The
Graphic - Advocate Wednesday
| July 30, 2014|Volume 125| Issue 31
Rockwell City Office 712-297-7544 • advocate@iowatelecom.net - Lake City Office 712-464-3188 • lcgraphic@iowatelecom.net Vacation Bible School on page 6
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Board of new school district has short agenda
By Ken Ross Graphic-Advocate Editor The South Central Calhoun School District officially came into existence on July 1, but there wasn’t much for the board to do at the monthly school board meeting held at the high school library in Lake City at 7 a.m. on July 21. The board was established in, March 2013, with the appointment of Jim Brown, Mike Sexton, Brad Assman, Roscoe Simpson, Mark Schleisman, Ron Maulsby and Judy Hungate by joint action of the Southern Cal and the Rockwell City/Lytton boards, as authorized by a February 2013 referendum approving reorganization of the two districts. The SCC board had many details to work out in the consolidation of the two districts. The RCL and SCal boards had started on the process years earlier. Even before the February referendum, students and parents began thinking of themselves as the SCC Titans. Whole-grade sharing of the high school and middle school started in the fall of 2011. Sharing at the elementary school started a year later. Since before whole-grade sharing
Robotics Camp
started, most school board meetings had been joint meetings of the RCL and SCal boards, both 5-member boards, alternating between Lake City and Rockwell City. The 7-member SCC board, comprised of members of the other two boards,
exception. The meeting time was unusual. Since the boards planned on getting through the agenda quickly, they had a morning meeting rather than the usual 7 p.m. meeting the third Monday of the month. They board members met their goal in getting through the agenda in about an hour. Two items took most of the time at the meeting. The board members discussed the possibility of adding a mental A referendum in the South Central health support position at the Calhoun School District on Sept. 9 will preschool level to perform determine whether the school district adds service beyond what a counselor a 13.5 cents per $1,000 taxable valuation would do in serving families for the purpose of playgrounds and places and there was discussion on of recreation built by the school district. strategies for improving the The tax, if approved will be collected as math program in the school of the fiscal year beginning July of 2015. system. These were both The measure requires a simple majority to discussion items that will be pass. There is no sunset clause. If passed, included as action items on the levy remains in effect until and unless future agendas. another referendum eliminates the levy. An action item included approval of the pre-school playground and sidewalk repair joined the joint meetings when it at the high school building in Lake was established. Most mid-summer City. The work was bid at a total of agendas are light for school boards about $16,000. and since the details of consolidation The next board meeting will be in had been completed earlier, the July Rockwell City at the usual time. meeting of the SCC board was no
Ballot question coming on new school tax
Children’s Theater presents Haphazardly Ever After
Kids had fun during a three-day 4-H Robotics Camp at the Calhoun County Expo Center in Rockwell City July 21-24 but the activities they were engaged in was more than just play. The three day session, open to 4-H kids and non-4-H kids who will be entering the 4th or 5th grade, was led by Master 4-H Robotics educator, Sue Jarvis. She is also scheduled to hold a more advanced Robotics Camp for kids entering grades 6 through 8, July 28-30. (GraphicAdvocate photo by Ken Ross)
Tons of magical fun awaits in this original, one-of-a-kind fractured fairy tale farce! A kind king (Gage Rohlfs) and queen (Anna McChesney) have trouble in their royal family — four obnoxious, bratty, adult children who do not live up to their royal titles. There’s the mean Princess Cinnamon (Cara Voorde), the notso-bright Princess Peppermint (Cassidy Voorde), the vain Prince Hairgel (David Wedemeyer) and Prince Slacker (Austin Olberding), who thinks being a prince is just way, way too hard. The king and queen try everything to bring happiness and harmony to their family. They hire a royal therapist (Ellie McChesney), bring in royal teachers and even attempt to marry off their children, all to no avail. The king and queen are ready for a happilyever-after that doesn’t include adult children still living at home, so they call upon the fairy godmother (Gracie Hungate) to help. However, after learning the outrageous cost of hiring the fairy godmother (let alone the permits required), the king and queen decide
Lohrville Demolition
THEATER continued to page 5
IPTV star visits library
Dan Wardell, host of ‘IPTV Kids Clubhouse’ appeared at the Rockwell City Library on July 21 as part of the summer reading program. (Graphic-Advocate photo by Ken Ross)
Changes made in disabled veteran credit By Ken Ross Graphic-Advocate Editor The Disabled Veterans Homestead Tax Credit is being changed in two significant ways one of which makes qualifying for the property tax credit less restrictive and one of which makes the exemption more restrictive, according to Joan Wagner, Calhoun County Assessor, She gave the information in comments to the Calhoun County Board of Supervisors at the July 22 meeting. Previously, to qualify for the tax credit that eliminates property tax for the property owner, the individual had to have an annual income of less than $35,000 and have a disability resulting from military service. Unremarried spouses of deceased veterans who were qualified for the tax credit at the time of death also qualify for the credit. “Now they’ve taken the income requirement out but you have to be 100 percent disabled,” Wagner said. The deadline for the next taxing period has passed. It was July 1, but those who qualify can apply for the future by the next deadline on July 1, 2015. “We had six people who’ve applied,” Wagner said.
Corn Daze slated
“There was one who we assumed qualified because she used to qualify but she no longer does. She’s 90 percent disabled but she got 100 percent credit. So there’s going to be situations like that but there’s nothing we can do about it.” “Maybe the law will change in the future,” Wagner speculated. The property for which the exemption applies can be up to 40 acres, without any other restrictions on the value of the property. *** Bill Jurries, building custodial supervisor, brought before the supervisors, the idea of an outside restroom for the courthouse square. Jurries noted that the square is being used increasingly for community activities. During weekends and evenings, the courthouse is closed. Requests to open the building for restroom use are repeatedly denied because of security and liability concerns. The idea was just a discussion matter and no specific proposal is being made at this time.
A corn eating contest in both adult and kid divisions will be among the many activities in the Corn Daze festivities in Rockwell City on Aug. 2. (2013 Graphic-Advocate file photo)
Demolition of the former school building in Lohrville has reached the final stage, with the foundation being torn out and crushed. (Graphic-Advocate photo by Ken Ross)