Decorah Citywide Garage Sale map & listings inside
Thursday, April 20, 2023
Vol. 158, Issue 16
Decorah, Iowa 52101 www.decorahnewspapers.com
One Section
Price One Dollar
email: news@decorahnewspapers.com
phone: 563-382-4221
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DCSD approves $38 million budget
By Roz Weis
Faced with how to best plan for the future, Decorah Community School District (DCSD) Board members unanimously approved a proposed $38 million budget for the 2023-24 school year following a public hearing Monday night. The schools budget marks an approximately eight percent decrease over the current year’s amended budget of $42 million. Cathy Dietzenbach, DCSD Board Treasurer, said the decrease can be attributed to large item purchases which were listed in last year’s budget (including the purchase of the District’s new bus garage east of Decorah, and the new one-to-one devices ordered for students). The proposed property tax levy for local residents is $12.36 per $1,000 taxable valuation, and that figure is down slightly from last year’s budget. The Board had little discussion before taking Monday’s vote, as no verbal or written comments were presented from the public at the hearing, which preceded the Board’s regular monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. DCSD Superintendent Tim Cronin outlined some of the budget changes, and said more funding has been placed in the management fund for the next year. “We are currently at the lower side for management fund,” Cronin stated, “And this gives us the opportunity to be more flexible and keeps the
District open to entering into the agreements for such things as natural gas.” The Board’s public hearing and regular meeting can be viewed online on the District’s YouTube channel (decorahtv).
Public hearing May 8 The Decorah Community School District has adjusted the 2022-23 school budget, and Board members unanimously approved holding a public hearing on the amended budget May 8. Available for review at the public hearing will be a detailed statement of additional receipts, cash balances on hand at the close of the preceding fiscal year and proposed disbursements, both past and anticipated. No changes in the tax levy are being made. DCSD Superintendent Cronin said the reasons for the amended budget include the one-to-one student devices expenditures, increase in support services and he purchase of new bus garage, baseball field lighting and one-to-one devices to debt service. The May 8 public hearing will be at 5:30 p.m., in the Central Administration Office. Teachers, Board reach agreement In other business at Monday’s meeting, the Board accepted the agreed-upon negotiations finalized last week between the Decorah
School budget
continued on page 3
Supervisors meeting ends once more in the ditches
DECORAH PROM goers gathered for photos Saturday afternoon April 15. TOP- Pictured from left to right are Keaton Orris, Ava Syverson, Kaid Headington, Jaden Weis, Gatlin Dahlberg and Danial Dawley. ABOVE- Megan Roe, Kailyn O’Gara and Chloe Dixon. RIGHT- Bringing a strong shoe game to Decorah prom were, from l-r- Jaidyn Duvel, Cade Averhoff, Maddy Fromm, Brayden Hartl, Dillan Johnson and Garrett Waskow. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Samantha Ludeking)
By Kate Klimesh
Several items were presented at the Monday, April 17, Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors meeting, including the successful audit of the county’s 2021-22 fiscal year, which was found to be in significant compliance with accounting procedures and processes. No significant corrections or changes were made by Hacker Nelson, PC, who performed the audit. Other business Jodi Enos-Berlage, Luther College professor and potential bidder on county farmland to be leased, presented additional information regarding soil health in support of the CRP lease proposed for up to 11 years, which will be discussed at the Monday, May 8, public hearing scheduled during the regular meeting. The contract for county rock for secondary roads was reviewed and accepted, with the average this year coming in at $14.35/ton. The contract with Bruening Rock Products was the accepted bid. Isaac Wiltgen of the engineer’s office noted the county was contracting an additional 500 ton per blade, for an increased cost of $200,000 in rock for the county. The rate and contract were approved unanimously. The supervisors approved unanimously the Wellmark Contract for health insurance for the
next fiscal year, which totals a $960 per month benefit per individual employee, with an additional $384 paid for those employees choosing family plans. The employee cost for single or “plus children” plans is $1 per month, with higher rates for “plus spouse” or full family plans. Jim Beeghly, retired judge and Decorah resident, was on the agenda to discuss the Integrative Roadside Management Program during the meeting. Beeghly read an e-mail he received from former Roadside Manager Cory Meyer before the voluntary termination from his position last month. In the email, Meyer detailed the work done in the last year, noting the 18 miles of roadside completed being brought up during previous meetings only referenced the sections that required the most intensive work due to Right of Way risk of accident or risk of damage to infrastructure. Meyer noted they had hundreds of hours of chainsaw work to remove large trees that had been neglected for at least 25 years, along with excavator work and more, in addition to the IRVMP spraying program of over 40 percent of all acres in ROW, approximately 400 miles. “We worked our butts off to be one of the top 10 in the state, had presented a plan with step-bystep best practices all because we were thorough.
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continued on page 3
Skyline awarded Steyer Bridge project
SOUTH WINN PROM was also celebrated Saturday, April 15. TOP: Bringing in the rainbow colors are (l-r) Cody Meyer, Bo Wangsness, Abe Conway, Brady Ohrt, Evan Monroe and Aiden Feickert. ABOVE LEFT: Shining bright during the grand march are Casey Leerhoff and Autumn Schmitt. ABOVE RIGHT: Carlos Marcario spins for Alison Heying. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Becky Walz)
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During its bi-monthly meeting Monday, April 17, the Decorah City Council held a public hearing regarding the long-awaited Steyer Bridge repair project. No one came forth to speak and no comments were received by city staff. The hearing was closed, and council selected and approved Skyline Construction’s bid for the bridge project. The project includes construction of new bridge railings and side curbs, pavement removals and new hot mix asphalt paving and subbase on Twin Springs Road, crushed rock shouldering
and storm sewer installation. The city engineer’s estimate for the project was $117,374. Three bids were received for the project with Skyline’s bid the lowest at $91,998.17. The historic bridge, located on Twin Springs Road near the intersection of Oneota Drive and Highway 52, was constructed in 1875 and is one of only a handful of stone arches in Iowa. Council’s vote was unanimous, with Council Member-at-Large Ross Hadley exclaiming, “It’s been a long time coming, let’s get it done!” Construction is slated to begin in late spring.
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CITYWIDE GARAGE SALE MAP AND LISTINGS INSIDE!