Supervisors approve generator, temps for Ambulance Service

The Board of Supervisors on Monday approved the purchase of a backup generator for the Carroll County Ambulance Service station. Director Bill Fish said the service had successfully applied for grants from the Timmerman and Renze charitable foundations, being awarded $5,000 from each.

Supervisors amend budget, hear concerns about sewer

Council OKs engineering for muni club remodel

Carroll City Council members Monday night unanimously directed staff to proceed with initial engineering studies for a planned remodeling project at the municipal golf course. About a dozen advocates of the golf course turned out at the council meeting to support that estimated $125,000 project — which they would like to see completed during the current construction year.

Murphy wants transparency, no open partisanship in state auditor's office

The man who oversaw federal stimulus spending in Iowa says that experience — monitoring the flow of about $2.4 billion into the Hawkeye State from over 80 federal programs — has helped prepare him to be state’s auditor.

Wind turbines to boost tax take by $1 million

Carroll County and local school districts are expected to pull in about $1 million in property taxes by fiscal year 2017 from the two wind-power farms now in the county. And there could be more turbines added soon, a MidAmerican official said. (1 comments)

Water Carnival to showcase Lake View improvements

LAKE VIEW — This weekend’s 57th annual Black Hawk Lake Summer Water Carnival not only will feature parades, a fireworks show and  carnival games and rides, but visitors will also be able to view a couple of recent major projects. The city this spring completed a makeover of downtown with a streetscape project. The nearly $1 million project includes new street, sidewalks, benches, streetlights and bike racks. (1 comments)

Commission approves design contract for new landfill cell

Solid Waste Commission Executive Board members on Tuesday awarded a contract to Foth Infrastructure & Environment to design a new cell at the Carroll County Landfill. A five-acre cell to be constructed in 2011 will be the fourth and largest cell built in the western expansion area at the landfill. Other cells, each 3 to 3.5 acres, were opened in 2002, 2006 and 2009.

Carroll teachers, authorities see texting law as crucial

There are plenty of ways in which a driver can become distracted while on the road. Text messaging is among the most common — particularly among younger demographics. This common activity that has been an integral part of daily communication is now against the law to do while driving.

Findley hitting the road hard for AG race

If Brenna Findley is unable to unseat seven-termer Tom Miller in the Iowa attorney general’s race, it won’t be for lack of effort. The 34-year-old farm-raised, home-schooled attorney says her greatest hurdle is name recognition.

Council rejects tennis bids, throws lifeline to project

Carroll City Council members Monday night rejected bids for a proposed tennis complex in Graham Park as too expensive and sent engineers back to the drawing board to seek a more-affordable alternative. The end result: a project the council identified as a priority last August for completion in 2010 is now indefinitely delayed.

Supervisors buy ambulance, move funds

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved replacing an ambulance that was totaled in a crash two months ago. Emergency medical technician Sheryl Stoolman was killed and paramedics Bob Genzen and Wendy Baker seriously injured when the Carroll County Ambulance Service rig collided with a semi-trailer at Beaver on May 13. The critically ill patient they were transporting to Des Moines also died in the wreck.

Parks committee recommends $125,000 muni clubhouse upgrade

The Carroll Parks, Recreation and Cultural Advisory Board Monday recommended a $125,000 remodeling and addition plan for the municipal golf course. “If you’ve been out there, you know it’s long overdue,” said parks board member Tom Farner. “It’s been that way since my dad was mayor.”

Carroll County receives $745,000 through I-Jobs

Carroll County and its cities have received a total of $745,000 in funding through Gov. Chet Culver’s state economic-stimulus program known as I-Jobs. The biggest beneficiary in the I-Jobs program locally is Glidden, which received $287,500 for a storm-water project.

Clausen makes case to DOT for 4-laning of 30

STORM LAKE – Population and businesses in the U.S. 30 corridor have grown at a faster rate than on any other major highways in the state, Carroll City Manager Gerald Clausen told the Iowa Department of Transportation Commission Tuesday. Clausen, representing the statewide U.S. Highway 30 Coalition, spoke at a DOT meeting at King’s Pointe in Storm Lake. The coalition’s chief mission is to promote the full four-laning of U.S. 30 in Iowa.

Disabled Carroll woman says she faces obstacles, harassment downtown

A 47-year-old Carroll woman confined to a wheelchair because of neck and spine problems told the City Council Monday night that crossing streets and traversing the downtown area can be treacherous for disabled persons. BJ Adams of 514 N. Court St., the Courtview Apartments, said people parking cars in Carroll often interfere with intersections she needs to cross streets.

DNR official: Library plan 'poster child' for land rehab

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources official who played a key role in freeing the former General Electric property in Carroll for re-use says a developing plan to rehabilitate blighted or underutilized land south of the railroad tracks for a new public library is a  “poster child” for the possibilities of brownfield redevelopment. “This is one of the best projects I’ve seen come before me in the last five years,” Mel Pins, a DNR executive officer and coordinator of the Iowa Brownfield Redevelopment Program, told the Carroll City Council on Monday.

Storm stays, rebounding economy boost hotel tax

When the final numbers are in Wednesday Carroll City officials will see a 5 percent increase in hotel-motel tax collection this fiscal year, City Finance Director Laura Schaefer said. In the fiscal year ending June 30, the city will have collected $204,404 compared with $195,105 for the previous fiscal year.

City tackles $2.4 million in summer street work

Some significant street work in Carroll is now under way with more to start soon. In total, the city has scheduled $2.4 million worth of street work to start this summer with contracts that could take completion of some elements into the fall. “It’s a busy construction season for us, probably more street work than we’ve had for a few years,” said Public Works director Randy Krauel.

Carroll County buys all-wheel-drive grader

Offered a lower bid of $264,439, the Board of Supervisors on Monday bought an all-wheel-drive motor grader for the Carroll County Secondary Roads Department. County engineer Dave Paulson reported that Ziegler Cat of Des Moines had reduced its quote $17,000 by adding a five-year full warranty valued at $7,000 and an allowance of $10,000.

Mayor: City's website should 'sell' Carroll

Carroll Mayor Jim Pedelty now has the city council’s support for a plan to dramatically improve the city’s website. As it stands, cityofcarroll.com is, in Pedelty’s words, a “functional” site without much punch or pizzazz. (1 comments)

U.S. 30/Griffith Road signals expected in 2011

One of the long-running local public-works issues is expected to be off the planning charts and functional by the fall of 2011. City officials have approved an engineering-services contract for traffic signals at U.S. 30 and Griffith Road, a key intersection in Carroll’s eastern commercial corridor. What’s more, funding is lined up for the work.

County mulls a return to all-wheel-drive motor graders

Carroll County is considering buying two all-wheel-drive motor graders. County engineer Dave Paulson made the suggestion at Monday’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors. Paulson said the county’s fleet of 15 graders is aging, with several nearing 12,000 hours of use, the point when engine and transmission breakdowns can be expected.

City looks to get tough on tall grass, weeds

Driven by escalating problems with unsightly properties owned by absentee landlords, the Carroll City Council Monday took the first step to give police expanded powers to deal with so-called “nuisance” houses. The council unanimously passed the first of three necessary readings of the city’s nuisance ordinance. A key addition will be provisions allowing police to get involved when grass grows taller than 8 inches and weeds hit 12 inches on developed property. (2 comments)

City eyes 6% sanitary sewer hike

Carroll City Council members Monday will consider a proposal to increase the sanitary sewer rate for next fiscal year 6 percent — followed by another 6 percent the following year. In total, the rate would go up 12.4 percent from today to June 30, 2012.

Grassley still swinging for biodiesel credits

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, continues his efforts to pass an extension of the biodiesel tax credit. (2 comments)

U.S. Highway 30 to get new look in Carroll

U.S. Highway 30 in Carroll is expected to have a decidedly different look before the end of the year as the Corridor of Commerce revitalization moves to the federal route in earnest. Carroll City Council members Monday approved a bid of $907,000 from Badding Construction for Phase 5 of the Corridor project, which will include decorative paving centerpieces in the intersections of U.S. 30 and Main, Adams and Carroll streets. The plan also includes streetscape work and lighting consistent with the previous phases of the ongoing commercial corridor work.

Federal grant awaited for Carroll airport project

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 Godbersen-Smith Construction was the low bidder on both phases of building a taxiway parallel to the main runway at Carroll’s Arthur N. Neu Municipal Airport. However, the Carroll Airport Commission must now await the Federal Aviation Administration’s award of a grant for the project before officially awarding contracts to the Ida Grove company. Carroll airport officials said the FAA has given approval to proceed with the project. The expected FAA grant funds will pay 95 percent of the more than $1.4 million cost, with the City of Carroll paying the other 5 percent. When completed, the 35-foot-wide, concrete taxiway will parallel the main runway, which is 5,500 long and 100 feet wide. In the most recent action, Godbersen-Smith submitted the low bid of $594,241 to build the north 2,200 feet from the intersection with the crosswind runway.

Reynolds says abortion 'murder,' open to idea of civil unions for gays

GOP candidate for lieutenant governor Kim Reynolds Tuesday said she believes abortion is “equivalent to murder.” On another key contemporary social issue, Reynolds said marriage should be defined as being between one man and one woman — although she made three separate references to civil unions for homosexuals in an interview, saying she would be open to such a prospect in Iowa.

Reynolds says she's boots and blue jeans rural gal

A former 14-year county treasurer in southern Iowa, state Sen. Kim Reynolds, R-Osceola, says she’ll be a tireless advocate for rural Iowa if voters elect her as the state’s next lieutenant governor. What’s more, Reynolds, GOP gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad’s running mate, says part of her job portfolio will include rural economic development. (1 comments)

BP internal probe focuses on other companies' work

COVINGTON, La. (AP) — Oil giant BP said its internal investigation of the unchecked Gulf oil spill is largely focused on work done by other companies as a new government report Tuesday showed workers at the federal agency that oversees offshore drilling accepted sports tickets, lunches and other gifts from oil and gas companies.

Supervisors approve hiring 2 road workers

For the first time in about a decade, the workforce of the Carroll County Secondary Roads Department will expand. The Board of Supervisors on Monday approved a recommendation by county engineer Dave Paulson to hire two maintenance workers.

Carroll pulls $937,000 in Alliant rebates

From 2000 to 2009, residents and businesses in the city of Carroll collected $937,000 worth of energy-efficiency rebates for natural-gas service through Alliant Energy, company officials told the city this week.

Council steps up regulation of outdoor recreational fires

With outdoor fireplaces and pits growing in popularity, the Carroll City Council Monday took the final step to expand rules on recreational fires in the city. The council passed an ordinance regulating such fires on a 5-1 vote with Councilman Tom Tait in dissent.