The Cass County Public Safety Commission, Monday, passed a motion by Commissioner Julie Adams to request a quote from the Cambridge Law Firm, with regard to the purchase price of the building at 707 Poplar Street.

Cass County Public Safety Commission. (Clockwise, L-R: Shawn Shouse, Chair; Gaylord Schelling; Rob Koppert; Tom Harris; Julie Adams;Steve Livengood.)

Once a quote is obtained and passed on to the Board of Supervisors, the Commission will recommend the County move forward with presenting an offer for the building, which could potentially serve as the site for the Cass County Communications Center. Adams acknowledged there is no guarantee the Supervisors will agree with the recommendation. Commissioner Steve Livengood said the recommendation could be approved, but it may not have the outcome the Commission intended.

Adams said if the Supervisors vote it down, the Commission could go back to the table. Livengood asked what would happen if the Board decided to purchase the building, but instead of moving the Comm. Center to the alternate location, instead moved the County Assessor and Engineers offices to the site. Adams said there’s nothing the Commission can do about that.

If that were the case, moving the Assessor and Engineer’s offices to the Cambridge Building would open up the additional needed space in the Courthouse for the 911 Center, Emergency Management Director and 9-1-1 Director need. But Commissioner Gaylord Schelling said that would mean a reassessment of those spaces.
Schelling said the cost is a big factor to him, and revamping the lower floors to accommodate the Comm. Center would be costly. E-911 Director Rob Koppert said it would cost more money to reconstruct the lower level of the courthouse – once the Assessor and Engineer’s offices are moved – than it would to make the Cambridge Building fit the needs of the 911 Center. Schelling said if that’s the case, the Carlson, West and Povondra Architectural firm in Omaha could reassess the feasibility of using those spaces, and if it isn’t workable, that option would be tossed out.

In his report to the Board of Supervisors this past April, Al Povandra said any changes to the courthouse would cost “Big Bucks,” and it’s something that is not easily done. The options he gave included moving the Cass County Communications Center to the 3rd floor of the courthouse, expanding and making Security upgrades to the County Attorney’s Offices on the 3rd floor of the courthouse, or expanding the courthouse to the north to make room for the Communications Center. Depending on the option selected, it would cost anywhere from $800,000 to as much as $3-million dollars to make the necessary improvements.

Discussions on how to handle the space needs of the Cass County 911 Center, along with new equipment necessary for Next Generation 911 services, has been ongoing for more than two-years.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a mountain lion sighting in Madison County. The Des Moines Register reports a farmer’s game camera caught an image of the mountain lion Oct. 13, about 10 miles north of Winterset. DNR spokesman Kevin Baskins says the animal appears to be a 2- to 3-year-old male.

It’s the first confirmed sighting of a mountain lion in Iowa since last October, when Des Moines police killed one in a city neighborhood. The DNR says there have been 16 confirmed mountain lion sightings since 1994. Those sightings will likely become even less common in the future because South Dakota, where many mountain lions apparently originate, is issuing more hunting permits to reduce the population of the animals.

The Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation will be hosting a Simon Estes “Roots to Wings” concert on Sunday, October 27, at 3:00 p.m. in the Atlantic High School Auditorium. Tickets are $20 each and seating is limited, so get yours today at one of the following Cass County businesses:

Atlantic: Gade Insurance, Meyer & Gross Real Estate Company, Rex Pharmacy, and the CCMH Switchboard; Anita: Mailander Law Office, Rusty Razor, and Vicki’s Cut and Curl; Cumberland:  Houghton State Bank; Griswold: Gade Insurance; Massena: First National Bank and Massena Public Library; Lewis:  Public Library.

The Foundation says tickets are going fast. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Dawn Marnin, Foundation Director at 712-243-7409 or contacting any CCMH Foundation Board member.

The concert will feature Simon Estes performing familiar selections from Broadway, gospel, folk, spiritual and patriotic songs.  The concert will also include performances by the Atlantic, CAM & Griswold choirs.  The program will be followed by an informal meet and greet, where guests will have the opportunity to purchase CDs and books by Mr. Estes and have them personally signed by the artist.

On Monday, October 28, 2013, Mr. Estes will present an informal program to Cass County High School students, sharing his own unique story, the obstacles he overcame, and what qualities and characteristics are needed to become successful.

A Lewis man was arrested Saturday on a charge of Interference with Official Acts. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says 47-year old Philip Reed Thompson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he pled guilty and was released the following day.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A second Iowa law enforcement officer accused of hazing a fellow recruit during a training academy in 2008 is getting his job back. A spokesman said Monday that Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Andrew Harrelson will be reinstated with pay dating back to his Feb. 6 firing. Harrelson is a gaming enforcement officer in Council Bluffs.   Arbitrator Clair Brooks ordered the reinstatement Friday in a ruling that wasn’t immediately made public.

Earlier this month, another arbitrator reinstated Iowa State Patrol trooper Joshua Guhl.  Guhl and Harrelson were fired after another trooper accused them of handcuffing him to a bed and rubbing powder on his buttocks. Guhl admitted involvement while Harrelson denied it.

The incident occurred at the 2008 academy, but the trooper didn’t formally complain until May 2012.

Police in Atlantic report a Lewis teen was arrested Saturday. 18-year old Philip Thompson was charged with Domestic Abuse by strangulation. Thompson was being held in the Cass County Jail.