(Anita, Iowa) – The CAM School District’s Board of Education held the second of two public hearings this past Monday evening in Anita, on the proposed 2024-25 Certified Budget and FY25 School Calendar, as well as the Revised FY 24 School Calendar. Superintendent Paul Croghan said the Board afterward, set the property tax levy asking lower than the previously announced rate, and lower than last year.

The Board approved both Calendar proposals, with the revised calendar for the current school year, due to snow days.

(The 2024-25 School Year begins August 23rd, not May 23rd as he stated.)

Superintendent Croghan said, in other business, the CAM School Board approved the sale of the #20 bus, a 2019 Hogland school bus, through the Purple Wave auction site. They approved the list of graduating Seniors from CAM and the Iowa Connections Academy. They also discussed the District’s Facility Project Process.

And, the CAM School Board approved the retirement of several teachers effective the end of the current school year.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Tuesday evening, of a man from Hastings (IA). 29-year-old Dakota John Allen was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Allen was being held in the Mills County Jail, on a $5,000 bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – If your power went out at around 10:45-p.m. Tuesday, in Atlantic, you can blame a raccoon for truly keeping you in the dark. Atlantic Municipal Utilities General Manager Steve Tjepkes said the incident started in the area of the Atlantic School District’s Bus Barn.

Approximately 267 AMU customers were without power for a little over three-hours before electricity was restored.

The area affected included parts of 3rd Street Place to Olive Street, and south to about 10th Street, and as far east to Burger King. Adding to the fact the incident happened overnight, AMU crews had to contend with some gusty winds, but at least there wasn’t a thunderstorm, which can really present dangerous working conditions.

Tjepkes said AMU is taking steps to hopefully prevent such outages from occurring again, or at least limit the length of the outage.

He said AMU is happy their crews were able to get out and fix the problem, get the power restored, and return home safely.

(Griswold, Iowa) – Griswold School District patrons are getting some good news with regard to their property tax rate. Superintendent Dave Henrichs says the tax asking levy per thousand dollars assessed valuation, has declined again.

It’s the fifth- or sixth-year in a row they’ve been able to decrease the levy rate, according to Henrichs. Another positive is with regard to the District’s General Obligation Bond, which was originally taken out to construct the new Elementary Building.

With regard to the 2024-25 District Calendar, there was a reduction in two instructional days, which will coincide with two less days for the teachers’ contract.

The 2024-25 School Year in Griswold begins August 23rd, 2024, and will conclude May 23rd, 2025, providing there aren’t several snow days. Public hearings were held Monday on both the Budget and Calendar. There were no objections to either, therefore the Board passed each as presented.

In other business, the Griswold School Board approved renewal of a Transportation Director Sharing Agreement with the Atlantic School District, and a School Business Official (SBO) Sharing Agreement with the Riverside School District.

He said the agreements have been in-place for years, and has proven to have been a good working relationship with each respective district, fills the district’s needs, and also provides a little extra funding through Operational Sharing. Henrichs said also, Middle/High School Principal Stephanie Brady submitted her resignation, which the Board accepted, and is in effect at the end of the current school year.

Superintendent Henrichs reported that all teaching positions have been filled.And, he said the Board approved a 2024-25 shared Girls Wrestling Program with the Red Oak School District. The agreement began at the start of the current school year, and while the Griswold School Board approved the arrangement, there is a chance the Red Oak School District may elect not the renew it for the coming school year, if the Iowa Girl’s High School Athletic Association makes changes to wrestling classifications.

In their final order of business prior to a Closed Session, Monday evening, the Griswold School Board approved the list of 2024 graduates.

(Creston, Iowa) – Two people from Creston have been arrested on drug charges. According to the Creston Police Department, 53-year-old Lisa Kay Foster was arrested at her home in the 600 block of N. Pine Street in Creston, at around 11:10-p.m., Tuesday. Foster was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was cited and released on a Promise to Appear in court.

And, at around 12-a.m. today (Wednesday), 28-year-old Taran Paul Alexander Austin was arrested his residence in Creston. Austin was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He too, was cited and released on a Promise to Appear in court.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Board of Supervisors met in a regular session Tuesday morning (April 16, 2024). In his meeting minutes, Auditor/Board Secretary Mark Maxwell reports Geralyn Greer, Shelby County Recorder, was on hand to present the Supervisors the Recorders quarterly report; revenues are up in a year to year comparison. Also her office has been busy with tag renewals for recreational vehicles. Her office has also been receiving phone calls about fraud fears with property ownership. Procedures are in the works to make the system a more secure environment for property records.

The Supervisors, after their review, then considered and approved a job description to be used for the hiring of a permanent EMS coordinator for Shelby County. The sale of the Annex building owned by Shelby County was then discussed. The Board voted to place a deadline of June 3rd at 4:30, for submittal of any bids, and the minimum bid of $265,000 being used as a starting bid point for bidders. Each bid shall include a 10% down payment for acceptance of their bid.

Todd Valline of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Industry gave an update of events happening in the coming weeks. The preservation of the Shelby County Museum is taking place, the public is being asked to keep away from the area until completion. The Chamber is reaching out for new members as well as member renewals.

Secondary Roads Head, Chris Fredericksen, asked the Supervisors to approve a utilities permits for Marne Elkhorn telephone company. A motion to approve the application was passed unanimously. Next, a utility permit for Zayo Group was considered. Maxwell noted the permit for is simply pulling new wire through an existing conduit. That too, was approved as presented. Fredericksen then reported that the paving on County Road F24 is progressing nicely and the paving has reached the bridge, just west of Irwin. Fredericksen then gave thanks to the public for their cooperation in helping keep traffic off of the road while this project is taking place.

Finding it necessary to re-post a budget amendment for fiscal year 2024, the Board passed a Resolution setting May 21, 2024 at 9-a.m., as the date and time for a Public Hearing on the amendment as proposed. The proposed expenditures are attributed to Jail incarcerations and costs which are up sharply, property insurance increases, secondary roads construction projects, and water well grant expenditures. Mark Maxwell noted there is also over $80,000 in unexpected income for Shelby County, from numerous sources. And, the Sheriff has asked for expending some reserve Capital fund money and a $15,000 increase in spending for salaries.