Statehouse negotiators have reached a tentative deal to keep the Iowa Workforce Development agency operating ’til June 30th. In mid-March the Iowa Supreme Court ruled Governor Branstad overstepped his item veto authority by taking money legislators set aside to keep regional Workforce Development offices open. The governor instead let agency managers shut the offices down and use the money elsewhere. Senator Bill Dotzler, a Democrat from Waterloo was one of the legislators who successfully sued Branstad over this decision. He has been involved in discussions to fix the agency’s budget, because the court decision also nullified key parts of agency’s budget. “Even though the department says they saved $6.5 million with closing the offices, they spent it elsewhere and you can’t back a train down the tracks very far,” Dotzler says.

 Legislators and the governor have agreed on a “status quo” budget plan that will carry the agency through to the end of the state fiscal year, according to Dotzler.
“The real discussion needs to continue to move forward on the FY13 budget and that’s probably where we’re going to bang some heads,” Dotzler says. The next 12-month budget plan runs from July 1st of this year to June 30th of 2013. Dotzler says Democrats will press to reopen some of the offices that were closed, in cities like Ames, Newton, Pella and Denison.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

A raft of embezzlement cases in small town Iowa has prompted legislators to draft a bill that would require an audit of small town accounts at least once every eight years. Representative Chip Baltimore, a Republican from Boone, says in the past five years state auditors have reviewed the books in 32 different cities that had fewer than 700 residents. “The amount of fraud that was uncovered in those 32 smaller cities totaled $1.4 million,” Baltimore says. “…For some of these small cities, the amount of the fraud exceeded their annual revenues.”

 The city accounts in Iowa towns with fewer than two-thousand residents are not currently required to be audited and Baltimore says it’s time to change that. “If a city and the city employees know there’s going to , they will be less inclined to try to embezzle funds,” Baltimore says. 

The bill to require audits in small Iowa cities at least once every eight years has cleared the Government Oversight Committee and now goes before the full House for consideration. The latest case of small-town theft uncovered by a state audit involved the city clerk in the small, central Iowa town of Dexter. The theft occurred over a six-year period, but it wasn’t discovered until after the clerk died and others began sifting through the town’s accounts.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

The Adair County Board of Supervisors are scheduled to receive an update during their meeting Wednesday morning in Greenfield, on the new Jail/Public Safety Center. During the session, which begins at 8:30-a.m., Sheriff Brad Newton will provide them with a status report on the facility, the opening of which has been delayed while new E- 9-1-1 equipment was being installed. The Sheriff will also discuss the purchase of a vehicle for his department.

The Adair Supervisors Wednesday, will also: Hear discussion headed-up by the Clerk of Court with regard to the Clerk’s Office; Discuss the quality of road rock, with Cass/Adair County Engineer Charles Marker; receive an update on the County’s Manure Management Plan (MMP) and hear about documentation found in the Auditor’s Office.

At 10-a.m., the Board will move into a closed session, per Iowa Code 21.5 (G), which pertains to specific law enforcement matters that, if disclosed, would enable law violators to avoid detection.

The Audubon City Council Monday evening, approved a bid from U-S Water for a 5-year maintenance contract for maintenance of the City’s water/wastewater treatment plant. The City Clerk’s Office says the Council also passed a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) Ordinance, with the addition of a definition of LSV as specified by Federal Regulations. The City already has in-place an ordinance pertaining to the use of golf carts on the streets.

The Council discussed an ordinance banning parking on residential lawns or yards within the City. They directed the City Attorney to write an ordinance to that effect, and may act on approving it during their next meeting. In addition, the Council passed a resolution establishing City employee compensation practices, which includes the definition of: A work week; work hours; vacation and holiday policy, along with sick leave.

And, the Audubon City Council discussed, but took no action on matters pertaining to the solid waste transfer station. A meeting between the County, the City and a 28-E Committee tasked with coming to an agreement on the issue is set for April 3rd in the Memorial Building. The Supervisors had earlier threatened to pull-out of the 28-E agreement, which would leave the individuals cities within the County to determine whether they would continue to participate in the agreement, or not.

 The Cass County Sheriff’s Department reports a Griswold man was arrested Sunday. 58-year old Kim Delaine Perdue was taken into custody on a charge of OWI/3^rd offense. Perdue was released later that day on $5,000 bond.  Also arrested Sunday, on a charge of Driving While Suspended, was 28-year old Christopher Leon Bomer, of Atlantic. Bomer was released later in the day on $300 bond.

 And, on March 17^th, 48-year old Michael Patrick Amdor, of Atlantic, was arrested on charges of Driving While Revoked and Interference with Official Acts. Amdor was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $1,000 bond.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

     DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – A 27-year-old Iowa City man has been sentenced to five years in prison for distributing child pornography. Ryan Felts must also serve five years of supervised release after he leaves prison. Prosecutors say Felts posted several images of child pornography on a porn website in 2009.
 
     DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa House is set to approve more than $36 million in school spending cuts. The package would spend around $774 million for education next year, which is less than the $839.1 million Governor Terry Branstad requested. The Democrat-led Senate has already approved a plan roughly $115 million larger than the one being considered in the House.
 
     CARLISLE, Iowa (AP) – The Carlisle fire chief faces an alcohol-related charge follow a traffic stop over the weekend. Fire Chief Scott Burger, who was a passenger in the vehicle pulled over on Saturday, was charged with an open container violation. Police say the driver, firefighter Roy Galindo, was charged with drunken driving.
 
     DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Drake women’s basketball coach Amy Stephens has resigned after nine seasons. In a statement, Stephens says she and the school had different visions for the future of the program. The Bulldogs finished 18-16 last season before losing in the first round of the WNIT.

Officials with the Cass County Health System remind area high school seniors or college students interested in a career in the health field, that CCHS is continuing their health career scholarship again this year.  A $1000 scholarship is available for a student studying to become a healthcare professional.

Applicants must be accepted to or currently enrolled in a health career educational program leading to at least a bachelor’s degree.  Applications are available at area high school guidance offices, the human resources office at Cass County Memorial Hospital and on the hospital’s website, www.casshealth.org. 

Applications for the scholarship are due April 6, 2012.  For further information, contact Sara Nelson, CCMH Public Relations Director, at 712-243-7408.

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says the extremely dry and windy conditions forecast this week have prompted his department to issue a “High Fire Danger” warning in Shelby County.  Seivert says outdoor burning should be avoided, but if you must conduct a controlled burn, call 712-755-2124 prior to igniting of the burn.