One of two school districts in Fremont County looking to merge this winter because of financial difficulties is overspending more than initially expected. The Daily NonPareil says the Hamburg Community School District spent about $450,000 more last fiscal year than it was allowed to under state law, according to an estimate shared by Superintendent Terry Kenealy on Aug. 18th.
Iowa controls the maximum amount of spending by public school districts to keep spending equitable, so neighboring districts don’t spend dramatically different amounts of money per pupil. Districts that cannot stay under spending limit – referred to as having “negative unspent budget authority” by school officials – are forced to cut budgets, consolidate or face being dissolved.

Kenealy said Hamburg’s overspending may be adjusted but will remain close to the current estimate. Hamburg’s excess spending climbed from an original estimate of about $300,000 earlier this year. Both Hamburg and the Farragut Community School District, its proposed partner for consolidation, have to go before the Iowa Department of Education School Budget Review Committee in mid-December to present a plan to address overspending. Hamburg’s deficit in fiscal year 2013 was $46,350, according to the Iowan Department of Management. Farragut’s deficit for 2013 was $511,482.

The districts successfully circulated a petition last month to hold a special election in December to reorganize the districts, which would increase their shared authority and cut costs to address the budget restrictions. The Green Hills Area Education Agency will hold a hearing on the proposal on Sept. 24, which will determine whether the merger goes on the Dec. 2nd ballot.

The Hamburg and Farragut school boards will hold a joint meeting Sept. 10 with Jeff Berger, the deputy director of the Iowa Department of Education, and Amy Williamson, the chief of the department’s bureau of school improvement, to review findings from site visits, which will include an update on the districts’ financial situations.

The districts jointly operate a middle school in Hamburg and a high school in Farragut, both of which carry the Nishabotna name, but have separate elementary schools, superintendents and school boards. If they reorganize, they will create the Nishabotna Community School District.

A Catholic priest from northwest Iowa man is back at home after spending most of his summer bicycling across the United States. Father Kevin Richter of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Le Mars rode 3,836 miles as he crossed 14 states in 68 days. “The most miles I covered in a day was from Bismark, North Dakota down to Selby, South Dakota,” Richter said. “With a good tail wind behind me, I rode 120 miles that day.” He averaged 68.5 miles a day. Richter said, during the toughest stretch of the trip, he covered only 28 miles on one day through the Appalachian Mountains.

Kevin Richter

“For half of Kentucky and half of Virginia, you just keep going up hills and down hills,” Richter said. “That gets weary after a while and nearly broke me at one point.” Richter divided his journey into two halves, traveling east from Le Mars to Yorktown, Virginia. From there, he flew to Portland, Oregon and rode his bike back to Le Mars. Oddly enough, Richter said the worst weather he rode through was in Iowa, on June 9.

“The day I left, when I was riding between Lawton and Bronson, it was raining hard. I think that was it,” Richter said. Richter took a summer sabbatical to make the trip. On many nights, he either camped out under the stars or slept in motels. On a few occasions, he would spend the evening at a church or with host families. Richter made the journey by himself, had 13 flat tires, and lost 25 pounds.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Republican Senator Mitch McConnell’s campaign manager is resigning as a result of a scandal involving a presidential campaign he worked for in 2012. Jesse Benton said Friday he’s stepping down from his top role in the Republican senator’s re-election effort. Benton’s announcement stems from a political scandal in Iowa, in which former state Senator Kent Sorenson received thousands of dollars in “under the table payments” before switching loyalties from Michele Bachmann to Benton’s grandfather-in-law Ron Paul.

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) — A man employed by the school district in Montezuma has been accused of sexually abusing two minors in 2012. The Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office says 28-year-old Derek John Bates was arrested Friday on two counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of pattern, practice or scheme to engage in sexual exploitation by a school employee.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — A man riding a motorcycle has died following a crash in central Iowa. The Story County Sheriff’s Office says 52-year-old Benjamin Parsons of Boone was traveling on a Harley Davidson motorcycle Thursday night on Highway 30 near Ames when he crashed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a section of the Raccoon River in Des Moines will rise several feet above flood stage before it’s expected to crest today. The city’s public works department says recent rainfall means the Raccoon River at Fleur Drive was over 12 feet on Friday. That’s just above the flood stage.