EAGLE GROVE
2011
EAGLE
www.theeaglegroveeagle.com
Your local news media source
Volume 129
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Issue Number 33
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Cost $1.25
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Thursday, August 15, 2013
Wright County Professional Building generating revenue
Swanson third runner-up at Iowa State Fair The 2013 Iowa State Fair Queen Court: third runner-up Adelai Swanson, of Galt, second runner-up Megan Pretz, of Columbus Junction, 2013 Iowa State Fair Queen Kelsey Smith, of Mt. Pleasant, first runner-up Chandler Mores, of Harlan, Miss Personality Megan Black, of Batavia, and Miss Leadership Natalie Hanson, of La Porte City. The Court was crowned at the conclusion of the Iowa State Fair Queen Coronation on Aug. 10. (Iowa State Fair/ Steve Pope Photography)
School district okays $171,500 boiler project BY CLAE GOATER claengoater@gmail.com After some discussion, the school board voted to replace the boiler in the administrative building at an estimated cost of $171,500. Various board members and Superintendant Jess Toliver expressed concerns about the cost of the boiler project relative to the amount the district uses the administrative building, but the alternatives to replacing the boiler were unattractive and few. The boiler in the administrative building was shut down by the state Fire Marshall this March, after he determined that the boiler’s coils had worn down too far. Since March, the boiler in the administrative building has been disabled. Toliver said that he’s looked at different heating options for the building. Toliver considered using all electric heating for the building, but to do so the district would have to increase the building’s electric load. Increasing the building’s electrical load would cost money, and the district would have no way of knowing how the change would affect their electric bills. Windowmounted heating and cooling units would also require increasing the building’s electrical capacity. Window-mounted units also stop heating once it reaches -15 degrees Fahrenheit, which could result in damaged pipes on cold winter nights. The problem with the current administrative building is that it has limited uses to the district. Currently, the upstairs portion of the building cannot house students. There’s no handicap-accessible way to the second floor, and there are also fire code issues. “From a Fire Marshall’s standpoint, the upstairs is unusable. The walls do not go all the way to the ceiling … so if you had a fire in one room, it could go immediately to the next one,” Toliver said. “Which means, if you ever want kids in here, you’re going to have to put in a sprinkler system.”
Toliver said that it would cost the district around $750,000 to get the current administrative building into a condition where it could house students. Several board members hesitated to put so much money into a building they can only partially use. “I think that the building itself has it’s own character and tradition and everything,” said Boardmember Erin Halverson. “Do you think the public- if they had the facts, figures, and numbers- is it worth that amount of money? Given our limitations and what we can use it for?” Halverson went on to say that replacing the boiler would not help alleviate the district’s need for storage and classrooms, while switching buildings conceivably might. “I guess I still don’t feel comfortable spending that amount of money on the building at this time, given the amount of people it serves at this point,” Halverson said. As an alternative to replacing the boiler, the board discussed the possibility of using the armory for administrative purposes. The board had expressed interest in the armory when the city took possession of it earlier this year. “If it weren’t for the armory, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. We’d say, ‘Put the boiler in and use it.’ … With the cost that we are putting into heating this (building), we could buy the armory,” Toliver said. “It’s a wonderful building … it’s got 16 classrooms.” Ultimately, there were too many unknown factors for the district to gamble on the armory. The district was unsure of when they could get the title to the building. Also, moving into the armory would require the school to remodel the building, install high-speed internet, and move a lot of equipment. Also, if the school were to move into a new building, the current administration building would likely fall into disrepair.
BY CLAE GATER claengoater@gmail.com The new Wright County Professional Building, located at 115 1st. St. in Clarion, has centralized various social service agencies under one roof. Currently, the professional building houses the Berryhill Center for Mental Health, Building Families, Community and Family Resources, County Social Services, The Department of Human Services, North Central Iowa Case Management, and Wright County Veteran’s Affairs. “We’ve been wanting to get them all together for 20 years,” said Supervisor Stan Watne. The county first acquired the building in December of 2012, after First Citizen’s Bank relocated to a new building. “(First Citizen’s was) trying to get rid of their old place. The City of Clarion didn’t want it, so they decided to donate it to the county,” said County Supervisor Karl Helgevold. The county spent $92,000 remodeling the old First Citizen’s building, which held its grand opening this May.
County Social Services was the first agency to claim space in the building, but others like Building Families soon followed suit. “(Building Families’) rent was going to go up in Webster City. I sit on that board. They asked, ‘Where can we go.’ I said, ‘We’ve got a basement here,’” said Helgevold. “We said we could do it for $1,000 per month … so the basement’s generating revenue for the county now … Within 45 days, they were moved in.” “Building Families couldn’t get in there fast enough,” said Supervisor Rick Rasmussen. Now, there are enough agencies renting space in the Professional Building that it’s covering its own operating costs. “We were renting a facility across from the Clarion City Hall. We were paying $850 a month plus utilities there,” said Brad Leckrone with County Social Services. “Really, we have a net savings now, because we’re not putting the money Continued on Page 4
“If you do not put a heating source in it … you’ve got this big building that sits on the highway that has history in Eagle Grove, and you’d have to tear it down,” Toliver said. “I don’t see that as a logical option… This is a big, iconic building. If we don’t heat it, it will be torn down within 5 years … We’d end up spending $50,000 tearing it down.
WHAT’S INSIDE Meet the new employees of the Eagle Grove Area School District Pages 2 & 3 Eagle Grove native named a Fellow with Iowa State Bar Foundation Page 2 Juanita Thompson part of Iowa State Fair competition Page 5 UDMO annual Back to School Bash a success Page 9 3 pages of classifieds Pages 10-12 Eagle Grove boys named all-conference Page 13 Lexie Miller chosen allstate softball Page 13 Jacob Groth named head EGHS wrestling coach Page 13
Continued on Page 4
Good Neighbor Award given to Eagle Grove couple Page 14
BRIEFLY
Ready to help As kids get ready to head back to school next week, part of the excitement is returning with brand new supplies. For some, though, it is a financial burden. Jamie Johnston (left) and Jessica Thompson (right), UDMO employees with the FaDSS program, were ready and willing to help kids find new backpacks, filled with supplies, courtesy of Upper Des Moines Opportunity of Wright County and the many generous contributors from around the area. Income qualifying families were able to receive one backpack per child to start off the 2013 2014 school year. Inside backpacks were some of the specified supplies they needed. In addition, families enjoyed free ice cream, face painting, coloring, and received candy from the local Lions Club. Many area clubs like Building Families, Iowa State Extension, and I-Smile also set up vending booths, giving away free information and free packets. The Wright County Back to School Bash was held Monday, Aug. 5 at the United Methodist Church in Eagle Grove. Photo by Kim Demory
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MEMBER
Red Apple Luncheon Thursday, Aug. 15 11:30 a.m. Memorial Hall _______________________ Eagle Grove High School New Student/Freshman Orientation Thursday, Aug. 15 6 p.m. EGHS _______________________ First Day of School Monday, Aug. 19 Dismisses 2-hours early _______________________ Early School Outs Monday, Aug. 19 Tuesday, Aug. 20 Wednesday, Aug. 21 School dismisses 2-hours early _______________________ Ice Cream Social Sunday, Aug. 25 5 - 7 p.m. United Church of Christ 1115 SW Second, Eagle Grove _______________________