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Sac County Supervisors Have a Chat


The Sac County Supervisors Meeting came to order at 10:00AM on Tuesday, October 27, 2009. Rick Hecht welcomed visitors. The minutes of the October 20, 2009 meeting were approved and the proposed agenda was approved.


There being no business, updates about a number of topics ensued:

Jim Dowling said that he was getting ready for the election.

Jack Bensley noted that the Vet’s Memorial is coming along with Dean Stock confirming that there will be a sidewalk leading to it from the north. Media inquired as to what the trench that was dug the previous week was for, (electrical lines for lights, etc)

Regarding the Conservation Center at Hagge Park, Dean Stock noted that the windows and doors are in but that the roof is not finished. It is at the plywood and tar paper stage.

According to Dean Stock, no progress has been made on the Rail Trail due to the rain.

Jim Dowling reported that he had had no contact from the State of Iowa regarding what cuts may be coming.

Rick Hecht reviewed the Sac County Engineer’s reported pointing out that the county zoning signs were all installed at the edges of the county on all hard surface roads.

Rick Hecht relayed the information that the Sac County Engineer was attending a safety workshop in Storm Lake and wouldn’t be attending the meeting.

The meeting adjourned setting a new quickest time record of 5 minutes, 11 seconds.

Sac County Claims Register Report for October 20, 2009

Sac County Claims for October 20, 2009 p01
Sac County Claims for October 20, 2009 p02
Sac County Claims for October 20, 2009 p03
Sac County Claims for October 20, 2009 p04
Sac County Claims for October 20, 2009 p05
Sac County Claims for October 20, 2009 p06
Sac County Claims for October 20, 2009 p07
Sac County Claims for October 20, 2009 p08







Sac City, FAA spend $12,160.95 at the Airport

The Sac City Council voted, Monday, to pay the following bill from Kimrey Electric for work they did installing the PAPI’s and wind cone at the Sac City Municipal Airport in the amount of $12,160.95. Of that amount $11,553 was paid by the Federal Aviation Administration and $627.95 was paid from other sources generally originating with the taxpayers from the Sac City general fund.
October 26, 2009 Kimrey Bill

Sac City Passes through 53K in CDBG money for Housing Rehab Program


The following bill was presented to the Sac City Council by the Region XII Council of Governments for the cost of work completed on the Sac City Housing Rehab Program. There are three different properties to which this amount will be applied. Of those three properties, two are considered rehabilitated and one still needs more work.


According to information put out at the meeting two other properties are still in the beginning stages

The Sac City Council approved paying the bill on October 26, 2009 utilizing a Community Development Block Grant for the full amount.

October 26, 2009 COG Bill

Sac City loses an alley, gains bigger garage

map

On October 26, 2009 The McKeevers appeared before the Sac City Council to ask them to solve a problem with the alley that runs through their property.

The McKeevers own about one city block. Their house sits on one side of the block, and their garage sits on the other side of the block. Mr. McKeever applied for a permit to expand the size of his garage, but was denied that permit because it was discovered that an alley ran through the middle of the block underneath the area where he wanted to expand the garage.

The first proposed way around the problem was to build a garage that sits on the other side of the block and doesn’t extend out onto the alley. Unfortunately there is a Sac City zoning ordinance that does not allow accessory buildings to go up on a non-adjacent property or across the alley in this case. (See non scale roughly copied map above) the existing garage was grandfathered in with the creation of the “non-adjacent’ law, but a garage with a new footprint is not allowed.

The alley is apparently going to be vacated and sold to the McKeevers, but that is a process that will take several months, and the couple wanted to start building immediately. The Sac City Council is the only body in town with the authority to grant them the right to build on a non-adjacent property, thus the real reason for their evening’s visit with the city council.

Before moving to approve the permit, Councilman Brian Muska brought up another very valid side point. Upon learning that the McKeevers had been maintaining the alley as a lawn for the last 23 years, he suggested that they should not even have to pay to buy the property from the city.

Without addressing whether they would just give the property to the McKeevers, the city council enthusiastically granted them a permit to start building their garage on the non-adjacent property immediately.

Sac Community Center Pool Inspection Report

SCRC pool inspection results
Remarks (Mostly) Unmangled

D: deck needs painting
A6: pressure gauge is to high on sand filter tanks
need chemical sign on the back door
leaking on the suction side of pump (bubbles xxxx)
E9 : Need VCB covers - need new pool covers in side chains (on wall)
E9 : Air gap is needed on backward drain pipe
C4 : depth marker is missing + markers for 4' foot not there. needs to mark every ft to 5'
b8: Pool needs to be vacuumed - xxxx xxxx (gray fuss?) -needs to use proper pool equipment
B2 : water is out of balance

October 2009 Sac City Water Department Head Report

October Water Department Head Report

October 2009 SCPD Department Head Report

All people accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.The disposition of all cases are subject to change without notice.This document is a public record, and is freely available for inspection at the Sac County Courthouse.Comments about people accused of crimes are not allowed unless you use your real name.October 2009 SCPD Department Head Report

Crime - owcr011533

All people accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.The disposition of all cases are subject to change without notice.This document is a public record, and is freely available for inspection at the Sac County Courthouse.Comments about people accused of crimes are not allowed unless you use your real name.owcr011533

Crime - owcr011532

All people accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.The disposition of all cases are subject to change without notice.This document is a public record, and is freely available for inspection at the Sac County Courthouse.Comments about people accused of crimes are not allowed unless you use your real name.owcr011532

Crime smcr011531


All people accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.The disposition of all cases are subject to change without notice.This document is a public record, and is freely available for inspection at the Sac County Courthouse.Comments about people accused of crimes are not allowed unless you use your real name.smcr011531

Traffic Court - 10/22/09 to 10/28/09

All people in this list have been ffound or
have pled guilty to these charges on or
between the dates of October 22, 2009
and October 28, 2009.

6-10 OVER IN A 55 MPH ZONE

Michael Patrick McNamara, Galena MO
Katrina Bree Person, Sioux City IA
Vicki Ann Luy, Early IA
Perry Marc Nelson, Shoreview MN
Josh Steinbrecher, Ames IA
Wesley Scott Ridlen, Poplar Bluff MO
Sarah Jean Chandler, Dow City IA
Timothy Ray Lamaak, Lake View IA
Kathy Lynne Larson, Odebolt IA
Mason John Hansen, Missouri Valley IA
Scott Gerald Vogl, Morgan MIN
Lucinda M. Rawls, Waterbury CT
Nancy Jean Zubrod, Merrill IA
Ronald J. Hagerty, Epworth IA
Dennis Keith Jorgensen, Sioux City IA
Brian T. Galvin, Omaha NE
Julia Evelyn Anderson, Granite Falls MN
Kiel Lloyd Kello, Bainbridge Island State Not Available
Christopher Janssen, Auburn IA
Kyle Joshua Rosauer, Sac City IA
Shannon Gerard Kropp, Mason City IA
Brette Nicole Manthe, Merrill IA
David Lester Bonfantine, Carmichael CA
Harrison Stanley Kibombo, Waverly IA
Matthew Allen Theilen, Nashua IA

6-10 OVER IN A 35 MPH ZONE
Nicole R. Kissner, Milan IL

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH SAFETY REG.RULES
Zeljko Maric, Waterloo IA
Saulius Macenis, Oaklawn IL
Brian Joseph Dittmer, Lacona IA
Donald R. Walter, South Bend IN
Mark Jelto Pruismann, Webster City IA

FAIL TO MAINTAIN SAFETY BELTS
Frankie Leroy Peterson, Newell IA
David Edwin Edge, Humboldt IA
Dan Joseph Ludwig, Lake City IA
Bret William Crabb, Sac City IA
Larry J. Bellcock, Sac City IA
Stacy Allen Daisy, Sac City IA

OPERATION W/O REGISTRATION
Dan Joseph Ludwig, Lake City IA

FAIL TO DISPLAY REGISTRATION PLATE
Michael Werneburg, Schaller IA
Jason Jimmie Groll, Good Thunder MN

11-15 OVER IN A 55 MPH ZONE
Sandra Sue Schmitt. Wall Lake IA
Edward Harold Morisch, Spencer IA

FAIL TO OBEY STOP OR YIELD SIGN
Jeremy Ryan Robely, Early IA
Stephen Robert Troja, Grimes IA

OPERATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE WITH EXPIRED LICENSE
Suzanne R. Shell, Schaller IA

MAX. HOURS OF SERVICE VIOLATION
Saulius Macenis, Oaklawn IL
Jason Jimmie Groll, Good Thunder MN

FAIL TO DISPLAY IDENTIFICATION
Jason Jimmie Groll, Good Thunder MN

EXCESSIVE LENGTH
Timothy M. Drapak, Darien IL

DARK WINDOW/WINDSHIELD
Justin Claude Gross, Marcus IA

UNSAFE PASSING
Yusuf O. Dawody, Sioux City IA

MAX. GROSS WEIGHT VIOLATION
Kenneth A. Sorensen, Pocahontas IA

FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE
Karen B. Floresmarin, Denison IA

16-20 OVER IN A 55 MPH ZONE
Jeffery Lee Utesch, Sioux City IA
Yusuf O. Dawody, Sioux City IA

FAIL TO HAVE A VALID DL
Jade A Newman, Dunlap IA

1-5 OVER IN A 55 MPH ZONE
Jordan David Lill, Grand Forks ND

11-15 OVER IN A 25 MPH ZONE
Matthew R. Horstmann, Sutherland IA



Sac City Council Call to Order


Mayor Barb Powell called the Sac City Council to order on October 26, 2009 will Jim Johnston, Brian Muska, Bill Brenny, Jim Frederick, and Gary Hansen present. Also in attendance were City Administrator Adam Ledford, and City Clerk Sandy Tellinghuisen, Chief of Police John Thomsen, two members of the media, and six citizens.


Mayor Powell welcomed visitors, and reminded everyone present that they were welcome to speak at any point during the discussion of items on the agenda. She also pointed out that there was an opportunity for citizens to address the council on items not on the agenda.

The Agenda was amended to remove the appointments of Norman Lewman and Marilyn Wilhelm to the Sac City Fine Arts Council due to the timing. Typically, those appointments are made at the first City Council meeting of the year.

Also removed from the agenda was a discussion about the William Nolan properties due to there being no new information regarding those properties. At the October 12, 2009 Sac City Council meeting, it was decided by the council that they would like to have direct contact with Mr. Nolan, and no such direct contact was achieved. The agenda was approved without further discussion

The Minutes of the October 12, 2009 Sac City Council meeting and the Receipts and Disbursements were approved without comment.

October 30, 2009 FOIA Request Refusal

October 30, 2009 Freedom of information Request refusal

October 2009 Sac City Gas Department Head Report

October2009  Gas Department Head Report

September 2009 Library Department Head Report

October 2009 Library Deapartment Head Report p1
October 2009 Library Deapartment Head Report p2

October 2009 Sac City Maintenance Department Head Report

October 2009 Maintenance Department Head Report

Oct Sac Community Center income-expense report

Oct Sac Community Center income-exspense report p1
Oct Sac Community Center income-exspense report p2

October Elementary Principal's Report

Oct 19 2009 Elementary Report p1
Oct 19 2009 Elementary Report p2

H1N1 Vaccination Clinic Scheduled


Sac County Health Services has scheduled an H1N1 Influenza Vaccination Clinic to be held at their office located at the Courthouse Annex at 116 South State Street in Sac City on Thursday, November 5 from 2:00 – 6:00 pm. This clinic will be by appointment only. This clinic will be available for persons in the following target groups:


-  Pregnant women,
-  Persons who live with or provide care for infants younger than 6 months (e.g. parents, siblings, and daycare providers),
-  Anyone age 6 months – 24 years of age

There is no charge for the H1N1 influenza vaccination. Please call 712-662-4785 or 800-967-3984 to schedule an appointment or if you have any questions regarding vaccination. As more vaccine becomes available in the future, vaccination target groups will expand to include a broader range of people.

High School Quiz Bowl Teams Takes 2nd Place

October 28, 2009 - ESC press release

Left to right: Sebastian N, Abbie W, Cade H and Stephen S

by Abbie W.
October 17th, a Saturday morning, started out early for Mrs. Stock, Sebastian N, Cade H, Stephen S, and myself, Abbie W as we took off for the Bishop Garrigan High School Quiz Bowl in Algona. The day started out like any normal quiz bowl would. There were four rounds of tough questions before lunch.

The first round went great as we beat the other team by 110 points at 10 points per question. The second, third, and fourth rounds were a little closer, but we still came out on top in first place. We had won all four-morning rounds, and when we came back from lunch, we found that we had made it to the fifth round. Not only that, but we were the second top competitor right underneath Algona 1. You would never expect them to be, but the 5th and 6th rounds were very intense. But the last round was the most intense as were competing for 1st place.

The day ended with Algona 1 beating us and taking 1st and leaving 2nd place for us, but that was just fine considering there were 54 teams competing!



November 2, 2009 Sac City Planning and Zoning Meeting Agenda

November 2, 2009 Planning and Zoning Agenda



Related story...

Minutes of the October 6, 2009 PLAEA special meeting

Iowa Core Curriculum presentation emphasizes ways teaching must change


When the October 19, 2009 Joint School Board meeting reached an item named “Iowa Core Curriculum” on the agenda Julie Meyer, a ¾ time middle school social studies teacher with East Sac County Schools presented to the boards and those assembled a couple of videos that she found on the web. The following is the text of the first video, entitled “Did you know?” (WARNING; both of these videos are a little late 2008ish and don’t contain all of the new technology that has been developed or embraced over the course of the last year. Both make the point regarding the disconnect between the US and the world, and between the generations in the US.)



- If you’re 1 in a million in China, there are 1,300 people just like you
- China will soon become the number one English speaking country in the world
- The 25% of India with the highest I.Q. is greater than the entire population of the United States. TRANSLATION: India has more Honors kids than America has kids.
- The top 10 in demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 2004.
- We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet, using technology that doesn’t exist yet to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.
- The US Department of Labor estimates that today’s learner will have 10-14 jobs by the age of 38.
- 1 in 4 workers has been with their current employer for less than a year. 1 in 2 has been there less than 5 years
- 1 out of 8 couples married in the US last year met online.
- There are over 200 million users registered on MySpace. If MySpace were a country it would be the 5th largest in the world, (between Indonesia and Brazil).
- The number 1 ranked country in broadband internet penetration is Bermuda. #19 the United Sates. #22 Japan
- We are living in exponential times
- There are 31 billion searches on Google every month. In 2006 this number was 2.7 billion. To whom were these questions addressed before Google?
- The first commercial text message was sent in December of 1992. Today the number of text messages sent every day exceeds the total population of the planet.
- Years it took to reach a market audience of 50 million: Radio, 38 years… TV, 13 years… Internet, 4 years… IPod, 3 years… Face Book, 2 years…
- The number of internet devices in 1984 was 1,000… in 1992, 1,000,000… in 2008, 1,000,000,000
- There about 540,000 words in the English language, about 5X as many as during Shakespeare’s time.
- It is estimated that a weeks worth of the New York Times contains more information than a person was likely to come across in a lifetime in the 18th century.
- It is estimated that 4 exabytes, (4.0 X 10^19) will be generated this year. That is more than the previous 5000 years.
- The amount of new technical information is doubling every 2 years… for students starting a 4 year technical degree this means that half of what they learn in the first year will be outdated by the time of their third year of study
- NTT of Japan has successfully tested a fiber optic cable that pushes 14 trillion bits per second down a single strand of fiber. That is 2,660 CDs or 210 million phone calls every second. It is currently tripling every 6 months and is expected to do so for the next 20 years.
- By 2013 the supercomputer will be built that exceeds the computational capabilities of the human brain. Predictions are that by 2049, a $1,000 computer will exceed the computational capabilities of the entire human species.
- During the course of this presentation 67 babies were born in the US, 274 babies were born in China, 395 babies were born in India and 694,000 songs were downloaded illegally
- So what does it all mean?

The second video was entitled, “The vision of K-12 Students Today” and it followed the same sort of format. The second video was a series of school children holding up placards with facts on them. The following is the text of that video:

- Students will use engaging technologies in collaborative, inquiry based learning environments with teachers who are willing and able to use technology’s power to assist them in transforming knowledge and skills into products, solutions, and new information.
- I am a 21st Century learner.
- I game 3 ½ hours per week.
- I will spend 16 ½ hours watching TV this week.
- 5 ½ hours on the computer.
- 2 hours reading a book.
- I listened to 5 ½ hours of Harry potter on my IPod this week.
- We expect to be able to create, consume, remix, and share information with each other.
- My parents use e-mail.
- I text
- …instant message
- I Blog
- 76% of my teachers have never used Wikis, Blogs, or Podcasts.
- At least once a week 14% of my teachers let me create something with new technology. 63% never do.
- 61% of my reading teachers never use digital storytelling software.
- We learn by doing. What are we learning just sitting here?
- How do you learn?
- What kind of education would you want me to have if I were your son or daughter?
- By the year 2016, the largest English speaking country will be China!
- There are more honor students in China, then there are people in North America, but only half of us will graduate from high school. [At this point several kids hold up signs that say, “Will I?”]
- I will have 14 jobs before I am 38 years old. Most of those jobs do not exist today
- [Student holds up list of spelling drills written on notebook paper] How will this help me?
- [Student holds up digital camera] How could this help me?
- [Student wears an IPod] Or this?
- [Student sits at laptop] Or this?
- Teach me to think, to create, to analyze, to evaluate, to apply.
- Teach me to think.
- Let me use the WWW (Whatever, Whenever, Wherever).
- Let me tell a story digitally.
- Engage me, we are digital learners.

Ms. Meyer finished her presentation emphasizing that in order to be successful, students will have to be taught to weave together the core subjects with 21st century interdisciplinary skill sets such as literacy in the disciplines of technology, health, financial management, employability and civic literacy.

...in other Sac City Council Business


The following items were discussed or decided on October 26, 2009.


Norman Lewman was appointed to the Fine Arts Council to fill the unexpired term of Ron Nelson.

According to City Administrator Adam Ledford, he has received some hesitancy from the entities named at the October 12, 2009 Sac City Council meeting, in regards to the establishment of a City Public Health Officer. He did seem hopeful that at least two of the entities discussed at the previous meeting were interested in serving in that capacity but did not name them.

According to Mayor Barb Powell, she and Mr. Ledford attended the Northwest Iowa league conference in Spencer Iowa. Apparently the conference did not offer the Mayor anything she could use in terms of governing Sac City, BUT the Mayor did say that she discovered a wonderful little club house adjacent to a golf course that was built with volunteer labor.


City Administrator Adam Ledford brought back information a little more useful than our Mayor, (not that I don’t like golfing) saying that he discovered a town that is going to be bypassed by highway 60. They have apparently discovered a cheaper alternative to full annexation and he promised to share a full report with the council at a later date.

According to Councilman Jim Frederick, his Waste Water department, (to which he is the city council’s liaison,) met with a potential bidder for the Waste Water Treatment Plant that will be cheaper than the current estimate. According to Mr. Frederick, the details aren’t worked out yet.

There was a meeting on the morning of October 20th with 25 potential bidders for the Waste Water Treatment plant rebuild. Some concern was expressed by those contractors regarding the “buy American” clause attached to the stimulus money.

According to Councilman Bill Brenny, the fire board is trying to bang out another 28E agreement and is again experiencing difficulty with the Wall Lake Township. He said that he thinks those difficulties, which primarily involved a perception of disproportionate fees, have been resolved and that the 28E will be passed at the next Fire Board meeting.

According to Mr. Frederick, the park board will now switch its focus from the Chautauqua building to updating playground equipment in City Park. They will attempt a community fundraiser to finance building a core playground that they can then expand on every time they find more money with which to do so.

The Planning and Zoning Board is planning to host a training forum on specific zoning issues facing Sac City. The training will take place on December 2, 2009 at 6:30 PM in the city council chambers. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE TIME AND DATE FOR THIS MEETING IS NOT FIRM. It will be finalized at the November 2, 2009 Planning and Zoning meeting


Because it is a training that deals with specific Sac City business, all of the open meeting requirements will have to be met, UNLESS the members of the Sac City Planning and Zoning Board continue to act in the usual underhanded way that has become a trademark of that institution and show up in less than quorum numbers with the intention of “passing the information on” to the other members so that they can keep what they discuss a secret.


Mr. Ledford asked that the members of the City Council RSVP the event in the case that THEY have a quorum interested so that they can comply with Iowa’s open meeting laws.

Other groups that were invited and will have to post agendas and minutes should they attend are the Sac County Supervisors, the County Planning and Zoning board and Board of Adjustment, the City Board of Adjustment.

Mr. Ledford asked that the finance committee begin to meet next month to start working on initial budget plans.

Mr. Ledford reminded the members of the council that the sac City Library turned 20 years old in September.

According to Mayor Powell, the new director of the Sac Community Center (whose name she did not mention, [Chelsea Bengford… ed]) is due to begin on November 2, 2009. She has apparently had experience working in the area of “heart rehab”. Said Mayor Powell, “I’m looking for cooperative efforts with different areas of our community.” Apparently Director Bengford is interested in initiating an after-school exercise program.

Crime xxxx011535

All people accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
The disposition of all cases are subject to change without notice.
This document is a public record, and is freely available for inspection at the Sac County Courthouse.
Comments about people accused of crimes are not allowed unless you use your real name.

Crime 35 p1
crime 35 p2
crime 35 p3

City given zoning map it can approve


The public hearing for the new proposed Zoning Map was held on October 12, 2009. All of the concerned parties were present, including the full Sac City Council, Mayor, City Administrator, one Planning and Zoning board member, and the property owners whose properties are affected.

Other than City Administrator Adam Ledford noting that there were no written or oral communications prior to the hearing, the hearing opened and closed to the sound of approving silence. The City Council passed the first reading of ordinance 2009 – 214 entitled “An ordinance establishing a zoning map for the incorporated City of Sac City, Sac County, Iowa” (see below)

The second of three readings of this ordinance will take place at the November 9, 2009 Sac City Council meeting.

Zoning Map Resolution

Some thoughts regarding this entire process:

1. This map was the subject of two years of controversy caused mainly by the Sac City Planning and Zoning board’s inability to communicate effectively with the public. (They did not, in FACT, communicate at all with the public and there is some question about whether the affected property owners would have even known that a big change was coming had the City Administrator not directly mailed a letter to those property owners… a duty that should be the Planning and Zoning board’s responsibility, not the City Administrator’s.)

2. The reappointment of president of the Sac City Planning and Zoning Board, Shirley Phillips is up for consideration on January 2, 2010.

Because of the actions of the planning and zoning board under her guidance, this entire process was a much nastier than it needed to be. Had Shirley Phillips made it a point to get all of the affected landowners involved with this project two years ago, she would have saved all of us time and money, and Sac City would have had an updated zoning map WITHOUT the affected landowners having to go through the expense of hiring a lawyer to protect their property rights.

Because of the hostility she seemed to demonstrate towards landowners when referring to the progress that was being made in negotiating an agreement on the south side of town, I feel the Sac City Council should strongly consider appointing a Planning and Zoning board member in her place who has the ability to exercise a more citizen friendly approach to Sac City’s zoning challenges. Perhaps they could appoint to the Planning and Zoning board somebody who is willing to seek guidance from Sac City’s landowners... After all, we all have to live here together.

This could actually work in favor of the City Council, reputation wise; it would lower the level of hostility undeservedly aimed at them for the last generation’s form of “governance through secrecy” which seems to be policy carried on by the Planning and Zoning Board with the current board make-up.

Interesting and informative letter from Cary Conger

This letter pertains to two charts that I provided to Curtis just for information. He asked that I write an explanation of the charts. First of all, I am a data person and like to make charts and see if they say anything.
Cary Congers data p2
Re the City Tax Rates: When I moved here in 2005, I learned in the Des Moines Register that Sac City had the 4th highest tax rate of the 948 cities in Iowa . I thought that was a disgrace. Between them, former City Administrator Jeff Fiegenschuh and current City Administrator Adam Ledford have lowered Sac City ’s taxes $3.34 per $1,000 assessed valuation which is a lot and yet Sac City still has the 12th highest tax rate of the now 949 cities in the State. I wanted to see how Sac City compares to those comparable sized cities on the population chart. As you can see, Audubon and Pocahontas are nearly in the same situation as Sac City . With the notable exception of Milford , the taxable valuations are within $17 million of Sac City ’s. Where does Sac City seem out of line with the majority of those cities? Debt levy (and even as a former Council member, I have to admit I don’t recall what for—certainly don’t see a lot of improvements being made around the City) and to some extent for Employee Benefits although three of cities even levy more for this than does Sac City.
Cary Congers data p1
Re the population chart: I was curious as to how the next five closest cities smaller and larger than Sac City located north of Interstate 80 and west of Interstate 35 compare and have compared over the past century. All the cities were growing until 1950 when Onawa reached its peak population. Three were still growing as recently as 2000. The median year for peak population was 1976 which means in general these cities as a group have been losing population for 33 years. If you look at the Sac County and its adjacent counties you will note that three of the eight counties reached their peak in 1900!!! Sac County reached its peak population in 1930 (nearly 80 years ago!). The two largest counties, Buena Vista and Carroll, reached their peak in 1960. Sac City and Sac County are right in the middle of a larger area that’s in serious trouble, population-wise. I saw the last couple of weeks in the Des Moines Register where Sac County is one of five counties with the greatest population (might have been percentage) of people age 65 and older. We’re not unique in population loss. For that matter northwest Iowa is not unique. For some reason, the western portions of all the Midwest states are losing population. Do I have an answer as to how to turn the population loss around? No, and apparently no one else does either.
I also did a chart with same comparable cities on numbers of employees and their wages. Those are eye openers. They are also too complicated in present format to share at the moment.
Cary Conger

Read Issue 71 online at scribd.com

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22005450/Issue-71