Elgin Echo (Newspaper) - January 30, 2002, Elgin, Iowa 000000 I G T 503 99? 7P 22S STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUREAU OF LIBRARY & ARCHIVE 600 E LOCUST DES MOINES IA 50319-0290 Valley Facility Study meeting The Valley Community School District Facility Study Committee plans to hold a meeting on Jan. 31 at 6:30 p.m. in the Valley Community Media At the meeting Mrs. Molumby will present the financial of the report and an architect presentation will be given by Tom A building tour will follow though individuals participating are asked to make a visit to the wrestling room located in the back of the building old Falb in Elgin between 6 p.m. and the start of the The tentative schedule for future all held at the media Feb. 7 at 6:30 Feb. 11 at 6:15 and Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. tree sales campaign begins The Fayette Soil and Water Conservation District is sponsoring its annual tree sales There are no stipulations as to who cart purchase the trees and where they are to be Orders will be accepted until April 1. Trees available this year American black black hills black blue American common Norway red osier red scotch sugar and white These species are sold in bundles of 25 and range from to $ 35. Also available are the evergreen nut tree shade tree and wildlife shurb These packages are not sold in bundles of 25 and sell for to per Potted trees are American Colorado spruce in and Norway These are sold for per If you in placing an please contact the Fayette County Soil and Water Conservation District at 422-3868 ext. 3. Editors seek true stories for Art of anthology Luther College faculty members Harley Refsal and Rachel Faldet are seeking first-hand accounts of how involvement in handcraft jewelry painting served to sustain through a difficult period or circumstance in one's The personal accounts will the basis for Healing Art of an anthology of poetry and journal The book will be introduced and edited by Refsal and more than 20 years of teaching carving courses at various art Refsal have heard countless inspiring stories and testimonials about the importance of crafts in offers he ' crafts provide activities that invite vital but rare commodities these a staff member at Luther College since 1972, teaches Norwegian language and Scandinavian folk art. He is an active a teacher of figure carving throughout the United States and Scandinavia and the author of two books and numerous articles on In 1996 he was decorated by the King government of Norway for his contributions to Norwegian folk art. a member of the English edited Stories of Healing with The book was featured on Faldet is also a Persons interested in submitting a piece to be for the can send it to Harley Luther 700 College IA 52101. Submissions are due Sept. 1,2002, and should elude a stamped & Winner of Natl News consistent winner of Iowa awards since 1993 A V AS. Mandy above on the was crowned 2002 Fayette County Beef Queen at the Fayette County Banquet and annual The new beef Megan above was also crowned at the event held last by Jeremy Reeder Lalk to Oil House seat By Jeremy Varner Jackie a Democrat from won the election for the House District 28 seat vacant when Steve Falck to join the Vilsack Republican David of rural lost the race by a mere 186 votes according to the canvassing results of Fayette and Buchanan Reeder plans to run for the new House District 18 seat this All Iowa legislative districts were redrawn last year and will take effect after the elections in Lalk was pleased with the campaign stating he not well prior to the short campaign and he the message met a lot of good Lalk stated adding that he received a lot of Lalk said he is considering running for the House District 18 seat this fall against Reeder though an announcement has not been Individuals wishing to compete for House District 18 must file with the Secretary of State between Feb. 15 and March 15. The primaries for both parties are June 4. The new House District 18 will include parts of the current House District 28 including West St. and and Arlington will vote with Clayton County and part of Delaware County for the new House District 24 Jackie Reeder's supervisor position will be filled by appointment March 1. The individual selected for the position will fill Reeder's position until the election in The supervisor will be appointed by a committee composed of County Auditor Larry County Treasurer Kyle and County Karen Interested parties should file an application form and other tion deemed useful by the applicant by 12 February 11 at the auditor's office in West Popenhagen noted a general election for the supervisor's position is Nov. 5 with the filing of nomination papers for individuals being nominated by a party beginning March 4 and ending March 27. Those who file will appear on the primary election Those seeking election should file between Aug. 5 and Aug. 28. Individuals who file will appear on the Nov. 5 general election ballot along with the partisan nominations made at the primary Popenhagen said several inquiries have already been made and that Gene has taken out papers for Initial results of the Jan. 22 election showed Reeder had 2,899 votes in the special election while Lalk had 2,718 In Fayette County Reeder had 1,736 votes and Lalk had 1,688 votes - a difference of only 48. Popenhagen stated the canvassing results for Fayette County showed Reeder with 1,744 votes and Lalk with 1,681 votes - a difference of 53 In northern Buchanan Reeder garnered 1,163 votes versus 1,030 votes with no change after the county canvassed the Lalk carried 14 of the 19 districts in Fayette County and Center which includes Dover which includes Fairfield which includes Fremont which includes Harlan which includes Jefferson which includes rural Oelwein Ward Smithfield and Windsor which includes Reeder carried the other five districts in Fayette County Auburn which includes St. Lucas and Eden which includes Alpha and and Oelwein Wards and In absentee Reeder had 640 votes and Lalk had 420. Three write-in votes were made in the two The Fayette County Board of Supervisors approved the zoning decision to allow Mac and Kathleen Duff to rezone 10.5 acres from agricultural to highway service The located between West Union and Fayette on Highway 150, approved for a Mac and Kathleen Duff have Valley support begin wage negotiations with board of education By Melissa Johnston Contract negotiations have begun at the Valley Community Schools for the 2002-2003 school At the January regular board faculty and support staff made request proposals to the The faculty proposed the board continue its efforts to keep teacher's compensation of wages and benefits at Valley at the conference The faculty also included several language issues concerning additional contract and concerning the mentoring which is a new state The support staff request proposal includes a 35c per hour increase to base pay and step movements and a increase to the base pay and step movement for bus In language the support staff is seeking longevity pay of 10c per hour after five pay incentive for unused sick days and compensation for The support staff also seeks a safety policy for reimbursements of losses and damages and leave time for employees if the absence is the result of an According to the Valley Board of Education there will be no new monies for the 2002-2003 school year because the combined factors of the cut in the state contribution of 4.3 percent to schools and the drop in enrollment of 36 students at The board proposes to freeze salaries for the faculty offering no The board will allow for step movements only for For support the board proposed a 20c per hour increase to the hourly base rates and per month to the bus There would be no step A 10c to 20* increase would be offered the instructional aides with Level I or Level II certification and up to six credit for school experience for new No changes would be made in the master contracts of either the faculty nor the support staff In the proposals made by the the targeted budget increase of the wages for employees is 1.9%. a popular combination of said Steve the attorney hired to represent the board in will stay as it is Weidner According to information pre- sented by Superintendent Cathy Molumby at the regular board the district is currently in a sound financial The solvency ratio at the end of 2001 was 12.01. The state recommended target range is between 5 and 10%. By making budget Molumby estimates the solvency ratio to remain at 9.09%. Another note of optimism offered by Molumby was that although Valley dropped 36 the enrollment projections are to increase next year and level off at just under 600 students over the next four whereas enrollment statewide is expected to continue to A concern of the district is additional changes at the state In the planning of the regular school the normal rate for allowable growth has been 4 percent for many according to Denise school business Now the discussion from the IASB Association of School is that it may be reduced to 2%. Both the support staff and the faculty representatives will be meeting with Weidner and the board representatives to work out differences on the contracts over the coming stockholders turn down Co-op merger proposition By Jeff Bradley A proposed Maynard Co-op merger failed by just 17 votes on the Valley Co-op Three hundred eleven of Valley's 458 stockholders voted with 190 voting and 121 voting The vote was over 60 percent in favor but required a two-thirds majority on both At the votes totaled 332 with votes of 64 -an 84 percent The have been exploring a merger since early last Along the way they have put together a joint venture in their feed departments and shared a grain dumping station near West Union last Manager Kent Appier has worked as a shared manager at both since early last Maynard Board President Gary Grimm said the 84% vote was very significant in showing member support for the direction the board had thought this was a good opportunity for both said had good information out to our members all through the merger talks so there wouldn't be surprises for We'll have to step back and It looked very good working with Valley and we'll respect whatever direction they decide to Grimm said that by meeting certain the merger vote with Valley would be good for 12 Valley Co-op Board President Art Matt said he was disappointed that the merger had a good response but with two-thirds it makes it pretty The Valley board met Monday but Appier said no decisions were made as to what the next step would While he said he was pleased with the greater than 50% felt the two would be a great fit and they still would be an excellent said strengths and weaknesses lined up together between departments and we would have generated of savings by putting the two companies Kent said both boards will continue to explore options and any further merger talks would be up to both He said the joint venture in the feed departments will continue but that both boards had agreed prior to the vote that they would not continue to share a Supervisors approve rezoning Duff property to highway service commerical posed using the property for a home and a lodge with 2 to 3 Neighbors have voiced concerns over a campground and other activities that would result from larger numbers of The Duffs stated they have no intention to expand beyond the 2 to 3 unit 1'' Planting in January Bob rural disced in some com stalks and planted grass and barley on some of his farmland as an He said he's never seen it so warm and this is a in a lifetime He said the ground disced in well but he was not sure whether the ground was actually warm enough for the seeds to by Jeremy
