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Atlantic CC to act on Boulders agreement

News

May 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council this week is expected to act on an order rescinding a resolution approving a development with Boulders Inn and Suites, authorizing tax increment payments and pledging certain tax increment revenues to the payment of the agreement. In his report to the Council, City Administrator Doug Harris will report the Finance Committee is recommending the order be rescinded.

In addition, City Attorney Dave Weidersteen has indicated the agreement between Boulders and the City is no longer valid, and therefore should be rescinded. Harris says he will work with both the Finance Committee and Boulders to prepare a replacement agreement that meets Boulders’ financial needs and protects the City from the potential adverse effects of any state-mandated changes to the commercial property tax system.

Harris says Boulders has verbally agreed that the minimum taxable assessed value on the property, which is on the southwest side of Atlantic, will be slightly more than $1.46-million, and that a Landscaping and Signage plan for the property will be prepared by a qualified landscape architect and attached as part of the agreement. The lack of an agreement and landscaping plan was a bone of contention for the Council, since the original agreement was made in May 2010, but never signed by officials with Boulders.

Harris says he hopes the new agreement can be brought back to the City Council for its consideration during their meeting on May 18th.

Posted in News |

Atlantic CC to hold readings on two ordinances this week

News

May 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council this week will hold the first reading of an ordinance dealing with the outside sale of alcoholic beverages, and the second-reading of an ordinance amending the wastewater fee schedule.

An ordinance entitled “Outdoor Alcohol-Beverage Garden” is being proposed by the Chamber of Commerce, because it was inadvertently left out of the RAGBRAI ordinance the Council had adopted earlier. An amendment to the current ordinance is being prepared for the council’s consideration during their meeting Wednesday evening, at City Hall.

And, the Council will act on approving the second-reading of an ordinance which amends the wastewater fee schedule. The first reading was approved during their last meeting. The ordinance does not change the current rate structure, and would have a uniform impact on all customers. If approved after the third and final reading, the rate increase would generate an additional 11.5-percent in revenues from sewer charges. The revenues will be used to help pay for the new, $15-million dollar wastewater treatment plant, which is currently under construction.

Under the proposed plan, the minimum charge, or base sewer rate, would go up three-dollars per month, and the usage charge for water used in excess of 3,000 gallons per month, would increase 50-cents per thousand gallons, from $5.00 per thousand, to $5.50 per thousand.

City Administrator Doug Harris is expected to recommend the council stay with the current rate structure for both residences and businesses, and not restructure it for businesses that use a large amount of water, such as car washes, because of the amount of time it would take to restructure the rates. He will likely recommend the Council undertake a rate study in Fiscal Year 2012 to determine if there is a more fair and equitable rate structure.

Posted in News |

Adair County LOST and Hotel-Motel tax vote is tomorrow

News

May 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Residents of Adair County will be heading to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in a Local Option Sales Tax election, along with the City of Greenfield’s Hotel-Motel Tax elections. Auditor Mindy Schaeder says the Local Option election is a renewal of the tax originally passed in 2004 for Adair County, and in 2005, for the City of Greenfield. The vote was done with a sunset date of June 30, 2012.

Each City and the County has to designate what the money from the Local Option and Hotel-Motel tax will be used for. In Adair and Casey, 100-percent of the funds will be used for street repairs or improvements.

In Bridgewater, Fontanelle, Greenfield and Orient, proceeds from the tax will be for Capital Improvements and Maintenance, as determined by those city’s respective Councils. In Stuart, 100-percent of the funds will be applied to the City’s General Fund.

In Adair County, the funds will be used entirely for Bridge Maintenance and Replacement.

Posted in News |

Kuemper Catholic Girls Golf Tournament (Saturday 4/30)

Sports

May 2nd, 2011 by Jim Field

1.  Ballard             361
2.  Kuemper         365
3.  Atlantic             370
4.  Nevada             397
5.  Spencer             399
6.  Carroll             407
7.  St. Edmond         412
8.  Missouri Valley     414
9.  Newell-Fonda         449
10.  Cherokee         473
11.  Jefferson-Scranton     480

Atlantic scores:
Kaitlynn Walter          83 (finished 2nd overall)
Kristen Schuler          88  (finished 7th overall)
Brooke Fletcher         94
Pammy Fixmer         105
Sierra Worth         110
Bailey Walter         112

Medalist:  Susan Kirschenman (Ballard)  77

Posted in Sports |

Saturday Drake Relays Results

Sports

May 2nd, 2011 by Jim Field

Girls 4 x 800 Relay
10th — Griswold 9:38.68
(Larissa Backhaus, Jordyn Sindt, Rachel Northrup,  Lauren Moore)

Girls 4 x 400 Relay
6th — Griswold 4:02.16
(Larissa Backhaus, Jordyn Sindt, Rachel Northrup, Lauren Moore)

Girls 400 Hurdles
1st — Karen Hutson (Logan-Magnolia) 62.33
2nd — Alex Gothenburg (Logan-Magnolia) 63.38
5th — Natalie Olberding (Lewis Central) 64.66
6th — Lauren Moore (Griswold) 64.86
7th — Rachel Northrup (Griswold) 66.36

Boys 4 x 800 Relay
5th — Glenwood 7:58.42
(Eliot Lincoln, Jared Cook, Mark Abrams, Kyle Wheeler)

Boys 400 Hurdles
8th — Reid Zimmerman (Exira/EH-K) 56.45

Boys 1600
3rd — Johnny Fuller (Glenwood)  4:18.18

Posted in Sports |

Trojan Tennis Tourney (Saturday, April 30)

Sports

May 2nd, 2011 by Jim Field

Team Standings:

1.  Red Oak 24
2.  Abraham Lincoln 22
3.  Glenwood 21
4.  Shenandoah 20
5.  Kuemper Catholic 18
6.  Des Moines Lincoln 14
7.  Creston 13
8.  Atlantic 12

Individual Results —

#1 Singles Championship:

Alex Crowl, CBAL over Pete Walker, Red Oak 6-0, 2-6, 1-0 (10-6 tiebreak)

#1 Singles Consolation:

Mitch Leiferman, Atlantic over Jacob Holmes, Shen 6-4, 6-1

#1 Doubles Championship:

Nathan Greteman/Matthew Berg, Kuemper Catholic over Grant Nikseresht/Dillon Stane, Glenwook 6-3, 6-2

#1 Doubles Consolation:

Jeff Armstrong/Adam Heslinga, Shen, over Craig White/Dakota White, Red Oak 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-7 tiebreak)

#2 Singles Championship:

Ryan Koontz, CBAL over David Hicks, Kuemper Catholic 6-0, 6-2

#2 Singles Consolation:

Garrett Hembry, Glenwood over Brad Weis, Creston 6-2, 6-1

#2 Doubles Championship:

Matt Goracke/Dixon  Nelson, Red Oak, over Adam Stauffer/Andrew Rolf, Shen 6-3, 6-1

#2 Doubles Consolation:

Colby Taylor/Bryce McIlravy, Creston, over Grant Stivers/Jake Rhoades, Glenwood 6-4, 6-1

Atlantic #1 Doubles: Derek Tjepkes/Tyler Fishcher (7th place)
Atlantic #2 Singles: Brett Dennis (8th place)
Atlantic #2 Doubles: Cody Ihnen/Rob Nichols (6th place)

Posted in Sports |

CAM interim board to hold hearing on early start date

News

May 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The CAM Community School District’s Interim Board of Education will hold a hearing during their meeting Monday night, on an application for an early start date for the 2011-2012 school year. The hearing, which begins at 7-p.m., will determine whether the district should obtain permission from the Department of Education to begin the school year earlier than the designated start date. Following the hearing, action will be taken on approving the application.

Afterward, the Board will adjourn the hearing and begin their regular session, during which they will act on approving a fire safety project and agreement with the Cass County Educational Opportunity Center.

Posted in News |

Mapleton overwhelmed with donations

News

May 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

MAPLETON, Iowa (AP) — The tornado-ravaged northwest Iowa town of Mapleton is facing a new problem: Too many donations.

KTIV in Sioux City reports that the town has been inundated with canned food, clothing, bottled water and other donations since an April 9 tornado destroyed more than 140 homes and businesses there. No one was killed.

Now, the town is running out of room to store the items, which had been piling up at the Mapleton Community Center. The items have been moved to the Maple Valley Bus Barn.

A lack of room wasn’t the only reason behind the move. The community center is needed for upcoming graduation parties.

Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto High School Principal Dan Dougherty says the outpouring of donations and well-wishes from neighboring communities has been overwhelming and amazing.

Posted in News |

Services set for western IA solder KIA in Afghanistan

News

May 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Funeral services have been set for a western Iowa solider who was killed in Afghanistan April 23rd. Ohde Funeral Home in Manilla reports services for 32-year old Staff Sgt. James Justice,  of Grimes, and formerly of Manilla, will be held on Wed., May 4th, at the IKM-Manning High School Gymnasium, in Manning.
Visitation in the IKM-Manning Middle School gym in Manilla, will be held from 4-to 8-p.m. Tue., May 3rd. Visitation will resume at 1-p.m. Wed., prior to the funeral service, in the high school gymnasium.

Burial, with full military honors, will be at the Arlington National Cemetery, at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the James Justice Benefit Account at Veridian Credit Union, 5910 University Avenue, West Des Moines, IA, 50266.

Justice, was killed by enemy small arms fire in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan while helping to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter. Specialist Zachary Durham, age 21, of Des Moines, was injured in the attack. Both Soldiers were assigned to Troop A, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry, Camp Dodge, Johnston.

Durham was being treated for his injuries at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D-C.

Posted in News |

Trojanns Shoot Lowest Score of Season

Sports

April 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

Girls Golf (4/29 @ Lewis Central – Fox Run Golf Course)

Atlantic 175, Lewis Central 243

Medalist:  Brooke Fletcher – 41

Runner-up:  Kristen Schuler – 42

Kaitlynn Walter – 44
Bailey Walter – 48
Sierra Worth – 52
Pammy Fixmer – 53

Coach Kathy Hobson says:

Lowest score of season (after shooting our previous low of 178 against
Shen/RO earlier in week)
The wind was howling but team played wind well and for the most part
managed the course well for the conditions.

Posted in Sports |