Newton Independent

Jasper County has state's third highest unemployment rate

By PETER HUSSMANN

Jasper County recorded the third highest unemployment rate in the state in June at 9.1 percent, a full percentage point higher than the level recorded in May.

Only the southeast Iowa counties of Lee (10.1 percent) and Henry (9.4 percent) had higher unemployment rates, the Iowa Workforce Development Department reported today.

While Jasper County's unemployment rate jumped above 9 percent, it is still below levels recorded earlier in the year. The rates from January through April were 9.8 percent, 9.6 percent, 9.5 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively. In June 2009, Jasper County's jobless rate stood at 7.6 percent.

Iowa's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for June remained at 6.8 percent compared to 6.0 percent the year before. The national jobless rate in June fell to 9.5 percent from 9.7 percent in May.

Workforce Development officials said hiring in June at both the state and national levels was affected by the government's cutting of temporary Census workers and weak consumer spending.

"The June nonfarm employment figure is higher than one year ago, indicating some progress has been made toward a recovery," said Elisabeth Buck, director of Iowa Workforce Development. "Iowa is headed in the right direction, but hiring will need to gain strength to substantially lower the state's unemployment rate."

The statewide statistics showed that both the total number of unemployed and employed in Iowa dropped in June. The total number of unemployed fell to 113,600 from 114,800 in May. In June 2009, the total number of unemployed stood at 99,500.

The number of working Iowans dropped in June to 1,567,100 from 1,571,600 the month before. A year ago the number of working Iowans stood at 1,572,400.

Iowa's nonfarm employment figure for June fell 3,600, the first decline of 2010 and only the second loss since September 2009 and due largely to the loss of Census workers.

Trade and transportation posted the largest loss in June, down 4,200 jobs. Retail trade accounted for 2,400 of the loss. Construction also continued to see declines with the loss of 1,900 jobs. Other sectors showing declines were education and health and government, both down 1,800.

Some areas, however, saw gains. Professional and business services was up 2,400 jobs in June while manufacturing added another 2,000 positions.

Keeping in Touch: Emerald Ash Borer moving west

By SEN. DENNIS BLACK
Democrat, Lynnville

In May, I wrote my column on the fact that the Emerald Ash Borer had been discovered in the northeast corner of Iowa. This is an insect invasion that had been expected for several years. It was inevitable Iowa would receive the insect pest, for its movement from east to west across the United States had started nearly a decade ago.

In April of last year, the Emerald Ash Borer had been discovered in a load of firewood, and then a year later, in several trees in an adjacent campground in Wisconsin. Now it's crossed the Mississippi, and will most likely continue in its westward movement. Illinois, Minnesota and Missouri have also identified localized infestation.

The normal range of the borer is Russia, China and Japan. Forestry experts suspect the insect arrived in the U.S. in shipping containers.

The ash tree is the predominant shade tree in Iowa. After the Dutch elm disease killed the rows of trees along city streets and in resident's yards, the ash was often the replacement. The tree is hardy, relatively fast growing and in open areas develops a full canopy. The tree is very adaptable to most conditions across the state and becomes well established for beauty and shade.

Now, the borer has been located in Cedar Rapids, where street surveys identified approximately 12,000 ash trees along the city's rights-of-way. As such, the Cedar Rapids Arborist and the Public Works Department, upon completion of a survey, plan on removing "520 trees in 440 locations." Cedar Rapids authorities have identified that 170 of the 520 total were high priority removals due to hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions. According to a news release, letters of explanation will be sent to affected property owners, with tree removal to begin this coming winter.

The deep, iridescent green insect is about 12 mm (1/2 inch) long and 4 mm wide. The eggs are laid in the bark of the ash tree, close to the leaves, which are devoured by the insect itself. The bark entry hole for eggs is in the shape of a "D," rotated with the flat side horizontal. The larvae are white.

Should any readers observe the insect or the unique hole in the bark of one of your ash trees, modern chemical products have been proven effective. Being ready can significantly enhance an environmentally safe method of treatment, allowing one to inject the chemical into the tree at its base. Topical spraying is not encouraged, successful or necessary.

I would urge readers to watch the video of the Emerald Ash Borer and the simple chemical method of saving an invaded ash tree at www.treeresearch.org. In addition, questions can be directed to the State Forester, Department of Natural Resources, Wallace State Office Building, Des Moines, 50319. DNR foresters are most willing to assist landowners in evaluating any suspected infestation. Should the insect be found, DNR staff will provide you with written and verbal information on treatment techniques.

Questions or comments? Call me at 515-975-8608 or email black@black4senate.com

Second summit on Jasper County's critical needs set

Newton Independent

The United Way of Jasper County will hold the second of two county-wide summit meetings at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Innovation Center on the Iowa Telecom/Windstream campus at 403 W. 4th St. N. in Newton.

The public is invited to the summit to collaboratively identify concrete short- and long-term goals to address the top critical needs identified at the first summit meeting and to brainstorm methods to reach those goals.

The top critical needs identified to be addressed in Jasper County were: 1) positive parenting skills/community support; 2) substance abuse; and 3) economic stability.

All Jasper County residents are encouraged to attend. To RSVP and for more information, contact the United Way of Jasper County office at 641-792-1684 or at unitedway@iowatelecom.net

JEDCO Director: Economic activity in Jasper County took 'one step back' in past fiscal year

By PETER HUSSMANN

Economic development activity in Jasper County took "one step back" in the last fiscal year as the area was rocked by substantial layoffs at the TPI wind blade manufacturing facility and the reduction in force initiative under way as part of Windstream's takeover of Iowa Telecom and its Newton-based headquarters.

That analysis will be provided to the Jasper County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday in JEDCO Executive Director Craig Hamilton's annual report to the board and his request for $35,250 for first half funding.

"Fiscal year 2009-2010 continued the trend established during the previous year of slow or no growth," Hamilton's annual report leads off. "The past year would have to be classified as one of 'one step back.'"

Hamilton makes note that while economic development activity had been relatively stagnant in the early part of the last fiscal year, "the news grew worse in the second half of the year" with the announcements of TPI's reduction in its workforce from approximately 500 to 233, "primarily due to continued uncertainty in the wind industry and to restructure their Newton operations."

Hamilton, who said TPI's reduction in force helped push the area's unemployment rate to 8.2 percent in May (down from levels near 10 percent in months prior), states that TPI is asking the Iowa Department of Economic Development for a one-year exteion of the three-year period it has to create and maintain their pledged 500 jobs. TPI said it plans to meet that level in early 2011. The request goes before the IDED board on Thursday.

Though the economic downturn had previously stalled TPI's plans to expand their Newton facility, the county economic development director hoped a rebounding national economy would spur both of the county's wind energy facilities, including Trinity Towers which showed steady growth throughout the past year.

"As the national economic recovery gains momentum and manufacturing activity increases, the added demand for electricity should help the wind industry to achieve the growth levels it had prior to the economic downturn," Hamilton writes. "This will help Jasper County's two major wind turbine component manufacturers and other suppliers to re-establish prior growth levels as well."

The report goes on to note that the impact of Windstream's purchase of Iowa Telecom is still not fully known on the local economy. After the sale was finalized on June 1, Windstream announced the elimination of 35 local jobs though "more are expected to be notified in the months ahead," Hamilton said. (The City of Newton was provided with notification of the layoff through the Federal WARN Act that requires companies with more than 100 employees to provide notice when it plans to eliminate more than 500 employees or 33 percent of its workforce. A new Iowa law now in effect requires companies with 25 or more employees to give notice when it plans to permanently reduce their workforce by 25 or more.)

Hamilton said the entrepreneurial support training services offered by JEDCO and the Newton Development Corporation might act to "spur new business growth by former Iowa Telecom employees."

Not all the news was bad Hamilton said, noting that a 200-megawatt wind farm was announced for the northeast part of the county and that Key Cooperative, the new name for the merged Heart of Iowa Cooperative and Sully Cooperative Exchange, is constructing a 50-car grain transfer station on the former Iowa Interstate Railroad's intermodal facility.

Further, Hamilton said interest continues to be shown in the former Maytag manufacturing facility and more than 20 leads were produced for the area from the IDED, more than half pertaining to the wind industry. Serious interest is also being shown in the county farm property adjacent to Iowa Speedway, he said.

Hamilton said the county continued to be active in marketing the area through its invovlement with the Iowa Connections but said its recent decision to join the Greater Des Moines Partnership should prove beneficial.

"[I]t made good economic sense to develop the natural economic ties between Jasper County and the Des Moines metro region," Hamilton said. "The Iowa Speedway was already a member of the Partnership and leads were being developed from the Partnership that were good fist for the former Maytag properties, both the manufacturing and corporate headquarters facilities."

In the year ahead, Hamilton said work has already begun on Central Iowa Water Association's 500,000 gallon water tower adjacent to the biodiesel plant taken over in the past fiscal year by Renewable Energy Group from Central Iowa Energy. He hopes too that a one mile section of North 39th Avenue East might be able to be paved "to provide another entrance to the growing industrial area in Jasper County and northeast Newton."   

"While no one can forecast the next 12 months with any certainty, let's hope 2010-2011 is better than the year just concluded," Hamilton ends the report.

A full copy of the report can be read here.

Prairie City, Reasnor receive state funding for water projects

Newton Independent

Two Jasper County communities were among 71 across the state to receive funding for water infrastructure improvements as part of the I-JOBS initiative, officials from the Iowa Finance Authority said.

Prairie City received $900,000 through the Water Quality Financial Assistance Program to assist with the construction of a mechanical waste water treatment facility while Reasnor received $120,000 for improvements to its sewer collection system and treatment lagoons.

"The I-JOBS awards mean that 71 small communities will receive the support they need to move forward with water infrastructure improvements that will create a safe, quality water supply for their residents," Gov. Chet Culver said in announcing the awards on Wednesday. "These projects are further evidence that I-JOBS is continuing to move Iowa forward."

I-JOBS provided $55 million for the Water Quality Financial Assistance Program, which the Iowa Finance Authority administers. Of that total, $35 million was earmarked for communities with populations less than 10,000 for drinking water and waste water projects. The remaining $20 million was reserved for communities with populations greater than 10,000 and were awarded to Clinton, Sioux City and Davenport last year.

Jasper County, Newton join Greater Des Moines Partnership

Newton Independent

The Jasper County Economic Development Corporation and the Newton Development Corporation are now members of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, a move made to enhance the economic development efforts of the area.

"We feel being associated with the Greater Des Moines Partnership will give us more exposure when it comes to marketing the former Maytag appliance manufacturing facilities, the former Iowa Telecom headquarters and other community assets in Jasper County," said Frank Liebl of the NDC in a press release this morning.

JEDCO and NDC will pay a $10,000 annual fee to become members of the Partnership.

Previously, both JEDCO and NDC had been part of the Iowa Connection group that included Jasper, Marshall, Poweshiek, Tama and Benton counties. The group was formed three years ago after receiving a matching grant from the Iowa Department of Economic Development. The local economic development groups each paid $6,500 annually to participate in efforts to promote the five-county region.

"The Iowa Connection group effectively promoted this region, but I feel we are more closely aligned to the Des Moines metro area," said Craig Hamilton, executive director of JEDCO. "They have more resources that will help us in our economic development efforts in Jasper County."

Bryan Friedman, the City of Newton's community development director, agreed.

"I think joining the Partnership is a good thing," he said. "It will increase our opportunities to grow along with the metro."

In joining the Partnership, Jasper County will join other metro area counties - Polk, Dallas, Warren, Guthrie and Madison - working on economic development efforts. Marshall County, previously with Iowa Connection, joined the Partnership effective July 1.

"Jasper County will be a valuable partner in our regional economic development efforts," said Martha Willits, president and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. "Jasper County is well positioned for success and we're looking forward to a great future."

The economic development team from the Partnership will tour buildings and sites available for development in Newton and Jasper County later this month.

More information on the Greater Des Moines Partnership can be found here.

Free prescription discount cards available

Newton Independent

United Way of Jasper County is teaming up with Family Wize to provide all residents of the county an opportunity to save money on their prescription drug costs.

"No one should be forced to choose between paying for food, rent or medicine because of the high cost of prescriptions," said Meagan Crawford, executive director of United Way of Jasper County. "That's why we've partnered with Family Wize to distribute the free prescription discount cards to everyone in Jasper County."

Family Wize cards immediately lower the cost of medicine by an average of 30 percent or more for people without insurance or who take medications not covered by their insurance plan. By presenting the card at their local pharmacy, customers save on the cost of their prescription medicine 80 percent of the time.

"So many people are struggling with the high cost of medicine and need help right now," said Dan Barnes, co-chair of the Family Wize Community Service Partnership. "We knew we couldn't wait years for healthcare reform to be implemented. The Family Wize card provides immediate savings on prescription medicines, with no paperwork or forms to fill out."

The Family Wize cards are accepted at Hy-Vee, Medicap, Walgreens, Wal-Mart and Weirick and Patterson in Colfax. The cards can be picked up at Hy-Vee, Weirick and Patterson, local health and human service agencies and at the United Way office at 403 W. 4th St. S. They also can be printed off from the on-line site at www.FamilyWize.org

"The United Way of Jasper County proudly joins more than 900 United Ways in all 50 states who have already saved more than $100 million on prescriptions in their communities and distributed more than 15 million cards nationwide," Crawford said. "Jasper County residents now have the opportunity to benefit from these savings as well."

Biker Day in Baxter one of many coming events

Newton Independent

The 1st Annual Central Iowa Biker Day, sponsored by Thunder Roads Magazine Iowa/Minnesota, will run beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday in Baxter.

The day-long events include a bike show, burn-out pit contest, biker babe contest, live bands and karaoke and foods galore including Blue Moon BBQ and a fish fry.

The event is one of many going on over the weekend and heading into the Fourth of July holiday.

The Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce's Friday Forecast lists a host of other area events, including fights at the VFW tonight and lawn mower racing in Reasnor on Sunday. You can read it below.

Download What's Up This Weekend

Companies looking at wind farm projects in Jasper County

By PETER HUSSMANN

A southern California-based company has been entering into wind farm lease agreements with northern Jasper County and southern Marshall County rural property owners, recent land record filings indicate, while an Iowa-based company has been entering wind farm option agreements with property owners in the same area.

Rancho Bernardo-based enXco Development Corporation has entered into about two dozen lease agreements with property owners, mostly in Marshall County, that grants it rights for wind energy development on the subject properties. The terms of the agreements run for 37 years, the land filings indicate, but do not stipulate the lease payments to be made.

The renewable energy company was started in 1987 and since 2002 has been an affiliate of EDF Energies Nouvelles of France. It is currently working on a 134 wind turbines project in Lakefield, Minn., as well as solar projects in New Jersey and Ontario, Canada.

enXco previously worked with Wisconsin Public Service to construct the 66 wind turbine, 99 megawatt Crane Creek Wind Project near Riceville, Iowa in Howard County. The project went on line in December 2009.

Inquires to company media contacts have yet been returned but additional information will be posted as it becomes available. The company's web site can be viewed here.

Another wind farm company has entered into options agreements with about 30 land owners in the same area.

Laurel Wind Energy is planning to build a 121 megawatt project on 11,000 acres of farmland in Malaka and Mariposa Townships in Jasper County and Jefferson and Logan Townships in Marshall County west of Laurel, one of eight projects the parent company has in the development stage across Iowa. It hopes to break ground on the Laurel Wind Farm by November with completion in September 2011.

Laurel is part of RPMA Wind Development, LLC, a development holding company for three regional subsidiaries and several project specific subsidiaries. The principal of the company is Stephen Dryden. Equity investors are Renewable Power Markets Access, Inc., owned by Stephen and Patricia Dryden; Oxygen Partners, owned by Felix Friedman; Quixote Enterprises, owned by Terry Monson; and Terremolinos, owned by Phil Theisen.

The term of the options runs through Dec. 31, 2013 with an option to extend the agreement on a year-to-year basis through the end of 2016.

The company has completed three wind farms projects in the northern part of the state: the Top of Iowa Wind Farm near Joice in Worth County, the Winnebago Wind Farm near Thompson in Winnebago County and the Barton Wind Farm near Kensett in Worth County.

You can find more information on RBMA Iowa Wind Development and its projects here.

Tax sale nets $428,000 for local government coffers

By PETER HUSSMANN

Monday's Jasper County tax sale netted a total of $428,689.61 that now will be distributed to local governments across the county.

Jasper County Treasurer Doug Bishop said a total of 277 parcels were purchased at Monday's sale at the DMACC campus. A total of 356 parcels were offered for sale.

The 79 parcels that went unsold, mainly mobile homes, have a total of $11,059 in outstanding delinquent taxes.

A week before the sale, Bishop said there were a total of 616 parcels that had outstanding taxes totaling more than $667,000 that were scheduled for sale. Property owners had until last Friday to pay the outstanding taxes to avoid placement of the property in the tax sale.

County tax sales are held on the third Monday in June each year in counties across Iowa. The sales enable counties to collect unpaid taxes by investors willing to put up the cash in return for a solid rate of return, 2 percent per month or 24 percent a year. The money collected at the tax sale is subsequently distributed to the taxing jurisdictions in which the parcels sit - local school districts, cities and the county.

Iowa's tax sales draw interest from investors around the country. The lure is the high rate of return on what's typically considered a safe investment. A property owner will usually make their delinquent tax payment, with the money - including the 2 percent penalty compounded monthly - going to the holder of tax sale certificate.

And should a property owner continue to remain derelict in their property tax paying responsibilities for a period of two years, the certificate holder who has continued to make the tax payments can take action that leads them to becoming the owner of the property.

Jasper County's unemployment rate drops to 8.2 percent

By PETER HUSSMANN

Iowa Workforce Development released county statistics today that show Jasper County's unemployment rate fell by a full percentage point in May to 8.2 percent, the lowest level of the year.

The statistics show the number of unemployed people in the county stood at 1,460 in May, down 170 from the rate in April and down 270 from the high point for the year in January when statistics showed 1,730 Jasper County residents were unemployed.

Today's statistics also show the number of employed county residents at its highest point for the year at 16,300, up 150 from the month before and up 330 from the low point in January when the statistics reported 15,970 as the county's total resident employment.

Major jobs gains for the month in Jasper County were recorded in the service providing category, up 270 from the month before at 9,070. Government recorded a 50 job gain for the month to 2,510. The goods producing category was steady at 2,160.

While today's statistics indicate an improved economic climate locally, other data shows the jobless rate drop may have been impacted by the number of individuals in the county exhausting their unemployment insurance and not counted in both the employed and unemployed rolls.

Since January, 383 jobless benefit recipients have exhausted their unemployment insurance with another 817 receiving first payment checks.

April's jobless rate in Jasper County stood at 9.2 percent. May's statewide unemployment rate stands at 6.8 percent.

Jasper County jobless benefit payments at lowest point of year in May

By PETER HUSSMANN

The number of Jasper County residents receiving unemployment benefits in May was more than 400 less than in January when 1,050 recipients received a total of $1,019,425 in benefit payments, state data shows.

While Iowa Workforce Development has yet to release information pertaining to Jasper County's unemployment rate for May, data sets released with Friday's announcement of a slight dip, to 6.8 percent, in the statewide unemployment rate show the numbers of Jasper County jobless recipients are at the lowest level of the year at 633 collecting $615,984 in benefits.

The jobless benefits dollars in May represent the lowest level of payments year-to-date. For the first three months of the year, the benefits totaled more than $1 million each month, with the high level coming in March when nearly $1.1 million in benefits were distributed to 916 recipients.

The number of first-time payments in Jasper County far exceeds the number of final payments made year-to-date. Since January, 817 first jobless payments were handed out, the data shows, with 383 recipients receiving final payments so far this year.

Following are the year to date data sets for Jasper County, as recorded by Workforce Development:

May
Unemployment Weeks - 1,983
Recipients - 633
Benefits - $615,984
Final - 78
First - 123

April
Unemployment Weeks - 2,186
Recipients - 736
Benefits - $688,446
Final - 83
First - 109

March
Unemployment Weeks - 3,506
Recipients - 916
Benefits - $1,099,312
Final - 96
First - 159

February
Unemployment Weeks - 3,186
Recipients - 957
Benefits - $1,016,804
Final - 64
First - 201

January
Unemployment Weeks - 3,227
Recipients - 1,050
Benefits - $1,019,425
Final - 62
First - 225

Jasper County's unemployment rates for January, February, March and April were 9.8 percent, 9.6 percent, 9.5 percent and 9.2 percent, respectively.

Colfax free concert series kicks off Saturday

Newton Independent

Bonnie Finken and the Collective will perform a free concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at Anspach Stage in Women's Club Park at 13 East Division Street in Colfax.

Bonnie Finken and the Collective have performed at a variety of venues including the Des Moines Art Festival and the Des Moines World Food Festival. Finken is a 30-year-old cancer survivor from Des Moines performing indie and alternative rock music.

Sponsored by the Colfax Main Street program, this year's set of upcoming free concerts marks the fifth year of such performances on the Anspach Stage. Upcoming concerts include Bob Dorr and the Blue Band on Sunday, July 18, (in conjunction with the Jasper County Fair) and Boomerang on Saturday, Aug. 7. All concerts begin at 7 p.m.

Treats and refreshments (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) will be available for purchase. No coolers are allowed.

For more information, contact Julia Kern at the Colfax Main Street office at 515-674-9071, e-mail her at juliakern@yahoo.com or visit the web site at www.colfaxmainstreet.com

EPA to conduct Superfund site review at Midwest Manufacturing

By PETER HUSSMANN

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun its third, five-year review of the Midwest Manufacturing Superfund clean-up site in Kellogg.

The Superfund clean-up site consists of two areas, one in the immediate vicinity of the now closed manufacturing plant and another on farm ground two miles north of the plant.

Prior to a wastewater treatment plant being brought on-line in 1977, waste from electroplating processes were discharged directly into the North Skunk River. From 1977 to 1978, waste was disposed in an unlined cell at the North Farm Area. And from 1979 to 1981, waste was disposed of in trenches surrounding the Midwest Manufacturing production area.

Contaminants were found at elevated levels in site groundwater and soils including the heavy metals cadmium and nickel, and volatile organic compounds such as vinyl chloride and trichloroethylene.

In 1993, the EPA instituted groundwater monitoring and institutional requirements as part of the Superfund site clean-up remedy. In 1998, monitoring at the farm site was terminated based on test results and the monitoring wells were abandoned, although institutional controls remain. Groundwater monitoring and controls remain at the Midwest plant site.

Five-year reviews were conducted at the site in both 2000 and 2005. The second review found that remedies continue to be protective of human health and the environment and are functioning as designed.

This year's review will include a review and analysis of the existing monitoring data, review of site information and inspection of the site to document the condition of the remedy. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is also involved in the review.

A final report is expected to be completed by November.

The EPA is asking for public input on the site conditions and concerns that residents may have. Comments can be directed to Fritz Hirter, community involvement coordinator for the U.S. EPA Region 7 office in Kansas City, Kan., at 1-800-223-0425 or by e-mail at hirter.fritz@epa.gov.

Detailed site information is available for review at the Newton Public Library.

United Way summit identify's Jasper County's top critical needs

Newton Independent

Participants at Tuesday's United Way of Jasper County summit to identify community needs identified three areas for action - positive parenting skills/community support, substance abuse and economic stability.

The three areas were identified after participants were lead through a variety processes lead by professional facilitator Deb Burnight, along with United Way Board President Andrea Smith and United Way Executive Director Megan Crawford.

In identifying the most critical needs of the community, based on the findings of the United Way's recently completed needs assessment report, the summit participants focused on identifying areas that "the community could be passionate about, that would impact the most people, that would impact the most vulnerable individuals in the county and that would have the potential to positively impact the county longer term from generation to generation," Crawford said.

The United Way of Jasper County will hold a second summit session to identify specific short- and long-term goals to address the top three critical needs identified at the first summit at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 15, at the Innovation Center on the Iowa Telecom/Windstream campus.

All Jasper County residents are invited to attend. RSVP's may be made by contacting the United Way office at 641-792-1684 or by e-mailing to unitedway@iowatelecom.net

Property numbers up, but delinquent taxes owed down in this year's Jasper County tax sale

By PETER HUSSMANN

Jasper County's annual tax sale next Monday will feature more individual parcels than last year, but a reduced level of delinquent taxes owed.

Jasper County Treasurer Doug Bishop said this year's sale, scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday, June 21, at the Newton DMACC Campus, currently has 617 individual parcels amounting to $667,405.45 in delinquent taxes compared to 581 individual parcels with delinquent taxes totaling $714,431.16 last year.

Those who owe delinquent taxes must have them paid by Friday in order to avoid having their properties offered at the tax sale.

Tax sale bidders must be registered at the Treasurer's office by the close of business Wednesday.

United Way plans county-wide summit to prioritize community needs

Newton Independent

Residents from throughout the county are invited to attend a United Way of Jasper County-sponsored summit meeting on Tuesday to help pinpoint the most critical needs of the county, set goals on how to respond and brainstorm ideas on how to meet those goals.

The summit, set for 6:30 p.m. at the DMACC Newton Campus in room 251, is the outgrowth of a comprehensive study of health and human services needs in the county conducted in late 2009 through the assistance of a grant from the Jasper Community Foundation.

Stakeholders and key community leaders were surveyed to identify specific community needs concerning a variety of health and human services topics. The study, which can read on-line at www.unitedwayofjaspercounty.org , prioritizes by numerical response weighting the issues deemed most important to be addressed and the positive strides the community is making in tackling issues the county faces.

Megan Crawford, executive director of United Way of Jasper County, said Tuesday's meeting is designed to narrow the focus of the needs assessment's findings in order for the county to move forward at tackling the issues county residents deem most important.

"We want to bring the community together and identify what we need to focus on; one or two main issues," she said. "We want the community to decide the top issues and we want the community involved in the process. This is not a United Way initiative, but we are providing leadership and collaboration on how to tackle the needs identified."

Crawford said a second summit meeting, to further narrow the focus, will be held on Thursday, July 15, at a location yet to be determined.

"The outcomes of these summit meetings will enable the various entities of Jasper County to more collaboratively direct their efforts and resources toward addressing these critical needs," she said. "All Jasper County residents are invited and encouraged to attend these meetings to be part of determining the most critical needs of our county, setting tangible goals and brainstorming ideas to meet these goals."

Individuals planning to attend are asked to RSVP to the office of United Way of Jasper County at 641-792-1684 or by e-mail at unitedway@iowatelecom.net

Precinct returns in Jasper County Supervisor race

Newton Independent

Following is a corrected precinct-by-precinct breakout of the voting results in the Jasper County Democratic and Jasper County Republican primary election for the Jasper County Board of Supervisors. Voter turnouts are also included. Data provided earlier to the Newton Independent from election officials was incorrect.

Download Jasper County Democrats

Download Jasper County Republican Party

 

 

No conventions; Ward, Parsons also win Jasper County Supervisor primaries

By PETER HUSSMANN

Jasper County Supervisor candidates Bill Ward and John Parsons, as the second highest vote getters in their Republican and Democratic Party primaries, went to bed Tuesday night thinking they would have to battle it out at a county convention to secure the right to have their name placed on the November ballot.

They woke up today declared winners.

Even though neither candidate reached the 35 percent threshold of the total votes cast, Jasper County Auditor Dennis Parrott said today that no conventions will be needed, even though he made that pronouncement at the conclusion of tabulating vote totals Tuesday night.

Parrott, in a prepared release this morning, said that state law indicates that when more than one seat is open, the 35 percent threshold is met by dividing the total number of votes cast in the party primary by the number of open seats to determine the winners. Both Ward and Parsons met that threshold after taking the division factor into account.

Last night, however, the candidates and party members left the courthouse thinking that conventions would be required to determine the final two spots in the November supervisor race.

Bill Ward said that Parrott called him early this morning to say that he had won the Republican nomination as the second highest vote getter, an about face from what he was told after the election results were tallied on Tuesday night.

"I thought I was going to have to go to convention to get the nomination," Ward said today. "I'm glad I don't."

Parrott's prepared release explains the mix-up.

"Iowa Code Section 43.52 states that when two or more nominees are required no candidate is nominated who fails to receive 35 percent of the number of votes, found by dividing the number of votes cast by voters of the candidate's party for the office in question by the number of persons to be elected to that office," the statement reads.

"Candidates who receive the most votes and at least 35 percent of the vote shall be nominated.

"In the race for the Democratic nomination for County Supervisor there were 2,660 total votes cast divided by two seats to be filled (1,330). The winers are Joe Brock with 1,029 votes and John Parsons with 868 votes. Each received the required 35 percent and the most votes for the two positions.

"In the race for the Republican nomination for County Supervisors there were 4,018 total votes cast divided by two seat to be filled (2009 votes). The winners are Denny Carpenter with 1,618 votes and Bill Ward with 1,339 votes. Each received the required 35 percent and the most votes for the two positions.

"Therefore no conventions are needed to nominate either party's county supervisor candidates."

Carpenter, Brock win primaries; both political parties still up in the air

By PETER HUSSMANN

Delegates to the Jasper County Republican Party and Democratic Party conventions will decide one candidate each to appear on the November ballot to run for a seat on the Jasper County Board of Supervisors after voters today did not give the requisite number of votes to set the stage for the November election.

Preliminary primary results from the Jasper County Auditor's Office show that Denny Carpenter, a Republican candidate for the office of supervisor, ousted after serving one term four years ago, and Joe Brock, a newcomer to elected politics, but the former head of the county's Democratic Party and son of a previous Jasper County Board of Supervisors member, were the only two candidates to receive the requisite 35 percent vote total to place them on the ballot for the November election.

On the Republican side of the equation, former Supervisor Bill Ward fell less than 2 percentage points (33.33 percent) short of the margin necessary to gain his party's automatic primary election nomination. David Mast, the mayor of Colfax, finished third (25.51 percent) in the three-way contest.

Brock, one of four Democrats running for the two open supervisor seats, received 38.68 percent of the preliminary primary vote total. Incumbent supervisor John Parsons was second in total voting among Democrats but fell short of the 35 percent threshold to automatically qualify him as a candidate on the November ballot (32.63 percent). Max Worthington, another former supervisor seeking re-election after two years out of office, received 16.77 percent of the vote. Dennis McDougall of Colfax, a newcomer to the county's political scene, followed at 11.35 percent.

Both Jasper County political parties will have to call conventions to have delegates determine who will represent their parties for the supervisor seat in the upcoming November election, though the selection process is not limited to those on the primary ballot. The deadline for filing is Aug. 13.

The Newton Independent will continue to follow the local election results.