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THE OSKALOOSA CITY COUNCIL MET LAST NIGHT. THE
COUNCIL STARTED THE MEETING WITH MAYOR KRUTZFELDT SWEARING IN
OFFICER TYLER HUNT AS THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE OSKALOOSA POLICE FORCE. THE
COUNCIL VOTED AGAIN ON THE SNOW ORDINANCE THAT WOULD GIVE CITIZENS 48
HOURS TO CLEAN SNOW AND ICE OFF OF SIDEWALKS. THE SECOND READING PASSED
WITH A 4-3 VOTE. THE ORDINANCE HAS ONE MORE READING AT THE NEXT MEETING. A
PUBLIC HEARING ON ASSESSMENTS FOR MOWING AND WEED CUTTING WAS NEXT. THE
COUNCIL HAD A LIST OF 9 PROPERTIES THAT WERE ASSESSED UNDER THE CITY CODE.
THE TOTAL OF ALL 9 ASSESSMENTS IS 2,275 DOLLARS AND THE COUNCIL APPROVED
THE LIST. VALLEY VACATIONS WERE NEXT. THE FIRST WAS FROM CURTIS JENKINS
FOR A 45 X 16.5 SECTION OF THE EAST-WEST PUBLIC ALLEY ADJACENT TO 1213 3RD
AVENUE WEST. PLANNING AND ZONING APPROVED THIS ITEM AND AN EASMENT WOULD
BE GIVEN AS QWEST HAS INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE ALLEY. THE COUNCIL APPROVED.
THE NEXT ALLEY VACATION REQUEST WAS FROM MICHAEL BAWKEN FOR THE 60 X 16.5
SECTION OF THE NORTH-SOUTH ALLEY ADJACENT TO 411 SOUTH H. AGAIN PLANNING
AND ZONING APPROVED THE REQUEST AND THE COUNCIL APPROVED AS WELL.
AT THE END OF THE MEETING CITY MANAGER MICHAEL SCHROCK GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE EAST CENTRAL IOW TRANSPORTATION COALITION. THE GROUP WAS FORMED IN FEBRUARY OF 2009 TO ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION NEEDS IN THE REGION. THE FOCUS IS HIGHWAY 63 NORTH OF OSKALOOSA. THE PHASE 1 STUDY WILL BE DONE THIS MONTH AND THE GROUP IS LOOKING FOR 400 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO DO THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY. THE GROUP IN JULY MEET WITH CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL OF IOWA AND CONGRESSMAN OBERSTAR OF MINNESOTA. OBERSTAR MENTIONED THAT PROJECTS THAT INCLUDE ROADS ALONG WITH RAIL AND OR AIRPORTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO RECEIVE FUNDING AND SAID THAT HE PROMOTES THE REGIONAL AIRPORT CONCEPT. A GROUP THEN WENT TO WASHINGTON D.C. AT THE END OF JULY TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS AND HEARD THE SAME THING AS THERE PREVIOUS MEETING AND THAT IS REGIONAL COOPERATION AND A PROJECT THAT INCLUDES RAIL AND OR AIRPORT WITH THE ROAD. A COUPLE MORE MEETING TOOK PLACE IN AUGUST AND AGING REGIONAL COOPERATION IS THE MAIN KEY FOR THE PROJECT. SCHROCK RECOMMENDED TO THE COUNCIL THAT HE START SEEKING PUBLIC INPUT ON THE REGIONAL AIRPORT CONCEPT ALONG WITH THE HIGHWAY PLAN TO SEE IF THEY EVEN HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT FOR THE IDEA. THE COUNCIL AGREED TO HAVE SCHROCK BEGIN THE PUBLIC INPUT RESEARCH.
THE MAHASKA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MET TUESDAY MORNING. THE BOARD APPROVED AN ACTUARY FOR THE HEALTH PLAN. EVERY YEAR THE COUNTY IS REQUIRED TO DO A 509A REPORT. USUALLY AUXIANT HAS DONE THE REPORT BUT THIS YEAR THE COUNTY NEEDS TO FIND AN ACTUARY TO DO THE REPORT. THE BOARD APPROVED TO SPEND 400 DOLLARS FOR AN ACTUARY TO DO THE REPORT. A CONTRACT CHANGE FOR 10-15 TRANSIT WAS NEXT. THE FEE TO TRANSPORT CPC CLIENTS WILL NOT CHANGE BUT THE CHANGE WAS FOR HOW MILEAGE WAS CALCULATED. THE LEASE FOE THE SHOP IN NEW SHARON WAS NEXT. COUNTY ENGINEER JERRY NUSBAUM PRESENTED THE BOARD WITH A NEW DRAFT OF THE LEASE. ONE QUESTION WAS RAISED ON LANGUAGE IN THE LEASE INVOLVING THE SEPTIC SYSTEM THAT WAS INSTALLED AND WHETHER THERE IS SOME LIABILITY FOR THE COUNTY. BOARD MEMBER GREG GORDY SUGGESTED THAT THE LEASE SHOULD BE LOOKED AT BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ISN'T ANY LIABILITY FOR THE COUNTY. THE LEASE WILL BE ON THE NEXT MEETING. FINALLY THE BOARD APPROVED TO NAME JERRY NUSBAUM AS THE OFFICIAL COUNTY REPRESENTATIVE FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE FROM FEMA AND THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION.
Mobile Disaster Recovery
Center Opens in Oskaloosa FEMA has opened a Mobile
Disaster Recovery Center to help those affected by flooding in Mahaska
County. It’s open right now at
the corner of 3rd and South 11th Streets in
Oskaloosa. The recovery center is open from 9am-7pm Monday-Friday
and 9am-5pm on Saturday and 12-5 Sunday. Anyone in Mahaska County
with flooding damage should first register with FEMA by calling
1-800-621-3362 or by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov – then visit the
Disaster Recovery Center. Over the past two weeks, FEMA has approved nearly $11 million in grants for Iowa flood survivors. More than 5,300 Iowa households have registered for possible FEMA assistance.
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STATE NEWS LITTLE KNOWN REPUBLICAN Former NM gov is little known but has big ideas
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) - Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson may not be well-known nationally, but he's considering a run for president. Last week, the two-term Republican governor made his second trip to Iowa. He's visited New Hampshire four times. Both states are key to presidential candidates because they kick off the nominating process. Johnson acknowledges he's little known but says his libertarian views could be what voters are seeking. He wants to cut taxes and slash spending, including reductions to Medicare and Medicaid. He also supports legalizing marijuana and allowing civil unions for gays and lesbians. Johnson says politicians don't understand the depth of voter anger that has given radically different candidate a chance of winning.
IOWA-TODDLER DEATH Sentencing delayed for Iowan in child's death
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - Sentencing is delayed for a Cedar Rapids woman accused in the 2008 death of her 2-year-old daughter. Brianna Volesky pleaded guilty in January to child neglect and involuntary manslaughter in the death of her daughter, Skylar Inman. KCRG-TV reports sentencing was continued Tuesday in Linn County District Court until Oct. 21. Volesky faces up to 15 years in prison. Volesky's former boyfriend, Lee Muldoon, of Coggon, was charged with first-degree murder in the girl's death. He pleaded guilty last month to involuntary manslaughter and child neglect.
--- Information from: KCRG-TV, http://www.kcrg.com
CLIFF FALL Iowa teen injured when ATV goes off cliff
DENMARK, Iowa (AP) - Authorities say a southeast Iowa teenager was injured when his all-terrain vehicle went off a cliff at a quarry and tumbled nearly 200 feet. The Lee County sheriff's office told The Hawk Eye that 16-year-old Jacob Tungate, of West Point, was riding the ATV with a group late Sunday at the quarry near Denmark and got too close to the cliff and fell off. Tungate was flown to Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Ill. A telephone call to the hospital on Wednesday was not immediately returned. --- Information from: The Hawk Eye, http://www.thehawkeye.com
TRAIN DEPOT Des Moines groups favors downtown train depot
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A Des Moines group favors restoring the old Rock Island Lines' depot in downtown Des Moines - if passenger railroad service between Des Moines and Chicago happens. The Des Moines Register says the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization looked at six potential sites. Five were in downtown, with another in West Des Moines' Valley Junction. In a report Tuesday, the group concluded that the century-old Rock Island depot is the best spot for passengers. The depot is now for sale. Plans for re-establishing the historic depot as a train station are tied to a push by Iowa and Illinois transportation officials to resume passenger service between Chicago and Omaha.
--- Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com
PLASTIC BAN Dubuque considers paper or plastic
(Recasts slug.)
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) - Shoppers in Dubuque may not have a choice between paper or plastic anymore. The City Council is considering banning plastic shopping bags in the city by 2014. The recommendation is from the Environmental Stewardship Committee. The Telegraph Herald says the council on Tuesday voted 6-1 to forward the issue to city staff for further review.
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