A public hearing will be held this evening in Atlantic, with regard to Atlantic Municipal Utilities’ Fiscal Year 2013 Budget. The meeting takes place at 5:30-p.m. in AMU’s business office at 15 West 3^rd Street.

AMU says its total budget for 2013 is up 12.1-percent from the current year. They are calling for 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. The utility says they’ve seen a 35.5-percent increase in electric production costs and a 21.5-percent increase in the cost of transmitting electricity.

If approved, the new rates for AMU’s customers would become effective with the February1^st, 2013 billing. AMU’s budget report says even with a rate increase, their fund balance will decline by 9.2-percent (or $431,000). They claim their overall rates will still be lower than the regional average, as well.

The Atlantic City Council will be asked to accept AMU’s budget report during the Council’s meeting on Wed., Dec. 5^th.

A spokesman for the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department says two Villisca teens were injured when a car collided with a semi Saturday morning, just east of Treynor. Sergeant Dwayne Riche told KJAN News the accident happened at the intersection of Highway 92 and 370th Street east of Treynor at around 9:45-a.m. Saturday. Riche says the semi was traveling west on Highway 92 at the same time the car was traveling north on 370^th Street – or, County Road M-16, when the car failed to stop at the controlled intersection and hit the rear axles of the trailer being pulled by the semi.

Two passengers in the car, 15-year-old Thad Brunning Villisca, were transported by Carson Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs. Niether the driver of the 2011 Chevy Malibu, 16-year old Eric Bodwell, nor the driver of the semi, 45-year old Andrey Galinov, of Lawrenceville, NJ, were injured.

Eric Bodwell was cited for Failure to Yield and a seat belt violation. Damage from the crash amounted $22,000. The wreckage of the semi remained near the roadway this (Monday) morning.

Administrators and others interested in improving the Riverside Community School District’s facilities, hope the fourth time at bat yields a home run with the voters. Superintendent Dr. Jim Sutton says this time around, there’s a big difference in the type of facility patrons of the district will be voting on. Sutton told KJAN News they went from the previously proposed and rejected Pre-K through 12^th grade building to a 7^th through 12^th grade building. The final proposal came through suggestions from the community, and includes updating and consolidating the athletic complex, and the installation of a geo-thermal heating and cooling system.

Sutton says he thinks the pared-down and prioritized $14.3-million dollar bond referendum will be approved by the voters. The same day patrons of the Riverside District will be heading to the polls, residents of 13 southwest and western Iowa counties will be casting their ballots on a $22.5-million dollar bond issue, to be used for Iowa Western Community College Construction and renovation projects. Sutton doesn’t think the fact both bond issues are being held at the same time will impact turnout for the Riverside District’s vote. He says people have heard the information that’s been presented by Iowa Western officials, and he doesn’t think it will be a problem, because the Iowa Western bond which is intended to generate $22.5-million dollars actually ends-up lowering the tax rate by 10-cents per thousand dollars valuation.

Speaking of tax rates, if the Riverside bond issue passes Tuesday, it will increase the tax asking by a maximum $2.70 per thousand dollars residential property valuation. Sutton says the current tax rate for all funds in the 2013 Fiscal Year is $9.63/thousand, which is still lower than surrounding districts, and the eight lowest rate out of 357 districts in the State this year. The bond issue will raise about two-thirds of the $22.1 million dollars needed for the project. The rest of the money ($7.8-million) will come from the district’s savings and borrowing against the remaining sales tax.

Sutton says this latest attempt to float a bond issue is a “step forward,” in terms of providing greater savings to the district. He says they’re kind of “In the 11^th hour “as far as the High School is concerned. Either they will have to spend a lot of money to make the facility compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA] and energy efficient, or they will have to come up with a plan that charts a completely new course with a more efficient building that meets current and future needs.

The only polling place for the Riverside bond referendum allowed by the Pottawattamie County Auditor’s office is at the Carson Community Building. Patrons may cast their ballots from 7-a.m. to 8-p.m. Tuesday. For more information, check out the district’s November Newsletter at http://www.riversideschools.org/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/4ca0e8b9d15c7/November%202012%20Newsletter.pdf