TheSacNews.com: Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Auburn, Iowa Mayor Linda Beildler solicited behind the scenes comments from all Auburn councilors, lips stay zipped

MAY 25, 2011

last week, I asked Auburn, Iowa mayor Linda Beidler to comment on how she felt about the ethics of basically conducting a city council meeting via email. Beidler has chosen not to comment.

As a result, I now have to find out for you what the Auburn City Councilors are discussing without posting proper and legal notice via the official route. Following is the Freedom of Information Act Request I sent to the Auburn City office on May 25, 2011 at 3:11PM.

To: cityofauburn@iowatelecom.net
From: thesacnews@yahoo.com
Cc:dalib@iowatelecom.net, bunzlaw@mmctsu.com
Subject: FOIA request for "Confidential Comments"

Nancy or Linda,
In notes to the council, and at the May Auburn City Council meeting, there were public records referred to by the mayor as "Confidential Comments" that are clearly part of the deliberative process under Iowa's open meeting laws.

This email is a request under Iowa's Freedom of Information Act to obtain copies of

1. Those specific communications between Mayor Beidler and the members of the Auburn City Council referred to as "Confidential Comments" at the may 16, 2011 city council meeting.

2. Any archived communications between Mayor Beidler and members of the Auburn City Council from the dates April 1, 2011 and may 25, 2011.

Please keep in mind that metadata attached to electronic communications is considered part of the record.

As you are aware under Iowa code, if you reject this request, you are required to do so in writing indicating the reason why you are refusing to fulfill this request.

As it is in the public interest to view the deliberative process of our government, I would like to request that any fee that you may charge to fulfill this request be waived.

If you choose to refuse to fulfill this Freedom of Information Act Request, please save both of us the expense of mailing the rejection. Instead just drop me a free to you email letting me know the rejection is ready, and I will pick up a copy in person.

If, for some reason,the volume of communications regarding this topic are so voluminous, that you will not be able to fulfill this FOIA request within ten days, I would appreciate it if you would drop me a line letting me know how long you think it may take.

Thank you,
Curtis Bloes
TheSacNews.com

A copy of this email is now on record at the Auburn, Iowa city office should you wish to verify that it was sent

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Got something to Ask the Gov?

Governor Branstad is getting ready to tape his weekly "Ask the Gov" segment right now and they are taking your questions at https://governor.iowa.gov/ask-the-gov/

This was my question for the Gov:
"All across Iowa, small towns and counties are required to waste tens of thousands of dollars per year posting legal notices in weekly newspapers, thus limiting their ability to move quickly and forcing them to occasionally "fudge" on Iowa's open meeting laws.

When is Iowa going to join the 21st century, mothball the antiquated thinking behind the concept of a "Newspaper of Record", and start allowing governmental entities to post their notices on the websites that our taxes already maintain?"

What is yours?

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Is Mayor Barb Powell about to allow a ban on open burning in Sac City, Iowa?

By Curtis Bloes
Full Disclosure: I am the son of the gentleman who married Mayor Powell.

According to a conversation that took place at the May 23, 2011 Sac City Council meeting, a total ban on burning in Sac City, Iowa could very easily have three votes on the Sac City, Council...

When this council came on in 2008, it was with the mandate by the voters to reinstate limited open burning. It now seems that councilors Bill Brenny and Jim Johnston will vote to ban open burning should a motion be made.

Which way would Gary Hansen vote?

Check out this video and watch as your ability to burn your own yard waste takes the first step towards becoming a memory...

It's important to keep in mind that Mayor Barb Powell has the ultimate say in this matter. If the council votes to ban open burning, she has the ability to veto that vote and force the council to make a 4/5ths vote to overturn her veto. Should the Mayor choose to put an ordinance banning open burning on the council agenda for a vote, and then not veto it should it pass, you now know which State Farm insurance agent is responsible for taking away open burning from the citizens of Sac City, Iowa.

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Ethanol subsidy phaseout is necessary, Pawlenty says

What once would have been considered a bold, even politically suicidal, call to do away with ethanol subsidies has become the position of some...

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Notice of Death - Ruth M. Steele

Ruth M. Steele
October 02, 1916 - May 23, 2011
Early, IA

Visitation: 4:00 - 8:30 P.M. with the family present from 6:00 - 8:30 P.M. Wednesday, May 25, 2011 at Farber & Otteman Funeral Home , Sac City, IA
Funeral Service: 10:30 A.M. Thursday, May 26, 2011 at United Methodist Church, Early, IA
Interment: May 26, 2011 at Early Union Cemetery, Early, IA

Ruth M. Steele, age 94, of Early died Monday at Methodist Manor in Storm Lake, IA.

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Passed Away - Faye Kiger

Faye Kiger

December 19, 1914 - May 23, 2011

Wall Lake, IA

Marie Faye Kiger, 96, of Wall Lake, Iowa, passed away on Monday, May 23, 2011 at Twilight Acres Nursing Home in Wall Lake. At mother’s request she has been cremated and no public funeral will be held. She will be buried in Westlawn Memory Gardens in Topeka, KS. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to The American Heart Association or The American Cancer Society.

Faye was born December 19, 1914, in Clyde, KS, the youngest of four children born to Roy Henry Hoag and Estella (Bowersox) Hoag. On April 2, 1932, Marie Faye Hoag married Fay Archibald Smith in Concordia, KS. To this union was born seven children: Gene, Dixie, Roy, Phyllis, Gib, Jackie, and Roger. They divorced several years later. Faye later married Hank “Henry” Thomas on March 6, 1947. He passed away February 15, 1952. On September 26, 1952, Faye married Royce “Shorty” Kiger. He passed away on February 13, 1982.

Faye worked several years for Ohse’s Meat Company until the business was sold. After leaving Ohse’s, she worked in the dietary department for the Methodist Home until she retired. Faye moved to Boone, IA in the late 1980’s where her daughter Dixie and family lived. Dixie and Bob later moved to Lake View, IA and at this time Faye moved into a senior retirements apartment in Lake View. In May 2007, Faye had a stroke and moved to Twilight Acres in Wall Lake, IA. After the passing of her oldest daughter, Dixie, Faye’s family was very blessed to have Bob close by and very willing to check on her.

Faye was a wonderful mother and loved her family unconditionally. She was an individual who had a strong Christian faith. It didn’t matter if you needed help or someone to talk with, she was always ready to help and always ready to listen. Faye and Dixie were great “sounding boards” for the family when things became difficult, they would always listen, were never judgmental and did not offer to settle your problems for you, they only gave advice if asked. Those are rare qualities to have and we will miss that special connection with her. Faye will be sadly miss by all who knew and loved her.

Faye was preceded in death by her parents, brothers: Dale and Kenneth Hoag; sister Eva Thompson; brother-in-law Elmer Thompson; sisters-in-law: Vera and Kathryn Hoag; husbands: Fay Archibald, Henry “Hank” Thomas and Royce “Shorty” Kiger; sons: Roy Thorton on November 12, 1986 and Gene Smith on January 29, 2000; daughter Dixie Howell on January 14, 2008; son-in-law Bill Couch on February 5, 2009; grandchildren: Kevin Couch on April17, 1969, Michelle Burgan, Ronnie Smith, Sheryl Burgoon on February 1, 2009, and Randy Smith in 2010. She is survived by her daughters: Phyllis Couch of Topeka, KS and Jackie (Allan) Branine of Manitou Springs, CO; sons: Gib (Kay) Burgan of Moundridge, KS and Roger Laubaugh of Lawrence, KS; son-in-law Bob Howell of Lake View, IA; daughter-in-law Juanita Smith of Rich Hill, TX; 19 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; 14 great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

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Golfers Edge East Sac County For District Runner-Up Honors

EAST SAC COUNTY

Emmetsburg's E-Hawks went into Friday's Class 2A District Golf meet at Storm Lake with high hopes, and a realistic...

Full Story

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Sac City council renews commitment to supporting Sac community center

SAC CITY, IOWA - MAY 23, 2011

For the last several years the City of Sac City and the East Sac County school have been involved in a 28E agreement regarding the SAC community center in which the city provides $30,000 for its support and the school provides $15,000 for its support.

On May 23, 2011 the Sac City council voted to continue to participate in that 28E agreement.

Following is a copy of that agreement.

052311sccdoc0003

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The Sac City Iowa city council reviews and amends the 2010-2011 budget

SAC CITY, IOWA – MAY 23, 2011

Following are the notes to which Sac City Administrator Adam Ledford refers during the following discussion:
052311sccdoc0001

BARB POWELL
Thank you. Item number three, public hearing. Now is the time and place for a public hearing to discuss the budget amendment for fiscal year 2010, 2011.

Adam, have you had any written or oral comments about item “A”?

ADAM LEDFORD
No I have not.

BARB POWELL
Are there any additional questions or comments at this time?

BILL BRENNY
From my understanding these are just pretty much routine adjustments [UNINTELLIGIBLE]

ADAM LEDFORD
Right-

BARB POWELL
Same thing from last meeting.

ADAM LEDFORD
Right, it has a lot to do- the bulk, about $550,000 of it is passed through on both the revenue and the expense side of FAA funds for Airport projects and HUD funds for the housing project. [UNINTELLIGIBLE] that only leaves about $168,000 left. Of that $168,000 theres- it’s spread over the different funds sources. There’s someone there for instance, the rollover of the police truck, the rollover of the playground equipment from last year’s budget. And then there were things associated, for instance, there’s been trees forever. We ended up getting some private grants and some grant- commercial grants larger than we expected so it includes the anticipation that those will come [UNINTELLIGIBLE] as well.

BILL BRENNY
Just a question. In your notes that you’ve given the council, under public works you mentioned that there’s adjustment includes the minimum of $14,000 of I-JOBS grants from the state that must be used by the end of the fiscal year could include an additional $10,000 as well.

Al
Um hmm. We’ve received through the I-JOBS program- we’ve received $14,000 during the previous fiscal year. You have a two year limit on using up that money, and then in this fiscal year we received an additional roughly $10,000 in I-JOBS money, so that’s why I make the statement that this year, before the end of the year, we would be including $14,000 of that I-JOBS in our money.

Most of that about 10- actually roughly $11,000 of that $14,000 was used toward the road upgrades that were done by the road doctors of fort dodge that came in here and did a lot of repairs on our- all our work.

BILL BRENNY
You know, and the reason I ask that-

BARB POWELL
[UNINTELLIGIBLE]

BILL BRENNY
Pardon?

BARB POWELL
No go ahead. I’m not interrupting. Go ahead.

BILL BRENNY
That money- we’ve had some communication with Dee Whunchel on the Whunchel Building, which, we haven’t come to any conclusion there. And could any of that money be used in the dealing with that-

ADAM LEDFORD
IJOBS money specifically has to be used for transportation purposes.

BILL BRENNY
Okay Alright, thank you.
BARB POWELL
Any other discussions, questions? I’d entertain a motion to close the public hearing to discuss budget amendment for fiscal year 2010 to 2001.

JIM JOHNSANDY TELLINGHUISENON
I make a motion to close the hearing.

BILL BRENNY
I’ll second it

[Sandy Tellinghuisen performs a roll call vote, all ayes, motion passes.]

Without further comment the council then unanimously approved resolution 2011-05 amending the 2010 – 2011 City of Sac City budget. Following is that resolution:
052311sccdoc0002

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