(Red Oak & Atlantic, Iowa) – The Montgomery and Cass County Boards of Supervisors will hold their regularly scheduled (separate) meetings, Tuesday, Nov. 21st.  The Montgomery County Board meets at 8:30-a.m. in the Board Room at the Court House in Red Oak.

On their agenda is: a regular update from the County Secondary Roads Department; Approval of the Second Tier Canvass of the Nov. 7, 2023 City/School Election  results; An update from the County’s Insurance agent with regard to an ICAP (Iowa Communities Assurance Pool) renewal package; Discussion and possible action on changes to the Destination Iowa grant amendment and Conflict of Interest Form; And, Discussion with regard to publication issues, and a related request from the Villisca Review newspaper to be reinstated as a publisher with Montgomery County.

In Atlantic, the Cass County Board of Supervisor’s regular weekly meeting gets underway at 9-a.m. in their Courthouse Board Room. Their agenda items include [*action item]:

• A Presentation and request for funding from Family Crisis Centers
• Annual report and funding request by Wendy Mueller, Executive Director of West Central Community Action
• Monthly report by Jotham Arber, Executive Director of Cass/Guthrie County Environmental Health
• Weekly report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken
• Approve wage change for Auditor’s Clerk, Hannah Richter from $19.00 to $20.00 following probationary period and positive evaluation*
• Approve Family Farm Application Eligibility*
• Second-tier Canvass of 2023 City/School Election*
• Supervisor Committee Reports
• Approve claims
• Adjournment

Next Meeting: Tuesday, November 28, 2023

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon Community School District will hold the final meeting of the retiring School Board, and Organizational meeting of the New Board, Monday evening in the High School Board Room, beginning at 7-p.m. Here’s the agenda:

ANNUAL MEETING OF RETIRING BOARD

1.0 Call to Order

2.0 Approve Agenda

3.0 Approve Consent Agenda

3.01 Minutes

3.01.1 October 16, 2023 – Regular Meeting

3.02.2 October 25, 2023 – Board Work Session

3.02 Warrants and Financial Reports

4.0 Accept Canvass of Votes from County Auditor

5.0 Annual settlement of Accounts

6.0 Adjournment of Retiring Board

ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING OF NEW BOARD

1.0 Call to Order – Board Secretary as President Pro-tem

2.0 Administer Oath of Office to Newly Elected Members – Mark Nissen, Anne Bomstad-Miller, and Justin Sprague

3.0 Election of Officers and Oath of Office

3.01 President – President will preside after receiving oath of office

3.02 Vice President

4.0 Approve Agenda

5.0 Public Comments – Please contact the Supt. or Board President (Board Policy #213)

6.0 Action Items

6.01 Appoint Ahlers-Cooney as Legal Counsel for the Board

6.02 Appoint the Audubon County Advocate Journal as Paper of General Circulation

6.03 Appoint Carla Christensen as Board Secretary/Treasurer

6.04 Appointment of Committee Members

6.05 Approve Snow Removal Contract

6.06 Approve Early Retirement Applications

6.07 Approve SBRC Requests for Modified Supplemental Amount

6.08 Approve Change Orders

6.09 Approve Sharing of Superintendent with Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton Pending Approval of Contract

6.10 Personnel

7.0 Communication & Updates

7.01 School Board Convention Review

7.02 Building Project Update

7.03 Bus Garage Discussion – PPEL/SAVE Budget

7.04 Principal’s Reports

8.0 Adjournment

Next Regular Meeting: Monday, December 18, 2023, 7:00 PM

(Griswold, Iowa) – Members of the Griswold Community School District’s Board of Education will meet 5:30-p.m. Monday (Nov. 20), in the Conference Room at the High School. The meeting agenda follows, below (I=Information only; D.R.=Decision required):

• Call Meeting to Order

• Reading of Mission Statement

• Approval of Agenda (D.R.)

• Public Input

• Superintendent’s Report:

Thank You Card(s) (I)
The Month in Review – Administration (I)
Board Learning Opportunities (I)
– Honor October Recipients

– Select November Recipient(s)

– Review Election Results

• Consent Agenda (D.R.)

Approval of Minutes

Approval of Financial Statements

Approval of Bills

4. Personnel

5. Gifts, Memorials, Bequests

Old Business

6. Board Policies – Second Reading (D.R.) – 503.08, 705.1, 705.1R1, 705.1R2, 705.2, 705.3, 705.4, 705.4R1

7. Consider Activation Status Of Early Retirement Policies – 407.6/407.6E1

And 413.6/413.6E1 (D.R.)

8. Establish 2023-2024 Board Goals (D.R.)

New Business

9. Presentation On The Teacher Leadership And Compensation Program (I)

10. Consider Approval Of The 2023-2024 Individual Career And Academic Plan – ICAP (D.R.)

11. Approval Of SBRC Application For Increasing Enrollment, Open Enrollment, Out And LEP Instruction Beyond Five Year (D.R.)

12. Approval Of Budget Guarantee Resolution (D.R.)

13. Consider Establishing A Joint Board Meeting With The Lenox CSD (I or D.R.)

14. Discussion On Facilities Walk Through (I)

15. Consider Establishing A Board Work Session (D.R.)

16. Consider Approval Of Middle School / High School Attendance Policy Pilot Program (D.R.)

17. Cast Vote For Green Hills AEA Board Of Directors – District 3 (D.R.)

18. Consider Renewal Of Certificate Of Deposit (D.R.)

19. Board Policies – First Reading (I) – 401.1, 503.1, 503.2, 503.8, 503.8R,

706.1, 706.2, 706.3, 706.3R1, 707.1, 707.2, 707.3, 707.4, 707.5, 707.5R1

• Adjourn

(Harrison County, Iowa) – Officials with the Missouri Valley Fire Department report crews were paged-out at the 3:50-a.m. Sunday, for a single vehicle rollover accident on Interstate 880 at mile-marker 4. Initial reports indicated two adults and one infant were in the vehicle. The F.D. said in a social media post, “Thankfully after we arrived on scene all parties in the vehicle were ok, even the infant.

“Preliminary reports appear as though the driver had possibly dozed off and went in to the EB right hand ditch, the driver had come to and over corrected, got back to the roadway and rolled the vehicle several times on the road through the median into the opposite direction lanes (WB) and rested on the drivers side in the passing lane.”

Officials said also, “We bring this up because there are people today that still don’t wear seat belts. It’s imperative to properly fasten yourself and children in appropriate restraints. Ejections from vehicles happen more often than they should. Seats belts save lives and we are certain they save this young family [Sunday] this morning!!

Assisting at the accident scene were deputies with the Harrison and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Departments. Harrison County 911 assisted in coordinating communications efforts.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report two people were arrested recently on drug charges. Saturday afternoon, 36-year-old Kevin James Jungers, of Lenox, was arrested at 408 S Vine, in Creston. He was charged with Driving while Barred, Possession of a Controlled Substance Methamphetamine 3rd Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Jungers was taken to the Union County Jail where he is being held on an $8,000 cash or surety bond. And, Friday night, Creston Police arrested 31-year-old Rogelio Olivera-Martinez, of Creston, was arrested at 112 Manor Drive. Olivera-Martinez was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance-Methamphetamine 1st Offense. Olivera-Martinez was also charged on an ISP warrant thru Adair County for FTA Operating while under the Influence 1st Offense. Olivera-Martinez was taken to the Union County Jail where he was later released on a $1,000 cash bond.

Friday afternoon, 44-year-old Lela Ann Churchwell, of Creston, was arrested at 206 W Union. She taken into custody on a Union County Warrant for Harassment 3rd Degree. Churchwell was taken to the Union County Jail where she was later released on bond. Friday night, 52-year-old Pedro Quintanilla-Flores, of Lenox, was arrested at the intersection of Cottonwood and Townline Road, in Creston. He was charged with Driving while Revoked. Quintanilla-Flores was taken to the Union County Jail where he was later released on $1000 cash or surety bond.

At around 2:30-a.m., Saturday, Police in Creston arrested 39-year-old Arturo Marin, of Afton, at the Creston/Union County LEC. Marin was charged with OWI 1st Offense. He was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

(Dallas County, Iowa) – Officials with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa have announced one of 46 horses rescued last month from squalid conditions on a rural Dallas County property north of Granger, has died. The ARL said in a social media post that the most emaciated horse, who they referred to as “Bluey,” suffered from long-term neglect and, despite nearly a week at an equine veterinary hospital getting round-the-clock care, was euthanized Friday to end his pain.

The farm’s owner, 78-year-old Linda Kay Kilbourne, of Johnston, has been charged with livestock neglect, a Simple Misdemeanor. She’s scheduled to make her initial appearance in Dallas County District Court on Nov. 29th.

Staff at the ARL say the horses endured unlivable conditions and didn’t receive the required care needed for weeks, some even years. “Bluey” suffered months of starvation because he was missing most of his teeth and could not eat. In the end,  he was simply too weak and his body gave out. “An emergency visit by equine veterinarians confirmed that he simply could not fight anymore,” the ARL reported.

Officials also report many of the horses from the farm case are pregnant, and will require long-term care. According to the ARL, “The vast majority of these horses are displaying genetic deformities of the legs and feet caused by poor breeding practices. Even horses as young as yearlings are beginning to show abnormalities. Most will never be rideable, and many may need special care throughout their lives.”