A public hearing was held immediately prior to Spring Valley’s regular city council meeting on November 14. The hearing was the opportunity for the public to voice their opinions on five ordinances which were to be considered for revision by the council. The ordinances covered topics including: Open Burning & Recreational Fires, Addressing Reasonable Accommodations, Parking … [Read more...]
Rich Wicks
Reporter
rich@fillmorecountyjournal.com
What's an Iowegian doing writing for the Journal? That's a mystery. All
we really know is that Rich lives in Cresco (Iowa), and when he's not
working, he can often be spotted chasing his wife and kids around the
neighborhood, hollering, "Uff da, slow down!"
Mabel-Canton ACT scores rise
During the Mabel-Canton School Board meeting on November 15, all members were in attendance (Diane Wilder participated via remote technology). Also participating were Superintendent Gary Kuphal, Lisa Halverson, district secretary; and Michelle Wiedemann, principal. Two student representatives also participated. Matt McClimon, senior, and Anna Wheat, junior, spoke about … [Read more...]
Mabel water & street project plans shared
Mabel’s City Council met in regular session on November 9, with all members present, along with City Clerk Karen Larson and Bob Meirau. The council heard an update from Carson Hackett, representing Davy Engineering Company. Hackett gave a summary of the expected costs and timeline of the upcoming watermain project. Hackett shared that the overall estimated project cost is … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton to add wellness room
During the Mabel-Canton school board meeting on October 18, all members were in attendance (Traci Livingood participated via remote technology). Also participating were Superintendent Gary Kuphal, Aimee Lake, business manager; Lisa Halverson, district secretary; and Michelle Wiedemann, principal. Principal Wiedemann said that “College Week” was in full swing, with posters … [Read more...]
Kingsland adding after-school options and transportation
The Kingsland School Board met in regular session on October 17. Members present included Cindy Seabright, Maranda Emig, and Kyle Rader. Superintendent Scott Klavetter also participated. Natasha Howard was absent. “We are going to be starting after school programs, much like we did last year, starting here after MEA. So Dusty’s been working on, and is pretty much ready to … [Read more...]
Spring Valley discusses fires and rooster
Fires, noise, and a rooster were among the main discussion items during the Spring Valley city council’s regular meeting on October 10, with all council members present (Mayor Tony Archer, John Dols, Chris Danielson, Luan Ruesink, and Greg Brooks). City Clerk Deb Zimmer also participated. There was “standing room only” as roughly twenty citizens were on hand to listen and/or … [Read more...]
Kingsland Board to appoint new member
During the Kingsland School Board meeting on October 6, it was noted that board chair Jackie Horsman resigned from the board, effective September 30. Kyle Rader led the meeting, with all members present. The board discussed how to fill the board position vacated by Horsman’s resignation. Rader and Superintendent Klavetter discussed the general process and timelines. … [Read more...]
Ostrander addresses unpaid fines, fees
All members of the Ostrander Council were present when the council held their regular monthly meeting on October 4. Also participating were City Clerk Wendy Brincks, Fire Chief Jason Rice, and Maintenance Director Jeremy Runkle. No other citizens were present to speak to the council on any topics. Brincks updated the council on the status of several citizens with overdue … [Read more...]
Kingsland gym roof to be replaced in 2023
During the Kingsland School Board meeting on September 19, the board considered options for repairing the damaged roof over the gym. It was pointed out that a leak had occurred, but did not result in water reaching the gym floor. The leak was caused by a faulty patch, so that will be fixed by the company that installed the patch. The board voted to have a temporary “fix” … [Read more...]
Klavetter aims to keep Kingsland on course
The more things change, the more they stay the same. That’s an old saying that often proves true in life, and it holds a lot of truth regarding Scott Klavetter, the new superintendent at Kingsland Schools in Spring Valley. Following the retirement of Superintendent Jim Hecimovich, Klavetter was named to fill that vacancy. But Klavetter isn’t new to Kingsland, and he intends … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton to christen “Karl Urbaniak Field”
During the Mabel-Canton School Board meeting on September 20, Superintendent Gary Kuphal updated the board on the facilities project that is ongoing and nearing completion. Because September and October usually have at least a few quite warm days in store, he said there’s a possibility that temporary air conditioning units may be needed. Kuphal summarized that if such units … [Read more...]
Spring Valley hears concerns about streets project
The Spring Valley City Council held a regular meeting on September 12 with all council members present (Mayor Tony Archer, John Dols, Chris Danielson, Luan Ruesink, and Greg Brooks). City Clerk Deb Zimmer participated as well. Immediately prior to the regular council meeting, a public hearing was held on the topic of the city’s 2023 Improvement Project. Drew Weber, … [Read more...]
Mabel mourns mayor’s death
Mabel’s city council meeting on September 14 was shrouded in sorrow due to the recent death of Mayor Jim Westby. The council observed a moment of silence, followed by a statement read aloud by council member Kirsten Wyffels, who stated, “We would like to take a moment to memorialize and pay tribute to our mayor James R. Westby. Jim was a strong leader and fierce advocate for … [Read more...]
Kingsland hears options for gym roof repair
During the Kingsland School Board meeting on September 7, the board heard from Brian Miller, representing the Garland Company. Miller showed pictures from 2020 and 2021, and explained that the windstorm in 2021 partially lifted the roofing, which allowed the insulation to be shifted around, resulting in an uneven roof surface. He said this causes pooling of water, which will … [Read more...]
Mabel-Canton project nears completion
During the Mabel-Canton school board meeting on August 25, the board heard an update on the facility upgrade project that’s been ongoing throughout the summer. Due to ongoing construction, the meeting was held in Mrs. Peters’ Science Room. Superintendent Gary Kuphal summarized, “If we didn’t have any supply chain issues, we would be right on track. This is the week that it … [Read more...]