Council to Hold Hearing for Block Grant

BOONE, Iowa---Boone City Administrator Luke Nelson says the Council will take the next step in the process to obtain a Community Development Block Grant to cover some of the cost of the next phase of the city's sanitary sewer rehabilitation project.  Nelson say they will pursue a $600,000 grant.  The City Council will hold a required public hearing during their meeting Monday.  The next phase of the project will be on the north end of the city, between Story and Linn Streets.

Open Burning Allowed Saturday

BOONE, Iowa---The open burning of yard waste is permitted in Boone, October 1st through November 15th.  Boone Fire Chief Justin Adams says the ordinance dealing with open burning has been in place for over 10-years and the department still gets called out as much as they did before there was an ordinance.  Adams says the biggest complaint usually comes from neighbors of people burning.  Another big concern is people that start a pile of yard waste on fire and them leave it unattended.  Adams says people should also be cautious because of the extremely dry conditions.

Copper Theft

BOONE, Iowa---Boone County Sheriff Ron Fehr says his department is investigating a theft of copper from a warehouse facility in the Boone Industrial Park.  Fehr says the complaint was received from PDM about 10:30 Thursday morning.  Someone had entered a warehouse, cut out the copper and hauled it away.  It was estimated to weigh about a ton.  Fehr says evidence was collected and the investigation is on going.

Boone Sanitary Sewer Rehab Not Done

BOONE, Iowa---Boone City Administrator Luke Nelson says the city's sanitary sewer rehabilitation work is not done. He says the next focus is in the northeast part of the community. Work is currently being done to finalize a Consent Order with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Nelson say the DNR is continuing to push the city to pursue improvements in the sanitary sewer system, and has been agreeable to some of the ideas put forth for improvements. One of the issues that has been dropped recently was a fine for not completing the original action plan.

Special Ed Deficit Reduced

BOONE, Iowa---Boone School Superintendent Brad Manard says the District has made some very good strides in their effort to contain the Special Education Deficit. A couple of years ago, the difference was about $900,000. Last year the deficit was $604,000 and this year, it dropped to about $317,000. Manard says he would like to bring the difference down even more, but it's very difficult to anticipate Special Education needs. The School Board did authorize seeking allowable growth and supplemental aid to offset the deficit.

BCH Lowers Liability Premium

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Hospital Board of Directors have approved a bid for General and Professional Liability Insurance coverage for the coming year, that will result in a savings of nearly $100,000. The current premium for the policy from MHA Insurance was about $240,000 and was bid to go up $15,000 in the next year. The Hospital usually seeks competitive quotes every other year and also received a bid from MMIC for $141,000. Hospital Chief Executive Officer Joe Smith told the Board that both insurance carriers are active in the state.

Municipal Election Ballots

BOONE, Iowa---Municipal elections will be held this November and there are several contested races in Boone County. Boxholm, Luther and Pilot Mound all have two candidates for Mayor. There are also several contested council seats, including races in Boxholm, Luther, Madrid, Ogden and Pilot Mound. For the City of Boone, Mayor John Slight is unopposed as are incumbent Council Members Shari Gillespie, Kevin Hicks and Steven Ray. However, no candidates filed to two openings on the Boone Park Commission.

Supervisors to Set Hearing on Precinct Ordinance

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Board of Supervisors will set the public hearings needed to approve the county ordinance that will update voting precincts to match the 2010 census. Iowa law requires the change, and also requires the adoption of the ordinance. Ten years ago, several changes were made which set the precincts in place today. At that time, Worth Township voters were going to be sent to the Boone County Fair Grounds to vote, but the ordinance was amended to allow the voting to be done at the Luther City Hall. Many of the previous changes were driven by handicap accessibility issues.

Heritage Program

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Historical Society monthly Heritage Program will be present by J.F. Calderon, MD, who will discuss his experiences during the Gulf War in 1990-91. It was over 20-years ago that Iraq invaded Kuwait. Operation Desert Shield began shortly after as a deterrent to keep Iraq from invading Saudi Arabia. That was followed by Operation Desert Storm. Calderon is a retired U.S. Naval officer, who served in the Medical Corps during the Gulf War. The presentation is free of charge and will begin at 7:00 at the Historical Center in Boone.

No Venue Change

BOONE, Iowa---Boone County District Court Judge Steven Oeth has ruled that a change of venue will not be necessary for the second murder trial of Jessica Hill.  Hill charged in connection with the death of her husband Michael Hill in 2007.  Jessica Hill was found guilty of 2nd degree murder as the result of a trial in Pottawattamie County two years ago.  That verdict was overturned by the Iowa Court of Appeals and new trial of ordered.  Oeth ruled that enough time has passed and an impartial jury could be found in Boone County.

Madrid PD Investigates Gun Incident

MADRID, Iowa---Boone County Sheriff Ron Fehr says deputies assisted Madrid Police with a report of a man with a gun entering a home in Madrid last Friday afternoon.  Fehr says Madrid Police were the lead agency on the case and deputies only assisted.  Madrid Chief Rick Tasler was out of the state and officer requested assistance from the state strategic response team.  The home was entered after six hours and no one was found.  Madrid Police are continuing the investigation.

No Dredging At Don Williams

BOONE, Iowa---Boone County Conservation Director Andy Hockenson says many people have asked about plans to dredge the north end of the Don Williams Lake, now that the water level is being drawn down to allow for repairs on the spillway of the dam.  He says there are plans to someday do some dredging on the north end of the lake if funds are available, but that probably won't be for at least a couple of more years.  This falls project is to draw the lake down 16-feet, repair the spillway and have the DNR conduct a fish kill on the gizzard shad located in the lake.

Hospital Finances Exceed Budget

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Hospital has exceed budget projections for the first two months of the fiscal year and are well ahead of the pace set a year ago.  Hospital Administrator Joe Smith says there's still along way to go.  So far, the net gain has exceeded the budgeted amount by some $90,000 and exceeds the first two months of the last fiscal year by $174,000.  

Trees Still Available

BOONE, Iowa---Residents in Boone and Boone County that are customers of Alliant Energy can still purchase landscape trees as part of the Operation ReLeaf Program.  Andy Hockenson, Conservation Director says the program has proven successful in the past.  Those that qualify can purchase up to two trees for $25 each.  Trees will be available to be picked up at Don Williams on October 6th.  Additional information on the program is available here.

School Board Moves Ahead to Sell Property

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone School Board this week did approve moving ahead with plans to sell property that remains following the demolition of the Lowell and the Bryant Elementary Schools.  Superintendent Brad Manard said this week that the Board wants to sell off the property and allow the purchaser to take care of the subdividing.  Manard says the district has looked at making the two open spaces available for parks but the city is not interested.  

Economic Development Committee Meets

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council's Economic Development Committee did meet this week and talked about amending the development agreement with Technochem, located north of the industrial park east of Boone. The amended development agreement was discussed to see if the City could assist in someone the business hit hard by the current economy. City Consultant Darrel Rensink will work with the Technochem on an amended agreement and will present the material to the Council for final approval.

Thomas Returns This Weekend

BOONE, Iowa---Once again, thousands of tourists are expected to hit Boone this weekend, in search of a Day out with Thomas. Thomas the Tank Engine will be appearing at the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad Depot Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Last weekend, a rainy Sunday slowed attendance, but didn't stop visitors. With the influx of visitors to see Thomas, people need to remember that there will be some traffic and pedestrian congestion around the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad Depot.

Boone Board Members Take Oath

BOONE, Iowa---Recently elected Boone School Board members took their oath of office Tuesday evening during the organizational meeting of the Board. Dr. Jeff Anderson and Brad O'Neal, both incumbents were re-elected and were joined by Jan Westrum, former Boone certified staff member. Westrum replaces Shilo Burke who decided not to seek re-election. Anderson was elected to continue as Board President. Kirk Leeds was elected to be Board Vice-President.

District Plans for Three Bond Sales

BOONE, Iowa---Boone School Superintendent Brad Manard says he expects work to begin soon on developing the detailed plans for the renovation of the Boone High School.  The district will be working with DLR, the same firm that has worked with the district on all it's facility projects.  Manard says that the first of three bond sales will be held in November and will be for $5.7 million in Sales Tax Revenue Bonds.  Sales will also be held in 2012 and 2013.

River Romp A Success

BOONE, Iowa---Boone County Landfill Administrator Scott Smith called this year's Dragoon River Romp a success.  Smith says the mid-September, award winning river clean-up program drew more than 120-volunteers.  Early numbers have volunteers removing 2.6 tons of material from the Des Moines River in southern Boone County.  Smith says the day was pretty long, because it involved nine miles of river and the low river level allowed access to quite a bit of the river bed.

Change of Venue Sought

BOONE, Iowa---The attorney for Jessica Hill is seeking a change of venue for the woman accused of helping to plan the murder of her husband in 2007.  Hill was convicted of second degree murder during a trial held in Pottawattamie County.  Earlier this year, the Iowa Court of Appeals ordered a new trial for Hill because some of the testimony was ruled inadmissible.  Boone County District Court Judge Steve Oeth hopes to hand down a ruling within a week.

School Board Reviews Debt Issuance

BOONE, Iowa---Now that voters in the Boone School District have approved the sale of nearly $16.1 million in bonds to cover the cost of a high school renovation project, the School Board will have to take a look at when they will sell that debt. During the Middle School construction project, the District actually conducted two bond sales in two different fiscal years. The matter is on the agenda for the School Board meeting Tuesday.

Supervisors To Being Interviews for Position

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Board of Supervisors will begin the process of interviewing candidates to be Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds. The position has been vacant since the resignation of Steve Becker earlier this summer. The Supervisors depend on the Buildings and Ground Superintendent to oversee facilities at the Courthouse, the Law Enforcement Center and the County's Human Service Building. Interviews by the Board will begin Wednesday afternoon.

Small Wind Generators Permitted in Boone

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council has approved the first consideration of an ordinance that will permit small wind energy conservation devices within the city limits. The city was approached about permitting small wind turbines over a year ago, but an ordinance was not enacted. Council Member Fenner Stevenson argued that the ordinance was prohibitive because it limited locations to at least an acre in size. That requirement is being amended. The Council will consider the amended ordinance at their first meeting in October.

Thomas Visits This Weekend

BOONE, Iowa---Thousands of visitors are expected to return to Boone this weekend, for a visit with Thomas the Tank Engine. This will be the first of two weekends that Thomas will visit the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. Boone and Scenic Valley General Manager Fenner Stevenson has said in the past that it's still amazing how many people travel from all over the country to visit Thomas. Parking and traffic around the Boone and Scenic Valley depot will be a little more difficult because of the construction of the James Andrew Railroad Museum.

Park Commission Considers Window Security

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone Park Commission tabled action this week on an idea to purchase security bars for windows on the McHose Park Shelter House. The Commission reviewed information that was presented simply to consider as a way to keep windows from being broken out by vandals. Park Commission members have been debating whether to install the extra security or just plan to replace windows that get vandalized. The matter may be discussed at future Commission work sessions.

Contract for Dam Repair Approved

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Board of Supervisors this week approved the contract between the County and C.L. Carroll Company of Des Moines to do maintenance on the dam at the Don Williams Recreation Area. The project has been budget by the Conservation Board for the past several years, but is finally going to take place with the help of a grant from the DNR. Andy Hockenson, Conservation Director for Boone County, says the work includes lowering the lake level 16 feet, repairing the spillway and allowing the DNR to conduct a fish kill on the lake.

Boone Voters Approve Bond Referendum

BOONE, Iowa---A large voter turn out left many standing in line for as long as an hour during Tuesday school election in Boone.  The big attraction, a proposed $16.1 million bond referendum to finance the renovation of the Boone High School.  Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure giving the vote an 81% voter approval, well above the required 60% super majority.  There were 1,560 yes votes to 364 no votes.  The Boone County Supervisors will canvas election results Friday afternoon.

Ogden School Board Results

OGDEN, Iowa---The Ogden School Board election featured the most hotly contested race in Boone County, with seven candidates originally filing for three positions on the School Board.  Prior to the election Tuesday, Amy Chumbley withdrew from consideration.  Of the six remaining, Sally Good received the most votes, followed by incumbent Tom Cleveland and newcomer Matt Van Sickle.  Those three were followed by Camille Schroeder, incumbent Toby Klauenberg and Taz Cole.  Over 400 votes were cast as more than 15% of the registered voters went to the poll.

Ogden Quiet Zone Discussion

OGDEN, Iowa---Ogden City Administrator Donovan Olson says the discussion about implementing a "Quiet Zone" is expect to continue for a while.  The many on the City Council continue to receive input from the public following a public informational meeting in August and the Council meeting earlier this month.  Olson says the next step is to have a meeting with the Union Pacific Railroad and others to see if the plans being discussed are acceptable.  He says the Council has still not made a final decision about pursuing a "Quiet Zone".

Unauthorized Tree Plantings Discussed

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone Park Commission began a discussion of issues with unauthorized tree plantings in the City. The matter comes up ever couple of years, when people plant trees on city parking. City officials have said one of the bigger problems is the City's Public Right of Way Ordinance which is handled by the Building Department. The ordinance deals with aspects of Right of Way usage. The City also has an ordinance that specifies types of trees that may be planted on the Right of Way. Officials say to prevent any problems people avoid planting on the parking.

Olson Elected President of Genesis Development

JEFFERSON, Iowa---Donovan Olson has been elected President of the Board of Directors of Genesis Development. Olson says he looks forward to making sure that Genesis continues to be one of the best providers of services to persons with disabilities in Iowa and the Midwest. Olson has been on the Genesis Board for four years. Genesis Development has locations in eleven Iowa communities, serves more than 1,300 clients and has a staff of more than 350 in across the state. Wayne VanderTuig of Indianola is the immediate Past President.

Quilt Show Starts a Busy Weekend

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Historical Society will host it's 19th Annual Quilt Show Friday and Saturday at the Boone County Historical Center. Irwin says he expects the Historical Society Quilters to present nearly 150 quilts and quilts objects for the two day event. The Quilters will also raffle off their "Cottages in the Snow" quilt prepared for this year's show. The event is a fund raiser for the Boone County Historical Society.

School Elections

BOONE, Iowa---Tuesday is school election day. School Board members will be selected to 4-year terms in Boone, Ogden, Madrid and United School Districts. The Ogden District has the most candidates for 3-positions. Six are still in the race even though a seventh name is on the ballot. Amy Chumbley has decided to withdraw from consideration. Boone School District patrons will also consider a yes or no vote on a $16.1 million bond referendum to renovate the District's high school. Voting at United begins at 7:00 AM and in Boone, Ogden and Madrid at 12:00 PM. All polls close at 8:00 PM.

Proliant Expansion Moving Quickly

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Plan and Zoning Commission will take a first look at a proposed expansion of the Proliant Biologicals plant on the south side of Boone. The plant, currently located in the south business park could see a substantial addition with an increase in jobs. Company officials approached the City a couple of months ago about the availability of extra capacity at the water and sewer plants. The City worked with Proliant to meet they're growing demand and still have capacity for future development. Proliant has also been successful in securing tax credits through the State of Iowa for the project.

Early Indications of Pufferbilly Success

BOONE, Iowa---Without knowing the exact numbers, organizers for Boone's Annual Pufferbilly Days Celebration feel pretty good about returning to downtown Boone. The past 3-years, the event was held at the Boone County Fairgrounds. The return to downtown was accompanied by a strong corporate sponsorship campaign. There were some conflicts with the Iowa vs Iowa State football game Saturday, but efforts were tied in with tailgating early on. Great weather also helped Pufferbilly Days, but also the 29th Annual IMCA Supernationals all last week at the Boone Speedway.

Pufferbilly Days

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone community celebration gets underway Thursday evening at 9th and Keeler in downtown Boone. After three-years away, celebration moves back and has generated quite a bit of excitement. Kurt Phillips, Chamber Executive Director says the move back has meant some minor changes, some consolidation of activities. He says the corporate sponsors have stepped up to help make the return a success and the good weather isn't hurting anything either. Because most of the activities are downtown, several streets are closed for the celebration and the motoring public is encouraged to use caution.

School Election Draws Near

BOONE, Iowa---Early votes continue to be cast for the Boone School District election, especially on the matter of the $16.1 million bond referendum. So far, no formal organized opposition has developed, even though some residents have expressed concern about the impact on property taxes. The School Board was able to lower the tax rate for the next year by more than two-dollars and is hoping that voters will allow it to be added back on for the high school renovation project. Early voting is still available through the Auditor's office at the Boone County Courthouse.

PFI Field Day in Boone County

BOONE, Iowa---The Practical Farmers of Iowa will host a Field Day, Tuesday September 13th at the Iowa State Agronomy Farm east of Boone. Sarah Carlson, Practical Farmers of Iowa Research and Policy Director says the day will be divided up into two programs, the morning dealing with crop rotation and the afternoon the corn breeding demonstration plots. Carlson says anyone interested is welcome to attend there is no charge. Additional information is available at the PFI website.

Design Standards

BOONE, Iowa---Boone City Administrator Luke Nelson posed a question to Council Members this week, should the City be required to follow the same design standards as other downtown business owners?  The question was raised because the City will need to make repairs to the facade of the Boone Police Department at 6th and Story Streets.  The current covering has been damaged and continues to deteriorate.  Nelson told the Council that several downtown businesses and property owners have been looking at design standards for the downtown.  The Council agrees that something needs to be done, the question is what and how will the bill be paid?

Dam Repair Project

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Conservation Board has been working at putting together a project to make repairs on Don Williams Dam north of Ogden.  Andy Hockenson, County Conservation Director has said the spillway on the dam is the area of concern.  Some repair work has been done, but concrete work is necessary to complete the repairs.  A contract for $53,000 with the C.L. Carroll Company of Des Moines was considered by the Supervisors this week.  Hockenson says part of the project is drawing down the lake 16-feet.  That could begin by the end of this month.

Historical Mystery Ride

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone County Historical Society will present a new event, The Boone History Mystery Ride!  Charles Irwin, Executive Director of the Boone County Historical Society, says the three hour event will be held Saturday, October 15th.  Irwin says the size of the tour is limited and pre-registrations are required.  The $15.00 charge covers a T-shirt and lunch.  He says registration information is available at www.boonecountyhistory.org.

Neighborhood Stabilization Program Back Again

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council will be debating an amendment to their current agreement with the Region 12 Council of Governments based in Carroll. The Region 12 COG is serving as the administrative agency dealing with the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The program initially made money available to purchase fore closed homes, rehabilitating those home and them reselling the property. Several Council Members have not been satisfied with the number change orders associated with the work. However, the City is tied to continuing the program because a large part of the money was used for downtown building demolition.

Quiet Zone Discussion

OGDEN, Iowa---The Ogden City Council will be discussing options related to establishing a "Quiet Zone" in their community. In August, a public information meeting was held so that residents could gain first hand knowledge of the work that would need to be done to gain "Quiet Zone status". The Tuesday meeting for the Council will be the first time they've met since the informational meeting. Among other things, should the Council vote to move ahead with the needed work creating a "Quiet Zone" they would have to find dollars to get the work done.

SuperNationals Continue

BOONE, Iowa---Ideal weather conditions greeted the first day of the 29th Annual IMCA SuperNationals at the Boone Speedway. Hundreds of cars and drivers will participate in the event which will draw thousands of fans. Promoter Robert Lawton says the show has expanded and will include Sport Compacts in Tuesday's schedule. Locally, authorities were concerned with numerous calls to the racetrack Sunday night into Monday morning. Monday to Tuesday was much quieter.

Labor Day Festivals Begin Friday

BOONE, Iowa---The Labor Day Holiday Weekend is going to offer plenty of opportunities for people to keep busy. In Madrid, the annual Labor Day Celebration begins with opening of the Loco Saloon and the Fire Department Chili Supper. Clutterbilly performs Friday evening. Meanwhile in Dayton, the 74th Annual Dayton Rodeo will begin with the first night of competition Friday evening. Food vendors and the carnival begin Friday afternoon. There is additional information for Madrid and Dayton available at these links.

Supervisors Review Voluntary Annexation

BOONE, Iowa---The City of Boone has requested that the Boone County Supervisors allow the voluntary annexation of the road at South Marion Street and West Park Avenue. The City is proposing to acquire property that would be the location for a new water tower. The matter was reviewed by the Supervisors this week in preparation of taking any formal action. The City Council's Utility Committee has been keeping updated on the efforts to acquire property and develop a plan for the proposed project.

Committee Recommends Policy Development

BOONE, Iowa---The Boone City Council's Public Safety and Transportation Committee has directed to staff to develop a policy that will allow consistency and guidelines for locating directional signage in the city. The Committee was addressing the matter of signage for the Boone Area Humane Society and the discussion turned to establishing a written policy. By the way, the Committee did approve the placement of signage for the Boone Area Humane Society, but details will need to be worked out with staff. The policy may be available for Council consideration next week.