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Education officials say give schools more time to work on sharing

August 1, 2008 By

Department of Education officials are recommending that schools be given another year or two to work on cost sharing arrangements before lawmakers act on any more measures to push districts to consolidate. The State Board of Education requested a study of how other states handle consolidation as they debate how to deal with declining population in Iowa’s rural areas.

Education Department director, Judy Jefferey, says the study didn’t provide any immediate solutions. Jefferey says they found that some of the states they thought were working on consolidation of school districts were actually working on administrative efficiencies, so they didn’t find as much as they thought they would. She says they did find some affirmation for some of the sharing incentives that the legislature put in last year.

Jefferey says so far most states have shied away from mandatory consolidation and instead provide incentives to share management costs with other districts. She says Arkansas is probably the one state that has moved to consolidate school buildings by saying there’s one size for a certain district, and you have to go to that building.

Jefferey says Iowa doesn’t appear to be doing anything out of the norm as there does not seem to be a silver bullet to the answer that everyone is seeking and there seems to be multiple answers to the issue across the country. Jefferey says if the Iowa Legislature does ever move to mandate consolidation of school districts, lawmakers should consider appointing a non-partisian committee to oversee the issue.

Jefferey says it would be a "sort of impartial body that doesn’t have to worry about being elected to office, or that they’re not living within the community." She says they are "really, really hard decisions for people to make and sometimes it just doesn’t get done because of the political nature of the conversation." Iowa had more than 4,600 school districts in 1950, and in the nearly six decades since, that number has fallen to 362. 

Filed Under: Education, Politics & Government

Iowa Corn Indy 250 date set for 2009

August 1, 2008 By

The IndyCar Series announced the third Iowa Corn Indy 250 is set for next year on Sunday June 21st at the Iowa Speedway new Newton. Speedway spokesman, Craig Armstrong, says it’s exciting to know the race is continuing.

Armstrong says the speedway in "little old" Newton is being seen all over the world in the television coverage of the race. Armstrong says it’s an "awe inspiring experience" to know the impact they’ve had on people. He says the more people see the track, the more they want to go to a race.

Armstrong says they "see this fabulous looking facility that looks great on TV" and then want to come out to the raceway. He says the more people that come out the better it is for the economy and for tourism and the community. The track has to bring in temporary seats to accommodate the extra fans for the Indy race and Armstrong says they could install permanent seats if they get more big races.

Armstrong says they need to have two or three Indy type events to make it economically feasible to add the permanent seats. Armstrong wouldn’t comment on talk that the NASCAR Nationwide Series might bring a race to Newton after announcing Monday it will not return to Mexico City in 2009.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

June continues record wet pace for state

August 1, 2008 By

The month of July, like June, was one of the wettest in Iowa history. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says, on average, 5.88 inches of rain fell statewide in July. That’s 1.6 inches more than usual for the month.

Hillaker says last month was the wettest July in Iowa since 1993 and will go down as the 16th wettest July in 136 years of record keeping. Several locations in south-central Iowa were hit the hardest. "Places like Centerville, Lake Rathbun and Lamoni…many of those areas received well over 10 inches of rain during the month," Hillaker said.

Over the first seven months of 2008, Appanoose and Wayne Counties in south-central Iowa have received the most rain – just over 41 inches. With five months left in the year, Iowa’s statewide average rainfall stands at 30.2 inches.

"It’s actually our second wettest January through July period on record in the state. The only one wetter, which will come as no surprise, was 1993 – which averaged almost three inches more than first seven months have given us this year," Hillaker said.

Iowa’s statewide average rainfall over the past 136 years is 34.1 inches. Although temperatures have warmed up recently, Hillaker says it’s been a cooler-than-normal summer. So far, the highest temperature recorded in the state this year is 95 in several locations. Hillaker says Iowa has now had eight consecutive months of below average temperatures.

Hillaker says the amount of rain Iowa has received, on average, so far this year – is just short of what we usually receive over an entire year.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Washington Superintendent resigns unexpectedly

August 1, 2008 By

A southeast Iowa superintendent has abruptly resigned, just weeks before students are to return for classes. David Schmitt — superintendent of schools in Washington, Iowa — resigned Wednesday evening after the school board and Schmitt met in private for about five hours. He read a statement after the board convened in public session.

"In the view of the upcoming challenges and issues facing Washington Community Schools, I believe that it is appropriate that there be a transition of leadership in the district as a result I have decided to resign my position as Superintendent of Washington Community School District effective immediately," he said.

Schmitt had been Washington’s superintendent since 2003. The school board’s president declined to comment on the boards private meeting with Schmitt. In his statement to the public, Schmitt revealed none of the details either.

"I am very proud there have been significant accomplishments and improvements in educational programs offered to students of the district during my tenure. I plan to finish my dissertation then to complete my doctorate and pursue other options in education," said Schmitt. Schmitt then got up and left the board room.

In mid-July, a former Washington, Iowa principal accused of stealing from the school district reached a plea agreement with authorities. Monte Davis pleaded guilty to one count of theft and to four counts of felonious misconduct in office. Davis was accused of falsifying reimbursement requests for school supplies while he was junior high principal in Washington, Iowa.

A special state audit found more than $20,000 in either improper and questionable disbursements or deposited funds while Davis was principal of the school.

Filed Under: Education

MidAmerican defends energy conservation plan

August 1, 2008 By

MidAmerican Energy is defending its energy conservation plan after criticism from environmentalists. The Iowa Environ Council chided the company for failing to require enough energy savings from industrial customers in their five-year efficiency plan.

MidAmerican’s vice president of regulation, Dean Crist, says some industrial customers actually thin the plan requires too much energy conservation. Crist says MidAmerican tried to "balance the interest of all our stakeholders" so they are educated and reduce energy use where they can. Crist says the plan covers a lot of ground.

Crist says their five-year plan submitted to the Iowa Utilities Board invests nearly 360-million dollars in energy efficiency programs from 2009 through 2013 that helps all types of customers manage and reduce their energy use.

Crist says the company has other ways of cutting back the use of traditional energy sources. He says MidAmerican is number one in the nation in ownership of wind energy, and want to increase renewable energy along with its energy efficiency programs. The Iowa Utilities Board will hold a public hearing on the MidAmerican plan later this year. 

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