Order photos found in the Maquoketa Sentinel-Press

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The Maquoketa City Council is in the process of creating a new commission to advise the city on the management of the city’s park system.
The council earlier this month approved first reading of a proposed ordinance that would establish a Parks Commission.
City Manager Brian Wagner noted that the city some years ago established a Parks and Recreation Commission to advise the council on matters related not only to city parks but also to the city’s recreation programs.
Wagner noted that after the city contracted with the Scott County Family Y to operate the Maquoketa Area Family YMCA and the city’s recreation programs starting in the fall of 2007, the recreation aspect of the Parks and Recreation Commission went away.
Some of the commissioners, who were more interested in the recreation functions of the commission than the parks, also left, Wagner recalled.
As a result, the Parks and Recreation Commission was reorganized as a Parks Board and was merged informally with the city Tree Board. The two groups have met the past few years as one, although Wagner noted that separate ordinances still exist for both groups.
The idea to have the Tree Board and a group dealing with the parks operating separately arose when some members of the combined Tree and Parks Board said they wanted to deal with only one of those functions.

For the complete story see the May 16 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
A 31-year-old Maquoketa businessman was appointed this week to fill the vacant at-large seat on the Maquoketa City Council.
The council on Monday night, May 7, appointed Joshua Collister to the seat.
He was chosen from among one of three applicants.
The council swiftly passed Councilman Chad Steffen’s motion to appoint Collister on a 5-0 vote with no discussion or comment. Councilman Eric Pape was out of the city attending a family event and did not attend the meeting.
City Manager Brian Wagner said Collister would be sworn in within the next few days. He is expected to join the council in time for an informal tour of city public works facilities on May 15 and the council’s next meeting on May 21.
A Maquoketa native, Collister is owner-operator of Sweet Things bakery in downtown Maquoketa.
He is a 1998 graduate of Maquoketa Community High School and has completed some college, according to his resume, including a two-year police science course. He is a member of the Maquoketa Optimist Club.

For the complete story see the May 9 issue.

A Monticello man was killed last weekend when the motorcycle he was driving went out of control near Bernard.
The accident occurred at 6:27 p.m. Saturday, May 5, on county road D-61, Bellevue-Cascade Road, west of Seventh Avenue about three miles south of Bernard.
The location is in northwest Jackson County, less than a half-mile east of the Jones County line and about 1 1/2 miles south of the Dubuque County line.
Iowa State Patrol troopers said Bradley Paul Stephen, 42, was driving west on D-61 when his 2007 Harley-Davidson motorcycle crossed the center line.
The motorcycle came back cross the road and ran off the right side of the road onto the north shoulder, where it went out of control, rolled several times and came to rest in the north ditch.
Stephen was transported by Bernard ambulance to Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque, where he died.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
A longtime Maquoketa restaurant will be closed temporarily after a fire of undetermined origin extensively damaged it this week.
Maquoketa volunteer firefighters were summoned at 5:09 a.m. Monday, April 23, to Obies on Iowa 64 at the west edge of the city.
Maquoketa Fire Chief Mark Beck said the alarm was called in by an employee who arrived for work and was greeted by smoke coming out of the kitchen.
The first fire units at the scene found fire and heavy smoke in the kitchen area.
“It was billowing smoke as black as it could be,” Beck said. “It was throughout the building.”
Firefighters quickly put out the main fire and then searched for hot spots.
Beck said he requested manpower assistance from the Andrew Volunteer Fire Department, fearing at first that the fire crew at the scene may not be sufficient.

For the complete story see the April 25 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
Property taxpayers in the Maquoketa Community School District will pay 93 cents less per $1,000 taxable valuation in the 2012-13 school year.
Maquoketa Community School Board members voted Tuesday, April 10, to adopt the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.  
The board received no oral or written comments from the public earlier in the evening during a public hearing about the budget.
Taxpayers currently pay $14.83 per $1,000 taxable valuation.  That number will decrease to $13.89 per $1,000 taxable valuation.
The budget is based on a $250,000 cash reserve and a $400,000 Management Fund levy.  
The final tax rate is decided by the Department of Management.
In other board news:
n The possibility of a mandatory later school start date rattles the nerves of Maquoketa’s school board members and district administrators.  They believe in local – not state – control in determining the first day of school.
The board urges the public to contact state legislators, asking them to oppose this bill that would force all districts to begin classes later than they already do.
Current state law says school districts must wait until Sept. 1 to begin classes.  However, most districts obtain waiver requests from the Department of Education to begin the school year earlier.

For the complete story see the April 18 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The Maquoketa City Council this week agreed to participate in a unified countywide effort for economic development.
The council’s action on Monday night, April 16, sent a signal that the council soon may opt out of its economic development contract with the Maquoketa Area Chamber of Commerce.
On a 6-0 vote, the council approved a proposed resolution that pledges the city’s support in staffing and finances to a countywide economic development effort.
The same resolution is to be presented to the Bellevue and Preston city councils and to the Jackson County Board of Supervisors for adoption.
Representatives of Jackson County’s three largest communities and supervisors’ Chairman Larry “Buck” Koos met privately on April 9 to discuss the possibility of a unified countywide effort.
The resolution, which was drafted by Bellevue city administrator Loras Herrig, was a result of the meeting.
If all four entities pass the resolution as expected, they will decide how to go about a countywide effort.
The supervisors would represent the smaller municipalities in the county that are not large enough to have an economic development organization, as well as the unincorporated areas.
One proposal that was discussed at the April 9 meeting was seeking to join the Greater Dubuque Development Corp., which has seen much success attracting jobs to the Dubuque area.
Rick Dickinson, president and chief executive officer of Greater Dubuque Development and a Sabula resident, discussed that possibility with the representatives of the county and three cities at last week’s meeting.

For the complete story see the April 18 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Jackson County supervisors reiterated last week that they will not be repairing the two breaches in the Green Island levee.
Roger Keil, a Green Island Drainage District watchman and a supporter of repairing the levee, asked the supervisors at their meeting on April 3 if they will be asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for an extension of time to make the repairs.
Supervisors Chairman Larry “Buck” Koos reminded Keil of the supervisors’ unanimous decision on March 6.
“We’re not fixing the levee. That’s the decision we made,” Koos told Keil.
When Keil responded that all of the necessary permits to make the repairs have been obtained, Koos again reminded Keil of the board’s decision.
Keil said the supervisors never asked landowners in the district how many wanted to have the levee repaired.
The supervisors held several meetings with landowners to get their views on the issue.
Supervisor Jack Willey said he disagreed with Keil’s assertion, saying, “We specifically asked pointed questions.”
Keil said the landowners had no say in the decision.
“That’s not true, Roger,” Supervisor Steve Flynn told Keil. He said the landowners asked the supervisors to decide.

For the complete story see the April 11 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Pay scales for City of Maquoketa public works employees will increase by nearly 5 percent over the next two years under a newly-approved contract between the City Council and the workers’ union.
The City Council last month approved the agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 234, which represents the five employees of the Public Works Department who are not supervisors.
The contract of Public Works Director Frank Ellenz is set directly by the City Council.
The new contract will take effect on July 1, 2012 with the expiration of the current one-year agreement, and will extend through June 30, 2014.
Council members approved the contract on a 6-0 vote. Councilman Troy Thede was absent.
“To have a two-year contract is really nice,” said council member Amy Moore. “We won’t have to go through this next year and we don’t have to spend fees for an attorney next year.”

For the complete story see the April 11 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
The March of Dimes’ March for Babies sounded like a good cause when Elly and Drew Winegar saw commercials for it.
“It’s one of those things you don’t know about until you’re forced to know,” Elly admitted.  During the past year, the couple was forced - and thankful - to learn of the organization that raises funds to support research and programs that help babies begin healthy lives.
Elly and Drew faced a difficult birth from the moment they learned Elly was carrying twins.  Then Elly went into labor at 28 weeks.  She held out until week 35, but babies Cale (born first) and Cole suffered numerous health problems that made their parents grateful for the research of the March of Dimes.
The life-saving research and programs of the March of Dimes propel Winegars in their mission to help raise money for the organization, which holds its annual March for Babies fundraiser April 21 (see sidebar for more information about the walk, how to participate and how to contribute).
Seven-and-a-half weeks into the pregnancy, Winegars knew they’d be having twins.  (They later learned both were boys.)  Twins were a shock, to say the least.

For the complete story see the April 4, 2012 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Saying they are “back to square one” with regard to economic development services, Jackson County supervisors said this week they will consider a variety of options before deciding on a course of action.
The supervisors discussed the subject among themselves and with Maquoketa Area Chamber of Commerce leaders at a work session on Monday, April 2.
The work session was held following the unexpected resignation last week of Stacy Driscoll as executive director of the Maquoketa Area Chamber of Commerce and economic development director for Jackson County and the City of Maquoketa.
The supervisors contract with the chamber to provide economic development services, paying the chamber $22,500 per year.
Supervisors said they would honor the current agreement, which extends through June 30 of this year, but won’t automatically renew the agreement.
Instead, supervisors agreed they want to consider all their options and take their time before deciding.
Supervisors also expressed frustration with how the notification was handled. Although Driscoll resigned on March 26, supervisors said they weren’t informed of the action by the chamber until they received an e-mail message at 1:07 p.m. March 28. By then, supervisors already had heard the news elsewhere.

For the complete story see the April 4, 2012 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
“Where’s it gonna be?”
That’s the question Judy Tonderum, Ted Strait, Brian Hayward, Emily Babin, Leslie Hayes, Tom Devine and Mary Hayward heard the most since first proposing the idea of a weekly farmers’ market in Maquoketa.  
What’s the answer?
The Ohnward Fine Arts Center parking lot on East Platt Street, Maquoketa Farmers’ Market Steering Committee members announced this week.
Maquoketa Farmers’ Market, a state-regulated 20-week weekly event, opens for the season June 5.  The farmers’ market will be held outside rain or shine from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays beginning June 5 and continuing through October.
A special informational kick-off meeting for vendors or any other interested parties will be held April 17.  The one-hour meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Ohnward Fine Arts Center.
A variety of locally grown and produced items will be offered, including fresh fruits and vegetables, crafts, jewelry, baked items, organic foods, healthy plants, wines, and more.

For the complete story see the March 31 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The Maquoketa City Council will be asked next week to apply for a grant to help purchase fluoride chemicals for the city’s water supply.
The council’s Utilities Committee on Monday, March 26, recommended that the city apply for a $6,000 grant offered by Delta Dental, a dental insurance company.
At the same time, the committee recommended that the city not use the grant to defray the cost of purchasing automated equipment that would monitor and add fluoride to the city’s water supply.
Alliance Water Resources, which operates the city’s water and sewage treatment utilities, previously added fluoride to the water supply by automated equipment. After experiencing repeated problems with the equipment, it was taken out of service late last year.
The council in January voted to continue adding fluoride to the city’s water supply and on Feb. 6 agreed with a proposal by Alliance officials that they control the amount of fluoride manually, based on repeated testing.
Alliance officials noted the repeated problems they experienced with the automatic monitor and pump and said they felt they could save the price of a new automated system and instead the staff could do a satisfactory job of setting the amount to be added manually based on constant testing of the water.

For the complete story see the March 28 issue.

The burn ban in Jackson County has been lifted.
With rainfall late last week, the prohibition on outdoor burning was lifted at noon Friday, March 23, said Lyn Medinger, Jackson County emergency management coordinator.
The ban had been in effect for a week, since noon March 16, because of unseasonably warm temperatures, dry air and a lack of rain.
The burn ban in Clinton County also was lifted on Friday.
Burning of weeds and brush were prohibited while the ban was in effect, but burning of trash in approved containers and fires for cooking in outdoor grills and fireplaces were not affected.
People doing controlled burns in Jackson County are required to notify the Maquoketa Law Center in advance.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
A majority of Maquoketa residents responding to a communitywide survey don’t want Maquoketa to be a bedroom community, would like to see the downtown fire site developed for retail trade and said more jobs are needed in the city.
Those issues are among the preliminary findings of the survey that was conducted in February as part of the Maquoketa Vision 2020 project.
The findings will be the subject of neighborhood meetings that will be held on the evening of May 9. Residents will be asked to share their views and discuss future plans for the community.
A neighborhood meeting will be held in each of the city’s five wards.
Led by a 23-member local steering committee working with Iowa State Extension, the survey is one of the first steps to developing a future vision for Maquoketa.
On Feb. 9, 45 Maquoketa volunteers distributed surveys to a random sample of 500 households in the city and surrounding area. Some 297 completed surveys were returned for an overall response rate of 60 percent.
The survey asked for views of the community’s economic status, the quality of life and residents’ thoughts on the future of the city.
Respondents indicated that they live in Maquoketa primarily because of the clean environment, the quality of the public schools, affordable housing, employment and job opportunities and uncrowded living conditions.

For the complete story see the March 28 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Maquoketa city officials hope to demonstrate that a proposal to switch to a more energy efficient bulb in the period streetlights in the West Pleasant Street Historic District won’t hurt the mood set by the amber glow.
Several members of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission and West Pleasant Street residents questioned the city’s proposal at a City Council meeting Monday night, March 19.
The issue arose when city officials found they had about $8,300 in funds remaining from a grant that helped to pay to convert the city’s high pressure sodium streetlights this winter to a more energy efficient LED light.
City officials proposed also replacing the bulbs in the 18 streetlights in the West Pleasant Historic District to a more efficient bulb.
Elaine Dull, a member of the city’s Historic Preservation Commission, read a letter written by Melodie Schueller, commission chairman, to the council, Mayor Don Schwenker, City Manager Brian Wagner and other city staff members, questioning the proposal.
The letter expressed concern that the lights would be too bright and hurt what it said was the ambience created by the older style lights with their amber color in the West Pleasant district.
The letter noted that private funds, including contributions from residents along the street, financed the purchase and installation of the lights, which adorn both sides of West Pleasant between South Second and South Prospect streets.
The letter said the commission members “strongly disagree with any attempts to alter these light(s) in any fashion.”

For the complete story see the March 21 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Iowa Department of Natural Resources officials have announced they plan to implement a screening process that will allow the re-opening of the caves at Maquoketa Caves State Park this summer.
DNR officials said they hope to hire seasonal workers and get assistance from area groups to launch the screening process "as early as possible" in the spring.
Under a schedule listed by the DNR, the caves in the park would re-open on April 15.
The caves have been closed to the public for the past two years as part of an effort by the DNR to slow the spread of white-nose syndrome, a disease that has contributed to the deaths of more than 5.5 million bats across eastern North America. The disease is known to spread from bat to bat. Officials also are concerned that it might inadvertantly be spread from footwear and clothing worn by cave explorers from one location to another. It is not known to be harmful to humans.
While all the caves in the park have been closed to the public since the spring of 2010, the remainder of the park, located seven miles northwest of Maquoketa, has remained open, including the campground, picnic areas and hiking trails.

For the complete story see the March 3 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
The Jackson County Conference Board unanimously approved 3 percent salary increases for county Assessor Deb Lane and staff for the 2012-13 fiscal year as part of an overall decreased budget.
The budget was unanimously approved Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Hurstville Interpretive Center.  The approval  followed a public hearing in which no oral or written comments were received other than one question by a conference board member.
The board approved a regular assessor’s budget of $259,569 for the 2012-13 fiscal year, which begins July 1.  That amount decreased from the current budget of $264,426.
The special appraiser’s budget drops by more than half, from $394,258 to $167,503.  Most of that decrease is attributed to completion of the reappraisal of all residential properties in the county.
That reappraisal prompted numerous phone calls from frustrated Andrew residents, according to Andrew Mayor Mike Roeder, who fielded the calls.
During Tuesday’s public hearing, Roeder – a member of the conference board – asked the assessor if she thought the 2012-13 budgeted lawyer fees and Board of Review fees would be enough this year.

For the complete story see the March 3 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
Hug a hog?
Not Jackson County Conservation employees at the Hurstville Interpretive Center.  They’ll sit back and watch their counterparts from Dubuque County’s Swiss Valley Nature Center do the muddy swine honors this Saturday.
The Hurstville Interpretive Center is the place to be at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 3, to watch Jenny Ammon, Dubuque County naturalist, hug a hog as part of an online Facebook challenge.
Hurstville and Swiss Valley Nature Center challenged each other to a social media race to see which organization could attract the most new “likes” on their respective Facebook pages by the end of February.  
Hurstville won.
Hurstville began the race with 82 likes and added 163 for a total of 245 likes from Dec. through the end of February.  Swiss Valley started with 258 and ended with 389 during the same time period, for a gain of 131.
The group receiving the least number of likes had to hug a hog.  That’s Ammon and Swiss Valley’s task Saturday.
The winning nature staff is hosting the event, which the public is invited to attend.  It includes refreshments and information about the parks and programs that both Dubuque and Jackson county conservation agencies have to offer.
Both agencies agree the challenge was not a popularity contest, simply a way to spread the word about their agencies and spread environmental education and awareness of Iowa’s natural resources to a larger demographic.
For more information, contact the Hurstville Interpretive Center at (563) 652-3783.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The Jackson County Board of Supervisors has replaced a Bellevue resident on the Jackson County Conservation Board with an Andrew woman after the supervisors were told that under a new state law, the conservation board had to be more gender balanced.
At a special meeting at noon Friday, Feb. 24, the supervisors accepted the resignation of Randy Bender of Bellevue just 10 days after they appointed him to the conservation board.
The supervisors then unanimously appointed Chris Cornelius of Andrew to the seat.
Supervisors said the switch was triggered by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, which notified county Attorney Chris Raker that with Bender’s appointment, the county was violating a state law that took effect Jan. 1 this year requiring county-level appointive boards to be gender balanced.
Until Cornelius’ appointment, the five-member conservation board was made up of four men and one woman, Anne Hawks of Maquoketa.
After taking several weeks to consider the appointment, the supervisors on Feb. 14 voted 2-1 to appoint Bender to a five-year term on the conservation board effective immediately.
Bender, who is owner of Bender’s Foods in Bellevue, succeeded Eric Strathman of rural Andrew, whose term expired on Dec. 31, 2011.
Strathman did not seek reappointment.
The conservation board held its regular monthly meeting on Feb. 21. Bender attended and participated as a board member.
Later in the week, supervisors said Raker told them he had been contacted by a member of the Attorney General’s Office with regard to the new law.

For the complete story see the Feb. 29 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Jackson County’s property tax rates will remain unchanged next year for both city and rural residents.
The Board of Supervisors last week set the preliminary budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The board scheduled a public hearing on the proposed budget and approval of the final budget for 10 a.m. March 6 in the supervisors meeting room in the Courthouse.
The current county property tax rates are $10.40 per $1,000 taxable valuation for rural residents and $7.52 per $1,000 taxable valuation for properties in any of the county’s 12 municipalities.
“We feel good about not having to raise taxes,” said Supervisor Steve Flynn.
A spokesman in the county assessor’s office said those rates may change slightly because they include tax levies set separately the Jackson County Regional Health Center, Ag Extension Service and the county Assessor’s Office, which are outside the supervisors’ jurisdiction.
Supervisors also acknowledged that residents’ tax bills may go up if their assessed values increased.
With the preliminary budget set, the supervisors can adopt the budget as is or they can reduce it by any amount. The board cannot, however, increase the overall budget beyond the total set as the preliminary budget under state law.
The supervisors also have proposed pay increases of 3 percent across the board for the county’s eight elected officials, including themselves.

For the complete story see the Feb. 25 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
A “For sale” sign is about to appear on the vacant city-owned property that was the site of the downtown fire four years ago.
Stacy Driscoll, Maquoketa economic development director, showed a drawing of the sign to City Council members at a council meeting Monday night, Feb. 20.
Driscoll told the council she has been working with Chad Powers of Power Graphics of Maquoketa to design the sign, which she estimated would cost $350 to $400.
The council made one change to the proposed design. As suggested, the sign says the property is “available for redevelopment.” The council asked that “redevelopment” be changed to “development.”
The sign also will list the dimensions of the property, which are 209 feet by 113 feet for a total of 23,617 square feet and lists the City Hall telephone number for additional information.
The council also asked that the sign contain lettering on both sides and that it be positioned perpendicular to Main Street.
City public works crews will install the sign.
The decision to erect a sign represents a change in the city’s marketing of the property. City Manager Brian Wagner said several months ago city officials considered placing a “For sale” sign on the property but decided against it.

For the complete story see the Feb. 25 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The remains of the outdoor swimming pools in Maquoketa will be removed over the next couple of months and the site will be left as a green space.
The Maquoketa City Council on Monday night, Feb. 20, awarded a $38,269 contract to Ardo Schmidt Construction of rural Preston to demolish the bathhouse, the decking of the two pools, fencing, a deteriorated basketball court near the pools and other equipment.
The Schmidt bid was the lowest among seven bids received for the project.
City Manager Brian Wagner said after the meeting that the contract calls for the demolition to be completed by April 30.
Wagner and Mayor Don Schwenker said there is no plan for future use of the property, other than possibly for additional parking for football games at Goodenow Field.
The council awarded the contract to the Schmidt firm on a 7-0 vote without discussion.
Because the Schmidt bid was unexpectedly low and nearly $20,000 under the next low bid, the council awarded the base contract and all four alternates.

For the complete story see the Feb. 22 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The Jackson County Board of Supervisors has appointed Bellevue residents to two county positions.
The supervisors, on a split vote on Feb. 14, named Bellevue businessman Randy Bender to a five-year term on the county Conservation Board.
Bender is owner of Bender’s Foods in Bellevue. He was chosen from among seven applicants for the position.
He succeeds Eric Strathman of rural Andrew, whose term expired on Dec. 31, 2011. He did not seek reappointment.
Bender will serve a term that expires Dec. 31, 2016.
His appointment was approved on a 2-1 vote, with board members Larry “Buck” Koos and Steve Flynn voting in favor and Jack Willey opposed.
Willey said his preference for the appointment was another applicant, a woman whom the board did not otherwise identify. Willey cited a state law that encourages gender equity on local boards and commissions as the reason for his preference.
Willey called both candidates equally qualified and noted that that the supervisors “have an opportunity for more gender balance” on the conservation board.

For the complete story see the Feb. 22 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Valentine’s Day this year brought a special, unexpected gift to the Jackson County Fair Board.
The Jackson County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Feb. 14, told fair board members that the county will donate $25,000 to the fair board’s fundraising campaign to purchase a new digital sign for the fairgrounds.
The announcement came during the supervisors’ weekly session. The supervisors had summoned fair board members and fair Manager Lanny Simpson to the meeting ostensibly to discuss their budget for the coming year.
Supervisors Chairman Larry “Buck” Koos began by relating that the board had been reviewing county department budgets and that money was tight in a year of economic downturn.
Supervisor Jack Willey then announced the gift to Simpson and the three fair board members who attended, Judy Andersen, Lee Johnson and Owen Hayes.
“This is a way we can show our appreciation for all your hard efforts,” Willey told the group.
He said the fairgrounds “is a place everyone can be extremely proud of.” He commended Simpson and the fair board for keeping the grounds and facilities well maintained with regular improvements.
He said he visits other fairs and added, “I don’t see any fairgrounds maintained as well as our fairgrounds. This is a small way to say thank-you. Your efforts do not go unnoticed.”

For the complete story see the Feb. 18 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
Seven couples vie for the “Dancing With the Cards” trophy this year. They have laid-back attitudes but there’s a ferocity to win the title and put on the best show possible to benefit the Maquoketa Athletic Booster Club.
Practice for Season 3 of Dancing With the Cards is under way, with secret routines, tricks, costumes, and props guaranteed to entertain the masses this year.
The Maquoketa Athletic Booster Club fundraiser is scheduled for the evening of March 10.  And although that’s about a month away, this year’s competitors need all the practice they can get.  Many of the couples have met only once or twice up to this point.  One couple only met for the first time last Thursday (Feb. 9)

For the complete story see the Feb. 15 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Jackson County may take on Fannie Mae in court.
The Board of Supervisors last week directed county Zoning Administrator Ben Kober to confer with county Attorney Chris Raker about the possibility of taking legal action against the Federal National Mortgage Association, commonly known as Fannie Mae, for ignoring the county’s directives to clean up a rural Jackson County property it acquired.
The supervisors for more than three years have been attempting to get the property at 7071 116th Ave. about six miles northwest of Maquoketa cleaned up.
The supervisors for more than two years had dealt with Willie Mortenson, who owned the property.
The supervisors last year filed a nuisance abatement against Mortenson as part of a crackdown against rural properties in disrepair or with large amounts of trash and clutter visible in the yard.
Although Mortenson made some progress to clean up the trash, the job was never completed to the supervisors’ satisfaction.
Last fall the property was sold at a sheriff’s sale to Fannie Mae, the company created by the federal government that provides funding for banks and other institutions that make home loans.

For the complete story see the Feb. 15 issue.

Jackson County sheriff’s investigators are seeking additional information from the public in connection with a shooting incident that occurred in December in Monmouth.
Deputies are seeking clues into the incident in which a man armed with a shotgun shot at Mike Franzen when Franzen opened a door leading from his home to his garage to investigate a noise in the early-morning hours of Dec. 5.
The man fired one shot, which struck the door as Franzen was rapidly closing it. Franzen was uninjured.
The intruder was described as wearing blue jeans, a green coat and a black ski mask. The incident occurred at about 12:50 a.m. Dec. 5 at 1218 49th St. at the north edge of Monmouth.
Jackson County Crime Stoppers, along with other contributors, have offered a reward of $5,000 to any person who offers information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the incident.
Sheriff’s investigators said they believe someone may have seen something or may have information regarding the crime.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (563) 652-2212. Callers will remain anonymous. They will be given a code number known only by the caller and the officer with which to communicate.
Callers may earn a reward of up to $1,000 from Crime Stoppers and a total reward of $5,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Anyone with information about a crime can call Crime Stoppers and give their clues to the officer or operator on duty.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The Maquoketa City Council agreed this week to offer a cleanup voucher program and a painting and siding improvement fund as part of next year’s budget.
The council on Monday night, Feb. 6, approved a recommendation of its Finance Committee to include the new programs in the budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year, which begins July 1.
The council also agreed to set the property tax rate next year at $12.85 per $1,000 taxable valuation as previously discussed. The rate would represent a 40-cent increase over the current rate of $12.45, which the city has maintained over the past four years.
The council, at its next meeting on Feb. 20, will set the preliminary budget and schedule a public hearing and final adoption of the budget for a March meeting, City Manager Brian Wagner said. Once the preliminary budget is set, the council can decrease the proposed tax rate and overall budgeted spending, but it cannot increase those amounts.
The council approved a Finance Committee recommendation to appropriate $2,000 for a clean-up voucher program and $2,000 for a painting and siding program.
Under the clean-up voucher program, residents would be given a voucher to transport to the Jackson County Transfer Station larger quantities or larger items of refuse than would be collected by their regular garbage collection service.
The council in the past has discussed the possibility of a citywide clean-up project. Under the voucher system, residents would transport refuse to the transfer station north of Andrew themselves or someone who would transport the items for them. With the voucher, the tipping fee would be waived for the resident and paid by the city.

For the complete story see the Feb. 8 issue.

The caves at Maquoketa Caves State Park near Maquoketa will re-open this spring for the first time in two years, state Sen. Tod Bowman said this week.
“I’ve been working with the Iowa DNR (Department of Natural Resources) since August and we’ve found a solution,” said Bowman, D-Maquoketa.
“More details will be forthcoming, but I want people in Maquoketa to know that all of the park will be open this spring with reasonable precautions to protect the local bat population.”
The caves at the park seven miles northwest of Maquoketa have been closed to the public since the spring of 2010 in an effort to prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome, a disease that has decimated bat populations in the eastern United States.
While the caves in the park have been closed to the public the past two years, the remainder of the park, including the campground, picnic areas and hiking trails, has remained open throughout that period.

For the complete story see the Feb. 4, 2012 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Regulating rental properties and landlords, improvements in the downtown area, replacement of aging park equipment, particularly Little Bear Park and revamping the city’s sidewalk improvement program are among goals the Maquoketa City Council has set for itself for this year.
Those projects and several others were agreed on when the council held its annual goal-setting and strategic planning session on Jan. 18.
Douglas Boldt, Tipton city manager and a former Maquoketa public works director, led the session.
Mayor Don Schwenker, all seven City Council members, City Manager Brian Wagner and city department heads participated in the two-hour, 45-minute session, which included catered-in pizza.
The council adopted five programs or projects as top priorities for the year from a list of more than two dozen possible programs that were suggested by council or staff members.
In addition, four capital improvement projects were given top priority from a similar-size list.
After reviewing each of the more than 50 proposed goals, the council voted on what they felt should get their attention this year.

For the complete story see the Feb. 1 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
A unit of the U.S. Air Force Heartland of America Band is coming to Maquoketa this month to present a free concert.
The Winds of Freedom, the premier woodwind ensemble from the Heartland of America Band, will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Ohnward Fine Arts Center in Maquoketa.
The five-piece group is a part of the Air Force Heartland of America Band based at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, Neb.
The concert is sponsored locally by the Maquoketa Sentinel-Press.
While the event is free of charge, concertgoers must have a ticket, which are available at the Sentinel-Press office.
The event will mark the Winds of Freedom unit’s first appearance in Maquoketa and the ninth appearance of a unit of the Heartland of America Band in Maquoketa in the past 16 years.
The concert will be one of several performances the ensemble will make during a winter concert tour of eastern Iowa.

For the complete story see the Feb. 1 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Jackson County’s elected officials would receive 3.6 percent salary increases this year if the Board of Supervisors approves the recommendations of the county Compensation Board.
The Compensation Board held its once-a-year meeting Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 25, to propose salaries for the county’s eight elected officials for the 2012-13 fiscal year.
The board’s vote was split, with two of the six members attending favoring a lesser increase.
Here are the present salaries and recommended increases for the 2012-13 year:
- Supervisors Chairman Larry “Buck” Koos, $32,664 proposed, up 3.3 percent, or $1,094 over the chairman’s current salary of $31,570.
- Supervisors Steve Flynn and Jack Willey, $31,486 proposed, up 3.6 percent, or $1,094 over their current salaries of $30,392.
- Attorney Chris Raker, $80,224 proposed, up 3.6 percent, or $2,788 over his current salary of $77,436.
- Sheriff Russ Kettmann, $67,023 proposed, up 3.6 percent, or $2,329 over his current salary of $64,694.
- Auditor M. Joell Deppe, $53,951 proposed, up 3.6 percent, or $1,875, over her current salary of $52,076.
- Treasurer Nancy Roling, $53,951 proposed, up 3.6 percent, or $1,875, over her current salary of $52,076.
- Recorder Arlene Schauf, $53,951 proposed, up 3.6 percent, or $1,875, over her current salary of $52,076.
The Compensation Board’s action is a recommendation that will go to the Board of Supervisors for a final decision.

For the complete story see the Jan. 28th issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
Maquoketa Community School District may be searching for a new superintendent to lead the district for the 2013-14 school year - but no sooner.
Too many uncertain variables factored into the Maquoketa Community School Board’s unanimous decision Tuesday not to grant early retirement for the superintendent at the end of this school year.  However, he will be granted the opportunity at the end of the 2012-13 school year if he so chooses.
Just before winter break, district superintendent Dr. Kim Huckstadt said he told board president Brian Tabor of his intent to file an application for early retirement, which would take effect at the end of the current school year.  
Huckstadt said he’s been contemplating early retirement for more than a year.  “I told Brian that I planned to step down.  It’s one of those things that I wanted to create awareness about.  It leads to big decisions for the board.”
Huckstadt had already alerted the board of his early retirement eligibility at the board’s Nov. 14 meeting, at which time board members discussed offering early retirement to all eligible employees. 

For the complete story see the Jan. 28th issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The process of planning either a major remodeling of the Jackson County Regional Health Center or a new facility is continuing, the hospital’s Board of Trustees was told this week.
Curt Coleman, hospital executive director, said plans call for a report with recommendations to be delivered to the board in late March.
Coleman gave trustees an update on the planning process at the board’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 24.
He said the Shive-Hattery engineering firm has completed the schematic layout of the facility. The firm also has completed cost estimates, calculated per square foot for each department and a total overall cost.
He said the cost information has been given to Denman & Co. of West Des Moines, the hospital’s auditing firm.
The firm will analyze the impact of the proposed project on the hospital’s Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements “so we will know the impact of a new project on our financial position.
A major portion of the hospital’s revenue is from Medicare and Medicaid.
Coleman said the auditors will analyze the impact of the proposed project in several financial areas, including the impact on the income statement, balance sheet and cash position.
He said the firm will give current information and will make a five-year projection.
That work is expected to be completed by mid-February, Coleman said. He said the financial analysis is an essential component to help the board determine whether or not to proceed with a project.

For the complete story see the Jan. 28th issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
A Delmar family lost their house and its entire contents last weekend in a fire that brought firefighters from four departments.
Delmar volunteer firefighters were called at about midnight Friday, Jan. 20, to the residence of Aaron Johnson and Elizabeth Cronin in the 600 block of Vane Street in Delmar.
Delmar Fire Chief David Schneden said the first firefighters to arrive saw flames coming from one of the windows in the upper level of the two-story home.
He said the basement contained three windows on the east and west sides and firefighters also could see flames throughout the basement.
“It had gotten in to the walls by then, too. Smoke was coming out of the eaves and corners,” Schneden said.
He said the house formerly had been a church that was converted to a residence. It had wood frame construction and wood siding.

For the complete story see the Jan. 25 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
The property tax rate for the City of Maquoketa would rise by 40 cents next year under a tentative budget scenario the City Council informally agreed on this week.
The council, at a work session Monday night, Jan. 23, took its first look at the proposed 2012-13 budget, which will take effect with the start of the fiscal year on July 1.
Although no vote was taken, the council informally agreed to a proposal to increase the tax rate from the current rate of $12.45 per $1,000 assessed valuation to $12.85.
The council turned down a staff proposal to increase the rate by an additional 10 cents, to $12.95.
City Manager Brian Wagner noted that the city has maintained the $12.45 rate for the past four years.
The entire amount of the increase is related to covering the city’s share of its annual police pension fund obligations.
Wagner explained that for the past several years, the council has used the remaining local police pension fund to pay for the city’s share of officer pensions.

For the complete story see the Jan. 25 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
For the third year in a row, the Maquoketa area generated an unusually low number of fire calls during 2011.
The Maquoketa Volunteer Fire Department responded to just 53 fire calls during the year.
The average of just over one call per week represents a decrease of seven calls, or nearly 12 percent, from the 60 calls turned in during 2010 and is down from 66 calls in 2009.
Maquoketa Fire Chief Mark Beck reviewed those statistics and others at the annual Maquoketa firemen’s banquet, held Saturday night, Jan. 14, at the Decker House Restaurant in Maquoketa.
Approximately 65 firefighters, spouses and other guests attended the event, which included a prime rib and chicken dinner.
Bryan Hafner, the department’s fire prevention officer, was presented with the Maquoketa Firefighters Memorial Award, the department’s highest honor.
The award is given annually to a firefighter for his outstanding contributions and service above and beyond the call of duty. Recipients are chosen by a secret ballot vote of fire department members.
Hafner is a seven-year veteran of the department, having joined in late 2004.
He is starting his fourth year as the department’s fire prevention officer. In that role, he performs a variety of fire prevention education and public relations duties.

For the complete story see the Jan. 18 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
Maquoketa’s city water will continue to be fluoridated, the City Council decided this week after hearing a panel of community dentists strongly urge its continued use.
The council, on a 4-2 vote, upheld the city’s current ordinance, which has required since the late 1970s that fluoride be added to the city’s drinking water.
Council members Jerry Bowen and Amy Moore voted against retaining the ordinance. Council members Troy Thede, Chad Specht, Cory Simonson and Todd Mang voted in favor and Mayor Don Schwenker also supported the maintaining fluoride.
Councilman Eric Pape was absent.
The council’s action overturned a recommendation of the council’s Utilities Committee that the council repeal the ordinance requiring fluoridation. The recommendation was based on recent breakdowns in the equipment that adds fluoride to the water supply and the cost of replacing parts.
The council heard from six Maquoketa dentists and a physician who cited reasons why the city should continue with fluoridation.

For the complete story see the Jan. 18 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
Maquoketa Community School District residents need no longer worry about which director district they live in if they want to run for school board.
The Maquoketa Community School Board Monday, Jan. 9, voted unanimously to adopt a resolution changing the way future members are elected.  The change would take place with the next election in 2013.
The district will no longer require candidates for school board to reside in a specified director district.  The board currently has four director districts and one at-large seat.
Passage of the Monday evening’s resolution makes all five seats at-large, thereby allowing any eligible district resident to run for any open seat on the board.
The board hopes to encourage more residents to run for school board by eliminating the director districts, what they called “barriers to the election process.”
The board received no written or oral comments during a public hearing scheduled earlier in the meeting.
However, district residents now have until Feb. 6 to file a petition requesting a public election on the matter.  If no petition is received, the board can proceed to certify the change in election method with the Iowa Department of Management.

For the complete story see the Jan. 14 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
We knew it had to happen.
Maquoketans finally were able to break out their snow blowers and shovels this week as the first significant winter storm of the season finally arrived, bringing with it several inches of snow and causing the first wave of school early dismissals and other postponements.
The snowfall began early Thursday morning, Jan. 12, and continued throughout the day and evening.
Students in the Maquoketa Community School District were dismissed at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
The City of Maquoketa declared a snow emergency that went into effect at 5 a.m. Thursday and was to continue through 5 a.m. Saturday.

For the complete story see the Jan. 14 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
East Central Community School District could have a state-of-the-art elementary program, even if the Sabula building closes.  East Central and Northeast school districts could realize stable enrollments, make more efficient use of class time, create taxpayer savings.  
In essence, the two neighboring school districts could greatly benefit from a merger of the two districts.
District residents heard these recommendations, projections and more – including support to reorganize - during a 75-minute public meeting in East Central’s gymnasium Wednesday, Jan. 11.  About 30 people attended the meeting, as well as both school boards and superintendents.
Dr. Robert Decker, Dr. Liz Jurgensen, and Dr. Michael Jurgensen presented their findings regarding the possibility of merging East Central and Northeast school districts.  The information was first presented to the public Nov. 2 in Northeast’s new auditorium.  
There were no modifications from that Nov. 2 presentation.  The trio still supported merging the two districts, saying such a merger offers financial incentives and benefits, more steady enrollment, efficient use of classroom time, more diverse and broad activities, and efficient transportation.
“It’s about what’s good for the kids,” said Decker, who has worked with the University of Northern Iowa for 28 years and conducted various reorganization studies since the 1980s.  “While indeed schools may be for many things, they are primarily for education.”
Decker first noted that this feasibility study is based on data from the 2009-10 school year.  Thus, the results could not take into account the affects of the whole grade sharing agreement already in place between the two districts.

For the complete story see the Jan. 14 issue.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
A Maquoketa City Council committee’s recommendation that the council no longer require the city’s water supply to be fluoridated has drawn the opposition of a Maquoketa dentist.
The council on Jan. 3 tabled action on a recommendation of its Utilities Committee that the council repeal its ordinance requiring that the city’s water supply be fluoridated.
The three-member Utilities Committee made the recommendation after hearing that the city’s water utility several times has had to replace equipment that adds fluoride to the water supply at increasing costs.
The proposal drew the opposition of Dr. Salvador “Buddy” Atienza, who has been a Maquoketa dentist for the past 18 years. Atienza attended the meeting after hearing earlier in the day that the topic would be on the agenda.
If the city stopped adding fluoride to its water supply, the effects wouldn’t show up for about two to five years, Atienza told the council. But he added, “Those people will be affected for a lifetime.”
He said the cost of repairing a cavity is not only shown in the pain and financial cost to the patient, but it also weakens the tooth over time, which leads to more costly dental work later, such as root canals and crowns.

For the complete story see the Jan. 11 issue.

A Baldwin teenager died last weekend when the vehicle he was driving ran off a Jackson County road and struck a utility pole.
Daniel Christian Kidd, 19, died in the single-vehicle accident, which occurred at 8:35 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, on 82nd Avenue a half mile north of the junction with Iowa 64.
The location was two miles east of Baldwin and approximately eight miles west of Maquoketa.
Iowa State Patrol troopers said Kidd was driving a 1998 Dodge south on 82nd Avenue when he lost control of the vehicle.
The vehicle ran off the road, rolled, struck a utility pole and came to rest on its right side facing south, troopers said. Kidd was not wearing a seat belt.
He was transported by a Jackson County medical examiner to the Jackson County Regional Health Center in Maquoketa.
Jackson County sheriff’s deputies, the Maquoketa Rescue Squad and crews from the Maquoketa Valley Rural Electric Cooperative assisted troopers at the scene.
Further details were not immediately available. Investigation into the accident is continuing, troopers said.
The accident marked Jackson County’s first traffic fatality of 2012.

By KELLY GERLACH
A Maquoketa native returns to Haiti this week, teaming with other paramedics, doctors and nurses to improve living conditions by administering better medical care.
D.J. Head of Colorado, formerly of Maquoketa, is preparing for his fourth voluntary trip to Haiti, leaving Jan. 13 and returning Jan. 25.
Head, who is now the director of ambulance for Lake County DEEP in the mountains of Colorado, is the son of Mick and Jeanne Head of Maquoketa.
He’s been traveling to Haiti for these medical mission trips since 2008, but this will be the first year Head will be able to examine and treat patients in a cinder-block clinic, constructed and paid for through donations and grant funding.
“We have stocked this clinic with some great equipment, mostly all donated. It even has X-ray! Unfortunately, no air conditioning though,” Head said in an e-mail to the Maquoketa Sentinel-Press regarding the upcoming trip.
“In addition to seeing patients in the clinic, two of the days that we are there we head up into the mountains and get into the villages and see patients there as well. This is where we will be seeing patients in dirt-floor, thatch-roof huts,” Head said.
His group examined 711 patients during his last Haitian mission trip.

For the complete story see the Jan. 11 issue.

Many took advantage of the warmer than usual temperatures these past few days with all kinds of outside activities that are usually not seen this time of year in Iowa. Golfers, motorcyclists and kayakers were spotted getting in one last outing before the snow flies.

By DOUGLAS MELVOLD
As they did four years ago, Jackson County Republicans bucked the statewide trend at their precinct caucuses this week, making Ron Paul their top choice in the presidential preference poll.
Paul received 163 of the 549 votes cast at the GOP’s four Jackson County caucus locations Tuesday night, Jan. 3.
The Texas congressman’s 29.7 percent winning margin was four points better than former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who received 139 votes, or 25.3 percent and eked out an eight-vote victory in statewide voting over Rick Santorum.
In Jackson County, Santorum didn’t fare as well, finishing a distance third with 92 votes and 16.8 percent of the total.
Jackson County Republican chair Jean Davidsaver of Bellevue said she wasn’t surprised that Paul finished first in Jackson County, while he placed third statewide.
“This wasn’t entirely unexpected,” she said. “The Paul supporters worked very hard and you have to give them credit,” she said.
While a late surge by Santorum left the former Pennsylvania senator in a virtual tie with Romney statewide, Santorum’s momentum wasn’t felt as keenly in Jackson County.
“In some of the other counties you could visualize that he was surging, but Jackson County didn’t see that nearly as strongly,” Davidsaver said. “He worked hard and ran an old-fashioned type of campaign.”
Santorum finished two votes ahead of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who receive 90 votes, or 16.4 percent.

For the complete story see the Jan. 12 issue.

By KELLY GERLACH
The Catholic Daughters made their last pies.
Unless someone else organizes the charitable pie-making fundraiser, there will be no more homemade pies from the Catholic Daughters of America from Sacred Heart Church in Maquoketa.
Regent Janet Saunders said that as of Dec. 23 no one has stepped forward to organize the project, which has made more than a thousand pies and collected thousands of dollars for area charitable causes.
“We’re not planning to make pies next year unless someone takes it over,” Saunders said.
2011 marks the fourth year for the Catholic Daughters’ fundraiser, which began in 2007 to raise money for the Jackson County Habitat for Humanity House built in Maquoketa the following year.  They made a total of 351 apple, peach, cherry, and rhubarb pies that year.
In 2008, the number of homemade pies increased to well over 350 pies, raising $1,776.64 for Habitat for Humanity.
Pie sales jumped in 2009 as Catholic Daughters members prepared 575 homemade pies ready to take home and either bake immediately to enjoy or freeze for future use.  The proceeds, $2,741.90, were donated to DAC, Inc.

For the complete story see the Jan. 4 issue.

By DOUGLASMELVOLD
Jackson County Regional Health Center board members will be asked next month to decide whether the hospital should undertake an extensive remodeling of its present facility or should build an all-new facility.
The hospital board last month received an updated report on planning that has been accomplished so far.
Dwight Duckstein, hospital facilities manager, said Shive-Hattery engineers have talked with employees in all hospital departments to determine their needs.
He said it’s important to design the new areas with the right amount of space, “so it’s the right size, big enough but not too big.”
He said the main design will be nearly the same regardless of which option the board chooses.
“For all intents and purposes, it’s the same design,” Duckstein told the board at a Dec. 20 board meeting. “There are some variations between them, but the same goals are accomplished with each site. It’s coming together really well.”
He said the next phase of the study will be to put together financial projections, including cost estimates and options for how the project would be financed.

For the complete story see the Jan. 4 issue.