MOUNT PLEASANT, IA (August 15, 2024) – In June, the Henry County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution declaring Henry County Emergency Medical Services (HCEMS) as an essential county service. The next step is for county residents to vote at a special election on September 10 to approve a tax levy for EMS programming.

Early voting starts August 21 in the Henry County Courthouse second floor conference room. Courthouse hours are 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. On September 10, voting will occur in the normal polling locations.

HCEMS is currently owned and operated by Henry County Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Memorial Hospital. Due to the current property tax cap for HCEMS under hospital ownership, the hospital cannot continue to offer HCEMS and cover the revenue shortfalls.

The state trend shows that the former model of EMS is no longer viable. As of November 2023, 12 Iowa counties have received voter approval to levy for EMS programming. Nearly a dozen additional counties in Iowa are seeking public support in upcoming elections and/or are working on proposals to do so. 

Several entities in Henry County have supported the Essential Services EMS Tax through resolutions, letters of support or community hearings. The groups passing resolutions include the City Councils of Winfield, Mount Pleasant, Salem, Wayland, New London, and the Henry County Democratic Central Committee. Letters of Support have been received from the Mount Pleasant Area Development Commission and HCHC Inc. Board of Directors. Other groups have EMS on their agendas to cover at upcoming meetings.

HCEMS provides vital emergency medical services for Henry County residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These services include: emergency medical care, critical care transfers, medical transports, education and support to county first responders, public health education, and special event coverage.

“The ultimate goal for Henry County Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Memorial Hospital is to keep EMS in Henry County to continue to meet the emergency medical needs of area residents. EMS is without a doubt an essential service, and to keep the service in Henry County for years to come, we need public support. The proposed EMS tax levy will require 60% voter approval on September 10th,” explained Joel Prottsman, Henry County Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Memorial Hospital Board of Trustee Chair.

A YES vote on September 10 means that EMS will stay in Henry County, continuing to serve the emergency healthcare needs of area residents. If the vote passes, the current $0.27 hospital ambulance levy will go away. A new county ambulance tax levy of $0.75 will instead be implemented, which is a $0.48 increase over the current hospital ambulance levy rate. A NO vote on September 10 means that future sustainability of EMS in Henry County is at risk.

Additional information about EMS as an essential service can be found at this link: https://henrycountyemsia.org/hcems-is-essential. On Friday, September 6, more information will also be available on KILJ Radio (105.5 FM) at 8 a.m.

Mount Pleasant, IA- The Mount Pleasant City Council met last night for their Regular Session at City Hall and here’s what business was covered.

The meeting began with an approval of previous meetings minutes, payment of bills, and old business, which included her renewal of a Class C retail alcohol license for Rumors and El Burrito Loco.

The first order of new business authorized the City Clerk to sign a three-year contract with Liberty Communications to install and service City Hall internet. The Council mentioned the switch will save them money. The library will also join City Hall in the change.

There was an agreement between the City and the State to let the state perform electrical inspections since April when the previous Building and Zoning Administrator resigned. The approved motion tonight will authorize the City Administrator to sign a letter to the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing requesting the city to resume electrical inspections.

The move proceeds the hiring of Gary Shahan to be the new Building and Zoning Administrator. The City will only be inspecting residential sites; the State will continue inspecting commercial and industrial sites.

The third motion approved the hiring of Joshua N. Beelman for the position of police officer. Lyle Murray, Chief of Police, put his seal of approval for the hire; additionally, the hire will put the Mount Pleasant Police Department fully staffed.

The Council passed the motion for first reading of an ordinance appealing and replacing certain sections regarding animal control. The changes to the ordinance will clarify language with respect to dangerous/vicious animal distinction and remove the City Council and Police Chief from the appeal process.

The idea behind this change of ordinance is to send any appeal process to the court, where most appeals end up going.

To combine a couple motions, the Council approved the Mayor to sign two contracts with LL Pelling. One to overlay sections of East Lake Park Road and the other to overlay the Cottrell Gym parking lot on Madison Street, as the current state raises a safety concern.

The Mayor also received approval to sign two contracts with Norris Asphalt Paving. One to resurface the section of alley between W Washington Steet and W Clay Street. The other contract is to overlay a section of S Jackson Street between W Webster Street and W Front Street.

Lastly, the motion to give a new Special Class C Retail Alcohol License for Antojitos Maya was approved.

During the public forum, Theresa Rose, the Mount Pleasant Public Library Board President, gave notes from the library’s last board meeting. The library has been renting out hot spots for people, which has worked smoothly.

There will not be a September Board Meeting for the Library. Moreover, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has 209 active children and 32 have graduated.

Finally, the Discovery Center will be closed during the moth of September for general maintenance, cleaning, and the installation of new items. The Discovery Center will reopen in October.

The Mount Pleasant City Council will meet in regular session on Wednesday, August 28^th, at the second-floor meeting room in City Hall at 5:30 pm.

Thunderstorms are likely late tonight after Midnight into Thursday morning. Some of the storms may be strong to severe with damaging winds are the primary threat.  The storms will also produce heavy rainfall at very high rainfall rates, which could lead to ponding water, localized flash flooding, and rises on area rivers and streams.  There is a Marginal Risk, or level 1 out of 5 threat for severe weather for tonight.  Additional chances for thunderstorms are forecast for Thursday afternoon and evening with all modes of severe weather possible.  Locally heavy rainfall will also be a concern on Thursday.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is partnering with law enforcement across the state of Iowa to decrease impaired driving.  Starting Friday, August 16^th, through Labor Day, agencies will participate in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER enforcement project.

Law enforcement’s 1^st priority is to keep people safe.  The drive sober/ride sober campaign is an effort to spread the message that impaired driving is illegal, and it takes lives.

Last Year, during the final weeks of summer, there were 54 traffic fatalities in Iowa and 44 percent of those deaths involved impairment.

The Mt. Pleasant City Council will meet in regular session today at 5:30pm at City Hall, 307 E. Monroe Street.  The meeting is on the 2^nd floor and in the meeting room.  New business includes the 1^st reading of an ordinance appealing and replacing sections regarding animal control in the city code of ordinances and parking lot maintenance at East Lake Park and Cottrell Gym.

The Henry County Board of Health is meeting at 12:30pm  this afternoon in the conference room.  New business includes a power outage policy.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet on Thursday, August 15^th at 9am at the Henry County Courthouse.

Mt. Pleasant’s Brown’s Shoe Fit Company was named Small Business of the Week by United States Senator Joni Ernst.  Senator Ernst said Brown’s Shoe Company “puts its best foot forward”! Brown’s has been a staple in Henry County since 1952 and offers a large selection of merchandise.  The staff is specifically trained to fit customers with different styles and sizes.

Brown’s is a family-owned business and is celebrating its 72^nd anniversary this year.  Kurt Moon managed the store for 30 years before handing it over to his daughter, Tara Mullin.  Throughout this Congress, Senator Ernst, who sits on the Senate Small Business Committee, plans to recognize a small business in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.