Courier 0411 0

Page 1

Carstensen Flint Hills donates named Firefighter to agriculture in the of the year classroom program

Ridge View FFA annual banquet, awards night

Pg. 3

Pg. 16

Pg. 5

Ida County’s Official Newspaper

Courier Ida County

Vol. 43, No. 15 Ida Grove, Iowa

w ww.idacountycourier.com

Wednesday,, April 11, 2018 Wednesday

IG council eyes financial plan

News GLIMPSE

T

Noteboom Imp., LLC joins C&B Oper., LLC Pg. 3

U.S. 20 construction update Pg. 3

O-A/BC-IG High School honor rolls Pg. 7

Community Partners hears updates Pg. 9

Odebolt firemen receive awards Pg. 14

Home and Garden Special Section-Inside

Table of Contents More of Courier’s front page .......... 2 Family & Friends.........................6-7 Sports ............................................ 8 Obituaries/Church Directory ... 10-11 Public Notices ......................... 11-12 Classifieds ................................... 13 Courthouse News ........................ 14 Ridge View FFA ........................... 16

Photo by: Mike Thornhill | Ida County Courier

G-H first grade: Galva-Holstein’s Upper and Lower Elementary students presented their annual spring concert entitled “Showtime” Thursday in Holstein. Here, the first graders sing “Sing After Me.” The concert included the fifth grade band and songs by kindergarten through fifth grade vocalists.

April 15 • 8 am - 12 Noon

Holstein council approves first step in raising utility rates

Danbury Fire Station

❚ by DEB LOGER

Arthur EMR & Fire Dept.

The Holstein City Council approved the irst reading on three ordinances pertaining to increases in utility rates during its meeting April 2. Ordinance 236 sets new monthly rates (a 9 percent increase) for water service as follows: irst 1,000 gallons— $6.54; gallons over 1,000— $3.55 per 1,000 gallons; capital projects fund—$5.81; meter charge—$1.09; water availability—$10.90; outside city limits: irst 1,000 gallons—$13.08; gallons over 1,000—$7.10 per 1,000 gallons; capital projects fund—$5.81; meter charge— $1.09 and bulk water: $13.08

Upcoming Events Danbury Fire Dept.

Pancake Breakfast

Annual Omelet Brunch April 15 • 9 am - 1 pm Arthur Community Hall

Chicken Supper April 22 • 4:30 - 6:30 pm St. John Lutheran Church Cushing

3-Day Forecast Wed 4/11

66° | 37° Cloudy

Thurs 4/12

67° | 56°

for irst 1,000 gallons, $7.10 per 1,000 gallons thereafter. City Administrator Kay Hanson had prepared an ordinance with a 10 percent increase stating “it has been found that within the water quality bill signed by the Governor, which takes effect July 1, the 6 percent state sales tax on water sales is being eliminated and replaced with a 6 percent excise tax. With the elimination of the state sales tax, the city will no longer collect its 1 percent LOST (local option sales tax) on water sales. Last quarter this would have translated to an approximate $350 loss in LOST.”

The council opted to go with the 9 percent increase stating if the loss was signi icant the rate could be changed next year. Ordinance 237 states each contributor shall pay sewer service charges for $11.03 per month for 1,000 gallons. Additionally, each contributor shall pay the rate of $3.42 per 1,000 gallons in excess of the 1,000gallon minimum. The third ordinance, Ordinance 238, increases the storm water drainage utility for each residential, commercial and industrial premise from $1 per month to $2 per month. Before inal adoption, the (continued on page 2)

❚ by MIKE THORNHILL

he Ida Grove City Council listened to a presentation on inancial planning for the city, plans for a community hall renovation committee and raised swimming pool fees April 2. Michael Hart and Heidi Kuhl of Northland Securities made a presentation to the council regarding inancial planning services their irm provides cities with populations of 500 to 10,000 people. Hart said, for a fee, his irm would review the city’s budget and inancial status to help city of icials better understand where the city stands in terms of its inances and how much debt the city could incur and still maintain a healthy inancial status. City of icials are trying to get a better handle on the city’s budget, what it will take to improve not only ongoing city services (sewer and water lines, streets, etc.), but also make larger projects like the west access possible. Hart noted Ida Grove is in a good position as far as debt is concerned. At the end of the current iscal year, the city will have $672,897 in debt, which will leave the city with $5,105,584 in available legal capacity to incur debt. The current debt will be paid off in eight years. “Ida Grove is in great shape,

in terms of debt and legal capacity to take on debt,” said Hart. Hart added, his irm works with cities to ind the best ways to take on debt and to manage that debt. He said his irm will also help cities ind inancing, including grants for projects, better ways to use TIF funds and ways to ind cash to help pay off debt. Hart said part of the effort to pay debt off in cash is for his irm to review where the city could possibly increase fees for services or raise taxes. Hart noted the city’s current cash fund balance is a cause for concern and needs to be addressed. He added there isn’t anything wrong with the cash fund balance that can’t be corrected. “The goal isn’t to be critical of what someone did. In some cases, the city spent money on projects, but nothing was addressed as to how to pay that money back (to the city’s cash fund).” Hart said there are some negative balances in the general fund account, possibly due to the city not making the proper transfers between accounts to clear out the balances in some accounts. Hart noted he couldn’t give the council any speci ic recommendations on its budget and overall inancial status until he has a chance to do an in-depth review. (continued on page 2)

Partly Cloudy

Fri 4/13

59° | 26° PM Showers

Let’s Get Social www.facebook.com/ GoingsOnInTheGrove @IdaCoCourier

$

1.00

E AN RNER P O PR CO NK A H

G-H/S-C boards con nue reviewing whole grade sharing, cost savings The Galva-Holstein and Schaller-Crestland School Boards continued their review of possible whole grade sharing options and cost saving measures during separate and joint work sessions April 2-3. No action was taken during the work sessions. During G-H’s work session April 3, shared Superintendent Jon Wiebers presented projections of inancial data based on adjusting the whole grade sharing agreement from its current sixth through 12th grade arrangement to a ifth through 12th grade share. Wiebers said the rough estimate of what it would cost the G-H district to send ifth graders to a middle school in Schaller or Early is $28,000 to $32,000. He said the cost would increase mainly due to educational costs associ-

ated with G-H having to send some ifth grade teachers to Schaller or Early. The increased expense is due to the fact that sharing with S-C a year sooner than the current arrangement would increase the ratio of middle school expenses billed back to G-H. Transportation expenses were also discussed. Projected costs/savings were explained when transporting to either Schaller or Early depending on where the middle school would be housed and the number of busses that would be used. Wiebers said that estimate of costs ranges from no change to as much as a $22,000 increase. He said there would be some cost savings in transportation if the middle school were to be located in (continued on page 2)

Spring has Sprung! BEAT THE HEAT! Schedule your A/C check-up before you flip that switch!

Let our family take care of your family!

Tape the teacher: O-A Elementary students recently raised $4,694 for the Jump Rope for Heart Program put on by the American Heart Association. Through this program, they were able to help save lives of people with heart disease and other heart issues. As a reward for their hard work, students were each given a piece of duct tape. The tape was used to duct tape p.e. teacher Charles Hugo to the wall. He stayed taped to the wall during their lunch period.

3rd Sundayy of Easter April 15: Worship 9:30 am with gguest musicians “Trilogy” gy Battle Creek Presbyterian Church

Call Pr Propane ropane H Hank ank k

1-888-365-1241 1 888 88-365-1241 8 8 365 365 1 1241 241

Photo Submitted

Henryy R Henry R.. JJessen essenn Owner Operator Operatoorr

Propane Heating and Cooling Inc.

Serving SSe er e vin ving i g yyour our Community Comm muunity Since 1945

Check k out ou utt our ou ur website w we ebsite www.propanehank.com www www.propane propa h hank.com

Christian Education Hour: 10:40 am Fellowship & Coffee: 10:40 am

Everyone welcome! Come Share the LORD!

“The best exercise is stooping down and lifting up another.”


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.