North Fayette Valley approves fiscal year budget

By Sharon Drahn
Contributing Writer

      A special meeting of the North Fayette Valley Board of Education opened Monday evening with all members present as a public hearing concerning the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 was held. With there being no written or oral comments received and no one present wishing to speak, the public hearing was closed and the meeting was adjourned.

      Following the public hearing, the budget was approved unanimously. In addition, the budget guarantee was approved. It was reported that with the supplemental state aid growth percentage set at 2.5% and the reduced certified enrollment numbers in the fall of 2023, NFV will be eligible to take advantage of the regular program budget adjustment for the upcoming fiscal year. The amount available at 2.5% is $117,575.

Summit discusses pipeline plans for Fairbank

By Mira Schmitt-Cash

Oelwein Daily Register

      The Summit Carbon Solutions liquefied carbon dioxide capture and storage pipeline, which agreed to connect to POET Bioprocessing ethanol plants like the one in Fairbank, will have three phases, CEO Lee Blank reported Thursday.

      First is the capture phase at ethanol plant biorefineries, and 57 are signed up now. Second is transport, moving the CO2 to North Dakota. Third will be sequestration in North Dakota under a cap rock substructure, something Iowa doesn’t have, Blank explained during the Zoom call.

      The company has released maps which include a path from Bremer County through Fayette County to POET in Fairbank, a lateral branch.

      Plans call for an 8-inch pipe in Fayette County, said Sabrina Zenor, director of communications for Summit Carbon.

Supervisors approve budget and amendment

By Kaci Maire

      A public hearing for the proposed Fayette County fiscal year 2024-25 budget was held Monday. Fayette County Auditor Moellers presented a comprehensive 24-page packet of information illustrating all proposed expenditures and revenues for Fayette County to those in attendance. These were further broken down by department with information pertaining to the proposed general and special fund activity noted.

      As previously noted in a mailing sent to Fayette County residents, the general fund levy will remain the same. However, because of an increase in valuations, the fund will generate more revenue.

For the last 50 years, Ron Franzen has dedicated countless hours of service to the Fort Atkinson Fire Department as fire chief. Franzen first joined the department in 1971 and was elected as chief in 1974 and will be honored with a special celebration on Sunday, April 21. The celebration will also recognize the 125^th anniversary of the local fire department. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Fort Atkinson FD to celebrate pair of milestones

By Zakary Kriener

      The Fort Atkinson Firefighter’s Association will celebrate a pair of notable milestones next weekend, including its 125^th anniversary and the 50^th year of service for Ron Franzen as chief.

      “I think the biggest thing that’s kept me around is the people and the support,” said Franzen, who will be stepping down from his role as chief this year, but not stepping away from his volunteer service to the area fire department. “I’ve made a lot of good friends over these years here and have also appreciated the teamwork that we have achieved from our own department and with the other area fire departments and emergency responders. That’s an important part of making a small-town fire department work.”

      To honor both Franzen’s tenure and the department’s history, the Fort Atkinson Firefighter’s Association will hold a celebration from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, at the Fort Atkinson Community Center. Established in 1987, the Fort Atkinson FD has officially been around for 127 years, but was unable to celebrate until now due to challenges from the pandemic and its aftermath.

Ossian council to fill vacancy by appointment

      A vacancy on Ossian’s City Council will be filled by appointment at an upcoming meeting that will take place at 5 p.m. on Monday, April 22, in the council chambers at the Ossian Community Center. The sitting councilmembers elected to precede in this manner during last week’s regular session on Monday, April 1.

      The meeting was also the site of a public hearing for the fiscal year 2025 proposed property tax levy rate, which brought no public comment. The proposed property tax levy of $13.83 (per $1,000 of taxable property) is an increase of approximately 0.6 percent from the current $13.01.

SW students to get ‘Tangled’ up at prom Saturday

      South Winneshiek’s annual prom will take place on Saturday with a grand march set for 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium in Calmar. Presented by the junior Class of 2025, this year’s theme will be Disney’s “Tangled.”

      Doors will open at 6:15 for the public with a $5 admission, which will help cover the cost of putting on the prom event.

      Following the grand march, students will head off to PIVO Event Center to dance the night away. At the conclusion of the dance (10 p.m.), students will then participate in post-prom activities.

Inaugurated as Upper Iowa University’s 21st president in 2013, William R. Duffy II (left) is the institution’s longest-serving president since Dr. Eugene Garbee, who served the university from 1952-70. To honor both he and his wife Sharon, UIU will host a retirement reception at the Fayette campus Friday, April 12. (Courtesy photo)

Peacock family to honor retiring president April 12

By Mike Van Sickle

      An end of an era is fast approaching at Upper Iowa University (UIU), as longtime UIU President William R. Duffy II will officially retire from the local university in June. Duffy announced his intentions to retire this past spring and is serving out the remainder of his tenure in a full-time fundraising role. To honor both he and his wife Sharon, UIU will host a retirement reception at the Fayette campus Friday, April 12.

The Highway 150 bridge over the Volga River, near Fayette, will be one of three local road projects set to begin in April. Construction crews will begin closing one lane of traffic on the bridge Monday. Meanwhile, resurfacing of Highway 56 between West Union and Elkader, and resurfacing of Highway 150 between West Union and the Winneshiek County line, begins today and April 15, respectively. (Mike Van Sickle photo)

Area bridge and resurfacing projects to begin

By Mike Van Sickle

      Weather permitting, travelers are to be aware that construction crews will begin closing one lane of traffic Monday on the Highway 150 bridge over the Volga River, near Fayette. The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) reports the bridge deck overlay work is expected to last until late July.

      According to the Iowa DOT’s New Hampton construction office, both lanes will be worked on in separate stages during the project. Temporary traffic signals will be in place to help direct traffic through the work zone. Lane-width restriction signs will be in place in advance of the work zone to direct larger vehicles to alternate routes.

WU Council revisits trail location concern

By Mike Van Sickle

      West Union resident Jeff Yauslin asked the city council Monday to visit his property and again consider moving the proposed Echo Valley Friendship Trail to the south side of Echo Valley Road. Citing concerns with driveways and water runoff from both his and a neighboring property, he asked the council why they were “adamant” to have the proposed trail located on the north side of the road.

Supervisors approve audit contract and pollinator garden

By Kaci Maire

      The Fayette County Board of Supervisors opened bids Monday for services to perform financial audits for Fayette County. Discussion regarding a one-year or a three-year contract, comparing previous pricing and contract options, and input from current Fayette County Auditor Lori Moellers, led Supervisors Bruce Lehmann, Jeff Bunn and Janelle Bradley to approve a three-year contract with Hacker, Nelson, & Co.

      Revisiting the topic of the pollinator garden (or micro prairie) to be planted on the courthouse lawn, approval was given for the project to be moved to the far southeast corner of the lawn. This will keep plants farther away from the building and allow for a larger space for planting. Removal of the ash tree stumps will provide a flatter, more accessible area for planting.