News

The new snow that came Monday added about two inches to the area snowfall, but the 40 mph wind (with even higher gusts) made it a whole different story. By mid-afternoon Monday, the wind created wipe-outs along highways, adding to the problems from the snowdrifts.
The conditions caused numerous cancellations of activities, including school events and sports, and in a rare move even the Mid-Prairie Board of Education cancelled its Monday meeting.
The more serious problems were on the roads, including an accident at 3:26 p.m. in the 2000 block of Highway 22 west of Kalona. Police reported that two vehicles were unable to stop for a school bus and both went into the south ditch, sliding into each other. One injury to a 15-year old male, was reported. He had difficulty breathing and was transported to Mercy Hospital, Iowa City. Police said he had to be extracted from the vehicle. He was later released from the hospital. The Kalona First Responders and Kalona Fire Department were at the scene as well as the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
Another accident was reported at 4:20 p.m. at 2495 Highway 22, east of Kalona when a vehicle was rear ended by another, then side-swiped by a second vehicle. No injuries were reported and drivers exchanged insurance information, said police.
There was a report of a Mac truck going into the east ditch along Highway 218 north of G36, Ainworth at 12:25 p.m. No injuries.
Another accident, involving a truck and trailer on Highway 218 at mile marker 82, near Riverside, was received at 1:36 p.m. Again, there were no injuries. A third accicent on Highway 218, near 175th Street, Ainsworth, was reported at 1:50 p.m. when a vehicle went into the east ditch. No injuries.

by Mary Coblentz
In a seven-minute meeting Monday, the Wellman City Council approved a resolution approving Federation Bank, Hills Bank and Trust, and Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust as depositories for the city.
Federation Bank, Wellman, was approved for not more than seven money market accounts, one checking account, two savings accounts, and certificates of deposits not to exceed a total of all deposits in the amount of $1,250,000.
Hills Bank and Trust, Wellman, was approved for up to two money market accounts, two checking accounts, three savings accounts, and certificates of deposits not to exceed a total of all deposits in the amount of $1,250,000.
The IPAIT was approved for investment account for deposits not to exceed $500,000.
Also, the resolution authorizes City Clerk Donna Wade, Mayor Ryan Miller, and Mayor Pro Tempore Marc Pennington to sign for the accounts.
In other business, the council:

• appointed Don Randol to the Goodwin Senior Commission;
• noted that three streetlights are burned out on Main Street; replacement bulbs are on order; and
• noted that the open house for Parkside Activities Center was well-attended, and all the council members are pleased it is finally open.

The Mid-Prairie Board of Education Monday dealt with two major items that directly benefit students: buying two new buses and touring the new preschool facility.
The board approved the total bid of $159,178 from School Bus Sales of Waterloo for two new buses, prices at $80,939 each. The trade-in allowance for dropped the price to $159,178 from $161,878. The buses will be equipped with video cameras as are other units. Although there was lower bid from Hoglund Bus Sales, that would have totaled $151,050, there was an additional cost of $4,100 per bus to upgrade the engines to the required specs.
The preschool tour, which came at the end of the session, was at the new Parkside Activities Center which officially opens to the public January 18. The Mid-Prairie District arranged to rent space for its preschool program as part of support for the Parkside project last year. The preschool program, currently in Kalona, will move to Parkside Tuesday.
In other business, the board:

• held a second reading of board policies involving classified staff early separation, student honors (with board members Jim Hussey and George Schaefer opposed to having valedictorian and salutation awards)a and a first reading for graduation requirements;
• approved a Memorandum of Understanding to support the Race to the Top application. The Race to the Top is a federal competitive grant program that focuses on competency-based system for teacher and administrator preparation by making some $60,000 available over a four-year period. However, the state has to be approved for the grant before local districts are eligible;
• approved joining the Iowa School finance Information Service for $1,515;
• discussed and agreed to continue matching PPEL funds; and
• tabled a discussion of budget cuts criteria to the January 25 meeting.

By Mary Zielinski
The Kalona council Monday moved two steps further to making downtown revitalization a reality. The first was approval of the $212,800 Professional Services Agreement with MMS Consultants, Inc . of Iowa City that will, as City Administrator Ryan Schlabaugh noted, “get us to bid letting”. The amount due from the city by January 14 is $53,200 which covers 25 percent of the total consulting/planning project.
Schlabaugh noted that the $12,000 fee wil be paid in sections and that the work includes construction management.
Council member Ken Herington, noting that Kalona hopes to obtain a Vision Iowa grant, asked what will happen if “we don’t get the funds,” asking “can we stop if we have to.”
Schlabaugh said, in that event, the scope of the project could change and if a portion is scrapped, the city would see about adjusting accordingly.
“I just want options in case there has to be changes,” said Herington.
Schlabaugh indicated that regardless of the outcome with VI, the project will “put architecturally out there what we have planned,” and that it could be continued later.
The total project cost is $2,844,259 which, said Schlabaugh, covers “everything” including MSS Consultants and the professional grant writer’s services.
The council unanimously approved the MSS contract.

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By Mary Zielinski
The Kalona council’s regular meeting Monday almost wasn’t. Meeting time is 7:30 p.m., but by 7:55 p.m. there were only two council members present. At that point, a call was made to council member Steve Lafaurie in California and he participated via conference call.
Other than minutes and bill approval, the main item was a Public Hearing for the re-zoning application from Grace Schumann and Ken Herington to re-zone their respective business properties on C Avenue from R-3 to C-3. There were no objections and following the brief hearing, the council approved an ordinance amending the Kalona Zoning Ordinace to change the designation.
The change was also recommended by the city’s Planning & Zoning Commission.
The other item of business, approval MMS Consultants, Inc. professional service agreement fee of $212,800 was tabled to the next meeting. MMS has done the downtown revitalization plan for Kalona, a project that will take the city to the bid stage for the work, most of which is expected to be done next year. The downtown revitalizaition committee was to meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Following the regular meeting, the council had a brief work session.

by Mary Coblentz
The Wellman City Council held a work session prior to Monday night’s regular meeting to discuss issues with SG Construction concerning the Parkside Activities Center, which is expected to be completed and open in January.

This was the hardest set of drawings that I’ve ever been involved with

The discussion centered around the possibility of liquidated damages for the delay of the opening, which was originally scheduled for August 1, 2009. In the contract with SG Construction, the city has the right to assess $500 per day liquidated damages after August 1. It is expected that the project will be completed approximately 160 days later than planned.
SG Construction co-owners Dan Massner and Ron Massner addressed the council regarding the delay.
Dan Massner noted that the weather had been very rainy and very snowy, with nearly 25 more inches of rain than average. Also, there were delays with getting the building drawings completed in a timely manner. SG Construction works with Butler Buildings, a company in Australia which designs and manufactures prefabricated buildings. Massner stated that he has had a very good working relationship with Butler over the years, and this delay was very unusual for the company.
The delay in getting the building drawings was nearly five months, and Massner explained that the suppliers and subcontractors had been planning on an earlier start date and some had other jobs lined up.
While working with Butler Buildings, Shive-Hattery architect Brian Gotwals said there was a lot of “back and forth” which took time, and several issues were discovered including a contradiction in the building code regarding occupancy.
Gotswald said, “This was the hardest set of drawings that I’ve ever been involved with.”
Council member Bob Goodrich noted that he and others in the community noticed that there was no work done “on nice days - Fridays and Saturdays.”

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The Mid-Prairie Board of Education was honored November 19 by the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB). From left, back, are Jack Hill, IASB president; Maxine Kilcrease, IASB excecutive director, M-P board members Randy Billups, Jeremy Pickard, Rob Stout, and Superintendent Mark Schneider, Front, from left, George Schaefer, Jim Hussey, M-P president, Jack Dillon, M-P vice-president and Stacia Bontrager. (Photo submitted)

The Mid-Prairie Board of Education is one of three honored by the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) during the 64th annual ISAB convention November 19 in Des Moines. The Making a Difference award also carries a $1,000 grant.
Mid-Prairie was honored for taking “sometimes unpopular but necessary risks to improve (student) achievement and those risks have paid off,” noted the ISAB.
One thing that stood out about Mid-Prairie during the selection process was the board’s push for a 4-3-3-3 graduation standards put forward by the Institute for Tomorrow’s Workforce and ACT, Inc. In addition to the unique graduation standard, M-P students are required to self-select if they think they will go to a four-year college, two-year college or join the workforce directly after high school. Their curriculum is then adjusted around that decision, with students taking AP courses and two years of a foreign language, six hours of community college credit or two 90-hour internships respectively.
“My reaction when I read this was: ‘Can we beg, borrow and steal?’” said Amy Jurrens, ISAB board member and of the George/Little rock School board who helped select award recipients. “What a great idea to prepare students for their individual paths. It makes students feel that no matter what path they choose, it’s valued, value for all skills and interests.”
Other achievements that weighed in for M-P:

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Forecast calls for harsh winter weather, with a strong chance of slips, trips and falls
According to this year’s Old Farmer’s Almanac, winter in the upper Midwest will be colder than normal,

We urge customers to do the right thing, not just for our letter carriers, but for everyone

with precipitation near - or slightly above - normal. Whether one can bank on the Almanac’s weather predictions is just part of the annual publication’s charm.
But ice and snow hold little charm for the letter carriers who deliver millions of cards, letters and packages through harsh winter weather.
“Snow and ice on sidewalks and front porches present a serious safety challenge for our letter carriers across the region,” said Gail Duba, manager of the U.S. Postal Service’s Des Moines-based Hawkeye District. The district covers most of the Iowa and the Illinois communities near the Quad Cities.
“Our employees take their jobs seriously and take pride in reporting to work - regardless of the conditions,” Duba said, “but if access to the mailbox is blocked by snow or ice, we remind them that safety is paramount to delivering the mail.”
The Postal Service is reminding customers to keep access to the mailbox clear. “Our carriers will battle freezing temperatures, ice and snow in many parts of the Midwest,” Duba explained. “We urge customers to do the right thing, not just for our letter carriers, but for everyone.”
By taking these safety measures, a prediction of fewer injuries due to ice and snow is one that everyone can bank on.

By Mary Zielinski
The big winners in the fall grant cycle of the Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) are youth and veterans. The award ceremony November 18 at the Riverside Casino saw 14 of the 27 grants given to area schools and youth programs and another four to projects benefiting veterans. The WCRF is the nonprofit license holder for the Riverside Casino and Golf Resort and receives its funding from state mandated allocations.
Total of the 18 grants is $476,658 and range from $1,770 for the Girl Scouts Green Girls to $200,000 (given in two years at the rate of $100,000 each year)) for the Washington School DistrictÕs $2,200,000 facilities improvement plan. The Hawkeye Area Council Boy Scouts received $2,750 to aid with the $25,700 Washington County Venturing Outreach program.
The single biggest grant was $1,055,000 to the City of Kalona for its $2,848,937 downtown revitalization project to be provided in a five-year period, which means the city will receive approximately $200,000 per year. Officially, the WCRF awarded a total of $1,748,643, which includes the multi-year grants. The WCRF had received, by its October 9 deadline, 46 grant applications that totaled $2,983,630 in requests. Officials noted that the WCRF received $2,727,000 from the Casino gaming operation through October.
The grants struck a nice balance with funds to the school districts helping not only with classroom technology and educational programs but also with bus and school safety. One of the grants, to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, is $9,991 to help with the $11,991 School/Active Shooter Response Equipment. In simple terms that means having equipment to respond to a possible terrorist (or shooter) situation at a school. As a deputy noted, “It’s like insurance you hope you never have to use, but you know you had better have it.”

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by Mary Coblentz
Two of Mid-Prairie’s three head cooks reported on the district’s nutrition program at Monday’s school board meeting.
Washington Township head cook Martha Benedict told the board that the cooks are pursuing a “farm to school” program in which local produce is purchased and used in school lunch programs. The cooks have met with Matt Petersheim who said it is possible for him and other local producers to grow some fruits and vegetables for the schools, some of which could be frozen.
Benedict stated that the district can freeze produce for future use, but it cannot can it. The farm to school movement is becoming more prevalent in many states, Benedict said. The quality and nutrition value of fresh produce is greater than what the district can get elsewhere.
Already, the district has purchased watermelon and tomatoes at the Frytown produce auction, and it gets eggs from Farmers Hen House at a very good price.
Middle school head cook Amber Kempf explained how the cooks plan menus on a monthly basis. The cooks get together to plan the menus and they try at least one new menu item each month.
Gayle Cole, the head cook at the high school, was not able to attend the board meeting, but Kempf read some notes from Cole. Cole does most of the commodity ordering, and the dry goods and frozen foods are stored at the high school and obtained by other buildings when needed.
Recently, the district has tried whole wheat tortillas, which students seem to like. Also, it was noted that the high school offers vegetarian options for the eight or so vegetarians who attend.
Superintendent Mark Schneider read from the nutrition report, then congratulated the cooks for a “really good year” last school year.

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The four candidates for the two Wellman City Council seats were sent five questions. Replies were received from only two; neither Doug Powell nor Andy Blauvelt responded. The questions were

1. Why have you chosen to run for council?
2. What problems do you see facing the city at the present time? What solutions do you propose?
3. If elected, what would be your priorities for governing the city?
4. Do you think possible enactment of countywide zoning will have an impact on the city?
5. What you do you beleive are the city’s main assets and how should they be maintained?

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by Mary Coblentz
The Mid-Prairie School Board Monday learned how the district will meet the 10 percent across-the-board cuts mandated by the state of Iowa.
The total amount to be cut from the M-P budget is approximately $573,000. Mid-Prairie Superintendent Mark Schneider outlined the district’s planned cuts of $417,000. The rest will come from the district’s cash reserves.
Building budgets will be cut a total of $95,000 amoung the five buildings. This will include instructional material and field trips. Activities, Technology, and Transportation will each have $10,000 trimmed from their budgets. The Home School Assistance Program will have $23,000 cut, the STP program $6,000, and Central Office $5,000.
“These are targets,” Schneider stressed.
Other areas being cut are overtime/ over contracted hours for a savings of $30,000 and utilities for a savings of $5,000. Thermostats will be set at 69 degrees in classrooms with the gyms being cooler. Set backs will be used for nights and weekends to further save on heating costs.

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