Cass County Attorney Dan Feistner and County Engineer Charles Marker reported to the Board of Supervisors during their meeting Wednesday morning in Atlantic, that Mid-American Energy has agreed to reimburse the County for damage caused to rural roads by trucks hauling wind turbine components. Marker says the County had been working to recoup losses for work on repairing the roads for several months. He said the company is willing to reimburse the County $253, 467, provided the County sign a release of liability.

The Supervisors approved Board Chair Duane McFadden signing the release for return to Mid-American. Once the energy company receives the document, they will transmit immediate payment to the Counties’ account. Marker says the company always intended to pay, but their legal division wanted the proper paperwork filed.

The damaged roads are located in the southeast part of the County near Massena, in what’s known as the “Rolling Hills Wind Energy Project.” Marker says he will need to amend his budget once the payment is received, to show additional revenue in the current budget year.

PRIMGHAR, Iowa (AP) – The death of a 14-year-old northwest Iowa student has prompted discussion by relatives, school officials and others about the bullying that is being blamed for his suicide. The family of Kenneth Weishuhn, of Primgahr, says he was harassed at school after he told people that he was gay. His mother, Jeannie Chambers, told the Sioux City Journal that he asked her not to talk to administrators.  Administrators and Chambers say they didn’t know about the barrage of hate that had been directed at Kenneth, who killed himself on Sunday.

There were threatening cellphone calls and voicemails and messages posted online. His 16-year-old sister, Kayla Weishuhn, says one student called her brother and left him death threats, saying that he didn’t deserve to live.

Avoca City Manager Clint Fichter has announced his intentions to run for the Republican Party’s nomination in the June 5^th Primary, for Iowa House District 22. District 22 includes most of rural Pottawattamie County and a part of Council Bluffs. Local supporters will be hosting a Neola Area Kick-Off Event at Sweet Gatherings in Neola (111 4^th Street) on Thursday, April 19^th from 5-7 pm.   

Fichter says as State Representative, he will “Be a voice for our individual liberty, fiscal conservatism, local control, commonsense regulatory reform, maintaining necessary infrastructure, and a world-class education system from Pre-K to college.” 

Fichter has been City Manager of Avoca since 2007. He earned his Masters degree in Public Administration at Iowa State University and studied law at Creighton University Law School.  Fichter also serves on the Executive Boards of both the Iowa League of Cities and the Southwest Iowa Planning Council. 

Fichter and his wife, Monica, live with their children in Avoca.

The Harlan City Council Tuesday evening held a public hearing on the issuance of General Obligation Bonds. Hearing no comments from the public, the Council acted on approving a resolution which instituted the proceedings necessary to take additional action for the issuance bonds, not to exceed $2.5 million. A second resolution was also approved, pertaining to the direct advertisement for sale of $2.455 million in G-O Bonds, and approval of electronic bidding procedures. 

In other business, the Harlan City Council passed a resolution approving a contract and bond with Story Construction Company, of Ames for the Rotating Biological Contactor Disk Replacement as it pertains to the wastewater treatment plant. 

And, a resolution was approved to which would allow the Harlan Police Department back into the Social Security system. Back in the 1980’s, the Harlan Police Department was removed from receiving social security because they were put on IPERS. City Administrator Terry Cox told the board he had several meetings with officials at IPERS and they have indicated there is a remote chance the Social Security Administration may allow the Harlan Police Department officers to opt back into the social security system by a referendum process.

The resolution was approved but Cox said there is no a guarantee the department will receive Social Security but gets the ball rolling. The State must approved the resolution as well.

(Courtesy Joel McCall/KNOD)