings to Note X. Consent Agenda Motion for the approval of the consent agenda, as presented.

Motion made by: Jason Clark Motion seconded by: Jeremy Kunz Voting results: Unanimously Approved 1. Greeter - Jason Clark 2. Minutes 3. Bills 4. Financials 5. Open Enrollments 6. Resignations 7. Out of State Trip Requests 8. Agreements XI. School Board Calendar 1. Special Meeting, Tuesday, June 2-5:30pm in DO Conference Room 2. School Board Meeting, Monday, June 8--6:30 pm in HS Library 3..School Board Meeting, Monday, July 13--6:30pm in HS Library XII. Meeting Adjournment Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Maggie Hartzler

Bjork, Kimberly..........................84,089.59 Blankenhagen, Taelyn......................300.00 Blau, Aaron..................................1,976.00 Blau, Amanda.............................49,583.34 Blinks, Freda................................1,082.49 Blythe, David..............................26,485.82 Bock, Abigail..............................85,702.69 Bode, Christopher...........................600.00 Borrison, Bradley.......................48,979.75 Boyden, Michelle........................91,982.00 Bran, Sam....................................1,846.88 Brand, Nolan................................4,695.45 Brand, Robin..............................18,716.57 Brand, Steven...........................136,170.00 Brandt, Andy................................7,916.67 Brannaman, Ben...........................3,037.00 Brannaman, Brittany.......................988.00 Brannaman, Caitlin.....................27,383.50 Brase, Evan..................................1,976.00 Briesemeister, Leann..................83,612.67 Brokel, Michelle.........................25,186.82 Brooks, Linda.............................26,159.34 Brown, Christopher....................39,708.06 Bruner, Lesly..............................93,567.67 Bryant, Rickey............................39,688.64 Buffo, Diane...............................13,377.00 Burge, Cindy................................1,511.97 Burge, Payson.................................810.00 Bush, Steven...................................300.00 Butz, Teri....................................10,878.78 Callison, Samantha....................11,575.56 Carstensen, Jenifer....................83,477.67 Casey, Megan.............................71,208.56 Caskey, Abby................................2,182.50 Caskey, Ean..................................2,268.00 Champeau-Oakley, Brenda.........33,028.02 Chatman, Charles.........................8,035.41 Chizek, Angelic................................375.00 Ciha, Jennifer.............................20,402.82 Clark, Colton................................2,122.00 Clevenger, Teresa............................503.26 Covington, Mitchell.........................301.63 Darrow, Heather.........................22,334.59 Darrow, Lisa...............................25,665.71 Darrow, Spencer........................25,473.56 DeCamp, Raven..............................150.00 Deeb, Amy...................................8,048.60 Dehmer, Grace.............................8,410.04 DeLancey, Taylor.............................225.00 Desaulty, Abigail.........................16,377.19 Dielschneider, Meagan...............71,232.00 Diers, Keenan...............................1,296.94 Dighton, Lisa...................................450.00 Dingbaum, Leon...........................5,014.56 Dittmer, Mary..................................150.00 Dix, Cara....................................84,472.67 Dodge, Emma.................................300.00 Dudrey, Becky............................26,886.75 Dye, Shauna....................................300.00 Eastburn, Donovan.....................63,901.59 Edgerly, Joy...............................12,494.75 Eichhorn, Asher..............................185.13 Engelbrecht, Jacqueline.............28,205.47 Eskelsen, Crystal..........................1,323.00 Etzel, Deborah..............................2,113.76 Evans, Lance................................1,551.56 Every, Tony...................................5,442.19 Fall, Kimberly.............................36,037.45 Fitzgerrel, Delaney........................1,275.00 Fitzpatrick, Jessica.....................56,894.27 Flaherty, Lisa...................................225.00 Flockhart, Sean..........................95,000.00 Ford, Chelsea.............................24,488.91 Frank, Ryan................................53,091.00 Freeman, Grant............................3,713.00 Fugate, Paul...............................32,292.92 Gage, Joann...............................95,340.34 Garner, Joan....................................834.38 George, Catherine...........................150.00 Gerber, Mallory..........................64,232.45 Gioimo, Ashlee...........................21,856.58 Glaza, Brandon.............................4,555.00 Glaza, Rachael............................64,807.41 Goetz, Brad..................................6,817.00 Gonzalez, Tony...........................30,514.94 Goodrich, Shirley............................175.30 Gross, Dennis............................20,033.72 Grosse, Nathan............................5,488.00 Guerber, Michael.............................764.06 Haasis-Arp, Trina............................212.44 Hach, Megan..............................72,125.00 Hale, Mary..................................51,771.42 Hamer, Colleen...........................11,490.75 Hamm, Alison............................63,479.08 Hand, Natalie..............................66,523.67 Hanken, Beth...................................581.25 Hanna, Benedict...........................1,555.00 Hanson, Robert........................101,439.62 Harms, Jason..................................512.50 Hartz, Brooke.............................53,406.67 Haugse, Robert........................121,588.23 Heeren, Colin...............................2,433.00 Hepker, Jill.................................24,964.32 Herb, Anna...................................1,395.35 Herrera, Kerrie...........................19,707.79 Hess, Amber................................3,000.00 Hindt, Emma...................................150.00 Hinmon-Chatman, Tiffany..........28,396.76 Hogan, Patricia.............................4,528.50 Homrighausen, Nicole.....................595.31 Hoppenworth, Adrianne.............50,938.63 Horst, Mary..................................3,585.94 Horton, Elysia....................................65.74 Horton, Valerie...........................23,653.49 Hromi, Jamie...............................7,514.07 Huffman, Deborah........................2,388.48 Hunt, Alice......................................595.31 Hunt, Barbara.............................21,687.19 Hunter, Pamela...........................27,804.10 Hunter, Sally...............................28,586.40 Irvin, Laura................................67,204.87 Jackson, Destiny.............................314.13 Jacobmeyer, James..........................84.38 Jaspers, Jena.............................84,801.00 Jaspers, Kyle..............................89,825.04 Jilovec, Julie................................4,477.92 Johnson, Amy..............................3,400.12 Johnson, Cathrine...........................712.50 Johnson, Dave...........................75,059.52 Johnson, Reilly.................................75.00 Jones, Aida.....................................635.00 Jones, Michael...........................64,243.15 Jordan, Emmett...........................2,960.32 Jordan, Leigh Ann......................77,002.00 Kalm, Elizabeth.............................1,000.00 Kannegieter, Jenna.......................7,000.00 Karkosh, Brett............................76,192.79 Karwal Clark, Kristi.....................25,409.35 Keiper, Caitlin..................................683.00 Kelly, Lainey.................................2,226.18 Kennon-Lane, Kelli..........................271.72 Kerr, Christopher..........................2,122.00 Ketchum, Daniel...........................3,893.00 Klemme, Kimberly......................24,076.76 Klinkkammer, Alexia........................356.25 Knake, Benjamin..........................3,893.00 Knake, Lindsay.............................4,332.00 Knies, Angela...............................4,866.00 Kramer, Lisa...............................77,982.00 Krapfl, Erin.................................61,283.00 Krapfl, Megan.............................84,521.58 Krob, Nicole.................................2,868.75 Kruse, Dennis.............................38,512.70 Kuker, Benjamin.........................89,267.52 Kula, Loraine................................3,286.89 Lawrence, Racheal.....................22,058.01 Leeman, Lori..............................22,717.25 Leeman, Matthew.....................200,756.72 Leighty, Kori...............................10,972.00 Lengwin, Jennifer ......................24,953.30

Voting results: Unanimously Approved Adjourned at 9:04 PM. Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SPECIAL BOARD MEETING MINUTES

04/20/2026 5:30 PM Attendance Voting Members Jeremy Kunz, Board Vice-President Tim Keegan, Board Member Suzette Kragenbrink, Board Member Kristi Meyer, Board Member Maggie Hartzler, Board Member Non-Voting Members Matt Leeman, Superintendent Michael Marshall, School Business Official 1. Call to Order Director Keegan called the meeting to order at 5:32 PM. 2. Approval of Agenda Motion to approve the agenda, as presented.

Motion made by: Suzette Kragenbrink Motion seconded by: Kristi Meyer Voting results: Not Present: Jeremy Kunz Yes: Tim Keegan Yes: Suzette Kragenbrink Yes: Kristi Meyer Yes: Maggie Hartzler 3. Approval of Amendments to 20262029 Master Contract Motion for the approval of the amendments to Article IV and Article V language within the existing Master Contract, as presented.

Motion made by: Kristi Meyer Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Not Present: Jeremy Kunz Yes: Tim Keegan Yes: Suzette Kragenbrink Yes: Kristi Meyer Yes: Maggie Hartzler Director Kunz joined the meeting at 5:34 PM. Director Kunz assumed the chair.

4.. Approval of Certified Staff Contracts for 26-27 School Year Motion for the approval of the 20262027 Certified Staff (Teacher) contracts, as presented.

Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Kristi Meyer Voting results: Unanimously Approved 5..Approval of Extra Duty Contracts for 26-27 School Year Motion for the approval of the 20262027 Extra Duty contracts, as presented.

Motion made by: Kristi Meyer Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved 6. Meeting Adjournment Motion for adjournment.

Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Maggie Hartzler Voting results: Unanimously Approved Adjourned at 5:44 PM. Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT SPECIAL BOARD MEETING MINUTES

05/19/2026 Attendance Voting Members Rick Elliott, Board President Jeremy Kunz, Board Vice-President Jason Clark, Board Member Tim Keegan, Board Member Suzette Kragenbrink, Board Member Maggie Hartzler, Board Member 1. Call to Order 2. Approval of Agenda Motion made by: Tim Keegan Motion seconded by: Jeremy Kunz Voting results: Unanimously Approved 3. Approval of Amended Resolution Fixing the Date of Sale, Approving Electronic Bidding Procedures and Approving Official Statement Motion made by: Jason Clark Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved 4. Amendment to May 11, 2026 Bid Solicitation Resolution Motion made by: Jeremy Kunz Motion seconded by: Suzette Kragenbrink Voting results: Unanimously Approved 5. Resolution to Consider Approving Transfer of Funds to the Flexibility Account Within the General Fund and Setting Hearing on Proposed Resolution Approving Expenditure of Funds in the Flexibility Account Motion made by: Jason Clark Motion seconded by: Jeremy Kunz Voting results: Unanimously Approved 6. Meeting Adjournment Motion made by: Jason Clark Motion seconded by: Jeremy Kunz Voting results: Unanimously Approved Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRCIT

FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 EARNINGS Abodeely, Kristine......................28,914.40 Achenbach, Angela.....................23,887.06 Ahrens, Bonnie...........................70,912.83 Alger, Lisa....................................1,014.01 Allen, Heather.............................12,457.34 Anderson, Grant..............................654.75 Anderson, Kristin.......................85,567.67 Andresen, Kimberly......................6,440.64 Andrews, Julia...........................15,807.10 Appley, Alaina.............................75,944.67 Arnold, Maura............................18,787.39 Babcock, Margaret..........................114.34 Bany, Mason................................1,876.51 Bartelt, Eric..................................3,900.88 Bartelt, Jessica...........................84,437.67 Baty, Trevor..................................1,280.00 Bauer, Heather...........................74,732.00 Bauer, Lorna....................................946.88 Beatty, Mallory...........................74,173.17 Becthold, Gina............................86,224.56 Bednarczyk, Nathan...................62,535.00 Belding, Suzanne.......................16,326.66 Bennett, April.............................76,305.59 Bevins, Lorelei................................400.00 Bibby, Denise.............................83,592.67 Bigler, Laura....................................657.76 Binsfield, Valerie........................49,020.61 Bishop, Amanda ........................41,866.67

Lenhart, Jonathan........................3,090.37 Lenhart, Sara.............................66,274.33 Leopold, Mary............................66,648.67 Lewis, Crystal............................21,285.88 Lewis, Richard.............................2,049.00 Lietz, Bailey................................14,605.92 Light, Vance.................................5,839.00 Lopez, Edna....................................300.00 Lopez De Pena, Laura................12,934.15 Louwagie, Tracey............................514.44 Lynner, Brynn...............................1,000.00 Lynner, Trista.............................90,665.17 Maddock, Susannah...................88,541.00 Marshall, Michael.....................113,432.00 Martin, Kari................................11,178.67 McDermott, Adam........................2,227.66 McNulty, Sean............................25,035.10 Meester, Brad...............................5,839.00 Meester, Emma...............................236.66 Meggers, Miranda......................26,001.12 Melsha, Sarah............................43,494.17 Merryman, Jennifer....................22,407.41 Mersch, Alexandra..........................300.00 Milich, Melissa...........................25,688.46 Miller, Heidi..................................1,153.13 Miller, Jesse...............................43,209.07 Miller, Shannon............................2,049.00 Miller, Steven.............................49,059.25 Misener, Jacob.............................6,849.00 Mitchell, Michael.............................131.25 Mollenhauer, Sue.........................4,601.65 Monner, Debra...........................25,409.37 Moore, Jan.................................87,641.00 Moore, Tracy...................................450.00 Moorman, Brett..........................64,219.67 Moses, Mollie.............................21,198.54 Moss, Lori..................................68,789.08 Mote, Patricia.............................42,783.17 Mudd, Carson............................20,953.78 Murphy, Gregory........................87,608.24 Murphy, Jessica.........................78,267.00 Musser, Erin...............................66,976.42 Nailor, Cooper.................................100.16 Namanny, Nathan.......................68,877.25 Nealman, Savannah.....................5,810.44 Neighbor, Emma..........................2,341.00 Nichols, Brian.............................72,816.34 Nichols, Erica.............................78,222.00 Niehaus, Heidi............................25,428.02 Nieman, Beau..................................215.63 Nigg, Greg....................................1,302.08 Noll, Alan.....................................2,204.04 Noll, Christopher........................82,600.00 Nosbisch, Lisa................................484.30 Nost, Anita...................................2,506.79 O’Connor, Bridget.......................63,916.00 O’Donnell, George...........................450.00 O’Neill, Kaia................................52,503.05 Oakley, Harry................................2,123.45 Oberbreckling, Moriah...............15,483.06 Ohlaug, Abb...............................76,812.17 Olen, Krista..................................7,289.08 Ordman, Stuart............................4,573.00 Orr, Kathi....................................24,610.28 Parker, Kendra...........................97,500.00 Payne, Charles.............................6,134.72 Pedersen, Preston......................98,302.24 Pershing, Jason..............................500.00 Petersen, Jordan.............................753.80 Pflughaupt, Trever......................72,031.00 Pisarik, Roberta, Leann..............25,789.55 Pisarik, Steve.............................24,776.00 Plate, Elizabeth...........................22,906.88 Plathe, Heather...........................83,729.70 Plymesser, Carrie............................450.00 Pospisil, Sheryl............................3,072.15 Price, Mari...................................6,020.15 Provencio, Christine..........................75.00 Pyatt, Jan.....................................8,037.60 Randall, Olivia..............................1,165.00 Randolph, James............................750.00 Rasmussen, Tabitha...................85,240.01 Rhomberg, John..........................3,659.00 Rice, Kassandra.........................77,972.05 Rizzio, Amy.....................................150.00 Roberts, Derek...........................80,798.84 Roberts-Maurice, Susan............16,976.44 Rodenberg, Dennis......................5,378.40 Rodenberg, Elise........................83,946.59 Rowe, Tierney............................72,252.00 Russell, Jodi..............................83,691.00 Ryan, Alexa................................32,043.65 Ryan, Heidi.................................40,049.88 Sabers, Alissa............................68,443.74 Saehler, Lauren............................2,488.00 Salinas Herrera, Jose.................61,408.16 Sallen, David.....................................46.88 Sanderson, Nathan.......................2,404.70 Scheckel, Charlotte......................3,167.26 Schlote, Theodore........................8,190.56 Schmatt, Jeffrey.........................19,746.72 Schmidt, Spencer.......................41,638.73 Schmit, Kacey............................66,698.67 Schnoor, Allison.........................83,417.67 Schroeder, Bart...............................600.00 Schurbon, Brandy......................84,677.67 Schwiebert, Aaron......................57,028.67 Schwiebert, Paul........................18,925.57 Selby, Heather............................25,762.35 Shannon, Douglas...........................416.64 Shea, Andrew.............................12,818.00 Shebetka, Ellivia...........................2,549.00 Shelton, Chance...........................3,512.00 Siebenga, Deb............................18,437.58 Siggins, Kimberly.......................67,523.67 Simon, Elizabeth..........................3,365.62 Simons, Larry............................15,263.97 Sisk, LaMia................................48,044.62 Smithee, Kelsey...........................1,631.25 Sniegowski, Emily........................2,896.88 Solomon, Terrie...........................2,129.91 Soto, Blake...................................1,976.00 Stamp, Emily..............................74,817.00 Stanbro Wiesenhofer, Toni..............400.00 Stanerson, Jennifer....................61,988.83 Stanton, Kathleen.......................80,000.00 Steele, Kimberlee.......................12,679.69 Steinberg, Gunner.............................50.00 Steines, Cathleen.........................4,007.81 Stephens, Tom...........................91,206.35 Stevenson, Emma......................22,655.30 Studt, Sara.................................25,881.45 Sullivan, Sonya..........................56,210.59 Suri, Rajindar.............................19,842.48 Swart, Conni..............................13,899.11 Swart, Kory................................15,366.00 Teague, Mary, Anne....................59,396.26 Tenley, Tawnua...........................97,998.01 Terrones, Abigail..........................1,976.00 Thede, Jessica...........................83,988.05 Thede, Matthew.......................106,198.00 Theriault, Jennifer........................2,302.22 Timm, Roger............................105,964.58 Timm, Stephanie........................56,897.60 Tittle, Lauren................................2,138.80 Trende, Trevor..............................5,268.00 Troutman, Beth..........................66,713.67 Truitt, Aaron...............................81,302.08 Trumpold, Ammie......................73,379.46 Turner, Whitney..........................73,032.71 Ulch, Sydney..............................22,879.55 Uthe, Erika......................................253.13 VanDraska, Jordyn.......................9,365.92 VanWey, Brenden.......................45,015.84 Vaughn, Linda.................................300.00 Vavricek, Graham.........................2,233.13 Versteegh, Ronald...........................825.00 Vig, Charlene..............................26,137.64 Viter-Pitlik, Brandi......................78,035.33 Voight, Meredith .........................2,456.25

THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | 15 Voigt, Shawn..............................77,777.00 Vroman, Carli..................................206.25 Wade, Jean................................83,507.67 Wagner, Raechal........................60,595.00 Walker, Jeff.....................................198.40 Walker, Sophia...........................60,212.57 Walls, Maia................................41,666.67 Walters, Tanya............................73,098.17 Wattleworth, Ann.........................2,175.48 Wauford, Alexis..........................54,581.81 Wear, Jenna...............................69,657.75 Weber, Amy................................60,207.00 Weber, Luke....................................750.00 Weber, Scott.....................................96.96 Weber, Scott..............................66,178.33 Weber, Trevor...............................2,364.62 Welch, Lydia.................................1,050.00 Welch, Stefanie..........................12,140.63 Wellner, Ryan.............................18,828.02 Whitehead, Erin..........................72,305.00 Whitham, Krista.........................75,709.49 Whitman, Rya............................95,621.23 Whitmore, Allison......................51,117.22 Wilkins, Jill...................................1,098.00 Wilkins, Thaddeus......................90,373.01 Wilkinson, Erin...........................84,400.39 Wilkinson, Thomas....................69,742.50 Willems, Maggie........................79,608.93 Williams, Angela........................35,157.10 Williams, Martin.........................17,946.35 Winder, Deanna..........................98,764.49 Winders, Christa..........................3,933.00 Winkler, Joelynn.........................27,180.66 Yorgensen, Samantha................62,007.22 Young, Mary................................2,207.79 Younggreen, Beth............................302.40 Zaehringer, Elizabeth.......................300.00 Zilaitis, Miranda.........................59,452.50 Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LIST OF BILLS

APRIL 13, 2026 Vendor Description Fund Amount Ahlers & Cooney, P.c. Attorney Fees General.......................................................390 Alliant Energy Utilities - March 2026 General..............................................28040.56 Julia Andrews March Accompanying General.....................................................2080 Ascendance Truck Centers Transportation Supplies General.............................165.72 Avant Assessment, LLC STAMP 4S assessments for SOBL General............622.5 Bartelt, Eric Reimbursement for Fuel General....................................................25.62 Basepoint Building Automations new T-stats General..............................1369.74 Behavior Moxie, LLC Planning meeting, Implementation General.....................1575 Billingsley, Jamison Scoreboard General... .......................................................168.75 Mark Binsfield Shot Clock General...18.75 Bluum of Minnesota, LLC 1x MX275-V5 SMART Board General.......................3500 Dave Blythe DOT Physical Reimbursement General........................................110 BSN Sports, LLC Entryway Rugs General.. .......................................................668.75 Campbell Supply Air compressor in MS for HVAC General................................3301.96 Carquest Industrial Tech Supplies General .......................................................176.64 CDW Government Tripp Lite 10M 10Gb Duplex Mul General.........................177.96 Century Link Fax Lines General..............76 City Of Mount Vernon Water/Garbage General..................................................6816.9 COVENANT WORKPLACE SOLUTIONS, LLC APRIL EAP SERVICES General........... .......................................................457.15 CR GLASS CO. door sweeps General......... .........................................................99.85 CR/LC Solid Waste Agency #1 garbage General...................................................22 Epiphany Community Services Second Payment for MHAT year 3 General.....8500 Gary’s Foods snacks for ISASP testing General..........................................1259.21 Grainger toggle anchor for batting cage General............................................659.33 Grant Wood AEA Printing Services General .............................................................7.5 Graybill Communications FCC License for Primex Clock General...........................135 Robert Hanson Supply Reimbursement General..............................................56.93 Hawkeye Fire & Safety Co. extra fire extinguisher General....................................206 Heartland Business Systems Cisco router support General...................................480 Sally Hunter DOT Physical Reimbursement General........................................110 IASBO 2026 Spring Conference General.... ............................................................290 Imon Communications LLC Internet General................................................2548.26 Instrumentalist Awards LLC 2026 Band awards General....................................677 Iowa School of the Deaf Deaf Language Coaching Service General.................877.5 Iowa Prison Industries Air filters for HVAC General..........................................8434.81 It1 Source LLC HPE Aruba Central Foundation General........................................1002 Jostens diploma covers General...2007.07 JP Gasway paper for award night & graduation General...................................283.25 JVA Mobility, Inc Patient Lift; Power (Invacare) General.............................3165.69 JW Pepper & Sons Inc Music General....... .........................................................189.6 Kristi Keast Solo Ensemble Accompanist General.................................................600 Kesler Science, LLC Kesler Science Membership General....................................349 Kirkwood Community College Invoice for Spring ACE Courses General............67184 Lincolnway Golf Cars LLC batteries for HS floor scrubber General.......................1980 Linn Coop Oil Co. Fuel General......1677.55 Linn County Treasurer Local School Election 2025 General..........................4651.31 Lynch Ford-Mount Vernon Van #20, Remove & Replace RR General...........487.63 Marco HS SPED Copier Lease General....... .........................................................142.5 Martin Brothers floor scrubber/custodial Supplies General.........................14509.58 Matheson Trigas Inc Co2 tank General....... .......................................................330.16 Mechanicsville Fiber Fiber General.......400 Midwest Bus Parts Inc. Harness General... .......................................................221.95 Midwest Wheel Stock, (12) 2.5 Gallon Jug Kle General......................................110.88 Modern Piping, Inc. service call General.... ............................................................622 Mount Vernon Ace Hardware supplies General............................................904.65 P & K Midwest Inc grounds equipment General............................................574.56 Charles Davis Payne DOT Physical Reimbursement General...............................110 Preston Pedersen Travel Reimbursement General............................................378.51 Plumb Supply Maintenance Supplies Gen-

eral................................................1176.86 R.C. Tech DO Conf RM TV install / Matrix General..........................................2220.08 RelayHub, LLC Medicaid Services General .....................................................2726.11 Rickard Sign & Design Resource Advertising at Lisbon General.........................1925 Dennis Rodenberg DOT Physical Reimbursement General...............................110 Roto-Rooter cleaned main sewer line at MS General..........................................160 Schindler Elevator Corp preventive maintenance General..............................636.76 School Bus Sales Company Suburban Maintenance General.......................390.11 Schumacher Elevator Co. inspection on lift General............................................239.76 SCHWIEBERT, PAUL DOT Physical Reimbursement General...............................110 SINCLAIR TRACTOR repair on gator General....................................................172.5 Siteone Landscape Supply Maintenance Supplies General...............................48.53 Student Publications, Inc. Newspaper Postings General.............................129.14 Summit Fire Protection sprinkler inspection General..........................................625 Sweetwater 3 - Shure ULXD1 Mic Packs General...............................................1584 Tawnua Tenley Supply Reimbursement General..............................................23.89 The Paper Corporation Spring paper order General..........................................5181.81 Under-Hill Truck & Auto Repair, LLC Suburban Maintenance General............846.24 Untouchable Services Bus Maintenance General............................................312.01 Van Meter Company ballast General.......... .......................................................851.75 Brenden VanWey Travel Reimbursement General..............................................164.4 Verizon Phone General..................1288.92 West Music Co Rental tenor sax - 250 General............................................879.74 95 Percent Group INC. 5 sets of decodable books Activity....................................4675 Julia Andrews 6 middle school rehearsals Activity.................................................220 Jillian Barker Refund down payment for Disney Activity.....................................200 Barnyard Screen Printer Girls Soccer keeper jersey’s Activity...........................30 Benton Community School District Varsity entry fee 3/30/26 Activity.....................150 Val Binsfield Spring gate money Activity... .....................................................2135.35 Aaron Blau Drinks and detergent for state Activity..............................................53.83 Bluum of Minnesota, LLC 1x MX275-V5 SMART Board Activity.....................746.51 BMI SUPPLY rigging supplies for Matilda Activity............................................411.49 Sarah Bouska Open House Night Judge Activity.................................................100 Bowker, Paul Official Activity.............151.3 BSN Sports, LLC Entryway Rugs Activity... .....................................................1533.23 Causeteam Varsity Travel Uniform Bags Activity.................................................140 Slaymaker, Maggie CAY Post Prom Reimbursement Activity...............................100 Cedar Rapids Comm School Dist honor orchestra registrations Activity..........1085 Center Point - Urbana CSD 2026 WaMaC Art Show Activity...................................50 Citywide Cleaners Marching band uniform cleaning Activity..............................589.84 Dimitrov, Boris Official Activity........151.58 Elite Sports Coaches Game Tops for all levels Activity................................1340.36 Paul Fugate Parking at girls state basketball Activity............................................26 Joann Gage 79 entries in the IHSPA Spring Activity......................................158 Gary’s Foods Drinks, snacks, ziploc bags Activity..............................................86.73 Shawn Gilson Official Activity.............170 Gordon Lumber Co. Supplies for tennis shed Activity.....................................100.8 H2I Group Installing new basketball rims Activity...............................................1750 Hebdon, Mark Official Activity.........153.02 Iowa City West High Varsity entry fee 3/28/26 Activity....................................125 Iowa High School Athletic Association Boys substate game 2/23/26 Activity...500 Iowa HS Speech Association Entry Fees Activity...................................................78 Jazz Educators Of Iowa All State jazz registrations Activity....................................100 Jostens Yearbook Activity...............8147.2 JW Pepper & Sons Inc Bonse Aba TTB Activity................................................541.49 K2Awards.com medals for the spring theatre Activity.....................................315.45 Boumedien Kasha Official Activity.. 155.37 Kennedy/Team Iowa Tournament bball tournament entrance Activity...............180 Kernoustie Golf Club Boys Golf Club Membership 2026 Activity...........................960 Megan Krapfl MS gym rental refund Activity...........................................................60 LESTER BURESH CENTER 4th Grade end of year celebration Activity...................400 Linn Coop Oil Co. HS Girls Basketball State Travel Activity................................2669.57 Steve Mickelson Official Activity....148.77 Mount Vernon Ace Hardware supplies for Matilda Activity...............................216.53 Beth Mueller Solo Ensemble Open House Judge Activity......................................100 Jackson Mulder Official Activity.......151.2 Obradovic, Danilo Official Activity...151.64 On Deck Sports On Deck Sports 2x Phantom Bat Activity.............................4214.12 OWEN, BRIDGET Open House Judge Activity.....................................................100 Performance Foodservice Overpayment of INV 174628 Activity.........................-35.69 Riddell All American Helmets reconditioned 2026 Activity......................5045.11 Robert Campagna Photography Film Photography workshop support Activity.......... .......................................................610.55 Kristen Robinson refund for AP exam Activity.......................................................50 Scholastic Book Fairs Scholastic Book Fair Activity............................................378.15 Scranton, Matt Official Activity..........149.6 Sportboardz Record board updates Activity.......................................................155.3 SULLIVAN, NICOLE Sullivan Hitting Sessions Activity........................................500 Sweetwater 3 Shure ULXD1 Mic Packs Activity................................................627.62 Matt Thede Girls State Basketball mileage Activity............................................315.52 Tipton CSD Boys Track entry fee 3/31/26 Activity.................................................100 Tresona Multimedia, LLC Copyright for In the Air Tonight Activity.......................1445 West Music Co Clarinet repair Activity....... .......................................................183.25 City Of Mount Vernon Site Review Plan Parking Lot Capital Projects.................150 iBenzer, Inc Bumpect Pro Vertical 2.0 Protect Capital Projects........................7915.2 Marcia Brenner Associates, LLC Creator Plugin for powerschool Capital Projects.... ..........................................................2475

PUBLIC NOTICES/NEWS

16 | THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 Marco HS Copier Lease Capital Projects.... .......................................................1800.7 On Deck Sports On Deck Sports 2x Phantom Bat Capital Projects................4214.12 S & P Global Ratings Analytical Services Rendered Capital Projects................18500 Shive-Hattery, INC. Traffic Data Collection Capital Projects..................................3500 VISTA SOFTWARE, LLC Accounting Software Capital Projects.........................4150 Radio Communications Systems Support for migration Capital Projects.............509 Anderson Erickson Dairy Purchased Food Nutrition........................................7347.48 Atlantic Coca-Cola Purchased Food Nutrition................................................1242.68 Bimbo Bakeries Purchased Food Nutrition .....................................................1232.44 Local Food Solutions Purchased Food Nutrition..............................................638.45 Gary’s Foods Purchased Food Nutrition..... .........................................................49.08 Kids In Need Lunch account donations Nutrition................................................11.55 Martin Brothers Purchased Food Nutrition ........................................................16115 Modern Piping, Inc. MIXER INSTALL Nutrition...................................................590 Performance Foodservice Purchased Food Nutrition......................................73798.49 Published in the Sun July 30, 2026.

MOUNT VERNON COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT LIST OF BILLS

MAY 11, 2026 Vendor Description Fund Amount Alejandro Martin Official Activity.........120 Alejandro Martin Official Activity.........120 Amanda Denny pit cello for Matilda Activity.........................................................600 Anamosa Comm Schools Boys Track entry fee Activity...........................................300 Angie Williams Shaving Cream Classic concessions Activity.......................337.46 Beckman High School MS Girls track entry fee Activity.............................................85 Benton Community School District JV entry fee Activity........................................80 Benton Community School District Boys Track entry fee Activity.........................150 Bob Murphy Official Activity................180 Bon Appetit Catering for Java Jazz.Activity .....................................................1423.08 Bonnie Ahrens Prom Supplies Reimbursement Activity..........................300.56 BSN Sports, LLC Softballs and Tee tops Activity..........................................1266.93 Casey Holland Official Activity.............120 Causeteam shirts for shaving cream class Activity.................................................966 Clear Creek/Amana Schools Boys Track entry Activity........................................400 Courtney Franck Basketball Sportsmanship Activity.........................................125 Dimitrov, Boris Official Activity........121.58 Elite Awards MV Letters, numbers and pins Activity......................................671.4 Elite Sports Game Hats from L2 & L3 Players Activity...........................................936 Elite Sports Names and Jersey on Lower Levels Activity...................................110.5 Evan Marincovish Official Activity.......120 FOSTER, BRYAN Assigning MS/HS Soccer Officials Activity...................................279 Gary’s Foods Drinks,snacks for WaMaC AD Meeting Activity...........................53.13 Goetz, Brad reimbursement for Matilda supplies Activity..............................206.97 Grant Freeman Supply Reimbursement Activity............................................385.88 Hebdon, Mark Official Activity.........153.02 Iowa City West High Girls Track entry fee Activity...................................................90 Jared Belin Official Activity.............109.29.

Jared Belin Official Activity.............109.29 Jill Wilkins Java Jazz Reimbursement Activity..................................................164.9 Jostens yearbooks ordered for 2025-2026 Activity............................................4520.7

Julia Andrews pit piano for Matilda Activity..........................................................500 Kernoustie Golf Club 13 additional golfers Activity.................................................520 Kimberly Benesh reimbursement for costume Activity...................................161.68 LEADING EDGE FUNDRAISING Payout for Fundraiser Activity..........................1237.5 Linn Coop Oil Co. Fuel Activity......3047.49 Logan Stanerson MVHS Faculty Scholarship Activity.........................................400 Madeline Boren MVHS Faculty Scholarship Activity.........................................650 Marion High School Boys Track entry fee Activity.................................................205 Mid Prairie Schools Boys varsity Golf entry fee Activity........................................90 Milosavljevic, Miodrag Official Activity....... .........................................................110.2 Miodrag Vasovic Official Activity....111.87 MOSS, LORI Reimbursement for printer ink Activity......................................132.99 Mount Vernon Ace Hardware ES Gym batting cages supplies Activity...............77.89 Mount Vernon Booster Club MS Track 4/20/26 workers meal Activity.............125 Mrzljak, Senad Official Activity........124.19 Mya Stoner MVHS Faculty Scholarship Activity.................................................400 Nathan Conrad MVHS Faculty Scholarship Activity.................................................400 Old Brick Manor Java Jazz Linens Activity. .......................................................371.25 Olivia Randall reimbursement for Matilda cost Activity......................................571.6 Power Lift Custom Connecting Brace Chin Activity...............................................3062 Rapids Reproduction photo prints for senior art show Activity.............................24 Regina High School MS Boys track entry fee 4/13/2 Activity................................170 RGS PRODUCTIONS box truss rental for Matilda Activity....................................300 Roberts, Derek Basketball Tournament Cash Activity......................................6500 Scranton, Matt Official Activity..........269.6 Seayea Joseph Official Activity............220 Shannon Wrestling and Timing. LLC MS Boys Track Activity........................1025.38 Solberg’s, Inc engraving names Activity.... ..............................................................10 Solon Community School District Boys Track entry fee Activity.........................250 Solon High School MS Boys track entry fee Activity...........................................100 Sports Graphics State Runner Up Banner Activity.................................................147 Steve Junge pit drummer for Matilda Activity.....................................................400 Steve Mickelson Official Activity....148.77 Steve Mickelson Official Activity....198.77 Sweetwater Shure SLXD Dual Wls RCV Activity...............................................7220 Tawnua Tenley Registration reimbursement Activity..........................................60 Taylor Franck Basketball Sportsmanship Activity.................................................125 Teressia Boren ES Gym rental refund Activity.......................................................90 The Company Store shirts for Matilda Activity..................................................704.5 Tipton CSD Boys Golf entry fee Activity..... ..............................................................80 Waterloo West High School Girls Track entry fee Activity..................................100 West Music Co New concert Pearl snare drum Activity.................................1457.11 West Music Co Westwood 3/4 size guitar Activity............................................442.04 White Tree Bakery Java Jazz - Desert Activity.....................................................258 Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Activity......................50 Williamsburg CSD MS Girls track entry fee Activity.................................................100 Williamsburg CSD Boys Golf entry fee Activity.....................................................150 CUSIP Global Services Bond Ratings Capital Projects..........................................548 Doug’s 4 Wheelers, Inc. Used Bus Capital Projects..............................................2700

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MOUNT VERNON-LISBON SUN | MVLSUN.COM

‘Spirit in All of Us’ opens Aug. 5 at Abbe Creek Gallery Lark Birdsong Exhibit: “Spirit in All of Us” Aug. 5 – Sept.

5, 2026 Opening Reception: Saturday, Aug. 8, 1-4 p.m.

Artist Talk (conversation with gallery owner Bob Campagna): Saturday, Aug. 8, 2:15 p.m.

Contact: Bob Campagna, co-owner, Abbe Creek Gallery Abbe Creek Gallery, 105 First St. NW, Mount Vernon, announces the opening of Iowa City fused glass artist Lark Birdsong’s exhibit “Spirit in All of Us.” The exhibit’s opening reception is Saturday, Aug. 8, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Lark’s Artist Talk also is Saturday, August 8 at 2:15 p.m.

The talk will be a conversation with gallery owner Bob Campagna, with time for questions from attendees.

“Spirit in All of Us” will run from Aug. 5 through Sept. 5.

The public is invited to attend the opening reception/ artist talk. There is no admission charge.

Though known as an innovative and evolving fused glass artist, Lark’s initial entry into the Hawkeye state was in 1974 when she was hired as the first University of Iowa Women’s Basketball coach. She served in that capacity until 1979, building the foundation for what now is a nationally renowned program.

How does a coach become a glass artist? At first glance the two professions seem incompatible.

“Coaching and artistry are similar,” she explained, adding “I had to be open to adjustments, to learn how to put things together. It’s the same as coaching a team, a journey to enhance skills.”

Her exhibit theme “Spirit in All of Us” draws from “the feelings that art brings to me, feelings that art gives to anyone. It simply feels beautiful.”

“Nature draws me. I like animals. I try to create glass flow, replicating cascades of water.”

Her exhibit will consist of existing plus newly created pieces. “I continually experiment, utilizing some things I learned while living in Colorado.”

Upon completing her five coaching years in Iowa City, Lark moved to Colorado and continued a life in coaching and athletic administration. During that time, she experienced the art of fused glass in such places as the YMCA of the Rockies.

Before returning to Iowa, she was represented in a Golden, Colo., gallery. She has always sought to learn in new ways, to find different instructors, and to engage in tutorials.

Lark works in her home studio. “Its 9’ ceiling makes it bright, open, and beautiful.”

“I’ve been creating for six years. I like to learn, to get better, to always try to refine. Having this exhibit as a goal helps push me,” Lark noted. Her biggest exhibit piece is 19x13” framed. Most glass work is smaller.

“Once I experience glass, it was amazing how a piece of glass transforms itself.”

She applies 4-7 layers of glass in her creations, making the registration “just right.” She fires in her kiln at temperatures of 1300-1500 Fahrenheit.

Lark referenced a quote from WH Murray that resonates in her life: “Begin and providence moves to…”

The Abbe Creek Gallery’s regular hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Closed Sunday and Monday.