The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, Monday, approved the District’s participation in a Financial Planning Program (FPP). Superintendent Mike Amstein told KJAN News the action came after the Board heard from FPP advisor Gary Sinclair. He says based on that presentation, the Board thought the FPP would be beneficial in preparing budgets and formulating budget scenarios for the upcoming year, as well as up to the next five-years.)

The Board authorized the purchase of the full FPP package in the amount $10,000, of which the District is responsible for $5,700. The cost will likely be paid for through the Capital Projects because it’s non-instructional software. Amstein says the FPP will be greatly beneficial in determining the outcome of specific financial scenarios, especially with regard to the amount of money the District receives from the State in the form of Supplemental Aid.

He says it allows them to project what their income will be regardless of whether the State aid is zero percent or as much as five-percent, and it takes into consideration student enrollment. It helps in determining the tax rate, where there staffing needs are the greatest and other costs. Last year, school districts were forced to try and determine their budgets for the upcoming year without having known for certain the amount of Supplemental Aid they would be receiving, because the legislature took so long in reaching a decision on the matter.

Amstein said instead of “Being in a position where you have to sit on your hands a little bit, we can be a little more proactive in taking a look at the different scenarios that might come into play so we’re not having to wait for the last minute to go ahead and start punching in the numbers.”

In other business, the Board discussed the possibility of hosting a Legislative meeting for local legislators to come and visit with Atlantic School Board members, as well as those in Griswold and CAM. The details are still being worked out, but the tentative plan is for the week of January 5th. Additional information will be released once all the facets of the meeting are hammered out.

State officials are drafting plans for digital driver’s licenses, so you could show your photo I-D by pulling out your smart phone. Iowa Department of Transportation director Paul Trombino showed a mock-up to the governor and his aides on Monday. “This is a digitally-encoded drivers license. It’s on your cellphone, so you can carry it around with you,” Trombino said. “It has as much, if not more, digital encoding than the one in your wallet.”

Trombino says it could be used at a traffic stop, at the airport or anywhere else you’re asked to show identification.  “It really opens up the doorway, I think, for a lot of different types of transactions,” Trombino says.

Trombino expects the digital license would be available to motorists in addition to that small, plastic version for your wallet, at no additional charge. Some motorists are already showing proof of insurance with an app on their smart phones.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Creston, Monday, arrested a woman from Adams County on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation. Authorities say 30-year old Tara Anne Squibb, of Corning, was arrested at around 9:40-p.m. and was being held in the Ringgold County Jail, pending an appearance before a magistrate.