DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A newly-released report by the Iowa State Auditor says a former Buffalo city employee failed to deposit more than $42,000 in collections over a three-year period into the city’s bank account. The audit says the special investigation was prompted by a request from Buffalo city officials who had concerns about transactions processed by the former Deputy City Clerk Riki Harrington.

The audit found $42,390 in undeposited collections from April 2015 through August 2018. That amount included $28,039.42 of checks substituted for cash collections recorded in the city’s accounting system but not deposited, as well as $5,079 in utility customers’ payments and $3,600 in utility security fees not deposited.

(Radio Iowa) — The head of the Iowa Department of Transportation says they are moving ahead with road construction projects as the weather allows. Director Scott Marler told the Transportation Commission Monday that he’s been talking with the asphalt and concrete companies and engineers. “We had a meeting with these folks to make sure that our road construction program is continuing, and we assured them that is our intent,” Marler says. He says traffic volume is down with the coronavirus emergency orders in place, and they are looking at how that can help them. “We’ve been talking about how to take advantage of the lower traffic volumes to do lane closures more efficiently,” he says. Marler says more than 70 percent of D-O-T employees are telecommuting.

“Essentially we are open for business and we are continuing to get our work done and develop our projects and prepare for lettings,” according to Marler. The D-O-T’s Stuart Anderson gave the Transportation Commission an update on the federal recovery funds. “Transit agencies and intercity bus carriers that serve rural communities in Iowa are being allocated over 107 million dollars,” Anderson says. “Some of that flows directly to the larger transit agencies, other portions of that funding flows through the Iowa D-O-T and on to public transit agencies,” Anderson says. He says the funding will help the systems that have been hit by a drop in riders since the coronavirus outbreak.

“That funding is very flexible and is 100 percent federal funding and is available until expended. We will be working very closely with the transit agencies to get that money to work,” he says. Anderson says airports in the state will also be getting some relief funds. “We do expect the Federal Aviation Administration later this week to announce how much is being allocated to each individual airport — so we should have the information in just a matter of days,” according to Anderson. Anderson says the aviation funding will go directly from the F-A-A to the airports.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — More than 200 residents and employees have tested positive for the coronavirus in a growing number of outbreaks at Iowa long-term care facilities. New statistics released Tuesday by the Iowa Department of Public Health show that the number of state-confirmed outbreaks at those facilities has doubled to six since last week. The agency defines an outbreak as one in which at least three residents test positive for COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the virus. The new outbreaks include 22 cases at a rehabilitation center for the disabled in Ankeny; six at a Des Moines nursing home specializing in dementia care; and six at a Lutheran retirement home in Waverly.

Governor Kim Reynolds today (Tuesday), updated the latest COVID-19 numbers. She said there were 189 NEW, positive COVID-19 cases. Zero new counties reporting positive cases, for a total of 1,899. There are 481 Negative test result cases, for a total of 17,467.

The governor said 86, or nearly half of the new cases, were related to the outbreak at the Tyson Foods plant in Columbus Junction. The State Hygienic Lab has the capability to test 3,415 patients. 163 patients are hospitalized, 790 are recovering, for a total recovery rate of 42%. Six new deaths have been reported since Monday, for a statewide total of 49.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced today (Tuesday), that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $70,467,304 in airport aid to 79 airports in Iowa to help respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The historic grant funding is part of the Trump Administration’s newly created Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Program, an effort to provide unprecedented and immediate relief to American families, workers, and businesses. 

Locally, some of the airports receiving funding include (but are not limited to):

• Atlantic, $30,000.
• Audubon, $1,000.
• Carroll (Arthur N. Neu, $30,000
• Clarinda (Schenck Field), $30,000.
• Council Bluffs Municipal Airport, $69,000.
• Greenfield Municipal Airport, $30,000

The funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue resulting from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds are available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.

View a list of Iowa airports receiving funding on an interactive map, along with funding for all U.S. airports on FAA’s website.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ Tuesday press briefing on COVID-19. We will plan to have live audio on KJAN as well at about 11:00 a.m.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met today (Tuesday) in a combined electronic/in-person session. 2020 U.S. census representative Kelly Campbell discussed the 2020 census process as it relates to Cass County. Cass County’s self response rate is nearly 55%. The response rate (So far) breaks down to:

• Marne has a 70%
• Anita nearly 62%
• Atlantic 54.8%
• Massena 52%
• Wiota 50%
• Cumberland 42%
• Lewis 44%
• Griswold 48%.

Campbell said those who have yet to respond to the letter asking you to enter your information online, a paper form will be coming in the mail. The census is important, he says, because $675-billion comes back to states, cites and counties across the country, and it determines how many representatives each state has in Congress. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken presented a 28-E agreement between Cass and Guthrie Counties for the Board to sign, with regard to for a bridge in each county. The “Cooperative Agreement for a Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHBP) Project” includes a Cass County bridge on Boston Road (estimated Cost $400,000), and a project for Guthrie County). The Guthrie County Board has already approved moving forward with the agreement. Guthrie County will be the lead administrator for the projects, including financing and coordination.

The Board unanimously approved the agreement. In other business, the Cass County Supervisors moved to adopt a Resolution pertaining to the Appointment of Maureen Doherty as Assistant-Victim Advocate. The Cass County Attorney has applied for and received a grant which will be used to partially fund the cost of Doherty’s appointment to the position. Her salary of $40,000 is effective retroactive to March 31, 2020.

And, the Supervisors acted on approving a recommendation by County Weed Commissioner Dennis Vogal to adopt a Weed Control Program.(The Resolution text is posted below)

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Cass County Resolution No. 2020-011 WEED CONTROL PROGRAM.

WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of each County’s Board of Supervisors to enforce the provisions of Chapter 317 of the Code of Iowa as amended with regard to the destruction of weeds, and WHEREAS, under Chapter 317 of the Code of Iowa each county Board of Supervisors may each year prescribe and order a program of weed destruction to be followed by landowners, tenants, and other persons in possession or control of land, and WHEREAS, it has been determined by the Cass County Board of Supervisors that a program of weed destruction for the year 2020 is necessary, NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Supervisors of Cass County, Iowa: that each owner and each person in the possession or control of any lands in Cass County, including right-of-way of County trunk roads and local County roads, shall cut, burn or otherwise destroy all noxious weeds thereon, as defined in Chapter 317, at such time each year and in such manner to prevent said weeds from blooming or coming to maturity, and shall keep said lands free from such growth as shall render the streets or highways adjoining said lands unsafe for public travel. Noxious weeds shall be cut or otherwise destroyed on or before the following dates and as often thereafter as is necessary to prevent seed production throughout the year: Group 1: May 15, 2020 Musk Thistle, Multiflora Rose Group 2: May 20, 2020 Leafy Spurge, Smooth Dock, Sour Dock, Sheep Sorrel Group 3: June 1, 2020 Canada thistle, Buckthorn, Wild Mustard, Bull Thistle Group 4: June 15, 2020 Wild Carrot, Teasel, Poison Hemlock Group 5: July 1, 2020 Perennial Sow Thistle, Cocklebur, Wild Sunflower, Shattercane That in the case of substantial failure to comply with the foregoing order, the Weed Commissioner may impose a maximum penalty of ten dollars ($10.00) fine for each day up to ten (10) days or may give notice to the landowner by certified mail to the last address as ascertained from the last tax list in the county Treasurer’s Office. The Weed Commissioner, including his employees, may enter the land without consent for the purpose of destroying noxious weeds (5) five days after delivery of notice, which time shall be computed from the date of mailing. The expense of said work including cost of serving notice and other costs, if any, shall be assessed against the real estate plus an amount equal to twenty-five (25) percent of all sums expended.