The City of Atlantic is once again issuing a warning to residents about keeping their lawns mowed and not allowing the clippings to be blown into the streets. City Adminstrator Doug Harris said at Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, that City crews are getting behind in mowing properties they are receiving complaints about, because of the volume of calls being received.  He says the Parks and Rec, and Wastewater Department staff are handling nuisance abatement’s for mowing tall grass, but they’ve had a hard time catching up because grass at the parks still has to be mowed as well. Harris said under City Ordinance, notices aren’t sent out until grass becomes 12-inches tall.

If they fail to comply, the City mows it and bills the property owner at rates which are nearly double what it would have cost the land owner to have the problem taken care of on their own. Harris said the City needs to reconsider how to better enforce the ordinance, especially with regard to repeat offenders, and the Council seemed to agree. Mayor Dave Jones reminded citizens and business owners in Atlantic about the Ordinance prohibiting grass clippings from being blown onto City streets.

Jones said he’s received numerous complaints about grass being blown into the streets. Those clippings enter the storm sewer and clog the system, which requires man hours to clean out, and can contribute to increased costs which are passed along to the taxpayer. Jones said if residents and business owners would simply make sure the clippings are blown back onto the lawn, there would be no need for citations being issued when complaints are followed-up on.

The Atlantic City Council Wednesday, was forced to table indefinitely, action on approving resolutions pertaining to a bond purchase agreement and issuing of Sewer Revenue Bonds, because the Iowa Finance Authority won’t allow it. City Administrator Doug Harris said he received the bad news late Wednesday afternoon from Chip Shultz, with Ruan Securities. Shultz told Harris the IFA won’t allow the City to restructure the debt, even though officials with the State Revolving Loan Program had initially indicated there wouldn’t be a problem with it.

The City had hoped to save on the amount of interest it pays on the bonds by restructuring at a lower rate, or by drawing down on the remaining $6.6-million from the State Revolving Loan Fund. However, delays by Ruan Securities in issuing the bonds over the past two months means the City lost its chance at grabbing a lower interest rate. Harris says the City lost $12,150 it paid to achieve a Standard and Poors rating on the bonds, also, but Schultz promised Ruan Securities would reimburse the City, since problems on their end caused the delay in getting the bonds issued.

Those problems included staff changes at Ruan, and an assumption the interest rates would continue to decline or remain nearly level, instead of increasing with an improving economy. Harris said the setbacks won’t change the amount the City receives in increased sewer revenues, at least in the short-term. In addition to tabling the bond purchase agreement, City leaders had no choice but to table a resolution approving the issuance of Sewer Revenue Bonds.

A bridge replacement project along Highway 92 in Cass County received a financial boost this week. The office of Senator Tom Harkin has announced the Iowa Department of Transportation will receive a $400,000 Highways for LIFE pilot program grant from the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration, to replace a bridge on Highway 92, one-mile west of Highway 148, near Massena.

Conceptual drawing of the new Highway 92 bridge near Massena. (Courtesy IA DOT)

The bridge will be constructed using prefabricated superstructure and substructure elements and will be the first bridge in Iowa to be installed using the lateral bridge slide method. When construction begins, traffic will be detoured using Highway 148, Oxford Road and through Cumberland, using 690th Street.

The Highways for Life program is intended to advance longer-lasting highways using innovative technologies and practices to accomplish the fast construction of efficient and safe highways and bridges. The innovative technologies and practices encouraged through the Highways for LIFE pilot program will improve construction time and help ensure that the new bridge will provide drivers along Highway 92 with a safe crossing for many decades. The replacement structure will be a single span 120’ x 44’ bridge with precast abutment footings, precast wingwalls and a precast superstructure fabricated adjacent to the existing bridge and moved into position by lateral slide. 

Harkin says he’s pleased that the Federal Highway Administration has made the project possible, and he looks forward to seeing the results.

Conceptual video of the bridge construction process/function:63825279

A man from Nebraska was killed Wednesday afternoon when the SUV he was driving collided with a semi, near Hastings, in Mills County. The Iowa State Patrol identified the victim as 66-year old Carlos Alvarez, of Omaha. Officials say Alvarez was traveling west on Highway 34 just east of 350th Street at around Noon, when his 2012 Ford Escape crossed the center line of the road and collided with an eastbound 2012 Kenworth semi driven by 27-year old Chase Alm, of Griswold, and registered to Alm Farms of Griswold. Alvarez died at the scene. Alm was not injured. The Highway remained closed for several hours following the crash. The accident remains under investigation.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests occurred Tuesday. 21-year old Thomas James Bertelsen, of Glenwood was arrested at around 2:20-a.m. on a warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Driving While Revoked. He was being held in the Mills County Jail on $2,000 bond. And, 39-year old Roy Allan Tyson, of Omaha, was arrested at around 9:30-a.m., on warrants for Ongoing Criminal Conduct, Theft in the 1st degree, Fraudulent Practice and Unauthorized Use of a Credit Card. His bond was set at $55,000.

The CAM Youth Sports Program’s baseball/softball diamond project recently received a $2500 boost from the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund. The project’s goals include a backstop and outfield fence improvements.

Picture: CAM High School Principal, Dominic Giegerich (middle), accepts a donation from Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund representatives, Darrin and Melanie Petty.

In addition, a Boy Scout working  on his Eagle Scout project is building a concession stand and bathroom for the facility. Melanie Petty, Trevor’s mother and Fund representative said “Trevor had an undeniable passion for baseball and loved kids. The Fund’s mission is to support projects and organizations that represent Trevor’s interests,” so the baseball/softball diamond project was a “Perfect fit.” 
 
The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund, a non-profit corporation, was founded after the 21 year old Atlantic native lost his life in a 2009 apartment fire. Since his passing, over $68,000 has been donated back to the community Trevor loved. The T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament and Silent Auction, held annually the second Saturday in August at Atlantic’s Nishna Hills Golf Club, is the Fund’s only fundraiser. For more information, follow the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund on Facebook.

Residents in the City of Harlan who let their dogs run at large will pay a more significant fine. The Harlan City Council Tuesday approved two ordinances pertaining to dog laws in the city with one being heftier fines. The owner of the animal will see a $100 fine for the first offense with the 2nd offense, $200 and the 3rd, $300. A fourth fine would lead to a fine of $500 or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Vicious dogs At Large fines also will increase with the 1st offense $200, 2nd offense $300, 3rd $400 and 4th $500 or imprisonment. Other fines added into the ordinance include: A $25 fee for impounding on the first offense, doubling to $50 for the 2nd and $75 thereafter.

In other business, the Harlan City Council held two public hearings during their meeting. The first was on re-zoning a residence in Harlan so the owner can build an apartment complex. The residence at 1401 7th Street had to be placed in an R-3 Medium Density Residential zone in order for the apartment complex to be structured. The council heard no public comments, closed the hearing, dispensed with the 2nd and 3rd hearings and approved. The other hearing was for the 2013 Sewer Rehabilitation Project. The council did not have any comments from the public, closed the hearing but did not approve a bid. City Administrator Terry Cox informed the council the city only received one bid and it was $80,000 over budget. The Harlan City Council tabled the item for 30 days.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The City of Harlan has announced they will be receiving a new K-9 for the Harlan Police Department. Following a few fundraisers, Officer Tim Pedersen recently gave an update on the movement for the Department to purchase the dog. He told the city the department has raised $11,500. The cost for the dog is $5,500, $2,000 for a new kennel and the remainder of the funds will be used for miscellaneous expenses. The city is expecting to receive the dog within the next two months and training will begin in October.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Iowa Farm Service Agency State Executive Director, John R. Whitaker today (Wednesday)announced that the nomination period for this year’s County Committee election will begin on June 17th, 2013.  The nomination period continues through August 1, 2013, with elections taking place this fall. 

“The committee election process allows all producers to have a better chance of having their opinions and ideas expressed in the community in Iowa and the nation.  FSA sees the role of our county committees as one that is vital,” said Whitaker.  “County Committees operate under official regulations for federal farm programs. Committee members apply their judgment, experience, and knowledge when making local decisions.”  

Individuals that serve on local FSA County Committee make decisions regarding producer’s appeals; commodity price support loans and payments; conservation programs; employing county executive directors; incentive, indemnity, and disaster payments for commodities; as well as for other farm disaster assistance.  Members serve three-year terms. Nationally, there are more than 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. Committees consist of three to five members who are elected by eligible local producers. 

“FSA’s want to ensure that we have a diverse committee, not only in the physical make up of the committee, but making sure we have representative from all forms of agriculture,” added Whitaker.  The USDA says it is committed to increasing the participation of all farmers on the FSA County Committees, with an emphasis on women and minority farmers.  Beginning farmers are also highly encouraged to become involved.  

To be eligible to serve on an FSA county committee, a person must:  

• Be of legal voting age and eligible to vote in a county committee election
• Live in the LAA holding an election
• Participate or cooperate in a program administered by FSA

w/ Ric Hanson

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