(Atlantic, Iowa) – A petition being circulated in Cass County asks for the County Board of Supervisors to call a special election, for the purpose of selecting one of three proposed supervisor representation plans. The proposed plans are as follows:

Plan One: Election at large, and without district residence requirements for the members.
Plan Two: Election at large, but with equal-population district residence requirements for the members. If the county changes to Plan Two, the supervisor must live in the district they represent, but will be voted upon by the entire county.
Plan Three: Election from single-member, equal-population districts in which the electors of each district shall elect one member who must reside in that district.

Cass County Auditor Kathy Somers confirms Plan Three is the format the County currently uses, and has used for years. Plan Three requires the supervisor to live in the district they represent, and only residents of that district are allowed to vote for their supervisor. If the county would change to Plan One, all five supervisors may be elected by the entire county and live in any part of the county.

Somers says Cass County citizens may file a petition if they would like to hold a special election to change the Board of Supervisors’ representation plan under the Code of Iowa. The petition will require 532 signatures of eligible electors, and must be filed with the county auditor’s office by June first, 2023.

If a petition is filed, the special election will take place Tuesday, August first. Voters will be asked to select one of three plans allowed by the state for their county supervisor representation. The plan with the most votes will be adopted.

If Plan One or Plan Two is adopted, the November, 2024 general election will elect supervisors under the new representation plan and the current supervisors’ terms will expire January 1, 2025 unless they are re-elected under the new plan. A new plan must remain in effect for at least six years once it is adopted at a special election.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Shelby County Auditor Mark Maxwell reports the Shelby County Board of Supervisors met in a special session Tuesday morning, during which they held the first of three hearings required in the process to place the county funded EMS on the ballots this fall, to replace the private business that now provides the service to Shelby County. The private ambulance service has notified County officials it will be stopping service in the upcoming years. The public is encouraged to comment with written comment or in person about the intent and EMS resolutions regarding the intentions of the Board of Supervisors.

The Supervisors received comments from Shelby County EMA Coordinator Alex Londo. Londo thanked all of those who were involved in the last year and a half of preparation and planning for the countywide emergency medical services to be put in-place by the voters. The current private provider is retiring, and 24/7 staffed services will be provided countywide if all prerequisite proceedings are accomplished and a vote on a public measure passes with a more than 60% voter approval. Local volunteer EMS services will also be funded by the proposed ballot measure. Londo mentioned many relevant documents are and others will be available on the Shelby County Website.

Tim Plumb of the Irwin Volunteer EMS and EMS Advisory Council said that years ago they had 18 trained volunteers, that number has dropped to 4 in that organization. Working outside of town and training requirements were mention as a few reasons for the drop in volunteers. Plumb mentioned that this is not just a local, but a nationwide problem in rural areas. Plumb said Cooperation with neighboring counties is important and does happen with the rural volunteer organizations. Larry Madson, a Trustee for Monroe Township, had questions about one county having Countywide EMS and one County not providing the service and how would these situations be solved. Those present said cooperation between volunteer organizations is and has been happening for years, it was implied that the same cooperation would happen with a countywide EMS service.

Having no more apparent comments for the hearing, Schaben made a motion to close the hearing and approved a Resolution, Declaring Emergency Medical Services (EMS) an Essential Service in Shelby County, and setting forth a funding mechanism for said services, and recognizes the need for the appointment of a Shelby County EMS System Advisory Council to provide guidance, research, and direction of EMS in Shelby County for the Board of Supervisors. Upon adoption of a resolution declaring emergency medical services to be an essential County service…a county board of supervisors may offer for voter approval the authorization to impose any of the following taxes or a combination of the following taxes: Local option income surtax not to exceed 1%. An ad valorem property tax (proportionate to the estimated value of the goods or transaction concerned) not to exceed seventy-five cents per one thousand dollars of taxable value on all taxable property within the county.

The resolution will be considered and voted on for approval at two meetings by the board prior to the third and final meeting at which the resolution is to be finally approved by the majority of the board and notice of the first meeting of the board at which the resolution was considered and voted on was published not less than sixty days prior to the date of the meeting in one or more newspapers. The Resolution states “There shall be placed on the ballot to be voted on at the general election to be held on November 7, 2023, a proposal to fund Shelby County Emergency Medical Services by the imposition of the following taxes or combination thereof:

• A local option surtax not to exceed one percent (1%);
• An Ad Valorem property tax not to exceed seventy-five cents ($.75) per one thousand dollars ($1000.00) of taxable value on all taxable property within the County.

The Supervisors then discussed and approved a Shelby County Fair Boards request of consideration to enter into a lease agreement for the purpose of having a tractor available at the Shelby County Fairgrounds this coming summer. The Shelby County Fair Board will receive a substantial discount if the Supervisors approve this lease agreement and contribute $1.00 towards the lease. The Shelby County Fair Board will pay the insurance costs and liability and any other costs associated with this agreement. The tractor will be stored at the fairgrounds and available for use during the races at the Shelby County Speedway.

Resolution 2023-31 was then discussed for an amendment to the 2023 budget. Auditor Mark Maxwell explained that the Medical Examiner Department is required to pay for State Medical Examiner Autopsies for Shelby County residents and the amount this year has exceeded $12,000 over the largest amount ever spent for autopsies in a years’ time in Shelby County.  If an autopsy is ordered for a case that involves an out of county, Iowa resident, that home county is charged back for the Shelby County expenses. The expenses, Maxwell says, have outpaced receipts received by other Counties by under $1,000, none the less the extra expenditures must be amended.  Last year $17,000 spent, the year before $12,000 was spent. In 2023, year-to-date expenditures are $36,000, with $12,000.00 occurring in May alone.

A payment in July of 2022 that was accrued to fiscal year 2022 was one factor that put the Risk Management Department over budget by about $6,700.  Property Insurance premiums paid in the same department in December of 2022 had over normal increases that used up reserve spending in that department also. That department is less than $12,000 over budget in spending including the accrued payment in July.  Auditor Maxwell is awaiting an answer from the Counties Auditing firm to see if this amendment would be needed if it happens again.  A few departments have had excess revenues over budgeted amounts those have been included in the proposed amendment. The IT department had spent more than budgeted in Capital and the recent hiring of an IT Director has made it necessary to amend the IT budget. The needed Capital will come from Capital reserves in the IT budget.

The Board of Supervisors in Shelby County, passed a resolution fixing June 20, 2023 at 9-a.m. as the date and time for a public hearing on a budget amendment. The hearing will be held in the Supervisor’s Chambers in the Courthouse in Shelby County, Iowa. The proposed expenditure service areas amended are as follows: Physical health and Legal Services $7,000, Administration $25,000. Revenues Local option Sales tax $6,000, Rents, $20,000 and Miscellaneous Receipts $23,000.

DES MOINES – Today (Wednesday), Governor Kim Reynolds, Lt. Governor Adam Gregg, and the Iowa Economic Development Authority announced that three $50,000 grants have been awarded to Calhoun County Public Health, Cass County Board of Health, and Van Buren County Hospital to test an innovative program aimed at decreasing emergency response times in rural Iowa. The total grant funding of $150,000 was made available through the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative.

The program, called Iowa United First Aid, is a model that was adapted from the Israeli nonprofit United Hatzalah (which translates to “United Rescue”). The Israeli model uses technology to crowdsource nearby volunteer emergency responders and has driven response times down to an average of ninety seconds in cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and to three minutes on average across the country.

In Iowa, the program will equip trained volunteers with an app on their phone that delivers 911 dispatch alerts when an emergency occurs in their vicinity. Volunteers will be trained and supplied with the materials and equipment necessary to perform first aid, bleeding control, CPR, and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). The goal is for volunteers to quickly respond to emergencies in nearby areas and stabilize victims while an ambulance is on the way, decreasing the amount of time it takes to receive lifesaving assistance.

“I’m proud that the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative created the Iowa United First Aid program,” said Governor Reynolds. “This is what the initiative was intended to do – seek innovative ways to impact the quality of rural life in our state.  Iowans deeply value service to their communities and their neighbors, and I believe this program and its volunteers will make a tremendous difference in improving access to emergency services in rural communities and saving lives.”

“This model holds real promise in using technology and innovation to solve a serious challenge facing our rural communities,” said Lt. Governor Gregg. “I appreciate and commend the applicants who have stepped up to lead the way.”

Applicants were required to provide a minimum $25,000 local match for the grant, for at least $75,000 in total funding to support this program.  While costs vary, it is estimated that this amount can support training and equipping a minimum of 25 volunteers in each county. Additionally, the Iowa Rural Development Council has provided grant funds which will assist in the purchase of first aid supply bags, equipment, and safety identification vests for volunteers. The technology has been donated by NowForce and PulsePoint for the program’s pilot year.

For more information on Iowa United First Aid and other Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative programs, visit iowaeda.com/empower-rural-iowa.

(Atlantic, Iowa)  – Coca-Cola Days 2023 will be held September 22nd & 23rd in Atlantic. The event is the second largest collectors’ show in the United States and includes a tailgate barbecue open to the public, a Show, Swap & Sell, Coca-Cola themed raffle and many more activities for all ages. This year’s featured theme is, “Coca-Cola Days…An Iowa Classic” and will be held at the Cass County Community Center.

T-Shirts for the 2023 Coca-Cola Days celebration are now available for $20 at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, 102 Chestnut Street, from 8 AM – 5 PM, Monday – Thursday: Friday 8 AM-3PM. The T-shirts are a District Tee with a soft, polyester and cotton blend. T-shirts can be shipped for an additional fee.

Left to Right: Kurt Roberts, Bailey Smith, Kelsey Beschorner, Dolly Bergmann, Kathie Hockenberry, Jolene Roecker. (Photo courtesy the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce)

For more information on Coca-Cola Days, please visit www.atlanticiowa.com, call the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at 712-243-3017, email chamber@atlanticiowa.com, or pick up a brochure at the Chamber office. Coca-Cola Days is sponsored by Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company and the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission.

Cedar Falls, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, on behalf of the Cedar Falls Police Department, say a suspect is charged in connection with a Sexual Assault that occurred last April, in Cedar Falls, and a Burglary on March 10th, in Waterloo. On Monday, May 22, 2023, the Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Criminalistic Laboratory was able to confirm the DNA obtained at both crime scenes matched 25-year-old Asante Walker-Garcia Adams, of North Liberty.  Adams has been charged with two counts of Sexual Assault 2nd and two counts of Burglary 1st, both Class B Felonies.

Both Agencies were assisted in the investigation and arrest by the Iowa City Police Department, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Police Department, Cedar Valley CrimeStoppers, the DCI Major Crime Unit, DCI Sex Offender Registry Unit, and the DCI Criminalistics Laboratory.

Asante Walker-Garcia Adams

If you have any information you are asked to contact the Waterloo Police Detective Division 319-291-4340 #3, Cedar Falls Police 319-273- 8616, Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers 855-300-TIPS or your local law enforcement agency.

A Criminal Charge/Warrant is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs report an arrest was made today (Wednesday), in connection with the death of a woman whose body was found in a ditch. 61-year-old Ivan Samuel Brammer, of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody on charges that include Abuse of a Corpse, and Theft in the 2nd Degree. Brammer is charged in the death of 60-year-old Ilene Gowan, of Council Bluffs.

Ivan Brammer

Authorities say that on February 15, 2023, Ilene Gowan was reported as being missing to the Council Bluffs Police Department. According to Gowan’s daughter, her mother had not been seen or heard from since February 13, 2023. Gowan’s deceased body was located on February 26, 2023, in a roadside ditch in the area of 152^nd Street and Old Mormon Bridge Road, near Crescent, Iowa. View an affidavit for the case Brammer Affidavit

On May 23, 2023, an arrest warrant application was submitted and approved, charging Ivan Brammer with the aforementioned offenses.  The investigation into the circumstances of Gowan’s death remains active. The State of Iowa Medical Examiner’s Office, after Gowan’s autopsy, indicated an unknown cause and manner of death.