A public hearing was held on Tuesday evening to discuss an application submitted by the Board of the Belle Center to occupy said building for multiple uses, such as an event space, business incubator, and co-working space.

The vision for the proposed use was read, in which they want to provide an entrepreneur advancement space. They would like to promote small business growth by allowing start-ups a place to grow, as some small businesses do not have the funds available for real estate.

Mt. Pleasant Building and Zoning Administrator, Jack Swarm, addressed the room. He stated that the purpose of the Belle Center is needed, however, it does not suit the district it is currently zoned in, R3. According to Swarm, the proposed use for the Belle Center means it belongs in the business district, B1. If the use was 100% for philanthropic and educational purposes, then R3 would be appropriate.

Currently, the Belle Center does not house any for profit businesses, however, it does not line up neatly with the zoning ordinance. As a result of this, it was Swarm’s recommendation that this matter be placed before the City Council.

Board Chair, Patricia File, made the comment that the board does not want to go down the road of “spot” zoning.

The Board of Adjustment denied the request to allow occupancy at the Belle Center for the uses listed, after the Building and Zoning Administrator said that the uses are not permitted in the R-3 Multiple Family Dwelling District.

Fort Madison Community School District is offering the opportunity for students to learn through a trip in 2026.

If you currently have an 8th, 9th, or 10th grade student enrolled at FMHS or FMMS, they could be eligible for the Study Abroad Tour of Central Europe & the Holocaust during Spring Break of 2026. You are invited to FMHS Library on Wednesday, March 27 at 5:15PM for a Student/Parent Meeting to get more details.

Please be sure to RSVP & register for this info session to be considered for this opportunity, as there are a limited number of spots available: https://bit.ly/3THakyU

Do you know an extraordinary educator who goes above and beyond to inspire, motivate, and empower students? Now is your chance to nominate them for the 2025 Iowa Teacher of the Year award through the @Iowa Department of Education!

Nominate a teacher here: https://bit.ly/2025IowaTOYNominationForm

Nominations close April 1, 2024.

The Henry County Sheriff, Rich McNamee, met with the Henry County Supervisors on Tuesday morning to discuss his department’s budget. More specifically, he requested the addition of a 14^th deputy.

Going back to January, Sheriff McNamee mentioned how he had cut his department’s budget over 4 times what the supervisors had asked. Even still, his request was denied at that time. McNamee told the board that he needs a 14^th deputy so that the schools in our region can have a school resource officer if they request one.

The New London Community School district currently employs deputy Lopez on a part time basis, in which they cover part of his salary. Due to the overwhelming success of the school resource officer, New London schools have approved taking Deputy Lopez as a full-time resource officer next year. Winfield-Mt. Union would like a part time SRO for the coming school year as well.

According to McNamee, the benefits of an SRO speak for themselves. The call volume from the school in New London are now a third of what they were in September 2023. The SRO also provides training for students and staff alike. One way to fund a School Resource Officer would be through the Cops Fast grant. This would see 100% reimbursement of that deputies salary in the first year, 75% the following, and a 25% decrease each year after.

With budget cuts coming to the county, Sheriff McNamee told the room that we cannot sacrifice our students to save a penny. He brought up the Perry school shooting which occurred in January.

His request for an additional deputy was not approved nor denied on Tuesday’s meeting, but rather pushed to next Tuesday at 10:15am. The supervisors would like to speak with the legislators to garner more information before they make a decision.

If you see a large presence of law enforcement and first responders in New London today, there is a good chance it is just a drill. Operation Prom is being held for New London High School students, which will include an accident scene. This is in hope that the students will understand the dangers of drinking and driving, and therefore deter them from even thinking about doing so.

Students will be part of a simulated accident and emergency response, providing a hands-on experience of the potential consequences of risky behaviors. As well as students and law enforcement, medical personnel, firefighters, life flight crews, and funeral home representatives will be on-site to interact with students.

The training will focus on smart decision-making, safety, and understanding the consequences of choices made during celebratory events.

Operation Prom is designed to create awareness and foster responsible decision-making among our teens during prom season. A way for parents to get involved is by supporting your teen’s participation and discussing the importance of responsible choices.

Some of the material may be graphic in nature since it will be a simulated accident scene.

Governor Reynolds issued the following statement on Senate passage of HF 2612 to reform Iowa’s Area Education Agencies, improve special education outcomes, and raise teacher salaries for new and experienced teachers:

“Today’s vote by the Senate sends a strong message: every Iowa student deserves a world class education, and the compensation of every Iowa teacher should reflect the importance of their role.

“Over the last several weeks, this bill has been the focus of much discussion and debate. Change is seldom easy, but it is necessary to achieve better results. Reforming the AEA system creates accountability, transparency, consistency, and most importantly, better outcomes for all Iowa’s students.

“I look forward to the work ahead to implement this bill and the possibilities it holds for Iowa’s students.”