The Atlantic Municipal Utilities’ Board of Trustees Monday evening approved published electric and water rate increases amounting to a 10-percent increase in water rates and a 7.5-percent increase in electric rates to make up for wholesale increases in the cost to obtain electricity and other related expenses. AMU’s residential customers will see an average $6.60 monthly increase for their combined electric and water bill. Commercial (Business) users of AMU’s electric and water service will see their average bill increase by about $24.45 per month. The new rates become effective with the February 1st, 2013 billing.

During a public hearing prior to the Boards’ vote, there were no spoken objections from the public with regard to the proposed rate increase. There was one letter written by two Atlantic citizens regarding the City’s Christmas lights being on overnight, past the time when most downtown businesses are closed. In the letter, Eleanor and Leslie Becker questioned why AMU doesn’t try to save the taxpayers money by turning the lights off when the business district is closed.

AMU General Manager Steve Tjepkes explained the way the lights are wired makes it difficult to shut them off. He said the Christmas lights are wired into the street lights, which are on a photo-electric cell. When conditions are dark enough, the street lights, and anything tied into them, such as the Christmas lights, will turn on together. Tjepkes said he wasn’t aware of that until he received the Beckers’ letter and looked into it.

Tjepkes estimates the Christmas lights are on about 50-days during the season, for about 14-hours per day. He says based on the cost of energy, the cost to provide electricity for the LED lights is about $500 per year. Tjepkes noted the new Christmas lights are more energy efficient than the old lights. He acknowledged that AMU could work to switch the lights to separate circuits from the street lights, which would save at best “A couple of hundred dollars per year,” but Board Chair Larry Turner pointed out the cost to switch those circuits would “Be very expensive.”

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

No classes will be held today (Tuesday) in the Adair-Casey Community School District. School officials say instead, the staff and classmates of Austin Vais are being given the chance to say goodbye to the 12-year old, who died following a single-vehicle rollover accident last Thursday afternoon, east of Exira. Funeral services for Vais will be held at 1-p.m., in the Adair-Casey High School. Austin began attending the Adair-Casey Elementary School at the beginning of the school year.

Counselors were brought in Friday to talk with the students about their classmates’ death on Friday. The boy was not wearing a seat belt when he lost control of the 2003 Ford F-150 on a gravel road. Vais was ejected as it rolled over after sliding sidways.  Sheriff’s officials have said it appears the boy had taken the truck for a drive while his father was away from home.

Clarinda Police arrested two individuals early Sunday morning for possession of alcohol under the legal age. Chief Keith Brothers says at around 3-a.m., officers arrested 18-year old’s Jordan Nicole Landess, of Clarinda and Scharely Dawn Reynolds, of Stanton. Landess and Reynolds were ticketed and cited to appear in Page County Magistrate Court at a later date. Their arrests occurred in a business parking lot located at 318 East Washington Street in Clarinda.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors is taking applications for various county board and commission appointments for next year. The majority of the appointments are made at the organizational meeting held on the first working day of the calendar year: January 2nd, for 2013. Cass County appreciates diversity in these appointments and welcomes all applicants at least 18 years of age. Terms and dates of appointments vary. These are unpaid positions.

A brief description follows: (Zoning) Board of Adjustment: Five member board to review county zoning ordinance and hear requests for variances or special exceptions to the ordinance. (2013- one to be appointed); Planning & Zoning Commission: Five member commission to review and enforce county zoning ordinance and make recommendations on any proposed changes to same. (2013- one to be appointed); Airport Zoning Board of Adjustment: Five member board (two appointed by Board of Supervisors, two appointed by City of Atlantic, and fifth by those four) to review airport zoning ordinance and hear requests for variances or special exceptions to the ordinance. (2013- one to be appointed); Compensation Board for the Condemnation of Private Property: 28 member commission representing realtors, farmers, bankers, auctioneers and city property owners to be available to the chief judge of the judicial district to assess damages to property taken by eminent domain. (2013- twenty-eight or more to be appointed: at least seven for each of four categories- Owner-operators of agricultural property; City property owners; Knowledge of property values; and Licensed Real Estate Persons); Board of Health: Five member board to provide guidance and oversee operations of county Public Health department. (2013- two to be appointed); Veteran Affairs Commission: Three member commission to provide guidance and oversee operations of Veteran Affairs department. (2013 beginning July 1- one to be appointed); Conservation Board: Five member board to provide guidance and oversee operations of county Conservation department. (2013- one to be appointed); Civil Service Commission: Three member commission to oversee examinations, promotions, and discipline issues relating to Deputy Sheriffs. (next appointment 2014); and, Township Trustee/Clerk: Four member board (three trustees and one clerk) to oversee operations of a township. (2013- one clerk and one trustee for each of the townships of Bear Grove, Brighton, Cass, Franklin, Grant, Grove, Lincoln, Massena, Noble, Pleasant, Pymosa and Washington)

The above list is not all inclusive. The Board of Supervisors is always looking for people interested in serving their community. Applications are required and can be obtained at the office of the Cass County Auditor and are also available on the county website: http://www.casscountyiowa.us. Additional information may be obtained by calling the office of the Cass County Auditor: 712-243-4570.

(Presss Release from Cass County Auditor’s Office)