Gov. Reynolds appoints Patrick McAvan as District Associate Judge 

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 3rd, 2023 at 5:39 pm CDT

DES MOINES– Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced her appointment of Patrick McAvan as a district associate judge in Judicial Election District 8A.  McAvan, of Fairfield, Iowa, currently serves as an Assistant Jefferson County Attorney. He received his undergraduate degree from Loras College and his law degree from the University of Kansas School of Law. McAvan fills a vacancy created by the addition of four new district associate judge positions authorized by the legislature in last year’s session. Judicial Election District 8A includes Appanoose, Davis,Jefferson, Keokuk, Mahaska, Monroe, Poweshiek, Wapello, Washington, and Van Buren counties. 

Laverne Messer

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 3rd, 2023 at 5:36 pm CDT

Laverne Messer, 79, of Wayland died Friday, February 3, 2023, at Parkview Manor in Wellman. Funeral services are pending at the Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel in Mount Pleasant.

 

The Dickey Dispatch

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 3rd, 2023 at 2:14 pm CDT

The Dickey Dispatch by Senator Adrian Dickey

 

Hello Senate District 44,

After a chilly week, it’s nice to see a warm weekend ahead of us. This week has consisted of committee meetings, visiting with countless constituents, and voting on a handful of bills that hit the Senate floor. Over the next month, the push to get bills out of committees is going to increase due to funnel week approaching. As I mentioned in the previous newsletter, funnel week is the week leading up to the deadline when all bills that have not made it out of committee are discarded. I attended meetings in every single one of my committees this week, which created quite the time crunch!

 

 

Even with a tight schedule, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit with a few FFA chapters on Tuesday for FFA Day on The Hill. I loved the chance to speak with these GREAT students and find out about the issues and topics they are passionate about. Another important event this week was Governor Reynolds’ announcement of additional funding for the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. The fund was originally made to aid Iowa veterans and their families with expenses related to medical care, unemployment services, education, and emergency medical services. However, due to the recent costs of inflation and irresponsible spending in DC, the fund proved to be insufficient to meet the needs of applicants. For this reason, Governor Reynolds announced $440,000 to cover the sheer amount of outstanding grants that were approved. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee will continue this program while making sure the application process for the grants is financially sustainable.

 

 

Senate File 192 is moving through legislature as we speak. Funding for K-12 education is a priority of Republicans. Each year, roughly $3.8 billion in funding is allotted for K-12 funding. With local taxes combined and other sources, Iowa taxpayers will spend $8.4 billion on education this year alone. The money approved in SF 192 will dedicate an additional $107 million, with a state average of $17,068 per student. Since Republicans took majority in 2017, over half billion in increased funding has gone towards education. When deciding upon the amount of additional funding to be given to K-12 funding, Republicans focus on providing an amount sufficient enough to meet their needs, while also ensuring it is a sustainable part of the entire State’s budget.

Another important bill that passed by the Senate on Wednesday was SF 181. An error at the Dept. of Revenue had the possibility to lead to a tax increase of as much as $120 million for Iowa homeowners. SF 181 fixes this error and protects the property taxpayer. Local governments including cities, schools, and counties must hold public hearings and certify their budgets. Due to the error within the Dept. of Revenue, SF 181 extends deadlines for local governments to make changes to their budgets while still maintaining necessary transparency for taxpayers in the budgeting process. It is now advancing to the Iowa House for consideration.

The legislature has implemented many taxpayer-friendly policies with the end goal of lowering property taxes. A few local governments are displeased with the corrections made in SF 181 and claim it will require them to raise taxes. The interesting aspect of this, is that homeowners were faced with a possible HUGE tax increase prior to the passing of this bill. A few local governments are objecting to being forced to raise the levy rate if they could not gather the additional revenue generated by increased assessments. SF 181 hinders their ability to take higher property tax payments with the same levy rate and quickly rising assessments, a result from none other than failed Biden economic policies.

Obviously, the issues contained within SF 181 are complex. Later this session, Republicans in the Senate will reveal a plan to simplify the number of levies, improve transparency of how homeowners are being taxed on their property, and responsibly limit the cost of local government. Senate Republicans have a lot in store for the remainder of this session, and will continue to save Iowa taxpayers money.

I look forward to the next few weeks where things will really begin to speed up. It is a very exciting (and busy) time of year, where I believe a lot will be accomplished. If you happen to find yourself at the Capitol, please reach out and hopefully I can make time to speak with you. Hearing from constituents is very important to me and I value your opinion. If you intend to speak about an upcoming bill, I ask that you read the bill, then share with me your thoughts on how it could be improved or what you like with it. Thank you for your continued support!

 

Henry County Cattlemen Celebrate

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 3rd, 2023 at 11:25 am CDT

The Henry County Cattlemen presented Keith Zihlman with the “Cattleperson of the Year” award at the annual banquet held Thursday evening. The membership also celebrated the organization’s 50th Anniversary with a ribeye meal prepared and served by the Knights of Columbus. The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Southeast Iowa Member Services representative, Madyson Till, spoke to the group and  Comedy Magician Dewayne Hill entertained. The local Cattlemen presented $400 to each Family and Consumer Science Department in the county high schools.  These funds and the annual scholarships are supported by the many grill outs done by the cattlemen throughout the year.  Appreciation letters from scholarship winners, Lilly Clark and Lars Smith, were shared.  Both are WACO graduates.  Clark attends Muscatine Community College where she is studying Agriculture Education and Smith is an Agriculture Production student at Blackhawk Community College.  Certificates were presented for the County Raised Champion Steer and the Champion Breeding Heifer shown at the 2022 Henry County Fair.  The steer was shown by Kalayna Durr and raised by Kylie Loyd.  The heifer was shown and raised by Ethan Graber.

SCC to Host Free Financial Aid Workshop Feb 15

By Theresa Rose · Friday, February 3rd, 2023 at 9:56 am CDT
Southeastern Community College will offer complimentary assistance with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at its FAFSA Ready Iowa event on Wednesday, February 15. The event will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. at both the West Burlington and Keokuk campuses. The West Burlington event will be held the Yohe Library and the Keokuk event will be located in Room 419.

“Filing for financial aid can be intimidating for students of any age and their families,” says Sheri Knipe, SCC Financial Aid Director. “We help people through the process so they know it is right the first time.”

Knipe encourages people who plan to attend college to file the forms as soon as they can.“The event is a great way to complete the FAFSA in a timely manner without interruptions,” she said, adding, “Submitting it now gives students a better chance to receive more state and institutional aid.”

This event is free and open to students of any age or income, regardless of which college they plan to attend. There is no need to pre-register; attendees will be assisted throughout the afternoon and evening on a first-come, first-served basis. Staff members from the SCC Financial Aid Office, the Educational Opportunity Center, and other college departments will be on-hand to guide students through the FAFSA and to answer questions about financial aid. Knipe recommends that students under age 24 attend with at least one parent or guardian.

“Most traditional college-age students are required to include parental information on their FAFSA, so it’s helpful if both the student and at least one parent can attend.”

To complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA, students and parents should each bring the following:

• Social Security number, driver’s license number and date of birth

• 2021 federal and state tax returns, complete with all schedules and worksheets

• W-2 forms or other records of income earned in 2021

• Current bank statements and investment records

• Records of untaxed income received last year

• A-Number if not a U.S. citizen

A list of frequently asked questions, including a link to a complete list of required information and documents, can be found at https://www.icansucceed.org/financial-aid/financial-aid-process/fafsa

Students and parents may register in advance for an FSA ID to electronically sign the FAFSA and make future changes. Visit https://studentaid.gov/help/create-fsa-id to create an FSA ID or retrieve a forgotten FSA ID.

Students who are unable to attend this event are encouraged to contact the Educational Opportunity Center located at SCC. Appointments are available year-round to assist with filing the FAFSA.

For more information, call 319-208-5026.

From Senator Mark Lofgren

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 at 5:06 pm CDT

 

Dear Senate District 48,

It is hard to believe we have now completed four weeks of legislative work for the state of Iowa. Next Friday, February 10th, will be the last day for senators and representatives to request drafting of bills and joint resolutions. This means that the following week we will begin to narrow our work to what is already on the table before us.

Way to Go, Winfield!
Congratulations to the City of Winfield for their award of a $500,000 grant for a wastewater treatment project. The Wastewater and Drinking Water Financial Assistance Program applications were awarded based on the program’s priorities and were judged by representatives from the Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Follow the link below to learn more about this grant program and the recipients of this year’s funding.

Governor Reynolds Announces $9 Million in Grants to Assist 23 Communities Advance Water Quality Infrastructure – Iowa Finance Authority

Governor Releases Funds to Assist the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund 

This week Governor Reynolds announced additional funding for the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. This fund was created to assist Iowa veterans and their families with certain costs related to education, emergency assistance, medical care, and unemployment services. However, due to record inflation caused by the reckless spending policies in Washington, DC, and an increase in applications, the fund’s set threshold for spending was surpassed causing a budget deficit.

Every year, the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund receives an appropriation from the Iowa legislature, as well as funding from the Iowa Lottery Authority. However, the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs approved more grants early in the year and as more requests continued to be submitted, the fund had been overspent, creating a backlog and resulting in the program being temporarily suspended. This week, Governor Reynolds announced $440,000 to cover the backlog and assist the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs in resuming the program to meet the needs of any outstanding grants that were previously approved. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and the legislature will continue this program, while looking for ways to ensure the application and approval process for these grants is financially sustainable and the criteria used to determine grant eligibility do not exceed the funds available.

Some Facts About K-12 Education Funding in Iowa

 

Funding for K-12 students is one of the first things we address each year during the legislative session. Education makes up the largest part of our state budget, and our commitment to setting it early helps guide the rest of our budget process, but also assists schools in setting their budgets for the upcoming year. When we determine the amount of additional funds K-12 schools will be given, we  are committed to providing an amount to not only meet their needs but an amount that is a sustainable part of the entire state budget.

Each year, Iowa spends billions of dollars on K-12 education. State funding alone amounts to $3.8 billion for K-12 education. Combined with local taxes, SAVE funds, federal funds, and other miscellaneous sources, Iowa taxpayers will spend $8.4 billion on K-12 education for Iowa students next year. The money approved in Senate File 192 this week will dedicate an additional $107 million. Iowa taxpayers spend on average $17,068 per student in our state. $7,635 of that amount comes from the state general fund in SF 192.

Protecting Iowa Taxpayers

An error at the Department of Revenue could have led to a property tax increase of as much as $120 million for Iowa homeowners. However, Senate File 181, passed by the Senate on Wednesday, fixes this error, protects the property taxpayer, and provides clarity for local governments in future years.  It now advances to the Iowa House for their consideration.  Later this session Senate Republicans will be sharing a plan to simplify the number of levies, improve the transparency of how homeowners are taxed on their property, and limit the cost and growth of local government.
FFA Day at the Capitol

Tuesday brought a plethora of navy blue corduroy jackets to the Capitol. FFA students from across the state came to meet with legislators, tour our beautiful building and learn a little about the legislative process. It was an honor to visit with groups from Wapello and Wilton and to learn a little about some of the work they’ve been doing to promote agriculture in our state.

George Washington Carver Day and Other State Historical Society of Iowa Resources 

On June 16, 2022, Governor Reynolds signed SF 2380 that designates February 1 of each year as George Washington Carver Day. The State Historical Society of Iowa offers great resources for learning more about this famous scientist with Iowa ties, as well as others who were connected to him during his time in Iowa. Follow this link to these resources as well as other great tools for learning with primary sources, for learning about the history of Iowa and cultural events around the state.

Visitors to the Capitol This WeekAlong with FFA students and their teacher sponsors, the Capitol was busy as always! The list of visitors this week included the Fraternal Order of the Police, the Iowa Firefighters Association, the Iowa Chiropractic Society, the Iowa Occupational Therapy Association, Iowa Public School Superintendents, M Power U Student Presentations, the Iowa Association of Realtors and Habitat for Humanity.

The Life of a Legislator

An Iowa Legislator’s schedule doesn’t just include subcommittee and committee meetings, floor debate, events at the Capitol during session and evening legislative receptions in Des Moines. I am often invited to attend and speak at public forums, round table discussions, community events and civic and county planning sessions. This past week I attended the Burlington Police Department’s Law Enforcement Round Table Discussion with Attorney General Brenna Bird.  Sometimes I am fortunate to bring along my granddaughter, Gracie and we are able to make a day of it with a road trip out of town and a Grandpa and Gracie Lunch Date!
Best regards,
Mark

Frances Barr (final arrangements)

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 at 4:57 pm CDT

Frances L. Barr, 91, of Mt. Pleasant, died Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center Hospice House, West Burlington, IA.

The funeral service for Mrs. Barr will be held at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, February 8 at the First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Main St., Mt. Pleasant. The Reverend David H. Bracht-Wagner, Senior Pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the Forest Home Cemetery, Mt. Pleasant. Friends may call from 9 AM to 7 PM on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at the Kimzey Funeral Home, 213 North Main Street, Mount Pleasant. The family will not be present.

Those considering an expression of sympathy may direct memorials to the First United Methodist Church. Online condolences may be directed to www.kimzeyfh.com.

Mrs. Barr, the former Frances Louise Bain, was born November 12, 1931 on the family farm, rural Henry County, Iowa. She was the daughter of Roscoe and Lola (Crile) Bain. She attended rural country schools and graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School. On November 16, 1952 at the Green Mound Church of God, rural Trenton, IA, Frances was united in marriage to Kenneth Frank Barr. Mr. Barr died Saturday, December 3, 2022 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.

Frances worked at the former Henry County Bank and the Henry County Courthouse. With the birth of her children, Frances became a full time mother and homemaker. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, the former United Methodist Women and a Circle of the church. She enjoyed all types of crafts involving cloth material – quilting, crocheting, needlepoint and knitting. She also enjoyed gardening, whether it was raising vegetables or flowers.

Those thankful for sharing in Frances’ life include her 3 children – John Mark Barr  & Philip Matthew Barr, both of Mt. Pleasant, and Linda Louise Barr of Annandale, VA; 2 granddaughters – Megan and Allison Martin;  a brother and his wife – Ronald & Carol Bain of Mt. Pleasant; a sister-in-law, Mrs. Brenda Bain of Mt. Pleasant; and a sister-in-law and brother-in-law – Wanda & Duane Thomas of Mt. Pleasant.

Her parents, husband and a brother – David Bain, precede Frances in death.

School Board Finance Committee Meeting

By Theresa Rose · Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 at 3:57 pm CDT

Mount Pleasant Community School District

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING

Mt. Pleasant CSD – Central Office

1010 East Washington Street – Suite 102

Mt. Pleasant, IA 52641

The Mount Pleasant Board of Education FINANCE COMMITTEE will meet at 3:00pm on Friday, February 3, 2023, to review/discuss:

 

  1. FY24 Possible New Money Calculations (General Fund)
  2. Revision of Board Policy 701.5 General Fund Reserves and Fund Balance Reporting
  3. FY24 Health Insurance Renewal
  4. Grant Funding Update
  5. School Board Director District Boundaries Update
  6. Review Proposed 2023-2024 School Calendar
  7. Negotiations Opening with AFSCME Local 3865

 

The meeting is open to the public and patrons are welcome