Republican Governor Terry Branstad says it’s time for legislators to pay for a portion of their health insurance premiums.  “I think it’s time they lead instead of follow,” Branstad says.

Branstad had been pressing the state employee unions to agree that state workers should pay 20 percent of the cost of their insurance premiums, but Branstad lost that argument in the new contract with AFSCME  — the union that represents 20-thousand state workers. Branstad’s now setting his sights on legislators.

“Some legislators have said, ‘Well, we’ll follow whatever this contract is,’ and we’re saying, ‘Maybe it’s time to lead,'” Branstad says. “The rest of the country is ahead of us. Federal employees are paying 25 percent. Most other states — I think we’re one of only six states where they’re paying nothing and we have a lot of legislators that are paying nothing.”

Since 2009, Republicans in the House have voted nine times to require state workers to pay 20 percent of their health care premiums, but while they have the authority to do so, the policy has never been imposed on legislators themselves. Just a handful of the 150 members of the Iowa General Assembly voluntarily write a check to the state to cover their health care premiums costs.

(Radio Iowa)

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will meet tomorrow morning (Tuesday), in Greenfield. On the agenda for their 9-a.m session at the courthouse, are matters pertaining to taxable meals, townships clerk wages, West Central Mental Health funds, and Family Farm and Agland allowances or disallowances.

At 9:15, Engineer Nick Kauffman is expected to present to the Board contract documents with Schildberg Construction, for the granular resurfacing of various Farm-to-Market roads, and his regular report on maintenance and activities.

A public hearing is scheduled to take place this evening in Audubon, with regard to the City’s proposed Fiscal Year 2013-2014 budget. The hearing is part of the Audubon City Council meeting, which begins at 7-p.m. According to Audubon City Clerk Lora Hansen, the City’s  tax levy will decrease from the current $19.28 per thousand dollars of taxable valuation, to $17.74 per thousand. The decrease is attributed to the refinancing of a bond issue, which resulted in a lower interest rate. The Council will vote on a resolution approving the budget following the hearing.

In other business, the Audubon City Council will open and announce the bids for the Park Mowing and Cemetery Sexton and Maintenance Contracts, which will likely be followed by a motion authorizing the mayor to sing both contracts.

Current Iowa road conditions: The 511 system is currently reporting roads in the Correctionville, Denison and Ida Grove areas are now open. Iowa 10 near Peterson is expected to be open before noon. Iowa 141 between Iowa 75 near Mapleton and Iowa 183 near Ute is reduced to one lane due to blowing snow. Roads in western and northeast Iowa are partially to completely snow covered.

Don’t Crowd the Plow:The Iowa DOT reminds the public that sharing the roadways with slow-moving snow removal equipment requires drivers to exercise extra precautions.

If you plan to travel today: Make sure a winter survival kit or emergency supplies are stowed in your vehicle with sufficient resources for all passengers. A mobile phone should also be carried for emergency use only. Don’t talk, take photos/video or text while driving. Persons should continue to exercise caution when traveling as the pavement can go quickly from wet to icy due to the snow blowing across the roadways. East-west roadways are particularly vulnerable.

Become a part in Iowa’s traffic information social network.
The Iowa DOT continues to urge motorists to provide feedback on travel conditions via Twitter and Facebook, while stopped in a safe location and not while driving.

The Iowa DOT offers travel information anytime by visiting http://www.511ia.org/or calling 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide).