Friends and family converged on the Jill Wilgenbusch farm in rural Winthrop Saturday to assist the family with this year’s harvest. Jill’s husband Keith recently passed away after a battle with cancer. The recent dry weather has allowed Iowa farmers to make good progress. Statewide, corn is over 60% harvested, and beans almost 80%. (Christine Dale Photo)
October 27, 2016 75¢
Meet the candidates ... Editor’s Note: Lee White’s East Buchanan Government students are actively engaged in this year’s general election. They even conducted interviews and wrote candidate profiles for the newspaper. These students include
Trails and taxiway funding approved
Cameron Banks, Brady Melka, Carter Downer, Freddie Rasmussen, Heather Gonterman, Karen Sornson, Cayden Griswold, Carter Boggess, Sydnie VanGorder, Chelsey Moore, Jason Hoyle, Mitchell Koohy, Trevor Hepker, Taylor
Smith, Tyler Williams, Dalton Kimball, Kira Johnson, Yara Propato, and Philip Dudley. Profiles, which will run both this week and next, are written in the students’ own words.
Supervisors Ellen Gaffney
Clayton Ohrt
Democratic Candidate for County Supervisor Ellen Gaffney is the Democratic candidate running for reelection to Buchanan County Board of Supervisors, on which she has served for 28 years. She lives on a farm east of Hazleton and is very dedicated to helping the people of Buchanan County. Gaffney is seeking reelection because she enjoys working for and giving back to the county. She enjoys helping the county continue to make progress. In the past, the supervisors’ primary duty was to maintain roads but it has evolved to include many other facets, from enforcing laws, ordinances, and resolutions, to working with Economic Development for the betterment of the county. Story continues on page 5.
Republican Candidate for County Supervisor Clayton Ohrt has worked in Buchanan County in different positions such as civil servant, school board member, past union steward, Quasqueton City Council, and lifelong NRA member. He also volunteered to join the Navy and served during the Vietnam War. After doing all of these things he believes he is ready for the next step of being county supervisor. If he becomes supervisor, he will know the difference between the “wants and needs” of the people of Buchanan County. He will support the economic growth of the county, and will stay local with the people and their families. He plans to continue to work on roads and bridges around the county. Story continues on page 5.
Drug Take-Back Initiative a success The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Department collected 32 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and medications during the DEA’s Take-Back Initiative that was held Oct. 22. Deputy Cory Hartmann stated, “Overall, we are thrilled with the turnout at our drug collection site for the DEA’s Drug Take-Back Initiative on Saturday. Furthermore, the drug drop box located outside the Sheriff’s Office is used on a daily basis for citizens to safely, properly and anonymously dispose of unused, unwanted or expired prescription and over-the-counter drugs and medications, including veterinarian drugs and medications. The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to provide this service to the public outside of the DEA sponsored takeback initiatives.” According to Hartmann, the drug collection box has taken in a total of 112 lbs. since it was installed in April 2016. When the DEA stopped by the Sheriff’s Office on Monday, they had a total of 144 lbs. of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and medications to pick up.
Copyright 2016
www.thebuchanancountynews.com
By Steven C. Smith
At Monday night’s Independence City Council meeting, a hearing was held and bids were reviewed for the Airport Taxiway Widening project. Three bids were received for the estimated $66,203 project. Tschiggfrie Excavating submitted the winning bid at $51,737.66. The Iowa DOT will reimburse the city 85% of project costs, with the builder of the hangar paying the remaining 15%. The project will allow access from the private hangar to the airport runway. The hangar will house aircraft storage and limited Fixed Base Operator (FBO) services for Bachman Aviation, LLC; L. Bachman, LLC; and Paul and Leon, LLC. The general aviation permit allowing FBO services for Paul and Leon, LLC was approved at Monday night’s meeting. Story continues on page 4.
Supervisors approve contract for shoulder paving At their Oct. 17 meeting, the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors reviewed bids for paving shoulders on Hwy. D-22, as presented by County Engineer Brian Keierleber. The supervisors approved a contract with Flynn Company, Inc., of Dubuque in the amount of $807,963.15 for shoulder paving from the east corporate line of Jesup, east to Frost Ave. At 9:15 AM, a public hearing regarding vacating a portion of Vincent Avenue opened. After discussion, the board voted to table the public hearing until Nov.14. The board also approved: - Claims filed with the county auditor for payment of $226,346.95 - Officer’s reports: Monthly - Jail $11,442.76; Recorder $10,356.17 and Clerk of Court $1,390.02; quarterly – Sheriff $11,082.45 and Auditor $49,422.75.
Buchanan County awarded REAP county conservation grant The Natural Resource Commission of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources approved eight Resource Enhancement and Protection grants to County Conservation Boards during its October meeting. The grants totaled $1.29 million. There were 17 applications for the grants. REAP County Conservation grants are available to counties that have dedicated at least 22 cents per $1,000 of assessed value of taxable property in the county for county conservation purposes. In Buchanan County, the Roberts Wildlife Area – Wapsi Corridor Connection was awarded $185,500. This project will acquire 110 acres of forest, forested wetlands, upland grassland and Wapsipinicon River shoreline to provide key connections to existing public land in Black Hawk and Buchanan counties. Acquiring this piece of the habitat puzzle will result in 512 acres of contiguous public land in the Wapsipinicon River Corridor Public Waters Area.
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