Snow day: Tyler Harms starts his descent down bus barn hill in Creston Monday afternoon after a helpful push from his father, Doug. See more snow day photos on page 14A of today’s paper. (CNA photo by JAKE WADDINGHAM)
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2015
County supervisors approve GRMC to ‘fair’ raise for elected officials have same tax asking for 13th straight year
Board votes 2-1 in favor of a 2 percent wage adjustment and 1.5 percent cost-of-living increase.
have added a stipend of $500 for the auditor, recorder, treasurer and supervisors; $2,000 for sheriff; and $3,000 for attorney. “I understand what the compensation board did, they did their job well,” Brown said. “They looked exactly what they were suppose to, they showed us those figures. They made a very good case for adding the comparable salary modification increases for every office. This year, in my view, is not the year to do it.” This includes Union County Attorney Tim Kenyon, Sheriff Rick Piel, Auditor Sandy Hysell, Recorder Paula White, Treasurer Kelly Busch and Union County Board of Supervisors. The compensation board added the comparable wage adjustment to try to help close the gap between Union County’s population rank — 61 out of 99 counties — and the elected officials’ salary rank. For fiscal year 2014-15, the board suggested and the supervisors approved a 3.5 percent wage increase for the attorney and sheriff. The au-
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By JAKE WADDINGHAM
CNA associate editor jwaddingham@crestonnews.com
The Union County Board of Supervisors voted 2-1 to approve two of the three sections of the compensation board’s recommendation for elected officials’ raises for fiscal year 2015-16. Supervisor Dennis Brown made the motion and Ron Riley seconded accepting the 2 percent wage adjustment and 1.5 percent c o s t - o f - Brown living increase, but scratched the comparable salary modification. The modification would
ditor, recorder, treasurer and supervisors had a 3 percent wage increase. All elected officials also received a 2 percent cost-ofliving adjustment. “I thought we gave a pretty decent adjustment last year, which was well deserved,” Riley said. “I am not saying anyone doesn’t deserve the dollars that the comp b o a r d c a m e up with. W o r k i n g Riley with our budget and the numbers we have to work with, the 1.5 and the 2 percent would be fair for everybody across the board.” Supervisor Chairman Lois Monday voted against the motion, saying she was “stuck between a rock and a hard spot.” She agreed with Brown and Riley on the wage adjustment and cost-of-living increase, but wanted to find a way to include part of the stipend, especially for the sheriff’s department.
“I think it (sheriff) is a gruesome job and a thankless job,” Monday said. “You have Monday all kinds of situations to take care of.” Because Brown’s motion did not include the comparable wage adjustment, Monday voiced her opinion during the discussion, but would have needed the motion to fail in order to consider adding all or part of the comparable wage adjustment. Another topic during the discussion was Riley’s suggestion for the supervisors to not take a raise this year. While the supervisors must cut the other elected officials raises equally, they can reduce their own portion independently. Brown and Monday did not support Riley’s suggestion. Supervisors have not set a date for the public hearing for their budget yet. It must be finalized by March 15.
Senate Democrats seek more funding for public preschool DES MOINES (AP) — A proposal to increase funding for school districts that expand public preschool for 4-year-olds received preliminary approval in the Iowa Senate Monday. A Senate subcommittee backed the bill that seeks to expand the Iowa Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program, which was established in 2007. The legislation now moves to the Education Committee in the Demo-
cratic-majority Senate. But the bill may face hurdles in the Republican-controlled House, where a similar bill failed to win full legislative approval last year. Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, introduced the bill, which would provide extra funding for districts that expand preschool programs. He said students benefit from early education and the state should help more students partici-
pate. The funding would be offered for three years and Quirmbach said the price tag for the proposal would depend on the number of new students enrolled. “All of the research is dramatically clear to the benefits of preschool. It is particularly important for kids from low income backgrounds and racial minorities,” Quirmbach said. Rep. Ron Jorgenson, R-Sioux City, said he had
not reviewed the bill but was concerned about the potential cost. “We’re fighting to find additional money for K-12. I can’t see where all this additional money for preschool is going to be coming from,” he said. Just over 24,000 4-yearold students are currently participating in Iowa’s public preschool program. The program is offered in 320 of the 338 districts in the state.
By KYLE WILSON
CNA managing editor kwilson@crestonnews.com
For the 13th consecutive year, Greater Regional Medical Center will not raise their tax asking. They will again ask for $1.15 million this year for the 2015-16 proposed budget. “We haven’t increased our tax asking since I’ve been here and I do not see any indications as to why we should,” said Monte Neitzel, CEO at Greater Regional. “We use the tax money we receive mostly for ambulance and public health and I believe the taxpayer gets a tremendous return on their money.” GRMC has asked for $1.15 million the past 13 years. But Matt Neitzel McCutchan, chief financial officer, noted the law states GRMC could tax for more than $7 million. In fact, other hospitals do ask for more taxpayer money. Madison County Hospital in Winterset and Cass County Hospital in Atlantic currently have tax askings of $1.9 million and $2.1 million, respectively. (See sidebar, below, for other hospital tax askings) GRMC will have a levy of $2.51 per $1,000 of valuation for 2015-16— down four cents from the current fiscal year levy of $2.55. A public hearing on the hospital’s proposed 201516 budget is slated 6:15 p.m. Feb. 23 at Greater Regional Medical Center. GRMC is the fourth-highest taxing entity in Union County. The highest this fiscal year was Creston School District, followed by the city and county.
ATLANTIC (AP) — Authorities suspect exposure to the bone-chilling cold killed a 67-year-old woman found a few dozen yards from her home in western Iowa. Cass County Sheriff Darby McLaren said WEDNESDAY WEATHER
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Copyright 2015
Volume 131 No. 172
Hospital Levy Tax asking Adair County 2.91 $1.5 million Clarke County 2.62 $942,595 Madison County 2.64 $1.9 million Montgomery County 2.99 $1.6 million Ringgold County 4.60 $1.2 million GRMC (current) 2.55 $1.1 million GRMC (proposed) 2.51 $1.1 million Source: Iowa Department of Management
Atlantic woman’s body found outside in killer cold
Smooth sailing:
Isaiah Terlizzi, 10, completes another successful run down bus barn hill in Creston Monday afternoon. No classes were held Monday at Creston School District because of inclement weather. (CNA photo by JAKE WADDINGHAM)
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COMPARATIVE TAX ASKINGS
2014
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Monday that Judy Kay’s body was found around 9 p.m. Sunday, not far from her house in rural Atlantic. Her pickup had run off a road and into a ditch. McLaren says Kay was trying to walk home from the ditch, but she
got only halfway. A relative found her body about 50 yards from the house. The sheriff says Kay was wearing a light jacket — not enough for the temperature of 11 degrees and wind chill of minus 9.
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