RV student senate
MidAmerican Energy
members help at Gospel Mission
presents donation to Galva Fire Dept.
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Ida County’s Official Newspaper
Courier Ida County
Vol. 42, No. 52 Ida Grove, Iowa
w ww.idacountycourier.com
Wednesday,, December 27, 2017 Wednesday
IG council receives News GLIMPSE request for tower space Galva names drawing winners Page 3
Second grade drummers Page 5
BC Women’s Club holds Christmas luncheon Page 6
Puzzles Page 7
WDWV Caring Tree party Page 7
Sec onal, district wrestling Page 8
IG Rec Center basketball Page 9
Deck appointed Third Judicial judge Page 13
Upcoming Event Ida Co. Ca lemen & Pork Producers Banquet Saturday, January 13 5:30 pm Holstein Veterans Memorial Hall
3-Day Forecast Wed 12/27
17° | 10°
for new Internet service ❚ by DEB LOGER
Bob Bendixen, owner/operator of Xtreamair Wireless Internet, asked the Ida Grove City Council about the possibility of renting space on the city’s water tower for antennas for a new Internet service Dec. 18. Bendixen said, “I have been offering this service since July in Correctionville, Cushing, Holstein, Galva, Battle Creek, Anthon, Washta and Pierson. Service will be available in around around Ute and Mapleton soon. I have approximately 200 customers at this time and have antennas ready in my of ice to add additional customers.” Xtreamair offers faster Internet for a lower price with wireless broadband up to 20Mg download speeds. The basic package is 5Mg download and two meg upload for $29.95 per month; Xtra Package—10Mg download and 5Mg upload for $39.95 per month or the Xtream Package with 20Mg download and 5Mg updoad for $65.95 per month (available only after initial install, depending on available signal quality). According to Bendixen, he has one gig at his of ice and 12 ibers. At this time, he’s only using one iber from Windstream. Any sector could handle 75 to 100 customers. Windstream service to Bendixen is currently provided out of Chicago, Ill., Omaha, Neb., and Minneapolis, Minn. He hopes to add service to Lake View and the Aurelia
area some time in 2018. “I’m in the process of getting a license for 11 gigahertz. I’d like to put four sectors (antennas) and a dish (not to exceed three-feet) on your water tower. I would provide an enclosed box for my equipment; the only thing I would need from the city is a 110 electrical hook up,” Bendixen said. When asked what other cities or locations charge for rent, Bendixen commented that he provides the City of Ute with free Internet for any city entity for no rent. For placing an antenna on the elevator at NEW Co-op in Correctionville, NEW Co-op has dedicated service that serves four locations. Bendixen told the council he has $3 million in general liability insurance through The Hartford. “I was prepared to use the elevator at Landus Cooperative in Ida Grove, but that fell through. I’ve had approximately 30 Ida Grove residents contact me,” Bendixen said. The council asked Bendixen to send proof of his insurance to city hall and indicated it would look at the water tower and discuss Bendixen’s proposal at the Jan. 2 meeting. JEO Consulting engineer Cody Torch provided cost estimates to run a water main extension and hydrants on the backside of the Midwest Industries’ plant. Torch said the water main extension could be looped (continued on page 2)
Partly Cloudy
Thurs 12/28
21° | 5° Cloudy
Fri 12/29
15° | 0° Cloudy
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Ida supervisors consult with school, cities over TIF The Ida County Board of Supervisors held a consultation with cities and schools regarding the Tax Increment Finance (TIF) of the current phase one of the amended urban renewal area for Ida Grove’s wind turbine project Dec. 18. Present at the supervisors’ meeting were: Ida Grove Mayor Devlun Whiteing, Holstein Mayor Connie Ludvigson and administrator Kay Hanson, Battle Creek Mayor Lloyd Holmes and O-A/BC-IG business manager Kathy Leonard.
Formal approval of the projects to be funded by the TIF will be at the Jan. 2 supervisors’ meeting. Supervisors meet at 9 a.m. Tuesdays at the Ida County Courthouse. “The 2018 highway project will consist of county road, bridge and culvert improvements in the Urban Renewal Area. The total debt certi ication for a 20-year TIF bond is $38,573,000,” according to information given to the local of icials. Secondary Roads Engineer
Jeff Williams said the TIF projects have to be tied to economic development and not, for example, courthouse work or a shed for the secondary road department. “We have a list of what is being added to the urban renewal area,” said board chairman Rhett Leonard. “The bond will be paid back from TIF from the wind towers that recently went up. Those are projects we would like to do, but there are no (continued on page 2)
Value of Ida County farmland increases
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Photo by: Mike Thornhill | Ida County Courier
Under construction: Galva-Holstein fourth grader Odin Hansen works with Sydney Kistenmacher to build a gingerbread house out of graham crackers and an assortment of candies last week. G-H fourth graders worked with friends and family members on the project at the G-H Lower Elementary School in Galva.
Photo by: Mike Thornhill | Ida County Courier
Arthur Santa: Adrienne Chase, the 15-month-old daughter of Dawn and Gary Chase, had one goal and that was to get back to her mom after meeting up with Santa Claus during the Arthur Community Christmas event Dec. 16. Children had the chance to visit with Santa and receive a goodie bag from the North Pole resident.
The average value of Ida County farmland increased 1.09 percent in 2017, according to the annual Iowa State University survey of land values released Dec. 12. Statistics came from realtors and Ag lenders. This year marks the irst time in three years that farmland values statewide have shown an increase. The average value of an acre of farmland in Iowa saw an increase of 2 percent. The average statewide value of an acre of farmland is now estimated to be $7,326. This represents an increase of $143 per acre, from the 2016 estimate. Ida County farmland was valued at $8,256 per acre in 2017, an increase of $89 per acre from the 2016 average of $8,167 per acre. Ida County’s percentage increase is less than
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the statewide average percentage increase in value for all grades of farmland. However, Ida County farmland is still valued $930 above the statewide average. The following is a comparison of how area counties fared in the survey. The irst number is the 2017 price, the second number is for 2016, the third igure is the dollar change and the inal igure is the percentage change. All of the area counties saw an increase in values. Buena Vista—$9,171, $8,996, $175, 1.94 percent. Cherokee—$8,692, $8,577, $114, 1.33 percent. Crawford—$7,870, $7,784, $86, 1.10 percent. (continued on page 3)
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