State Climatologist Harry Hillaker is reporting 2012 was Iowa’s third hottest year on record. The statewide average temperature through the year was 51.9 degrees. That was 3.8 degrees above normal, but just over one-degree cooler than 1931, the hottest year ever in Iowa. Nationally, government meteorologists say 2012 was the hottest year on record in the United States with an average temperature of just over 55 degrees. In addition to the heat, Iowa and nearly two-thirds of the country endured a summer-long drought.

Hillaker says 2012 was Iowa’s 19th driest year in 140 years of record keeping.  The statewide average precipitation last year was 26.31 inches, nearly 9 inches below normal. The record for Iowa’s driest year was set in 1910 at 19.98 inches of precipitation. Farmers and others who desperately needed rain last summer may find it hard to believe 2012 was only the 19th driest in state history. But, Hillaker notes above normal precipitation was recorded statewide in the months of February, April, October and December. July, meanwhile, was extremely dry and hot.

Hillaker says it the 5th driest July in Iowa history (1st-1936) and the month trailed only 1936 and 1901 for the hottest July in state history. The month of March was the warmest ever, 51.1 degrees on average, besting the previous record set in March 1910 by nearly two-and-a-half degrees. There was yet another unusual weather statistic in Iowa in 2012. You might call it a silver lining of the drought – as there were very few tornadoes.

Hillaker says there were only 16 confirmed tornadoes in Iowa last year and they all happened before the end of May. “Which is pretty amazing considering June is usually our busiest tornado month of the year,” Hillaker said. “That 16 annual total for tornadoes is, at least, our lowest since 1963.” Iowa averages 47 tornadoes per year. A record 120 tornadoes touched down in Iowa is 2004.

(Radio Iowa)

An accident Tuesday evening about three-miles southeast of Bayard, in Guthrie County, has claimed the life of one person and resulted in injures to another. The Iowa State Patrol says 85-year old Donald Merle Wetzel, of Guthrie Center, died in the crash which occurred at around 5:40-p.m. on Highway 25, just north of 130th Street. Officials say the accident happened when a northbound 2008 Chevy Impala driven by Wetzel, collided with the trailer portion of a semi driven by 60-year old Duane Eugene Putney, of Stuart, as Putney was backing the semi into a farm drive.

The truck, with its flashers and headlights on, was blocking both lanes at the time of the crash. The car came to rest directly under the trailer portion of the semi, in the northbound lane of Highway 25. Wetzel was pronounced dead at the scene. Putney was transported by Guthrie Rescue to the  Guthrie County Hospital. Both men were wearing their seat belts.

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Three people were arrested Monday, in Atlantic. In a report released Tuesday, officials said  36-year old Ezra Sedina, of Atlantic, was arrested for Violating a No Contact Order. And, 22-year-old Francis Kirchner along with 21-year-old Samantha Massa, both of Grant, were taken into custody. Each was charged with 4^th Degree Theft/shoplifting.

Sedina and Kirchner were booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate, while Massa was cited and released from custody, with orders to appear in court at a later date.

The Harlan Community School District saved over $2 million in expenditures in 2012. In a regular board of directors meeting held Monday, the district received their good news from the annual audit report. Superintendent Justin Wagner said the main thing is the district was under budget.

“Financial Solvency is something that people can understand as school financials are extremely complicated. Our financial solvency ratio was 19.9 and this year increased to 29.1 and we knew it would for two reasons, property value evaluation went up and even though we reduced our levy to almost under $3 we knew our financial solvency will go up.” He said the district budgets conservatively which is why they saw the savings.

“In addition it is funny numbers because the state doesn’t tell us what our budget is going to be so our budget is projections. We budget conservatively because we remember what happened 5 years ago. Let’s say for example zero allowable growth and the state comes in and says no you get 2 percent. That makes it tricky. I want people to understand we are going to budget conservatively.” Wagner said “We are going to be aggressive educationally but budget conservatively and that’s why we see these great numbers.”

In other business, the board approved the purchase two new buses from Thomas Inc. for $161,260. The district has 22 buses. The two which are being replaced have over 200,000 miles on them. Wagner said during the meeting the district had already budgeted for the buses and will be paid for by PPEL. The board also approved the modified allowable growth for increasing enrollment funding. The district has seen an increase in enrollment which is why the district had a chance for allowable growth. Wagner called it a good problem to have and is a lot like a credit card limit where the district has a chance to spend money when they need to but no necessarily going to.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The Shelby County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, approved a new resolution for, and changes to, the Hotel/Motel Tax. The biggest change is that the fiscal agent is being transferred from the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, to the Shelby County Auditor. With the change, the 20 percent administration fee that was going to the Chamber will now be omitted and 100 percent will go towards tourism. The resolution says 100-percent of the revenue derived from the tax shall be expended for the promotion and encouragement of tourism.

All requests for funding will have to be submitted to a Hotel/Motel tax Committee, which will be comprised of a Harlan City Council representative, Shelby Co. Board of Supervisor representative and one Shelby County Chamber board Representative. The committee also includes one rural business owner and a rural resident (both appointed by Shelby County), one Harlan business owner and one Harlan resident, both appointed by the City of Harlan.

The Shelby County Auditor will receive the tax revenues collected by the State of Iowa and administer the tax without charge. The Auditor will also provide the City of Harlan an annual report detailing all receipts and expenditures from the account. Supervisor Steve Kenkel said in the meeting one of the things the committee needs to talk about is the definition of tourism. He said “When I looked it up in the dictionary, everyone has a different definition. Tourism is a business of serving tourists or travelers that promote your attraction in your area and benefits the local economy. I think we have to have that focus and be on the same page.”

Shelby County Auditor Marsha Carter said at the first Hotel/Motel Tax Committee meetings guidelines will be set and discussed so the definition isn’t so broad. The Harlan City Council was expected to act on a similar ordinance this evening at their meeting Tuesday evening. Supervisor Kenkel also brought a proposal to help promote economic development within Shelby County. The proposal, which the Board approved, was for a new member cost share program starting in the fiscal year 2013/2014.

The county is offering a cost share program with Shelby County Chamber members for reimbursement on their 1st year membership dues, up to 50 percent or $75 max and up to 30 new memberships per year. The first time Chamber members would submit a copy of their membership dues receipt to the County for the rebate. Kenkel said the program would continue the following year if at least 50 percent of the previous year’s first time memberships were renewed with the Chamber. The proposal could be offered for a 3rd year as well.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)