The office of Governor Terry Branstad reports the Governor has appointed a southwest Iowa woman to the state’s Electrical Examining Board. Marg Stoldorf, of Red Oak, was appointed, along with Allen DeHeer, of Winterset, and Emily Wuebker, of Afton.

The Iowa Electrical Examinging Board is responsible for: adopting wiring standards that protect public safety; issuing licenses; handling disciplinary matters; setting continuing education standards, and determining inspection fees.

The unpaid position appointments went into effect Tuesday, and are subject to Iowa Senate confirmation.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials have been extending levees and preparing for flooding along the Big Sioux River in northwest Iowa and southeast South Dakota. The National Weather Service says the river is expected to crest at nearly 110 feet Saturday, around 18 inches higher than the record set on April 10, 1969. Interstate 29 north of Northshore Drive in North Sioux City, South Dakota, likely will be under water. The service says the river level will rise 19 feet this week in Sioux City.

Officials in Union County, South Dakota, are trying to close a gap in a levee that sits east of I-29 near Northshore Drive. Officials in North Sioux City and Sioux City plan to close floodgates on the earthen levee that protects both cities from Big Sioux floodwaters.

The Atlantic City Council has a relatively light agenda for their meeting this evening, at City Hall. The Council will hold the second reading of an ordinance (required by the FAA & already approved by the Airport Board), pertaining to Airport Land Use and Height Overlay Zoning. The Council held a public hearing on the ordinance during their meeting on June 4th, during which there were no objections or comments. The hearing was followed by the 1st reading of the ordinance, which if adopted after the 3rd reading, will have to be adopted by the Board of Supervisors as well, since the Atlantic Municipal Airport is located just outside of the City limits.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will discuss and act on the awarding of a contract for auditing services. The City has received proposals for the service from: The State of Iowa; Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Company; and, Faller, Kinchloe & Company, of Des Moines. The City’s Personnel and Finance Committee has reviewed the proposals and is recommending the Council award the contract to the local firm, Gronewold, Bell & Kyhnn. The Committee cited the company’s price and experience in making its recommendation.

The Council is also expected to act on approving a Resolution approving a temporary construction easement and a Storm Sewer Easement agreement with the owner of a property in the 1100 block of Birch Street. The City is in the process of replacing and extending a storm sewer in the area, but never received an easement from the property owner before work began. The owner has since agreed to the temporary easements.

And, the Council will act on approving a resolution establishing a pay plan for all non-union City employees. The plan will be in effect from July 1st, 2014 through June 30th, 2015. It calls for a 3-percent increase in wages and salaries for all non-union employees (with the exception of an adjustment the Council approved last month for the new Wastewater Superintendent). The increase is the same increase granted to the two unions. The funding of the adjustment was included in the adopted Fiscal Year 2015 Budget.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting this (Wed.) morning, in Greenfield. During their 9-a.m. session in the courthouse, the Board will discuss and/or act on several matters, including: a longevity increase; township clerk wages; a transfer resolution; tax credits; a safety policy; Emergency Action Plan; Manure Management Plan Updates and on Manure application complaint correspondence.

In other business, Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman will discuss a cell phone policy for the Weed Commissioner…SIRWA’s Max Crawford will talk about a Water Upgrade Project, and County Conservation Director Kevin Blazek will update the Board of Supervisors on a Safe Room, and provide a FY 2014 budget update.

Officials in Shelby County say progress is being made on the Linden Road construction project. According to Shelby County Engineer Dan Ahart, the overlay on Linden Road from 1200th Street to County Road F32 is now complete. Ahart says this is part of the project ties in with what the Engineer’s Office did two years ago. “One thing we did was we went along with the project from 1200th Street to 1300th Street two years ago, we tried a little experiment were we went in and milled some of the existing asphalt out and put a thin layer of asphalt in. As we are doing to this project now, we decided for continuity and longevity, we extended the job on the contract farther south and put another overlay on what we did two years ago. What the public will see from 1200th Street north to F32 or golf course road, it will be all new asphalt.”

Ahart says with the new overlay comes some concerns. “But one thing I really want to caution the public on, in all sincerity, I want to make sure everyone understands it is a 55 mile per hour speed limit. When you get a new asphalt road, people have the tendency to think it runs fast and smooth. I have asked (Shelby County) Sheriff Hervey for some assistance in the next 30 days to have some pretty stringent enforcement out there. It is still only a 18 foot wide pavement and it is still narrow. People have a tendency to go fast on it and I guess what I am saying is do not do it.”

Even though the overlay on the large portion of Linden Road is complete, the bridge work on Linden Road north of Harlan continues. “We are moving a long very well on that. In fact, last Wednesday (June 11th) we poured the deck on it. The contractor is doing a good job on that. And that detour will remain in place. There’s still not access on Linden directly to 1200th Street or the back road into the landfill.”

The contractor will be working on the approaches and the railing before the bridge project is complete. Ahart said the project will end before the new school year starts in August. The cost of the overlay, bridge and previous work is around $1.2 million. Ahart says this isn’t the only project going on in the county so heed the construction signs and watch for workers on the roadways.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)