(Harlan, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Shelby County, Tuesday morning, met in a regular session. Auditor/Board Secretary Mark Maxwell said in the minutes of the meeting, that Jay Ring, Shelby County Weed Commissioner, requested the required Weed Notice be approved for publication. The Board accepted his report and approved it for publication.  They also approved the appointment of Michael Brooks as Shelby County Deputy Sheriff.

Nick Preston, Shelby County Conservation Director, gave a report noting that the reconstruction of the storage building at Manteno Park is a current project being done by County employees and volunteer help. And, the stream mitigation credits for sale by his department now have another option to manage the sale of the credits. No action has been taken using that option. Supervisor Bryce Schaben suggested increasing the budget for the soon ending Beaver Bounty, as weather has prolonged the trapping season and the allotted funds are soon to run out. The Board approved an increase in the allotted funds by $2,000, or 80 more animals. It was noted that may encourage more trapping as only $150 is left for funding the program.

Auditor Maxwell read a statement from his office telling the Board about budget changes and the hidden costs to Counties, the Department of Management and software services. Supervisor Bryce Schaben advised the other supervisors that the Southwest Iowa Juvenile Department has increased their 2024 budget by 4.57%. Todd Valline of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Industry gave a report, including events that his organization is planning and involved in around Shelby County. Valline’s organization recognized at the annual banquet last week, the non-profit of the year, Shelby County Fair Board. The new business of the year Scooters Coffee, Business of the year, Dr. Jays Family Eye Care; and volunteer of the Year Leslie Bielenberg.

Valline noted also, that there are Hotel Motel funds available for any events that may need to be publicized this summer. The deadline for submitting grants to his office is March 28th. A letter of fiscal sponsorship was presented to the supervisors for consideration. Van Wall Equipment will lease a tractor for $1.00 for use at the Shelby County Speedway this summer, for grooming the track. The Shelby County Fair Board needs a government agency to declare fiscal sponsorship for the lease to be completed. The Board passed a motion to allow the Auditor to sign the lease.

Secondary Roads Head, Chris Fredericksen, asked the Supervisors to approve changes in the road entrance policy to allow for safe and efficient enlargements of road entrances when approved. Parkhurst made a motion to approve the resolution. (Details can be found below)

RESOLUTION 2024-20: ROADWAY ENTRANCE APPLICATION MODIFICATION RESOLUTION

WHEREAS Shelby County sets out the procedure if a land owner wishes to install an entrance from their property to a county roadway. WHEREAS the nature of entrance application changes with time and developments in procedures and applications. WHEREAS, the Shelby County Engineer has recognized the need to amend and change the wording of the Shelby County Entrance applications. WHEREAS, the Shelby County Engineer has duly created procedure to extend existing roadway entrances by amending wording in the roadway entrance application to safely and efficiently modify existing entrances or create new entrances.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF SHELBYCOUNTY that the Board of Supervisors hereby accepts the changes to the Shelby County Entrance application. Schaben seconded the motion, the motion passed with ayes by Parkhurst, Schaben and Kenkel. No nays were cast. The application reads:

Realizing the above conditions and circumstances, and wanting to be as efficient in the use of road funds as possible, the Board of Supervisors has adopted the following policy:

1. The County Engineer is required to issue a permit for each new or widened access to the Secondary Road System. According to Section 319.14 of the Iowa Code, “A person shall not excavate, fill, or make a physical change within the right-of-way of a public road or highway without permission from the highway having jurisdiction of the public road or highway.”
2. The County Engineer will require a no cost permit for each new or widened entrance to the Secondary Road system. Location of entrance will be at the owner’s request if sight distance of 400’ for rock and earth roadways, 500’ for paved roadways, and other factors are approved by the Engineer.
3. Slope from the edge of entrance to the ditch flowline will be as follows: Paved Road/Dry Fill = 8:1; Paved Road (with culvert) = 6:1; Gravel Road = 4:1.
4. Approximately midway between the Right-of-Way line and the edge of the road, the elevation of the entrance shall be at least six (6) inches lower than that of the edge of the roadway.
5. Shelby County shall designate minimum length, diameter, and type of culvert pipe to achieve efficient and adequate width of entrance. Culverts shall be steel riveted annular culverts, or HDPE dual walled culverts that meet Iowa DOT Specifications for entrance culverts. No new entrance culvert shall be less than 24 inches in diameter or 30 feet in length. Entrance culverts larger than 48” in diameter shall be steel riveted annular culverts.
6. All costs of all new/permitted installations will be borne by the owner. The County will maintain stockpiles of new pipe for purchase. When an entrance culvert has deteriorated, or is no longer functioning as originally designed, the Shelby County Engineer or their representative will investigate to determine if a new culvert is required. Shelby County will provide a replacement entrance culvert at no cost but will not assume maintenance of entrances after installation. The replacement pipe will be of length equal to the existing entrance pipe.
7. Culvert pipes shall be approved by County Engineer or their representative. The new culvert pipe shall meet County and Iowa Department of Transportation standards for entrance pipe.
8. Shelby County maintenance personnel are allowed to maintain access to prevent water from damaging the roadway surface.
9. Unauthorized installation of entrances within the public right-of-way will be subject to removal without notice.
10. The priority of equipment used in entrance placement is cleaning out the ends of drainage structures, replacing damaged or separated culverts, washouts, and bridges. Therefore, entrance work is a low priority scheduling item. The owner may have the required entrance maintenance done by others, with all work subject to approval by Shelby County personnel.
11. Extension of existing entrances will only be allowed when the ends of the existing culvert are suitable for attachment as well as the original pipe being structurally sound. Also, entrances shall meet the criteria of this policy following modifications.
12. The owner of each entrance shall be responsible for surfacing the entrance at their cost, as the county will only provide surfacing to house drives when grading, paving, or repairing.
13. All necessary and proper barricades, flares, etc., as per the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, shall be furnished and maintained by the applicant. Maximum safety precautions shall be maintained to protect workers, property owners, and the traveling public from accidents due to the operations of the applicant.
14. Shelby County shall be indemnified and saved harmless of any damages resulting from the applicant’s operations.
15. The installer shall submit to the Shelby County Engineer a certificate of liability and property insurance, with the minimum coverage as follows: General Liability Insurance – Bodily Injury and Property Damage Combined $500,000 Each Occurrence / $1,000,000 Aggregate

Automobile Liability – &500,000 Combined Single Limits

Excess Liability – Each Occurrence / $1,000,000 Aggregate

Workers Comp. & Employers Liability: Part A – Statutory. Part B – $500,000/$500,000/$500,000

It is the present policy of Shelby County to maintain those driveways specified by the School Superintendents as school bus turnarounds. This may include granular surfacing from should of the roadway to the right-of-way line. The yearly required five year plan for Secondary Roads was then presented to the Supervisors for consideration. After an explanation by Chris Frederickson, Schaben made a motion to approve the plan as presented, Parkhurst seconded the motion, the motion passed with no nays being cast.

The Safety Director Position in Shelby County has been instrumental in keeping work injuries down, for the last few years. And in turn this has kept Workmen’s Compensation costs down, the costs are less than half of what they were 6 years ago. The County Engineer agrees that safety is very important and is willing to use secondary road funds to pay the compensation. Parkhurst made a motion to increase the yearly pay of the position to $7,000.00 to reward the performance and cost savings the County has enjoyed. The Safety Director will still receive the $500.00 a year bonus for getting the insurance modification rating under 1, this is the benchmark used by the insurance company for the future years workman’s compensation insurance rates. Shelby County has been under 1 for the last four years, greatly reducing the cost. Schaben seconded the motion, the motion passed.

The yearly liquor license for Shelby County Golf was then approved after a motion by Parkhurst and a second by Schaben.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa cities would have to get Iowa D-O-T approval for speed cameras placed along highways and interstates under a bill that’s been introduced in the Iowa House. The D-O-T rolled out this policy over a decade ago, but in 2014 the Iowa Supreme Court ruled the agency didn’t have authority to regulate traffic cameras. This bill would change that and require cities to submit yearly reports to the D-O-T showing speed cameras are in spots along highways and interstates that are at high risk for crashes or unsafe for police to make in-person traffic stops. Frank Chiodo is a lobbyist for the Metropolitan Coalition that represents Iowa’s 10 largest cities. He says the bill is an alternative to a traffic camera ban that preserves speed cameras placed in positions based on evidence and the severity of traffic crashes in the area.

“Over the past several years we have pushed for a regulatory framework,” Chiodo says. “…House Study Bill 740 is a great start.” There are speed cameras along the Interstate-380 S-curve in downtown Cedar Rapids and Cedar Rapids Police Chief David Dostal says there’s been a reduction in serious injury crashes over the past three years. “There’s a change in traffic behavior, resulting in traffic safety,” Dostal says. Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert says the bill is long overdue. “There are jurisdictions out there that are doing it the right way, some that are not,” Wingert said. “…The things I see in this bill are things we’re already doing.”

The bill would not give the Iowa D-O-T authority to regulate traffic cameras that issue tickets for vehicles caught speeding or running red lights on city streets.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest today (Wednesday), of 43-year old Daniel Thomas, of Glenwood. He was taken into custody for Violation of Probation with regard to an original Felony charge of Theft in the 2nd Degree in July 2022. Thomas’ bond was set at $10,000.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), held a regular weekly meeting in Greenfield. During their session, the Board acknowledged receipt of the FY23 Landfill Audit. The report noted nothing unusual, just the normal recommendation for separation of duties. They also approved the appointment of Mandy Dolan, Recorder’s Office Deputy Recorder, and Joni Raper, Recorder’s Office Clerk.

Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg requested, and the Board approved, a copier lease with Access Systems.

The Board also approved a six-month raise for Election Deputy Nathan Reed.

And, they received a report from Jess Petter, Prevention Specialist with Crossroads Behavioral Health, with regard to how their Opioid Settlement funded programs are going in the schools.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board, Tuesday evening, held a Public Hearing on a proposed 2024-2025 District Calendar. Superintendent Trevor Milller says later on in the meeting, the Board approved the Calendar as presented.

The Board discussed and acted on a Weight Room/Fitness Facility Project.

Like many other superintendents, Trevor Miller is hoping the Iowa Legislature takes action on SSA, teacher pay and other matters that affect school budgets.

In other business, the Exira-EHK Board approved the hiring of:

Cody Parmley – for the school Musical
Kristen Borkowski – Trapshooting Program (sharing with the Audubon CSD)
and Tony Santisteban – Asst. Boys Track Coach.

The Board also approved the following:

A Bond Counsel Engagement letter with Ahlers & Cooney
A 2024-25 AEA Purchasing Agreement
A MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with Family Connections,Inc.
A Cooperative Agreement with the Univ. of Northern Iowa for the 2024-25 school year.
The adoption of certain policies, following the second & final reading.
A review of other polices with the second & final reading.

The Board also discussed a Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment (CLNA).

(Radio Iowa) – As part of colon cancer awareness month, Iowans are being reminded of the importance of early screenings for one of the state’s biggest cancer killers. Dr. Steve Schlack-Haerer, a gastroenterologist at Gundersen Health System, says colon cancer is the third-leading cause of death in both men and women. He recommends screenings starting at age 45, and then every ten years. “The time it takes to grow from a small polyp to a colon cancer is actually a very long, slow process, we think on the order of about eight to 10 years,” Schlack-Haerer says, “which gives us about as wide of a window to find these precancerous lesions before they have a chance to ever develop into cancer.”

There are several ways to test for colon cancer, but he says colonoscopies are the best and most accurate. While everyone should get screened, some people may be at greater risk. “We say if there’s a family history of colon cancer, that increases your risk, and we go by first-degree relatives as well as second-degree relatives,” Schlack-Haerer says. “Anybody with a first-degree relative who has either precancerous polyps or colon cancer before the age of 60, we actually start their colon cancer screening at age 40.”

While colon cancer is the number-three cancer killer, he says significant progress is being made through screenings, as a decade ago, it was the second-leading cause of cancer death.  “A lot of times people say, ‘Well, I’m not having any problems or I’m not having any symptoms. I don’t need to do this,'” Schlack-Haerer says, “and the reality is that simply having colon polyps itself — and many times colon cancer as well — is below the radar.”

A few years back, colonoscopies were recommended at age 50, but that’s been pushed up five years due to a rising number of earlier cases. He says people with a family history of colon cancer should consider getting screened even sooner. “There is a higher incidence of colon cancer in our African American population, but really the reality is, it’s a risk for males, females and really can happen at any age,” Schlack-Haerer says. “We occasionally, unfortunately, will find colon cancer in people with no risk factors whatsoever and as early as 20s and 30s.”

When found early, he says the five-year survival rate for colon cancer can be well above 90-percent.

Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

(Des Moines, Iowa; KCCI) – A Mississippi man charged with a hate crime after destroying a display put up by the Satanic Temple of Iowa wants that charge dismissed. The display was put up in the Statehouse during the holidays. The Satanic Temple of Iowa says it was meant to symbolize freedom of religion. A custom statue and other parts of the display were destroyed days after it was put up.

Michael Cassidy argues the Satanic Temple of Iowa is not a real religion and that the hate crime enhancement violates his First Amendment rights. Prosecutors have offered a deal that would involve Cassidy pleading guilty to fifth-degree criminal mischief. As of right now, Cassidy has not accepted that offer.

His trial is currently set for May.

SPENCER, Iowa (KCAU) — A former nurse who worked in northwest Iowa, is accused of overdosing patients at the Spencer Hospital and illegally obtaining prescription drugs. 36-year-old Rachel Martinez, of Sioux Falls, S.D., is charged with one count of prohibited act – prescription drug violation (Schedule I, II, III) obtain by deceit, a class C felony; one count of prohibited act – prescription drug violation (Schedule IV or V) obtain by deceit, an aggravated misdemeanor; and four counts of wanton neglect of a dependent person, a serious misdemeanor.

According to court documents, Martinez was working at the Spencer Hospital and was assigned to care for four separate patients on four different days in late 2022:

1. On Nov. 9, 2022, Martinez was meant to administer hydrocodone to a patient every four hours but instead administered it three times over a five hour period, overdosing the patient. She was also meant to administer tramadol once every six hours, but did so four times over six and a half hours. Documents state Martinez again overdosed a patient on Nov. 19, 2022. A doctor ordered a patient to be given 3mg of melatonin, but Martinez allegedly gave 6mg.
2. On Nov. 21, 2022, documents stated that Martinez administered hydrocodone twice to another patient in a three hour period when the doctor ordered it for only once every four hours. She also allegedly gave zofran, morphine and tramadol over the same three houses, with documents saying “all of these extra narcotics with the Hydrocodone would have further overdosed” the patient.
3. Martinez was assigned to care for a patient on Dec. 7, 2022. The patient was in the hospital due to having an allergic reaction while getting cancer treatment. The doctor ordered that the patient could have IV Benadryl if they had another allergic reaction. Martinez allegedly gave the patient the drug to sleep, telling another nurse that the patient was “being annoying with the call light” and not sleeping.
4. Additionally, Martinez allegedly withdrew a hydrocodone and tramadol pill under a patient’s name on Nov. 9, 2022. Documents state she obtained the pills by “fraud, deceit, misrepresentation or subterfuge,” and kept the pills for herself.

Martinez was arrested on Dec. 1, 2023, and bonded out a day later. She pleaded not guilty to the charges on Jan. 2 in a written arraignment. A pretrial conference for the case is scheduled for April 16, with the trial set for May 21.