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State Auditor Finds Several Improper, Unsupported Disbursements In Citizens’ Petition Audit Of Bagley Financials
A City of Bagley audit completed by the Iowa State Auditor’s Office has found multiple unsupported and improper payments recorded in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. According to a report issued today (Tuesday), state officials initiated the audit following a citizen petition over concerns regarding payroll disbursements, approval of pay raises, and publication compliance. Auditors reviewed numerous transactions and meeting minutes that took place between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. Officials noted three “improper” payroll checks issued to Bagley City Clerk Jennifer Ingles. A check dated June 9, 2023, was the same amount as previous payroll checks but did not fall within the normal payroll period, leading to auditors flagging the check. A Sept. 2, 2022 check was considered unsupported because it did not include documentation for $98.99 in mileage reimbursement. The third check, dated Feb. 27, 2023, was deemed unsupported for similar reasoning on $46.75 reimbursement for “additional funds.” Auditors also identified $361.02 in unsupported purchases on the city’s credit card during FY23. Officials did not denote if the card use was improper due to a lack of supporting documentation. They also noted issues with a pay raise for the clerk that was verbally approved by the council but did not receive written approval. The final note in the report is on the FY24 budget approval timeline, which wasn’t finalized until more than six months after the fiscal year began. The State Auditor’s Office recommended that the City of Bagley adopt additional control policies to ensure all reimbursements, pay increases, and budget approvals are documented correctly and done in a timely manner. A link to the full audit report is included below.
Trail Development in Guthrie County to Get State Funds
(Guthrie Center, IA) — The Raccoon River Valley Trail will get some upgrades in the future. At Tuesday’s Guthrie Board of Supervisors meeting, Brad Halterman of the Guthrie County Conservation said that the joint project with Greene County will get $1.2 million in state money, specifically from the Iowa Transportation Commission. There is a caveat however — Halterman says the money will not be available for another three years.
Vocal Opposition Continues of Pipeline in Guthrie County
(Guthrie Center, IA) — The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors had a packed house on Tuesday morning and residents of Guthrie County at times got emotional against the Summit Carbon Solutions Pipeline. The supervisors continued to say that they can do very little to prevent the pipeline from being...
Bayard Fire Department has New Truck
The Bayard Volunteer Fire Department has a new set of wheels to help them serve and care for the residents of their fire district. Chief Brayton Bonney says that in February of 2022, the department decided they needed to update their 1996 Dodge brush truck that they used on loan from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. He adds that they were able to receive a $13,000 grant from the Guthrie County Community Foundation, and many donations from individuals. The department also held fundraisers, and raised the money for a 2024 Chevrolet 3500 that was purchased for $68,160.32 from Karl Emergency Vehicle in Ankeny.
East Lincoln Way Road Project in Jefferson Reaches Final Stage
A road project in Jefferson is seeing the final phase happening this week. According to the city, the contractor, InRoads, is having crews do the milling and asphalt overlay of East Lincoln Way from Locust Street east to the city cemetery. Motorists are reminded that it will be one lane traffic until the resurfacing part is finished. City Administrator Scott Peterson says one of the longest portions of this project dealt with pouring new concrete on the north side of the East Lincoln Way from about the Milwaukee Depot to the cemetery, which was intentionally left just short of the height of the existing roadway before the asphalt is overlaid.
Trick or Treat Date Set at Perry City Council Meeting
The Perry City Council met in regular session on Monday. The council set October 25th as their Trick or Treat Night in Perry. Other items on the agenda that were approved during the meeting included amending a development agreement with Semper Fi Commercial Solutions LLC to construct a building within the Perry Industrial Park to give space for contractors and industrial users, a resolution for a local match by the Des Moines Metropolitan Planning Organization to the U.S. Department of Transportation Charging and Full Infrastructure Discretionary Grant with the estimated total costs being $647,389.50, and a resolution to establish Perry City Council Standing Committees in the areas of public safety, public facilities, public works, administration and finance.
Jefferson Rotary Club Announces Grant Awardees
The Jefferson Rotary Club recently announced its grant recipients. According to the Rotary Club, $16,000 of grants were awarded from the proceeds of the 2023 Annual Banquet and Auction that was held this past November. Jefferson Matters Tower View Team was awarded $4,635 for Imagination Alley project for the north alleyway in downtown Jefferson. Midwest Missions received $4,400 for a trailer to take rice meal packing equipment to packing sites.
Ribbon cut on Woodward-Bouton-Perry connector trail Saturday
BOUTON, Iowa — A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the grand opening of the nine-mile connector trail linking the High Trestle and Raccoon River Valley trails here Saturday. The 1 p.m. event followed an 11 a.m. inaugural ride from Perry to Woodward and then back to Bouton for the ribbon cutting, opening the continuous 120-mile paved loop, which promises to be an economic engine for the northern Dallas County communities.
City of Perry Asking for Feedback on Fireworks Ordinances
The City of Perry wants public input about the current state of regulating fireworks. The city is inquiring residents to share their thoughts on Perry’s current prohibition on the use of consumer fireworks. According to the city, the policy encourages residents not shoot off fireworks within the limits of Perry. The city put out a survey for residents to fill out asking whether to retain the established regulations or if people wish to modify the policy.
Stuart Library’s DEAR Program Still Ongoing
The Stuart Public Library is continuing a program that they’ve been holding over the summer. Director Lisa Sherman says that the program has been a fun one that many of the kids, and even some adults, have enjoyed. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio that they are going to keep the activity for the foreseeable future.
Main Street Coon Rapids Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary
Representatives from Main Street Coon Rapids provided an update this (Monday) morning to the Carroll County Board of Supervisors, highlighting the group’s effort to grow and improve Coon Rapids. Today (Monday) marked the fifth anniversary of the community earning its Main Street designation. Executive Director Katie Mason says they’ve leveraged that into substantial grant awards and private investment into Coon Rapids.
25 CHI Grants 37 Housing Projects in Greene, Carroll and Guthrie Counties
A new non-profit organization recently announced its grant awards. The Highway 25 Corridor Housing Initiative (CHI) Board President John Rigler, III says they received 64 grant applications to help make exterior improvements to homes in Scranton, Churdan, Ralston, Bayard and Coon Rapids. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio these grants are matching up to $1,000 to help offset the costs of the improvements, and their board approved 37 applications. The community breakdown includes 12 in Scranton, ten in Churdan, Coon Rapids has seven projects, Bayard with six and Ralston with two projects. Rigler points out that $45,449 of grant funds is being distributed across the five communities and is estimating the total investment into housing to be more than $200,000, and perhaps $300,000 once the final reimbursement applications are submitted.
Lots of Updates and Recommendations to Jefferson City Council From Public Works Committee Meeting
The Jefferson Public Works Committees met on Tuesday for their regular monthly meeting. The Water Committee had an update from Water Superintendent Kyle DeMoss about the lead service line inventory. He said there were a total of eight lead lines, 191 galvanized lines that would need to be replaced, and 228 customer service lines left to identify. The deadline to submit that information to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency is this October.
Jefferson Residents Reminded to “Reduce” and “Reuse” While Also “Recycling”
As the city of Jefferson continues its new single stream recycling, one city official is reminding participants about the other two “R’s” and what people can do. Jefferson City Council member and representative on the city recycling committee Matt Wetrich recommends everyone to “reduce” and “reuse” as much as possible. He says one the best ways to do this is limiting single use plastics such as grocery bags by bringing reusable bags with you to the grocery store, or not using plastic straws with drinks as restaurants. Wetrich points out if people get plastic grocery bags from the store, to donate them to Midwest Missions in Jefferson.
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