(Radio Iowa) – Tuesday (today) is the first day merchants could set up temporary stands to start selling legal fireworks in Iowa. The opening of sales comes as the Drought Monitor shows large swath of Iowa remains abnormally dry, with some areas seeing severe drought. Cedar Rapids Fire Marshal, Vance McKinnon, tells K-C-R-G that part of safely using fireworks is keeping an eye on weather conditions. “If it continues to stay dry, we have to be very cautious because we have no control of where those fireworks go and what the hot embers, where they fall,” McKinnon says. He says those who run professional fireworks shows pay attention to the conditions.

“I was at a fireworks display over the weekend, a professional shoot, and they actually had to shut down the show because of some fire that happened with some grass,” McKinnon says. While it is legal to purchase fireworks in Iowa — many cities have put restrictions on their use. It is illegal to in Cedar Rapids to set off everything except sparklers, caps, and snakes. Violation of the ban is punishable by a fine of up to 625 dollars. McKinnon tells K-C-R-G T-V use caution even with legal fireworks if you are in a dry area.

“We need to really make sure folks are extremely careful,” McKinnon says. McKinnon recommends you attend professional show and let them worry about handling and safely setting off the fireworks.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Board of Supervisors met in a special session Tuesday morning, and held a public hearing to receive comment on a proposed EMS resolution that declares Emergency Medical Response an essential service. In his minutes of the meeting, Auditor Mark Maxwell said Emergency Management Director Alex Londo and Tim Plumb, Chair of the Shelby County EMS Council, told the Board that in 2021 legislation was passed that allowed counties in Iowa to declare Emergency Medical Services an essential service and allow taxation to fund the service. An advisory Council was formed and recommendations were given to the Supervisors for consideration. Plumb and Londo said that regular Advisory Council meetings are held and are open to the public. It was noted that the number of volunteers has been slowly dropping as well as EMS volunteers working in their home communities. The fact was mentioned that the number of volunteers in Shelby County are not enough to provide service to the whole county.

Jennifer Lefeber, Myrtue Medical Center Emergency Room Director commented that the low number of volunteers and the high level of care that some patients require will continue to need the same high level of cooperation that is now in place between the existing private and volunteer ambulance services. Lefeber also noted that with volunteer ambulance service prolonged waits for transfers is not uncommon. Gene Gettys, Harlan City Administrator and who sits on the current Ambulance Commission, said that when 911 is dialed for a medical emergency it is now expected that an ambulance will be at the scene within a reasonable amount of time. The time of arrival on the scene by an all-volunteer service, he said, may be greater than a full time service depending on volunteer availability.

Joel Wahling recognized the need for a full-time ambulance service but asked if there were other ways of funding this undertaking by Shelby County. Wahling said keeping property taxes in line is a priority of property owners. Glenn Birks, an EMS volunteer in Earling, urged the Supervisors to declare this an essential service and it is imperative to get this passed. Darin Haake told the Board of Supervisors that too much work has gone into this process not to complete the process of calling for a public measure to be placed on the ballot this fall. Neil Gross, Shelby County Sheriff, said that the Advisory Council has done its due diligence to start this process. His experiences in calls that require EMS units service, is that the response time of EMS is critical.

The Auditors office noted that no response was received in his office regarding the series of hearings. Supervisor Kenkel noted that the funding options are limited, because of legislation and it will take new legislation to change the funding mechanism. The hearing was then ended, and a motion to approval the final resolution was passed unanimously. The Resolution declares emergency medical services to be an essential County service, and authorizes upon voter approval on November 7, 2023, the imposition of a Local Option income surtax not to exceed 1% and/or an ad valorem property tax not to exceed seventy-five cents per one thousand dollars of assessed value on all taxable property within the county.

The Shelby County Supervisors then unanimously approved the Sheriffs Deputy appointment of Derick Steffen.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday morning, passed a Resolution allowing a Speed Limit sign for a joint road with the City of Casey. The request was made by a resident landowner in the area. The Board also considered, but took no action, on the renewal of a 28-E Agreement (Cost sharing), for Environmental Health Services with the Adair/Guthrie County Environmental Health Agency. Environmental Health Director Jotham Arber explained there are some differences from the previous agreement, with regard to billing and the annual base fee, which went from $7,500 to $15,000.

The Adair County Supervisors heard from Laurie Cooley and Amanda Wahlert from Zion Recovery Services, with regard to Opiod Settlement Funds. And, Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman reported on County Secondary Roads Department Maintenance and Activities.

Kauffman also presented a voucher, and assorted plans, for the Board to approve, and Chairman Jerry Walker to sign. The voucher was with regard to a FY23 Farm-to-Market Rock Contract with Schildberg’s, in the amount of $247,414.72, and the title sheets for plans covering the W14 Jefferson Culvert Project, W11 Union Culvert Project, and Right-Of-Way contracts, amounting to $5,374.08.