The Shelby County Supervisors have approved an Economic Development Assistance contract for a company located just outside of Harlan. During their regularly scheduled meeting today (Tuesday), Jane Nielsen, director of Shelby County DevelopSource, told the Board the contract with Proliant had been amended from $225,000 to $336,000. The award to Proliant came from the Iowa Economic Development Authority or IEDA.

The company will use the money as part of their $22 million expansion project, which is currently under construction. Al Leinen, manager at Proliant, told the Shelby County Supervisors the expansion will add 25 additional employees to the already 36 current workers. Proliant is the biggest plant making stocks and broth in the United States. The expansion of the plant will not require the of use any tax dollars.

Leinen said at the meeting, if all goes well in the current expansion, the plant will see another phase and expansion right away. Proliant is expecting the construction and expansion to be completed by the end of the year.

In other business, the Shelby County Supervisors sold a tiny piece of land to the city of Irwin. The 10-foot by 100-foot section of land was near the ball diamond in Irwin. The City’s bid of One-dollar, was the only bid the Board received. And, Shelby County Auditor Marsha Carter reported to the board on the recent Hotel/Motel Tax Committee action. Carter said the committee had approved $10,000 to the city of Harlan for the “Today in America” program, and the county had received $10,000 for the improvements completed on the Shelby County Courthouse. Both the City and County had submitted proposals before the change to the Hotel/Motel Tax Committee.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The Atlantic City Council is scheduled to meet Wednesday evening in the Senior Center cafeteria room, while renovation work continues on the City Hall building. During their session, the Council may act on a Resolution approving a Bond Purchase Agreement not to exceed $2.72-million, for the City’s 2013 Capital Improvement Plan. Approving the agreement would lock-in the interest rates, and is the next step in the process to pay for the construction of improvements to the City’s streets and storm sewers.

In other business, the Council in Atlantic will act on a Resolution setting April 3rd, 2013 at 5:30-p.m., as the date and time for a public hearing on a Loan Agreement not to exceed $6.6-million, for Sewer Revenue bonds. During the last Council meeting, City Administrator Doug Harris said it would be advantageous for the City to issue the bonds at current interest rates, rather than draw-down on the remaining $6.6-million from the State Revolving Loan Fund (SRL) to finance the Wastewater Treatment Plant. Harris said it would save the City an average of $23,500 per year for the first 17-years of the bond maturity structure, for an over-all savings of about $391,000.

And, the Council will discuss and consider a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) application from Sonntag Development, for a $250,000 grant from the City, for the construction of 10 duplexes. The matter had been referred to the Community Development Committee, which said the proposed Southern Heights II Subdivision was a good project and public assistance could be considered, since it met the minimum standards under the new, broader TIF Policy. However, the Atlantic CDC did not offer a conclusive opinion on whether public funding should be granted. The Committee decided to forward the application back to the Council for its consideration, without  a specific recommendation for action.

Whatever action the Council takes, if any, on Wednesday, will set a precedence for the standards and purpose for the use of public funding when similar TIF requests are made, along with how much public assistance will be the standard.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular meeting in Atlantic Wednesday morning. During their 9-a.m. session at the courthouse, the Board will act on approving a two-percent Cost Of Living increase for Child Support Recovery employees, as covered under the Intergovernmental Cooperative Reimbursement Agreement between the County and Department of Human Services.

The Supervisors are also expected to act on funding for the Cass-Audubon Border Economic Development Agreement (CABEDA), and paying for a Valley Business Park property loan. They’ll also receive and possibly act on bids for sanitation and recycling services at the courthouse and jail, as well as approve the hiring of an Operator 1 position applicant for the Secondary Roads Department.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Members of the CAM School District’s Board of Education, Monday, approved a change order for the new multipurpose building to be constructed this Summer north of the CAM North Elementary School. Superintendent Steve Pelzer told KJAN News the change makes the building a little bit wider and changes the slope of the roof.  It also adds $20,000 to price of the original bid of $584,800, from Jensen Builders, of Ames. When complete, the building will house a gym with storage areas, restrooms, drinking fountain and music room. The building is expected to be finished by mid-to late-August.

The Board also discussed, but took no action on, replacing the football scoreboard with an LED-type board. Pelzer says the Board will likely approve replacing the current scoreboard with a new one, because it’s cheaper to replace it than to retrofit the current scoreboard with LED lights. He says they are also looking into the purchase of Play Clocks for the end zone, but no decision was made on that, either.

• 1 – 10.2 ounce package refrigerated large flaky biscuits (5)
• 1 pint deli tuna salad (2 cups)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar and/or Swiss cheese (4 ounces)

Bake biscuits according to package directions; cool.  Use a fork to split each biscuit in half.  Spread the tuna salad evenly on biscuit halves.  Sprinkle with the cheese.  Arrange biscuits on a baking sheet.  Preheat broiler.  Broil sandwiches 4 to 5 inches from heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts and browns slightly.  Makes 10 tuna melts.  Tip:  For a more adult sandwich, stir a little Cajun seasoning and a few chopped pimiento-stuffed olives into the tuna salad before spreading on biscuits.

• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion (2 medium)
• 2 – 10.72 ounce cans condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 18 hamburger or cocktail buns, split and toasted
• Pickles (optional)

In a large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender.  Drain off fat.  In a 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker, stir together meat mixture, soup and ketchup.  Cover and cook on low heat setting for 4 1/2 hours or on high heat setting for two hours.  Serve meat mixture in toasted buns.  If desired, garnish with pickles.  Makes 18 servings.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Rescue crews from Anita, Wiota and Medivac Ambulance from Atlantic were dispatched to a rollover accident about three-miles east of the Wiota exit off of Interstate 80 in Cass County. The accident, which was reported to have occurred on I-80 westbound at around 7:15-a.m, took place near the 67-mile marker. The lone  female occupant of the vehicle was reported to be trapped in the vehicle, which was on its top. She was said to be conscious and breathing, and did not appear to have been seriously injured.The driver was however transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, as a precaution.

The accident temporarily shut down a portion of the right lane of I-80 west bound, until the wreckage could be removed. No other details are currently available.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors, Monday, approved the fees for Summer Recreation Programs, and a local Eagle Scout’s project to improve the Sunnyside Park Disc Golf Course. Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring asked for, and the Board approved, no change in rates charged for swimming at the City Pool. Herring says they will also be offering punch cards again this year, which, if you plan to be a frequent user of the Sunnyside Pool, will save you some money in the long run. The punch card allows you to buy 15 punches for $50. That’s a savings of $10 over the daily rate of admission.

Herring says sponsorship rates for the Men’s slow-pitch softball program will also be unchanged from last year. The cost of sponsorships went up last year from $150 per team to $300 to increase revenue and break even expense-wise. An incentive to the sponsors came in the form of a banner, and their sponsorships were tax deductible. Herring says while that resulted in a decrease in the number of teams from 10 to 8, it increased the cost savings to the Parks and Rec Dept. and reduced the amount of red ink in the books.

Atlantic Eagle Scout Nick Podhajsky speaks before the Atlantic Parks & Rec Board. (Ric Hanson/photo)

In other business, the Parks and Rec Board heard from Atlantic Eagle Scout Nick Podhajsky, who proposed a bridge replacement project near hole number 7, for the Sunnyside Park Disc Golf Course. The current bridge was built by course designer and facilitator Frank Saddlemire, and while functional and fits the natural environment, is also a potential liability to the City, because of its undersized main supports…small, and widely spaced decking branches, and single rails on each side.

Podhajsky proposed upgrading the bridge to incorporate: utility poles for the main supports; treated 2×6 lumber for the decking; and treated 4×4 posts to support three rails on each side. It would be very similar to the design used for the bridge near the Sunnyside Schoolhouse. Donations and supplies for the project would come from local groups, companies and individuals, with the labor for construction and installing the bridge to come from the Scout and other volunteers.

The Board gave approval for Podhajsky to proceed with the project, which could be completed by the end of June.