(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will conduct a canvass of the June 4th Primary Election in the County, as part of their regular meeting, Tuesday, June 11th, which begins at 8:30-a.m.  Following a canvass of the results of the election, the Board will hold a Public Hearing on a proposed FY23/24 Montgomery County Budget Amendment, and action on adopting the amendment as presented.

The Board will also hear from an update from Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Hamman, with regard to County Communications, and efforts to repair the infrastructure, following the tornadoes last month that took out one communications tower and left another damaged.

The full (Tentative) agenda is shown below:

Montgomery County Board of Supervisors
Courthouse Board of Supervisor’s Meeting Room
Regular Meeting, 8:30 A.M., Tuesday June 11, 2024
**Following the Canvass of the 2024 June 4th Primary Election**
Tentative Agenda
1. Call meeting to order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll call of members
4. Approval of Agenda – Order at discretion of Chairman
5. Read minutes as presented. Chairman to call for any additions/corrections to said minutes.
6. Board chairman will ask the audience for any comments, limited to two minutes per person.
7. Supervisors: Weekly committee/assignment updates
8. Canvass of June 04, 2024, Primary Election
9. Secondary Roads Update
10. EMA -Brian Hamman: Communications update with action as necessary
11. 8:45 p.m. – Public Hearing – Proposed FY23/24 Montgomery County Budget Amendment
a. Public comment (Must state name and address when addressing the Board.
b. Resolution 2024-23, Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Amendment Adoption
12. New Business
a. Approve claims payable for Wednesday June 12, 2024, in the amount of $426,129.14
b. Approve Recorder’s Report of Fees in the amount of $16,095.90
c. Approve Sheriff’s Report of Fees in the amount of $5,871.84 for the month of May
d. Approve Treasurer’s Semi-Annual Report ending fund balance for May 31, 2024 in the
amount of $11,781,409.87
e. Approve FY24/25 Public Library contracts for financial support:
1. Red Oak – $17,820
2. Stanton – $6,020
3. Elliott – $6,020
4. Villisca – $7,645
f. Approve Resolution 2024-22 Right-to-Use “subscription-Based Information Technology Arrangements” GASB-96
13. Discuss and start agenda items for next meeting
14. Announcements – The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 8:30 a.m.
15. Adjournment
*Please note, this is a public meeting; however, it may be conducted via ZOOM
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(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery Auditor Jill Ozuna reports the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors may be attending the annual inspections of the Red Oak/Stennett Creek structures along with the Montgomery Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Commissioners, on Tuesday June 11, 2023, at 9:00-a.m.

The inspections will take place following the regular Meeting of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, which begins at 8:30-a.m.

Jill Ozuna says “There is a possibility that there will be a quorum [during the inspections]. No official county business will be acted upon during that time.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) — Police in Red Oak report a woman was taken into custody Saturday afternoon. 20-year-old Adriana Rose Monreal, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 12:40-p.m.,for Violating a No Contact Order.  Her arrest took place in the 600 block of Skyline Drive. The police report said Monreal was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

(Humboldt, Iowa) [updated 6/10] – Two people died in northern Iowa’s Humboldt County Saturday evening, when a pickup and a Utility Terrain Vehicle collided north of Humboldt. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2021 Polaris UTV operated by 43-year-old Theodore “Ted” Joseph Prenger, of Dakota City, was traveling south on Michigan Avenue at around 5:18-p.m., Saturday, when the machine failed to yield the right-of-way at the intersection with 170th Street (Highway C-26), and was struck on the passenger side by the pickup.

Theodore Prenger and his passenger, 56-year-old Teresa Ann Prenger, also of Dakota City, died at the scene. The driver of the pickup, 63-year-old Terry Dean George, of Hardy, was injured in the crash, and transported by private vehicle to the hospital in Clarion. Reports say Ted Prenger was a city councilman in Dakota City.

The accident remains under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol, who  was assisted at the scene by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and Humboldt Fire/EMS.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds, Friday, issued a statement in response to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship requesting resources from the United States Department of Agriculture and announcing additional response measures: 

“Earlier today Secretary Naig informed me about the plan to test dairy cows in areas where cases of HPAI have been confirmed in poultry flocks. I appreciate his and the department’s proactive response. Because Iowa farmers produce 10 percent of the nation’s food supply, protecting the health of our livestock is one of our highest priorities.

 “Additionally, last week I sent a letter to Sec. Vilsack urging the USDA to prioritize and expedite the approval process for animal vaccines designed to combat diseases threatening the agriculture industry. I will continue to advocate for these vaccines to help prevent and control future disease outbreaks.” 

You can find the full press release from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship here.  

You can find Gov. Reynolds letter to Sec. Vilsack here.  

Johnston, IA — The Iowa National Guard, Friday, announced the opening of its newest readiness center in West Des Moines on National Guard Road beginning in 2025. This space will encompass Service Members with expertise in infantry and logistics. It will also be a shared community space with the West Des Moines Fire Department, enhancing the emergency response to the local area while allowing Iowa Guard members to serve their state close to home.

When fully operational, the new facility will house Bravo Company, 1st Battalion 168th Infantry, and the 2168th (21-68th) Transportation Company, totaling 229 Soldiers. With the addition of the new readiness center the Iowa National Guard has made the difficult decision to close the Shenandoah Armory located in Page County. Plans are now in motion to transfer and consolidate Bravo Company, 1-168 Infantry Battalion- all 132 authorized positions – from their current locations in Shenandoah and Camp Dodge to the West Des Moines Readiness Center upon its completion in 2025. Joining them will be 97 Service Members of the 2168th Transportation Company from Sheldon and Sioux City.

Built in 1956, the Shenandoah facility is a landmark in the community, and officials with the Guard say the organization will work closely with city leaders to ensure that the process is seamless and respects the city-military partnership that warmly welcomed the Guard’s presence in the community for over 145 years. Of note, this reorganization will not impact the facilities in Sioux City and Sheldon.

The closure process includes an official sequence of events and timeline that is required by the Iowa Department of Public Defense and State Armory Board with full divestiture by Spring of 2025. The Adjutant General, Major General Stephen Osborn; State Quartermaster, Colonel Mike Harris; and Director of Construction, Facilities and Management, Colonel John Perkins will guide the city and state through key milestones that include the sale of state property.

As the National Guard adapts to modern global threats and conditions, realignment of resources and assets are required to meet them head on. This closure does not in any way reduce the Iowa National Guard’s state of readiness or equate to a loss of force structure

(Radio Iowa) – An eastern Iowa business is using a new way to recycle wind turbine parts once they’re no longer in service. REGEN (Ree-gen) Fiber in Fairfax is owned by Travero, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy. Company president Lisha Coffey tells K-C-R-G T-V their process is more sustainable.

Their process grinds the old blades into different materials that can be reused.

That’s why they are aiming to make this the new normal for other manufacturers in the future.

He says the material from the blades reduces plastic shrinkage, which is concrete’s inherent ability to start pulling itself apart. It gives the concrete more toughness and textural durability.

(Radio Iowa) – Parents in the Sioux City Community School District say their children won’t have the option to attend summer school this year — due to funding cuts. Bailey Gertsma says her seven-year-old son definitely benefited from summer school for the past couple of years.

The school district says COVID-19 relief funding ran out to pay for summer school, which served 350 students last year. The district is still offering summer programming for E-L-L students and at-risk high schoolers. Gertsma says summer school gave her boy the individual attention he needed, and it helped build his confidence level.

The Iowa Department of Education doesn’t have information on other districts that have eliminated or modified summer school, because schools are not required to report that to the state. The department has launched a grant program to support districts offering evidence-based reading programming, with up to two-million dollars available for districts statewide.

Recovery specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will provide information on available services, explain assistance programs and help survivors complete or check the status of their applications. In coming days, locations and hours in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa are changing. Read below for a complete list.

Remember: Help is available online and by phone.

• Visiting DisasterAssistance.gov
• Calling FEMA directly at 800-621-FEMA (3362)
• Using the FEMA app

Here are the active FEMA Disaster Recovery Center locations in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska:

Iowa – FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers

 Montgomery County

Southwest Valley Middle School

406 E. 3rd Street

Villisca, IA 50864

Monday, June 10 – 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Then, open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

Harrison County

Willow Lake Nature Center

2725 Easton Park Trail

Woodbine, IA 51579

Monday, June 10 – 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 11 to Thursday, June 13 – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Shelby County

Shelby County Chamber of Commerce

1901 Hawkeye Avenue, Suite 101

Open through Sunday, June 9 – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday, June 14 – 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 15 to Monday, June 17 – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Pottawattamie County

South Parking Lot Across from Fire Station

207 Main St

Minden, IA 51553

Open through Sunday, June 9 – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 18 – 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Wednesday, June 19 to Friday, June 21 – 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Adair County

Nodaway Valley Elementary School

324 NW 2nd St

Greenfield, IA 50849

Open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until further notice

If you need help, FEMA staff will be on hand at the Disaster Recovery Center.

Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service. For an accessible video on three ways to apply for FEMA assistance, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU7wzRjByhI.

Disaster Recovery Centers are physically accessible to people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs. They are equipped with assistance and adaptive technology such as amplified phones, caption phones, video phones, wheelchair ramps and other resources to help ensure all applicants can access resources.

(Radio Iowa) – The same strain of bird flu has recently hit a flock of laying hens in Sioux County and dairy cattle in O’Brien County. Iowa State University Extension veterinarian Dr. Phillip Jardon says Iowa is the 11th state where bird flu has been reported among dairy cattle.

Bird flu has been reported in 24 herds of dairy cattle in Michigan and one in Ohio. Jardon says biosecurity issues are key, as investigators believe a poultry flock in Michigan struck by bird flu may have been infected by an employee who also worked at a dairy operation.

So far, bird flu has been confirmed in over 80 U-S dairy cattle herds. Jardon says the impact may reach dairy cattle shows at county and state fairs.

Jardon grew up on a small dairy farm in southwest Iowa. He got his medical degree from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1986. Last July, Jardon joined Iowa State University Extension as a dairy specialist after working 11 years as a technical consultant to a company that produces vaccines and medicines for pets and livestock.