DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa and Iowa State University are rushing to build more dormitories as high enrollment causes soaring demand for student housing.  Documents from the Iowa Board of Regents show Iowa State is seeking approval to build an estimated $50 million residence hall project to house 700 students.  Construction in Iowa City continues for a $53 million residence hall project for 500 students. It’s scheduled to open in 2015 and is the university’s first new dorm in more than 40 years.

The Des Moines Register reports the universities have spent millions to lease off-campus apartment building due to a boom in enrollment over the years. The Regents will meet Thursday to discuss financing to complete the new UI dorm. They will also discuss the ISU project.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet Thursday morning in Atlantic. During the 8:30-a.m. session at the courthouse, the Board will act on approving an application for Industrial Tax Exemption for Bernard Vais (Anita Livestock Auction), with regard to separate cattle and vet sheds.

The Board will also act on approving the previously tabled regulations for “Radon Control Methods,” which were approved by the County Board of Health on Jan. 27th. The Supervisors last week held-off on approving the regulations so they could read through them.

In other action, the Board will act on approving a pay rate adjustment for a Secondary Roads Dept. employee, and, hear a presentation from Solutions, Inc. with regard to quotes for new computer servers, backups and/or intelligent business continuity. Action to purchase one or more of those systems will follow.

Two people were arrested Tuesday in Atlantic, on warrants from North Dakota. The Atlantic Police Department reports 29-year old Kristina Schrupp, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County North Dakota warrant for Conspiracy to Commit Forgery or Counterfeiting. And, 28-year old Casie Schrupp (whose address was not given), was arrested on a warrant out of Cass County, ND, for Abuse or Neglect of a Child. Both suspects are being held at the Cass County Jail in Atlantic, awaiting extradition to North Dakota.

The Harlan City Council voted down approval of an ordinance that would have rezoned an area from a Residential to General Business district. The 3-to 2 vote followed a public hearing on the ordinance to amend the property at 812 Hill Street from R-2, one and two family residential, to a general business district. There were no comments from the public, either written or spoken with regard to the matter.

Councilman Dave Miller voted against the ordinance, saying he was concerned about a business being placed in a residential area. He said “By rezoning that, we are interjected a business in a residential area. Anything that is allowed under B-2, general business, in the future can go on that lot. If the monument business decides at a future date to sell, that could be an automotive repair shop, auto dealer or tire repair shop. There are any types of business that could go in there and be at the center of a residential area.”

The council did, however, approve a motion that pertained to how they would fund the increase in insurance cost for the city. In a previous insurance committee meeting on January 20^th, it was reported by City Clerk Debra Sawyer that the city will see an increase of 4.1% for the City’s medical insurance. Mayor Gene Gettys told the council the city has a fund saved for just that type of occasion. According to Gettys, “In recommendation from that (meeting) to mitigate the increase, we carry the balance or to have a sizeable fund to offset the cost of the increase. The recommendation was to offset the cost to have a zero net effect on the insurance cost.”

In other business, during the Mayor’s report, Gettys said the city has received $132,000 for the renovation of the Pioneer park walking trail. He said the city is very short of the goal of $320,000 and believes by the end of summer or fall the city could start the project. The funding came from Transportation Alternative Plan funds.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

A survey of residents in southwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska finds the region compares favorably with San Diego and some of the nation’s other top places to live in terms of quality of life. Greg Youell, executive director of the Metro Area Planning Agency, says the survey was commissioned in preparation for “Heartland 2050,” a long-range development project, and found residents in the region love living there. “The people here really enjoy it,” Youell says. “They have a high quality of life, quite a bit higher than the national averages. They feel optimistic overall, again much higher than the national averages, about the future.”

The survey found 60-percent of those questioned believe the region is on the right track and well above the national average. There were still concerns, including things like the need for more quality jobs and retaining well-educated young adults. “The top two that stood out were crime and taxes,” Youell says. “We talked too about potential solutions and there’s a lot of interest in revitalization and reinvestment but not so much in growing outward. They really think we need to invest in our existing communities.”

He says the consultant who organized the survey has a new view of the region.  “Our quality of life here was as high as any he’d ever seen and compared us with San Diego,” Youell says. “While it’s cold right now and we don’t think of ourselves like San Diego, he said the people really have something special here that they really appreciate.” Youell says the responses will be used as part of four future development scenarios resulting in a plan for responsible growth in the region.

The survey questioned residents in: Harrison, Mills and Pottawattamie counties in Iowa, and in Cass, Douglas, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington counties in Nebraska.

(Radio Iowa)

WOODBINE, Iowa (AP) – The Woodbine City Council has two positions to fill: city administrator and police chief. The Daily Nonpareil says the council accepted resignation agreements Monday from City Administrator Joe Gaa and Police Chief Gary Dull.  Gaa said Tuesday that it was a “weird coincidence” that he and Dull were looking for other jobs at the same time. Gaa says “it looks negative, but it’s not.”

Gaa will end his Woodbine work on Feb. 14. Dull will work through Feb. 28.

Patrons of the Exira and Elk Horn Kimballton Community School Districts have approved a Public Measure calling for the adoption of a Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS). According to the Audubon County Auditor’s Office, 57 “Yes” ballots were cast during the vote held Tuesday, while there was only 1 “No” vote.

The RPS will allow the districts to authorize the expenditure of revenues from the State of Iowa to secure an advanced vision for the education fund received by the Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton Community School District. The RPS specifies how the One-cent Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) can be used, including, but not limited to: Property Tax relief; New buildings or additions to current facilities; the lease or purchase of buildings or equipment, and more.

The RPS is typically in effect for 10-years, which for each district independently is currently in 2020. Approval of the RPS means the statement will remain in effect until replaced or amended by the Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton School District.