Ida County’s Official Newspaper
Vol. 41, No. 20 Ida Grove, Iowa
w ww.idacountycourier.com
Wednesday,, May 18, 2016 Wednesday
$
1.00
O-A/BC-IG boards approve salary increases, fee schedule, hear reorganization petition update ❚ by DEB LOGER
The Odebolt-Arthur/Battle Creek-Ida Grove School Boards approved administrative and non-certified salary increases, the 2016-17 fee schedule and job descriptions during their joint meeting May 9 in Odebolt. At the recommendation of the administration, both boards approved salary increases for administrative and non-certified staff. O-A approved a 3.25 percent increase, while the BC-IG board approved a 3.52 percent increase. Both boards approved the fee schedule for 2016-17, with one change, increasing adult lunch 10-cents to $3.45. Superintendent Terry Kenealy reported both boards have been utilizing job descriptions since 2011. The descriptions are issued with contracts in the spring. Kenealy noted the administration reviewed the job descriptions and made a few changes. Both boards approved the job descriptions as presented. Board secretary Kathy Leonard gave an update on the reorganization petitions. She noted, as of the board meeting, both boards had met the required number of sig-
natures. O-A had 275 signatures (with one, possibly two, petition papers out) and BC-IG had 437 (with possibly one petition paper out). The petition papers’ deadline to Northwest Area Education Agency was May 12. Kenealy reviewed the May 2 community meetings. He noted school attorney Rick Franck didn’t think the boards could establish a requirement that, in order to close a building, the board vote had to be by a super majority. Kenealy also responded to a question about why the high school play couldn’t be held in the Odebolt building. He noted, under paragraph 17 of the whole grade sharing agreement, high school activities should be held at the high school and middle school activities at the middle school. The next community meeting will be held in Battle Creek on Wednesday, May 25, at a time and place to be determined. Danika Hinkeldey was given the oath of office for BC-IG Director District 3. The BC-IG board approved two change orders for the elementary building project. Change order #037 ($4,136) adds back the win-
dow in the current building at the entrance to the new addition, and change order #039 ($2,121) was for an accent stripe in the gym. An $8,007 change order to renovate classroom E22 was not approved, at the recommendation of Kenealy. The O-A board approved M&S Lawn Service agreement for 2016-17 for $6,000. Board members Joey Hoefling and Pat Hoefling abstained from the vote. Other bids were from Xtreme Lawn Care of Sac City and Dr. Phil’s Property Maintenance of Lake View. Kenealy gave the following updates on the BC-IG Elementary addition: the geothermal well field is almost done, the old transformer and pad have been removed, renovation of four classrooms is completed, work will begin on renovating two more classrooms and concrete floors are being run in the new addition. Kenealy reported an architect toured the Odebolt building, looking at handicap accessibility issues. Items discussed were installing an elevator in the multipurpose room to get to the second (continued on page 2)
O-A/BC-IG, Ridge View seniors—
Commencements set for Sunday Area high schools will hold commencement exercises this Sunday, May 22. O-A/BC-IG Commencement exercises for 53 Odebolt-Arthur/Battle CreekIda Grove seniors will be at 2 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. The program will begin with prelude music and the processional “Pomp and Circumstance” performed by the O-A/BC-IG High School band, under the direction of Benjamin Mauritz. Superintendent Terry Kenealy will welcome the audience. Senior choir members will sing “For Good” arranged by Mac Huff. Jacob Pedersen will direct the choir. O-A/BC-IG High School Principal Patrick Miller will present the seniors with their scholastic rec-
ognition awards and then recognize/address of the valedictorian and salutatorian. Odebolt-Arthur Board President Joey Hoefling and BC-IG School Board President Stephanie Konradi will distribute the diplomas. Miller will present the graduates to the audience, followed by the recessional. The seniors have chosen black, purple and silver for their class colors. The class flower is the calla lily. The class song is “Photograph” by Nickelback. The class motto is “Our lives are before us, our past behind us, but our memories are forever within us.” This year’s graduates are Brianna Anderson, Allie Bales, Kady Bengford, Trinity Bengford, Madi-
son Bettin, Sierra Brotherson, Tanya Burow, Caleb Carlson, James Carnine, Ryan Childers, Easton Conlon, Rhondee Cranston and Amy Cutshall. Also, Olivia Devitt, Selena Dominguez, Ben Dotzler, Cody Durbin, Erin Fineran, Cody Fredericks, Domenic Fritz, Miles Gebel, Lydia Gustafson, Jason Hallenbeck, Brittany Hamann and Jose Huls. Also, Kimberlie James, Cheyenne Lenig, Leah Lierman, Nathan Masters, Jordan Matthies, Isaiah Means, Connor Musel, Blake Netherton, Mackenzie Neville, Benton Phillips and Kaci Phillips. Also, Savahanna Pierce, Raelynn Posey, Colton Ransom, Caitlin Reis, Trey Riessen, Bailey Roeder, Bailey Ross, Isaiah Salmon, Quinn Schleimer, Austin Schreiber, (continued on page 3)
Beautification project: Ida County Master Gardener Jess Bluml and members of O-A/BC-IG’s FFA program, in conjunction with the Ida Grove Chamber of Commerce, planted flowers in the downtown Ida Grove planters May 10 as a beautification project for the city. Helping with the project were, kneeling from left, Baylee Knop and Bree Henningsen and back from left, Jess Bluml, Master Gardener; FFA students Claire Sohm, Dalton Swanger and Skylar Reis; Dan Remer of the Chamber; FFA student Elliot Bengford; Ryan Goodman of the Chamber and Clay Miller of United Bank of Iowa (UBI helped provide funds for flower planting. (Courier photo by Mike Thornhill)
Master Gardener, FFA students, IG Chamber team up for planting project Ida County Master Gardener Jess Bluml and members of O-A/ BC-IG’s FFA program, in conjunction with the Ida Grove Chamber of Commerce, planted flowers in the downtown Ida Grove planters May 10 as a beautification project for the city. This beautification project came about because the Chamber was in need of someone to
design and plant flowers in the large planters scattered around the downtown area. As the coordinator of the Master Garden program in Ida County, Kandice Moore, Ida County Extension program and outreach coordinator, helped connect the Chamber with Bluml, an Iowa State University trained Master Gardener, to get the project started.
Bluml volunteered for the project and went to work designing and planning the arrangements for the planters while the Chamber enlisted planting help from the local FFA students, in exchange for a donation to their greenhouse building project. United Bank of Iowa also provided funds for the planting project.
O-A/BC-IG reorganization petition submitted to Northwest AEA The Petition for Reorganization and the required supporting documents (including affidavits developed by the district’s attorney, the signature pages and the legal description of each district) were submitted on Wednesday, May 11, to the chief administrator of the Northwest Area Education Agency at his office in Sioux City. The number of signatures collected from the Odebolt-Arthur Community School District totaled 313 valid signatures, with a
minimum of 275 signatures needed. The number of signatures collected from the Battle Creek-Ida Grove Community School District totaled 437 valid signatures, with a minimum of 400 signatures needed. Northwest AEA serves Battle Creek-Ida Grove, and Prairie Lakes AEA serves Odebolt-Arthur. The chief administrators and the board of directors from each AEA have called for a public hearing on the petition for reorganization for Monday, June 20, in the Ida Grove Community Hall, at a time yet to be determined by the AEA boards. The two AEA board of directors will conduct the public hearing, but it will be facilitated by the Northwest AEA in accordance with Iowa statutes, since they
serve the school district with the larger student and resident population. However, both AEA boards will vote on whether the petition for reorganization should be approved and submitted to the Ida County Auditor and the Sac County Auditor to set a special election that is proposed to be held on Sept. 13. At the hearing, each board will vote on the question after they have heard and considered testimony in favor of the petition, testimony against the petition and also considered any protests that may be filed in writing by June 13 regarding the petition. The official notice of the process to file protests was published by the AEA board of directors in the Ida County Courier and the Odebolt Chronicle this week.
Battle Creek Council addresses dangerous building
New tracks: Wordehoff Contracting began work on the railroad tracks that cross Moorehead Avenue May 9. Work included the much-needed replacement of the three lines of existing track and ties. Work should be completed sometime this week. (Courier photo by Mike Thornhill)
The Battle Creek City Council discussed nuisances and establishing a Facebook page during its meeting May 10. Following a walk through held at 104 Main St. and review of photos, the council compiled a list of necessary repairs. The owner will be notified per Battle Creek Code of Ordinances Section 145—dangerous buildings. Several complaints regarding junk and junk vehicles, low hanging trees, grass clippings blown in the street, weeds/brush and tall grass have been received. Property owners were asked to address those issues prior to
next month’s meeting. The council unanimously approved creating a City of Battle Creek Facebook page. Teresa McMillen and Kari Riessen were present to discuss a tentative schedule of events for July 2-4. Sheriff Wade Harriman presented his departmental report. Craig Young discussed maintenance issues. The fire department requested closing Ida Street between First and Second Street on June 1 for its kids’ fun day. The council reviewed a building permit for 701 5th St. for a deck/ramp.