The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, will discuss and possibly act on a Valuation exemption agreement for an Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area parcel or parcels. The move is likely a prelude to the possible creation of a 25-million gallon Cellulosic ethanol plant by Fagen, Incorporated, on the site of the defunct Amaizing Energy Ethanol plant.

The Board will also act on approving a Length of Service pay rate adjustment for a part-time assistant in the Recorder’s Office, and, the assignment of a County-held tax sale certificate of purchase, with a compromise on the total amount due, with regard to a property in Cumberland.

Their meeting begins at 9-a.m. in the Supervisors’ board room at the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic.

BLENCOE, Iowa (AP) – A state audit shows poor record-keeping at the western Iowa city of Blencoe has led to a loss of more than $71,000 in property taxes and unsupported spending of city money. Former city clerk Kym Harris served from January 2008 until she resigned last September after the city discovered financial reports hadn’t been filed. The city couldn’t collect property taxes for the fiscal year that ended in June. Harris told the Omaha World Herald in January she was going through cancer treatments and things were in turmoil.

The audit, released Tuesday by State Auditor David Vaudt, found just over $2,400 of unsupported expenditures and more than $300 of improper reimbursements to Harris.    Blencoe, population 225, is 45 miles south of Sioux City.

The CAM and Elk Horn-Kimballton Board of Education held regular, separate meetings Monday evening, in Anita and Elk Horn, respectively. In Anita, CAM Superintendent Steve Pelzer said while the enrollment numbers won’t be certified to the State of Iowa until October, it looks like they have seen an increase in the number of students attending the school district. He said early projections show a possible increase of 10-to 15 students over last year.

Pelzer said the Connections online Academy is doing well also, with an estimated 240 students taking courses through the program, which works in conjunction with the school district. In other business, Pelzer says the Board re-elected Gary Dinkla as its President, and Nick Kaufman as Vice President. And, they approved a request to the State for modified allowable growth for a negative Special Education deficit, but Pelzer said while they don’t anticipate actually having a deficit, the Board approved it just in case.

In Elk Horn, the EHK School Board Monday re-elected Mark Smith as President and Kevin Petersen as Vice President. Superintendent Dean Schnoes said the Board also approved a bid amounting to about $21,000, for the purchase of a new heat pumps from Rasmussen Mechanical Services, out of Council Bluffs. Schnoes said bearings on the heat pumps located in the Elementary/Superintendents/Commons area of the building were going out, and sounded like a “747 taking off.” The new heat pumps will be mounted on the ceiling to keep the vibrations to a minimum. They’ll replace the heat pumps which were more than 30-years old.

Schnoes said also, that while the enrollment numbers for the District won’t be certified until October, the latest numbers show an increase of “two-to three-bodies,” but the future appears to be looking bright, he says, because of the number of new births in the area. He says they’ve noticed a lot more children being born in the area, and perhaps more people will be moving back into the rural areas to raise their families, which would obviously be a benefit for future enrollment numbers.

This week, Troopers in central Iowa, along with members of the state legislature and officers from local law enforcement agencies, will pause to honor a Trooper who recently died in the line of duty.

Trooper Mark Toney

On Thursday, exactly one year after his death, the Highway 65/69 South River Bridge located south of Indianola will be dedicated in honor of Trooper Mark Toney. The dedication ceremony where take place at the Indianola Fire Station, at 110 North 1st Street, beginning at 2-p.m.

Trooper Toney was killed in an automobile accident on U.S. Highway 65/69, south of Indianola in September of 2011. He was serving the citizens of Iowa when his patrol car left the roadway, overturned several times, and burst into flames. Trooper Toney served the Iowa State Patrol for 24 years.

Members of the public are invited and welcome to attend the dedication ceremony as a show support for those who serve and protect Iowa communities.