The Wright County
Monitor
Sports page 13
County engineering projects for next 5 years planned
Kacey Ginn, editor wrightcomonitor@gmail.com Though Monday’s supervisors meeting saw some changes to project order, the secondary roads construction program for the county has been laid out, with improvements planned for many different parts of the county over the next five years. Adam Clemons, Wright County engineer, presented the board of supervisors with an amendment to the FY16 Secondary Road DOT construction program. The amendment allows the board to take action on project L-061470. “That’s the bridge crossing on 300th street,” Clemons said. “One of our goals was to get some of these smaller structures accomplished.” “We don’t have to do anything to the road grade, either,” added assistant engineer Taylor Roll. “Just going to insert a culvert.” Bid letting for the project will occur on April 6. Clemons reported that with this change, the end balance for the secondary road program in 2017 is projected to be 1.023 million. County Auditor Betty Ellis commented that the budgeted amount from the Road Use Tax—the portion of the fuel tax designated for road improvements— had increased over the last few years. Supervisor Rick Rasmussen pointed out that those funds allowed the engineering department to tackle more local, needed projects. “That gas tax is doing what it’s supposed to do for Wright County,” he said. The supervisors approved both the amendment and the changed budget. Clemons then listed the projects planned for the next several years, starting in FY 2017. Those projects include work on Bridge 77 in Dayton Township and paving on R45, which will include asphalt paved shoulders. In addition to those two projects, which will have bid letting this fall and winter, three more projects are planned for 2017, five in 2018, seven miles of paving on the Holmes
blacktop in 2019, three projects in 2020, and two projects in 2021, which includes work on the culvert on Ida Avenue, which has been bumped back due to conflicts with land rights. All in all, the program will involve spending $8 million over the next five years, some of it in local and regional money, some of it in FM (Farm-to-Market) funds that will be reimbursed. “I think we’re hitting the worst ones, clearly,” Board Chairman Stan Watne said of the chosen projects. Andy Yackle, head of building and grounds at the courthouse, along with a representative of Modern Sound Engineering out of Fort Dodge, then spoke to the supervisors about a proposal for increased door security for the courthouse, sheriff’s office, and professional building. Mike O’Connell, county IT director, said he’d previously worked with the same door package. “I can personally vouch for this system. The software’s very robust and reliable,” he said. With the supervisor’s approval, system installation will be completed by early May. O’Connell also reported on costs for updating the county email system, which would be about $300400 more per year than the current system. It would, however, be more secure, more efficient, and have better features. The supervisors also discussed the possibility of including Health Savings Accounts for county employees’ insurance plans, but decided they needed to know more and didn’t have time to initiate the plan this year. They intend to hold a work session with their Wellmark representative to answer questions for next year. A liquor license for Boon River Grill in Goldfield was also approved, pending Dram Shop approval.
147th year Number 11
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Official newspaper of Wright County
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State bills may affect education Kacey Ginn, editor wrightcomonitor@gmail.com On Friday, March 11, the Wright County Farm Bureau sponsored town hall meetings in Clarion, Belmond, and Eagle Grove, where Representative Terry Baxter and Senator Dennis Guth talked with citizens about legislation currently under discussion at the Capitol. About 20 people attended the meeting at the Clarion Depot, where many spoke about issues tied to education. In January, Governor Branstad announced a plan to divert some of the funds generated from the 1 cent sales tax for education school improvements to address water quality issues. Dr. Robert Olson, superintendent of the ClarionGoldfield-Dows school districts, spoke against the proposal. “It’s a slippery slope, and it’s already happened,” Olson said. “People are already looking at that fund and getting their fingers into it.” Stu Swanson, a local farmer, thought that the governor was simply trying to do more with what money is available. “My fear is, there’s probably not a good opportunity to pass a new tax of any kind,” he said. “It may be an easier option looking forward.” Senator Guth said that the changes in the use of the tax money should be up to the people, not the governor. “It needs to come before the people of Iowa in some way,” Guth said. “It’s important to me that the citizens remain engaged.” Olson also brought up two other issues he wanted the legislators to be aware of going forward: the needs of rural school districts, which have higher transportation costs per student, and the inequity of formula that results in some districts, like C-G-D, being given less money per student than other districts. “The equity issue of one school district’s child being worth more than another is an issue I’m really having trouble
Representative Terry Baxter and Senator Dennis Guth (head of the table) discussed many concerns related to education with citizens at the Wright County Farm Bureau’s town hall meeting Friday. reconciling,” he said. Representative Baxter spoke about another issue related to education funding—the amount of aid going to state colleges. “The University of Iowa has a larger reserve in their budget than the whole state of Iowa,” he said, but the school continues to get state funding. “I struggle what that inequity.” However, he admitted that cutting funding for state schools was a “politically loaded issue,” and that Iowa’s colleges and universities have some of the highest-quality programs in the country, including community colleges. “One of the things I’m an advocate of is our community colleges. I think they’re got a bad beat,” Baxter said, adding that those who attend community colleges are more likely to stay in Iowa and use their skills. Katie Greving, Clarion resident
and president of Decoding Dyslexia Iowa, told the legislators that her organization was advocating bills that would affect education on both the elementary and university levels, specifically by bringing back phonics-based literacy. Greving said that most Iowa universities instruct teachers in a “whole language” philosophy, which isn’t nearly as effective as phonics for teaching children with reading disabilities like dyslexia. “We’re not trying to be partisan, we just want our children to read,” she said, adding, “It’s not our teachers’ fault. The buck stops at the university.” Guth commented that his wife, a substitute teacher, is a firm believer in phonics. “Don’t stop making noise,” Baxter said. “Over time, it’s heard.” Michelle Walters, director of Building Families, gave the legislators some information relating
to a bill that has passed the senate that would affect early childhood in Iowa groups. “We’re just trying to change some language,” she said. She also reminded them that Wright continues to be the county with the second-highest incidences of child abuse and that it also has high occurrences of substance abuse and teen pregnancy. “We’ve got families that are falling apart,” Baxter said. “The school ends up getting hit with the fallout of that.” Baxter also commended the organizations in Wright County that initiate problem solving. “Government cannot be expected to solve every problem,” Baxter said. “The power, the energy, the innovation, the inspiration is in you the people. I believe it has to be on a grassroots level.”
Wright County 4-H Fun Nite is a good time for all By Kim Demory Eagle Grove Eagle egeagle@goldfieldaccess.net The annual Wright County 4-H Fun Nite was held this past Saturday, March 12 at the Clarion-GoldfieldDows High School. Each year, the event encourages people of all ages from around the county to come out and enjoy an evening of fun and games, food, and the crowing of the Fun Nite royalty as a means for raising funds to support local 4-H programs. It might have been a cool, dreary night outside on Saturday, but inside the gym, things were hot with excitement as kids raced to the “Chance” table where they could win a variety of prizes. Each 4-H member is asked to assemble a “jar” filled with at least $2 worth
of prizes. Each year, the creativity seems to get better and better. Some brought water bottles filled with gum and stickers. Others were canisters filled with gummy worms and other treats. Others were straw cups filled with pencils and mini candy bars. The most sought-after “jar” this year, however, was a clear bag filled with The Lorax movie, and all the popcorn, candy, and other goodies needed to keep the recipient snacking throughout the show. Tickets for games were also in high demand. There was a wide variety of games, sponsored by all of the local 4-H clubs throughout Wright County. There were easy games and hard games; games of chance or a
winner every time; arts and crafts; and even fancy cakes to be won. The Liberty Pathfinders and the Wright Warriors (Eagle Grove) were in charge of bringing the decorated cakes for this year’s walk. So as to reward their hard work in creating cakes that not only would taste good, but look good, the Wright Warriors Leaders, Bryan and Allison Whaley, sponsored a cake decorating contest Saturday morning before Fun Nite. Several kids entered the contest... some using cupcakes to make horses, cows, fish, and more; and others using a baked cake to decorate as a sheep or a bunny rabbit. Contest winners or not, all of the cakes available to choose from at the
Three young men and six young women vied for this year’s title of the 2015 - 2016 Wright County 4-H Fun Nite King, Queen, Prince and Princess. They included, from left: Leslie Cooper of the Wright Warriors; Alex Keller, Dayton Lake; Just’n Boley (prince), Liberty Pathfinders; Max Weidemann (prince), Wright County P.I.G.; Jake Brandt (king), Dayton Lake; Hannah Kapka (queen), Lake Clovers; Lilian Swanson (princess), Wright County P.I.G.; Sam Sturgeon, Pleasant Progressors; and Jane Roberts, Iowa Hawkeyes. Photo by Kim Demory
Cake Walk were amazing. There were three tables worth, and never a shortage of people playing the game to win a cake to call their own. At 7:30, the annual 4-H Fun Nite Royalty crowning took place. The winners will be the hosts of the this year’s Share the Fun and Fashion Revue during the Wright County Fair, which is scheduled for July 6 July 11. All money raised from the supper, games, raffles, and silent auctions goes to support local 4-H programs like camp and conventions, to name just a couple. If you would like more information about 4-H or how you can be a supporter, please contact the Wright County Extension Office at (515) 532-3453.
Lilian Swanson’s parents, Stuart and Lori Swanson, escorted her to the stage during the Wright County 4-H Fun Nite King and Queen Crowning ceremony. The event was held Saturday, March 12 in the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School gym. Swanson was crowned princess. Photo by Kim Demory
The 2014 - 2015 4-H Fun Nite Queen, Alex Hackly, crowns Hannah Kapka as this year’s Queen. Photo by Kim Demory
Makayla Beisel spent a lot of time playing the Cake Walk at the 4-H Fun Nite event held this past weekend. Let’s just say she went home with more than one cake, and she couldn’t have been more excited about it. Photo by Kim Demory