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Rebecca Peter
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Polling Place Change
GARNER – Residents of Concord Township and the City of Garner will not vote at the Garner Public Library for the Primary Election on June 7 and the General Election on Nov. 8, due to the remodeling underway at the library. The new poll site will be the Garner City Hall, 135 W. 5th Street, Garner. This will be effective for the 2016 Primary Election and General Election, according to Michelle Eisenman, Hancock County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections.
Corwith Community Parade
CORWITH – “American Pride” is the theme of the 2016 Corwith Community Parade, 1:30 p.m., Saturday, May 28. The parade will honor Corwith area veterans. Showcase your business, church organization, hobby, vintage cars and tractors by entering the parade. Staging will take place 12:30 p.m. at the Lutheran Church on South Elm St. Pre-registration is encouraged, but not required. For more information, contact Eldon Meyers - 641-430-9435 or Norm Chambers – 515-583-2330.
City Wide Clean-up
GARNER – Garner residents are reminded that the city-wide residential clean-up day is Saturday, May 21, Crews will make only one pass through town. All items to be picked up must be at the end of your driveway on the curb no later then 6 a.m. More details on page ?? of today’s paper.
Liberty School Museum
The Liberty School Museum in Kanawha will be open Memorial Day, Monday May 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to come see the schoolhouse museum.
Community calendar Friday, May 20
Garner American Legion Auxiliary will be hosting “Poppy Day” to honor the men and women who have died for our country during a time of war. Members will be accepting free will donations to assist disabled and hospitalized veterans in our communities.
Saturday, May 21
Garner “City-Wide Clean up Day.” All items will be picked up at the end of your driveway or on the curb no later than 6 a.m. Do not place items on the curb more than 72 hours prior to that date and time. Klemme Clean up Day
Monday, May 23
Hancock County Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. in Board Chamber, Garner.
Tuesday, May 24
Garner Council meets at 7 p.m. in Council Chamber, City Hall. The Commission of Veteran Affairs will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the Hancock County Public Health building at 545 State St., Garner. Hancock County Health Service’s Senior Life Solutions will be hosting an ice cream social from 2 to 5 p.m. at Hancock County Memorial Hospital, third floor, to recognize May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Everyone is invited to explore the facility during Continued on page 12
Mother’s Day
| VOL. 144, NO. 20 | $1 PER COPY/90¢ DELIVERED
‘Goodbye is not forever’ for the GHV class of 2016
News at a glance
May 20-26
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
Coming May 27 Captain America: Civil War PG-13
“The memories we’ve shared, the times we’ve had together. They will stay with us always - goodbye is not forever,” was the motto of the Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Class of 2016. The 94 members of graduating class were awarded diplomas on Sunday, May 17. Senior Class Secretary Todd Finley extended a warm welcome to family, friends, school administration and staff to the commencement program. “We have worked hard these years and have overcome bumps in the road,” Finley said. Finley said the students from the former Garner-Hayfield and Ventura school Districts have become unified. Three members of the graduating class shared the student address: Student Body President Ben Baumgard, Class President Sydney Childress and Class Vice President Rachel Weaver. They reminisced about their early years as students and the last four years as high school students at GHV. They recalled successes in school life through the years as well as challenges and many humorous incidents. The 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. and the high school choir trip to New York City, homecoming and prom were among the highlights. “We can hardly believe that we spent almost 13 years together and now our time is winding down,” said Ben Baumgard. “One thing that can be said
Rebecca Peter | The Leader
CAPS OF TO THE CLASS OF 2016 - As a final hurrah, the GHV Class of 2016 toss their caps into the air upon completion of graduation ceremonies, Sunday, May 15. More photos on page 13; and on the Leader’s Facebook page and website: www.theleaderonline.com. Click “Photos” on the red bar.
about us is we always had fun, no matter with whatever we were doing. “It is quite an honor,” he said. Class Treasurer Theodore Schoneman extended the thanks of the
Greenhouse plans move forward at GHV Rebecca Peter
gleadernews@qwestoffice.net GARNER – Plans for a greenhouse for horticultural studies at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura are blooming. Bob Baumgard, vo-ag teacher FFA Advisor, and Josh Chizek, FFA president, reported the FFA received confirmation of a $16,410 Perkins grant for the greenhouse project. The grant will be used for equipment purchases (such as an irrigation system, etc.) for the greenhouse. Greenhouse construction has an estimated cost of $141,055. In March, the FFA agreed to pay one-third of the cost. One third of the cost will be covered by grants and donations. The school district will cover the remaining third.
The FFA has raised $32,000. “We still need $15,000 or more if we are going to have a state of the art greenhouse,” Baumgard said. “There are many businesses still interested in donating, and we have letters out to more.” If funding exceeds the estimated cost once the project is completed, that amount will put in a separate greenhouse account, Tyler Williams, superintendent, noted. The goal is to have the greenhouse operational by the start of the 2016-17 school year. High School Expansion The $7.2 million expansion/remodeling project at the high school is on schedule, Jim Haag, high school principal reported. Construction crews are GHV to page 11
graduates. He thanked the members of the GHV Board of Education for their dedication over the years. “Thank you for allowing Garner-Hayfield and Ventura the opportu-
nity to unite and become Garner-Hayfield-Ventura School District. “I am very proud to say that the Class of 2016 is the first class to ever go all four years of high school as Gar-
Council okays library bid alternates Rebecca Peter
gleadernews@qwestoffice.net GARNER – Several resolutions in connection to the Garner Public Library renovation were recently approved by the city council. The council accepted three bid alternates pertaining to the project. The additional monies to cover the costs have been secured. Plans for a main entrance planter and signage ($78,000), south patio ($8,400) and patio landscaping and lighting ($6,500) were approved. Contractor Dean Snyder Construction submitted change orders to remove an abandoned sewer line ($1,055). The council also approved the first pay request for $9,304.30 from Dean
Snyder Construction. Sidewalk Program City officials heard from Dan and Heather Lau and Darla Pletcher, who shared concerns about the new sidewalk construction notices they received for their properties at 390 East 6th Street and 590 Grove Ave. Since 2009, the city has undertaken a program to replace deficient sidewalks and construct new sidewalks where none exist. A sidewalk reimbursement program is available to offset some of the cost. Applications for the reimbursement is on a first-come, first served basis. A special assessment rate can also be requested to pay the sidewalk off over 8 years with interest. GARNER to page 11
Corwith to hold Town and Country Day Emilie Jenson
leadernews.map@gmail.com The community of Corwith will be celebrating the town, along with Memorial Day weekend on May 28 this year. The Town and Country Day Celebration will kick-off with a pancake breakfast from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Saturday May 28 at the community center followed by a 5K run/walk starting at 10 outside the community center. At 11:30 a.m. the Corwith Volunteer Fire Department’s food stand will open in the City Park followed by the opening of the beverage garden in the park at noon, which will remain open through the dance until midnight. At 1:30 p.m. a parade will be held along Main Street through downtown, with line-up at the St. John’s Lutheran Church parking lot. This year’s parade theme will be “American Pride, Honoring Our Veterans.” For more information or to sign up for the parade, contact Eldon Meyers at 641-4309435 or Norm Chambers at 583-2330. All cars, floats, tractors and walking entries are welcome. At 2 p.m., following the parade, there will be a car/tractor show near Corwith Red Power. For more information on SHOW TIMES Fri.-Sat., Mon.-Thurs. 7 pm Sunday 4 pm & 7 pm Adults $4 Children $3 (under 12) 3D + $2 Visa, Mastercard & Discover accepted
Avery Theatre 495 State Street, GARNER, Iowa www.averytheater.org 641-925-AVRY (2879)
ner-Hayfield-Ventura High School. Our school is surely one of the best. Schoneman thanked administrators, teachers, coaches and support staff, parents and friends. “The list goes on,” he said. “We hope that our future decisions will bring honor and pride back to our communities,” he said. “I wish all of you the best of luck. Live your life to the fullest.” “I’d like to thank the parents of the graduating class for raising such fine men and women and for your on-going support for our school district,” said Tyler Williams, superintendent. Williams also thanked the teachers and support staff for their role in preparing them for graduation. “Finally, I’d like to thank the Class of 2016 for a fantastic school year. As you enter this new chapter I wish you much success.” Awards and Honors Awards and honors presented during the ceremony included recognition of honor students who achieved the top 10 percent of their class academically. This year’s honor students were: Jacob Folkers, Kiersten Jass, Kayla Stoychoff, Kyleigh Slaichert, Alek Goll, Sarah-Michele Weaver, Samuel Cataldo, Alex Stromer and Katherine Rasmuson. Iowa State Bar Association Award was presented to Katherine Rasmuson. American Legion Awards were presented to Mallory Johnson and Harley Forry.
Britt council discusses addition of 4th officer Emilie Jenson
leadernews.map@gmail.com The City of Britt will move forward with adding a fourth police officer to its force this year. During the regular May council meeting, Police Chief Dan Cummings said he would like to begin the process of hiring an officer by placing advertisements with local and regional newspapers and the Iowa League of Cities. Cummings said the application deadline would likely be the end of May, and that once applications are reviewed, candidates interviewed and necessary testing is completed, it would be after the new fiscal year before an officer would start. “We could be looking at August, September before someone would BRITT to page 11
Supervisors discuss Duncan Heights Rebecca Peter
gleadernews@qwestoffice.net
Emilie Jenson | The Leader
The parade will be one of many activities at the Corwith Town and Country Day May 28. the show, contact Wayne DeGroote at 515-320-0466. The kids’ pedal tractor pull sponsored by Hankins Trucking will also begin at 2 in the City Park. Sign up for the bags tournament will start at 2 with the tournament set to start at 3 p.m. Bingo will start at 2:30 in the park, with wine tasting at the community center beginning at 3 p.m.
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From 5 to 6 p.m. a new attraction, piano bashing will be held in the park with a raffle drawing and program starting at 6 p.m. The firemen will hold a supper in the park starting at 5 p.m. with proceeds going toward the new fire station project, and from 8 p.m. to midnight, there will be a dance featuring the band
Standing Hampton at the tennis courts. Activities will resume on Monday May 30 with a Memorial Day program at the cemetery at 10:30 a.m. followed by a Corwith/CWL alumni dinner at the community center at noon. For reservations to the dinner contact Natalie Shipman at 583-2455.
GARNER - As the June 30 deadline to transition residents at Duncan Heights to other supported settings in other communities, the Hancock County Board of Supervisors are pondering the future of the buildings and property. Duncan Heights is a non-profit agency serving persons with mental health and intellectual disabilities. To meet federal mandates, the agency is in the process of making the transition. The facility, located about 5 miles east of Garner on Highway 18, is on property that in years past was the county farm. It became a non-profit agency (Duncan Heights) in 1989. Hancock County owns the propSUPERVISORS to page 11
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