Author: Theresa Rose

Tuesday the Henry County Board of Supervisors canvassed the June 2 primary vote.  There were no problems with the final numbers and no changes in the results.  Commissioner of Elections Shelly Barber said 940 people voted at the polls on June 2. And 2,750 voted absentee for a total of 3,690 people who voted.  There are 8,052 registered voters in the county so that makes for a 45.83 percent voter turnout and the highest turnout for a Henry County primary election.  The large absentee numbers all across the state can be directly attributed to Secretary of State Paul Pate’s effort to send all registered voters early ballot request forms.  The Iowa House has passed a bill that would not allow Pate to do this ahead of the November General election. No word yet on the Senate outcome. There was discussion at the supervisor’s meeting regarding the initial results from the Republican supervisors race. At first it was determined there would have to be a county convention to decide a second nominee. However, Barber discovered the law has changed since the last time this situation occurred in 1996. She explained again that the calculation is Total votes cast 4,507 divided by 2 seats = 2,254 times 35% which is 789 votes.  Therefore Chad White and Greg Moeller won the Nomination for the General and there will be no county convention to decide. She also said at Tuesday’s meeting that her contact in the Secretary of State’s office did not know when that law changed.  There was a second discussion regarding the time it took for the absentee votes to be totaled.  Barber is in contact with the company that the voting equipment was purchased from and that provides technical support.  A problem occurred election night that caused the machine the absentee ballots were fed into to take nearly two hours to calculate the data and turn out the totals.  The company still has not provided an explanation for the glitch but thought it had to do with a software update that was done before the primary.  Barber said her office did a test run and had no problem at that time.  Concern was expressed about this happening on general election night.  Barber said she is working to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

AGENDA

 

June 11, 2020

 

Approve Agenda

 

Approve Minutes

 

Approve Claims

 

9:00 John Pullis, Conservation Update

 

9:15 Approve 3 year Contract with

Cost Advisory Services

 

Other County Business as time allows

 

Supervisors Sub-Committee Updates

 

The Mount Pleasant School Board approved a 28E agreement with Great Prairie AEA for social worker services for the coming school year.  Katie VanSickel will be in the district 4 days a week. Mount Pleasant will pay Great Prairie $54,000 for the services for the 20/21 school year. The state allows districts who share a position like this to receive additional weighting.  This means Mount Pleasant will be allowed state funds equal to the amount received for 3 students.  That comes to $21,000 additional dollars. In other business, the board accepted a quote for asphalt work on the Salem school front parking lot and drive in the amount of $34,657.  The board also approved renewing the property, casualty and workers comp insurance at a 5.5 percent increase with Gamrath, Doyle Vens. The insurance for the district student laptops and tablets was renewed.  Following a presentation by IJAG instructor Tony Swayzer, the board approved a second year of the program that helps students who could be at risk for not graduating, gain skills to help them not only finish highschool but go on to further education or a job.

School districts in Iowa must submit a return to learn plan to the state department of education by July 1.  The six teams in the Mount Pleasant district designated to create that plan have met.  Now what?  There apparently hasn’t been a lot of specific guidance from the depart of ed other than local districts will make their own decisions about how a return to classes in the fall will be handled.   Will it be remote learning, onsite learning or a hybrid of both. Right now there has to be a plan for each of those options.  At the Mount Pleasant school board meeting Monday night Supt John Henriksen said it is very challenging when you just don’t know how the pandemic will play out and creating the plan has been daunting.  Mount Pleasant doesn’t have any plans to start school any earlier and will stick to a start date of August 24.

The Henry County Cattleman Scholarships for this year were awarded to two Seniors at WACO High School. Elijah McGohan and Tanner Conwell will each receive a $1000 scholarship.

 

 

The Mount Pleasant City Council will meet in Regular Session Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at City Hall, 307 E. Monroe Street, second floor meeting room at 5:30 pm.

 

 

A G E N D A

 

1. Roll Call.

 

 

2. Consent Agenda: To the Public – All items with an asterisk (*) are routine

by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion and a roll call of the Council-

members.  There will be no separate discussion of items unless the Mayor, a Councilmember

or citizen so request, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and

will be considered in its normal sequence on the Agenda.

 

3. Receive & file communications –

 

4. Approve agenda.

 

*5.  Approve minutes of previous meeting.

 

*6.  Approve payment of bills.

 

*7.  Receive reports of Officers – Including Transfer Resolution for June;

 

8. Old Business –
9. Public hearing on proposed plans & specs for South Jefferson Trail Phase VI.

 

1. Resolution approving plans & specs. on proposed South Jefferson Street Trail Phase

Phase VI.

 

1. Set date for public hearing on proposed Amendment No. 2 of FYE20 budget.

 

1. Resolution accepting SSES Sewer Rehab. Project Area 2 South.

 

3. Resolution accepting SSES Sewer Rehab. Project Area 3.

 

*          f)     Renewal application for a Class C Beer Permit for Midwest Old Threshers Camper

Store at 405 E. Threshers Road.

 

*          g)     Application for Amplified South Systems Permit for Midwest Old Threshers at 405

East Threshers Road.

 

*          h)     Application for Amplified Sound System Permit for Hayward Shelter, East Lake

Park.

 

*          i)      Approval of 2020 Retail Cigarette Permits.

 

9. New Business –
10. a)       1^st reading of proposed ordinance increasing solid waste recycling fee.

 

1. b)      1^st reading of proposed ordinance rescinding proposed sewer rate increases.

 

1. c)       1^st reading of proposed ordinance changing yield sign to Stop Sign at Van Buren

and Warren Street.

 

1. d)  Approve agreement with SEIRPC to administer $4,000,000 SRF Loan (NE Lagoon).

 

 

10. Public Forum.

 

11. Adjourn.

 

4-H/FFA Exhibitor Information
(Please note: Everything is subject to change due to the Governor’s proclamation, Public Health guidelines and local COVID-19 situation)
Question: The Fair Board has cancelled public grandstand entertainment and activities. Are we able to show/exhibit our 4-H/FFA projects?
Answer: At this point in time, yes, exhibitors will still be able to show/exhibit their 4-H/FFA projects at the Henry County Fair. The Henry County Extension staff are putting together a plan. We will share it via email, Facebook and in the Newsletter to keep families up to date. Please keep in mind that health and safety are our top priority so plans are subject to change at any time. We will follow all guidelines set for large events per the Governor.
Question: What will the 2020 Henry County Fair look like?
Answer: We are working on details for the 2020 Henry County Fair. The fairgrounds will be closed to the public. Only exhibitor families and approved volunteers will be allowed at the fairgrounds on the day of each show. We will not host a week-long event. Livestock will come in and leave on the same day of the show. We will still have awards. We plan to follow the show schedule as close as possible to the original fair. More details will be shared with families via email, Facebook and in the Newsletter.
Question: How will 4-H/Families be informed about the changes to the 2020 Henry County Fair?
Answer: We are still working on all the details. Our plan is to have information available to families as soon as we have them. Families will be notified via email, Facebook and in the Newsletter.
Question: Will exhibitors be able to show their projects/exhibits?
Answer: Yes, each project area may look different, but exhibitors will be able to show/exhibit their projects.
 Clover Kids- Clover kids will be allowed to participate in Static judging virtually, but will be limited to 2 projects per member. There will be no Clover Kid events, this includes Clover Kid Graduation and the Bucket/Bottle animal show. They will be able to turn in Bucket/Bottle animal record books for judging but there will be no live animal show.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider. For the full non-discrimination statement or
accommodation inquiries, go to www.extension.iastate.edu/diversity/ext.
 Static/Non-Livestock- Static projects will be judged state fair-style which means families drop off projects and the judges will view them and conduct a phone conference judging. Limit of 5 static projects. This will be the year when project write-ups will really matter. All details will need to be included in the write up. Food exhibits will not be tasted but will be evaluated on other safe criteria, so please package and prepare as usual. A schedule for drop off and pick up times with more information will come as we approach July.
 Communication Events & Clothing Events- Exhibitor will set up a time with the Extension Office to Zoom with the judge. More details will be finalized and sent to exhibitors by June 12 or sooner.
 Livestock- Livestock will come in and leave on the same day of the show. Each species will look different. We plan to follow the show schedule as close as possible to the original fair. More details will be finalized and sent to exhibitors.
Question: Will there be a LIVE Ribbon auction for livestock?
Answer: There will not be a LIVE Livestock Ribbon auction, however other opportunities are in the works for an online Ribbon auction. Swine exhibitors should plan to take hogs home all other species will go home as they have in previous years.
Question: Should our family follow the current fair book?
Answer: The fair book is a great reference, however there will be several changes due to the circumstances. Please make sure to refer to any addendums that will be sent via email, Facebook and in the Newsletter. If you have questions please contact the Henry County Extension Office at 319-385-8126.
Question: If I have more questions, whom do I contact?
Answer: For all 4-H related questions please contact Erin Heaton at 319-385-8126 or eheaton@iastate.edu.
If accommodations are needed please contact the Henry County Extension Office at 319-385-8126.

AGENDA

 

June 9, 2020

 

Approve Agenda

 

Approve Minutes

 

9:00 Jake Hotchkiss, Engineer Weekly Update

 

9:15 Sarah Berndt,

Approve One Time Rent Payments to the Transition Homes

Approve Payment for $5000 to Food Bank

Approve Fellowship Food Agreement

 

9:30 Canvass Primary Election of June 2, 2020

 

10:00 Work Session on EMS

 

Other County Business as time allows

 

Supervisors Sub-Committee Updates