The Atlantic Police Department reports a man from Minnesota was arrested at a local motel in Atlantic, in connection with a series of sexual assaults perpetrated against a juvenile relative over a period of several years. 31-year old Shawn Michael Stransky was being held in the Cass County Jail, and will be extradited to Minnesota, as soon as next week.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says his department assisted investigators from the Minneapolis and South St. Paul, MN Police Departments in the arrest, and in handling the execution of search warrants related to the case. The search was also executed at a residence in Atlantic where Stransky had stored some of his belongings.

Green said Stransky had lived in Atlantic for a short time, and was attempting to “Start a life away from his past crimes.” Green said also, “We are confident that no one in Atlantic had any knowledge or involvement in [Stransky’s] case.”

Adair County Auditor Mindy Schaefer says voters in the County will find a question on their Nov. 8th General Election ballot, with regard to how Township Trustees and Clerks are selected. In July, the Adair County Board of Supervisors passed a Resolution to put a question on the November 8, 2016 General Election Ballot asking if their Township Trustees and Clerk positions from should change from elected to appointed.

Currently 10 townships appoint the Trustees and Clerk.  Harrison, Jefferson, Lincoln, Richland, Union, Walnut and Washington in Adair County currently elect the Trustees and Clerk.  If township voters pass the question, it would change those offices to be filled by appointment, and the appointment would be for a four-year term.  When a vacancy occurs, the remaining position holders would choose a replacement, and then present that name to the Board of Supervisors for appointment.  If the remaining position holders were unable to find a replacement, the Board of Supervisors work to find the replacement.

The reasons for the proposed change is two-fold:  First, the same people tend to be elected each time the position comes up for election with no opposition for the office.  The change would no longer require that person to have his/her name put on the ballot. This would also save trying to fill the position by write-in when no one puts their name on the ballot; Second, the change Schaefer says, would save Adair County money.  The programming and ballot production costs are based on the number of ballot styles in the county. If all townships were to pass this public measure there would be 5 ballot styles.  This year the County has 13 ballot styles.

If passed, the people elected in 2014 would serve through 2018 and then, if they wanted to remain in the position, would be appointed at the first meeting in January 2019.  People on the ballot in 2016 would be appointed at the first meeting in January 2021.  If a vacancy occurs after the question is passed, the replacement person would be appointed.  Every four years the person would be re-appointed until they no longer want the position.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Adair County Auditor’s office at 641-743-2546.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest Wednesday evening, of an Oakland man. James Gardner was taken into custody on a 2007 Pottawattamie District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Gardner’s arrest was the result of a complaint filed by his neighbor in Oakland. The citizen alleged Gardner caused damage to his front door earlier this week. Gardner claimed the damage was accidental. During the investigation, the deputy learned through dispatch about the warrant that had been issued for Gardner, who was taken into custody without incident.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office say a Ringgold County man, 22-year old Michael Allen Bergman, of Mount Ayr, was arrested Wednesday night at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County warrant for failure to appear on an original charge of theft 3^rd degree.  Bergman was being held in the Union County Jail without bond until seen by a Judge.