Republicans at the statehouse may seek changes in union benefit packages for government workers in Iowa. Janet Phipps is director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services and she’s the governor’s lead negotiator on union contracts.

“What we’re anticipating and what has been mentioned is there’s going to be some conversation about how the state is going to deliver group health care benefits to public employees,” she says.

Republican Terry Branstad has trying to get the state’s union workers to pay more of their health insurance premiums since he returned to the governor’s office in 2011. After election victories this month, Republicans will have sizable governing majorities in both the House and Senate in 2017. Branstad’s considering the idea of consolidating health insurance policies for union employees at ALL levels of government in Iowa.

“He has mentioned that in the past, that he would like to look at pooling resources, if you will, of all public entities, whether it’s schools or counties or municipalities,” Phipps says. “I think he envisions something big that could be explored and have a big master contract. He’d like to do that.”

State officials on Monday began contract talks with the union that represents 600 state law enforcement officers, including state troopers. There were NO insurance benefits included in management’s initial offer. AFSCME represents the largest percentage of state workers and negotiations with AFSCME begin Wednesday afternoon. By state law, contracts must be finalized by March 15th. If an arbitrator has to make the call, Phipps says that means management and the unions involved have to stake out their final positions by late February. “So it would be moving briskly along, certainly, if there were going to be discussions legislatively to do something different,” Phipps says.

On Monday, state officials made their initial offer to the State Police Officers Council. It’s the union that represents 600 employees in state government. The offer? A one percent raise in each of the next two years. The union’s initial request was for pay hikes in each year of three percent.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

VERSAILLES, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri state trooper charged in the death of a man who drowned while in his custody is scheduled for trial this summer. The Kansas City Star reports a July 10 trial was set Monday for Trooper Anthony Piercy, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Brandon Ellingson at the Lake of the Ozarks in May 2014. Piercy had pulled over the 20-year-old Ellingson from Clive, Iowa, on suspicion of boating while intoxicated and handcuffed him before Ellingson fell into the lake.

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. (AP) — St. John’s senior linebacker Carter Hanson is among 10 semifinalist for the 2016 Gagliardi Trophy. Nine seniors and one junior were announced Monday for the annual award honoring the best football player in Division III. The trophy is named after former St. John’s football coach John Gagliardi, who retired with 489 career victories, most in college football history. The Gagliardi Trophy will be presented Dec. 14 in Salem, Virginia.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A U.S. Marine from Oelwein who died fighting a World War II battle on a Pacific Ocean island is scheduled to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington on Monday, the 73rd anniversary of his death.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Jan. 9 sentencing has been scheduled for a northwest Iowa day care operator convicted of injuring a toddler. A Sioux County news release says a jury found Dianna Winder guilty Friday of felony child endangerment causing injury and misdemeanor assault causing injury. The incident leading to the charges occurred on Nov. 11, when the 15-month-old boy’s mother pick him up and noticed marks on his face.

The sponsors of the Cass County Conservation Board’s Trumpeter Swan arrival contest have determined the official arrival of the swans was November 19th.  There was on that day, four Trumpeter Swans at the Schildberg Recreation Area. The birds stayed more than twenty-four hours. Therefor, the winner is Jane Kite.

She will receive a Trumpeter Swan 8×10 print from the Cass County Conservation Board. The school contest was won by Mrs. Haynes’s three year old Morning Preschool at Jack and Jill Preschool! The students will receive a trumpeter swan prize and Mrs. Haynes will receive a trumpeter swan t-shirt! Cass County Conservation thanks to all who participated!

The City Council in Griswold will hold a special meeting Tuesday night. Among the items of discussion, is the resignation last week of Griswold Rescue Department Captain, Julie Kline. Kline’s resignation was followed by at least nine other members of the Department that same day.

The meeting begins with a Rescue Department report, followed by Public Comments. New Business includes: A new Rescue Captain; Amended Rescue By-Laws; ISG Payment Schedule & approval of Pay Application #2; and, approval of an Annual Urban Renewal Report for FY 2016.

Afterward, will be messages and remarks from City Manager Laura Hansen, and Mayor Jeb Peck, followed by propositions and remarks from Council Members.

Linda Taulborg, an 18-plus year member of the Griswold Rescue Department, is encouraging all citizens served by their Department to attend the meeting as a show of support, and means of resolving the issues the Department has with City leaders.

The meeting begins 6-p.m., at the Griswold City Hall.

Outdated facilities and technology will result in the closure next Fall, of the Iowa State Patrol Communications Center, near Lewis. Thomas Lampe (Lamp-ee), with the Department of Public Safety’s Interoperability Communications Bureau, said the decision was made to move their operations out of Cass, to Buena Vista County.

(Lampee said the facility near Lewis was built in the 1950’s, and because it would be too costly to update, those operations are being moved to Storm Lake. Troopers will still be located in this area, the only difference is that they will be dispatched out of Storm Lake. The Storm Lake Communications facility – a hardened bomb shelter -will be remodeled to accommodate the added staff.

Six employees at “State Radio” (as it’s called) near Lewis, are being offered similar jobs at the Storm Lake Communications Center. The new, statewide communications system, according to Lampe, will make the move even more advantageous and efficient. Some have expressed concerns, however, that the dispatchers in Storm Lake will not be familiar with locations in southwest Iowa, some of which are referred to by names other than what’s on a map.

Lampe says there will be no difference in coverage or quality of service. He said also, since some, if not all of the dispatchers near Lewis may elect to move to Storm Lake, their familiarity with the area will be helpful in directing Troopers to where help or service is needed. He says they’ve given their personnel a year to make the decision.

The current building, he says, just doesn’t meet the standards, both in communications and technology. Lampe said the twin structure to the one located near Lewis, was closed near Fairfield, and those operations and positions were moved to Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. The old Fairfield coverage area, he says, is being dispatched out of Cedar Rapids. The changes, Lampe says, are a reflection of a request by the Iowa Legislature, to consolidate the PSAP’s (Public Safety Access Points) in the State.

For the past several years, state budget cuts have forced the Iowa State Patrol to cut the number of Troopers serving on the Patrol. Lampe says budget cuts were not behind the decision to close the facility near Lewis. The Patrol, in fact, is in the process of recruiting a new class of Public Safety candidates to replace the Troopers who have accepted early retirement.

Cass County 9-1-1 Director Rob Koppert says the eventual ceasing of operations at State Radio will NOT affect 9-1-1 services in Cass County or the surrounding area. 9-1-1 calls will continue to be answered locally.

An investigation into a single-vehicle, property damage accident Saturday in Adair, resulted in the arrest of a woman on alcohol charges. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office says 26-year old Libby Nicole Embree, of Adair, left the scene of the crash near Hillcrest and 2nd Streets. When authorities tracked her down, she admitted to consuming alcohol and operating a motor vehicle before the accident. A Preliminary Breath Test determined her level of intoxication at 0.175, or a little more than twice the legal limit.

Embree was arrested for OWI/1st offense, Failure to Maintain Control, and Leaving the Scene of an accident. She was later released on a $1,000 cash bond or surety.

The Glenwood Police Department reports four arrests. On Sunday, 33-year old Jennifer Ballard, of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Her bond was set at $2,000. Also arrested Sunday, was 56-year old Henry Ahsam, of Glenwood, for shoplifting. His bond was set at $300.

Saturday, Glenwood Police arrested 50-year old Sherry Harvey, of Glenwood, for Domestic Abuse Assault. Her bond was set at $1,000. And, on Friday, 44-year old John Molnar, of Glenwood, was arrested for Public Intoxication. His bond was set at $300.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) – A January sentencing has been scheduled for a northwest Iowa day care operator convicted of injuring a toddler. A Sioux County news release says a jury found Dianna Winder guilty Friday of felony child endangerment causing injury and misdemeanor assault causing injury. Her sentencing is set for Jan. 9.

The incident leading to the charges occurred on Nov. 11, when the 15-month-old boy’s mother pick him up and noticed marks on his face. The mother says Winder said she didn’t hit the boy. Winder, who lived in Maurice, was arrested in late December.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a Creston resident reported Sunday (11/20/16), that sometime Saturday (11/19/16) a glass top electric range and microwave were stolen from his rental property on High & Dry Road. A refrigerator was also destroyed at the rental property. The damage and loss was estimated at $2,300.

The Shelby County “Fire Danger” index continues in the “Moderate” category, this week. Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says the participation they are receiving from the public, in calling-in and reporting their planned burns, is very valuable. It reduces the unneeded emergency responses, allows for local chiefs to be more aware of activities in their area. The “Moderate” rating will continue until at least Monday, Nov. 28th.