Access Energy Cooperative Recognized with Economic Development Impact Award

Access Energy Cooperative’s commitment goes far beyond ensuring safe, reliable, efficient, and environmentally responsible energy. They actively create strategic partnerships and provide technical and financial assistance to support business growth and community vitality. Annually, the Iowa Area Development Group (IADG) presents Impact Awards to utility partners who have been involved in significant economic development initiatives. During the September Access Energy Cooperative Board Meeting, the Cooperative was recognized for its economic development accomplishments and commitment to the communities it serves.

Access Energy Cooperative was presented with an IADG Impact Award for community development. Recent examples of project support include securing funds through the USDA Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant program to support upgrades to the Henry County Health Center in Mount Pleasant. These funds assisted with the purchase of a new ambulance and the installation of new X-ray equipment to be used extensively by the Emergency Department. The loan will be paid back into Access Energy’s Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) and will be available to support future projects, such as Hinterland Dairy. Access Energy supported the construction of Hinterland’s new cheese processing and retail business near Donnellson with a loan from their RLF.

“We commend Access Energy Cooperative for being an active supporter of business and community development in the territory they serve,” said IADG President, Rand Fisher. “They provide essential financial and technical assistance that many times is a critical component in successfully securing projects that create jobs and support community vitality.”

 About Access Energy Cooperative and IADG

Access Energy Cooperative is a distribution electric cooperative, owned and operated by the 8000 members they serve in 10 counties in southeast Iowa. The Iowa Area Development Group is the marketing and business development office for Iowa’s member-owned rural electric cooperatives like Access Energy Cooeprative, select municipal electric utilities, and independent telecommunication companies.  IADG has assisted with over 2,100 successful business expansions and start-up projects.  This growth represents capital investment of more than $12 billion and 53,000 jobs for Iowa.  The Iowa Area Development Group was established in 1985 to promote and strengthen rural Iowa development opportunities. Stay connected with IADG news at www.facebook.com/IADG.IA and www.twitter.com/IADGIOWA.

 

Mount Pleasant City Council Meeting Agenda

The Mount Pleasant City Council will meet in Regular Session Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at City Hall, 307 E. Monroe Street, second floor meeting room at 5:30 pm.

 

 

A G E N D A

 

 

  1. Roll Call.

 

 

  1. Consent Agenda: To the Public – All items with an asterisk (*) are routine

by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion and a roll call of the Council-

members.  There will be no separate discussion of items unless the Mayor, a Councilmember

or citizen so request, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and

will be considered in its normal sequence on the Agenda.

 

  1. Receive & file communications –

 

  1. Approve agenda.

 

*5.  Approve minutes of previous meeting.

 

*6.  Approve payment of bills.

 

*7.  Receive reports of Officers – Including Transfer Resolution for September

 

  1. Old Business –

 

  1. 2nd reading of ordinance amending ordinance entitled “Motor Vehicles” regulating the use of golf carts and off-road vehicles on city streets.

 

  1. 2nd reading of ordinance amending ordinance entitled “Fireworks” limiting days allowed to explode fireworks.

 

  1. Approve bid to demolish 107 North White Street.

 

  1. Approve Change order #2 for Monroe/Adams Street project.

 

  1. Resolution accepting Monroe Adams Street Project.

 

  1. Mayoral appointments to Community Development Committee.

 

*       g)  Renewal application for a Class C Beer Permit, Sunday Sales for Hy-Vee Gas, 1702 E. Washington Street.

  1. New Business

 

  1. Resolution approving 2020 Street Finance Report.

 

  1. Approve Engineering Services Agreement for W. Monroe Street – Jefferson Street to White Street.

 

  1. Resolution approving appointment of Fire Fighter Reserve.

 

 

  1. Public Forum.

 

  1. Adjourn.

 

MP Utilities Audit Report Released

TDT CPAs and Advisors, P.C. released an audit report on the Mount Pleasant Municipal Utilities. The Utilities had total revenues of $11,194,246 for the year ended June 30, 2020, a 0.2% increase from the prior year.  The revenues included $11,092,747 of charges for services and $101,499 of non-operating revenues.

Expenses totaled $10,100,402 for the year ended June 30, 2020, a 3.5% increase for the prior year and included $6,209,477 for the power, pumping and treatment plant, $2,110,987 for transmission and distribution, $1,778,211 for general and administration and $1,727 for interest expense.  the increase in expenses is primarily due to an increase in purchased and produced power for the year ended June 30,2020 compared to the year ended June 30, 2019.

This report contains recommendations to the Commission.

A copy of the audit report is available for review in the Mount Pleasant City Clerk’s office, the Mount Pleasant Utilities office, the office of the Auditor of State and on the Auditor of State’s website at auditor.iowa.gov/reports

HCHC Foundation Goes Mad Again!

The Henry County Health Center Foundation experienced such a success with last year’s Make A Difference (M.A.D.) for HCHC Banquet that Foundation Director Mark Hempen says they’re bringing the idea back.

 

“Only this time, we’re inviting you to stay home,” Hempen said.  “We’ve had to cancel all of our fundraising events this year because of the COVID pandemic, so the Foundation came up with a way for our area residents to satisfy their desire to help other people, and do so from the comfort of their own home.”

 

The idea is simple.  Instead of spending a couple of hours at a typical fundraising event – simply send in the money you would have spent on tickets and stay home.  Instead of buying a new dress or suit – send the money to the HCHC Foundation.  Instead of hiring a sitter and ordering pizza for the kids – send the money to the Foundation, stay home and follow social distancing guidelines.  The hope is that people will fulfill their need to give back to their community and feel relieved that they won’t face possible exposure.

 

Banquet Chair and Foundation Board member Sally Olson says it is important for people to understand the importance of HCHC in our community and how donor gifts make a difference.  “While this idea is a little more fun-spirited than others in the past, we hope people will realize how important their gift to the Foundation is, especially this year.  Each gift makes a huge difference, and helps us move forward with our mission to support and fund important health related projects for HCHC,” Olson said.

 

“Funds raised at the M.A.D. Non-Event Event will be used to purchase essential new equipment for use at the Health Center,” Hempen said.  “More specifically they will be used to purchase ten new telemetry units for use in various departments.  Our goal is to raise close to $30,000 for this project.”

 

Gifts can be sent directly to the HCHC Foundation, 407 S. White Street, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, 52641.  For more details call Mark Hempen at 319-385-6541.

Grassley Statement on Supreme Court Vacancy

 

WASHINGTON — Senator Chuck Grassley, a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today made the following statement about the current Supreme Court vacancy after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

 

“In 2016, with an open seat on the U.S. Supreme Court and a window into the type of justice he’d nominate, the American people elected Donald Trump president of the United States. The vacancy was among the key issues on voters’ minds at the polls.

 

“In 2018, having witnessed President Trump appoint two justices to the Court, as well as the ugly tactics deployed by Senate Democrats during the confirmation process, the American people reaffirmed their support for the President by expanding the Republican majority in the Senate, the body tasked with evaluating the President’s nominees to the court.

 

“Over the years, and as recently as July, I’ve consistently said that taking up and evaluating a nominee in 2020 would be a decision for the current chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Senate Majority Leader. Both have confirmed their intentions to move forward, so that’s what will happen. Once the hearings are underway, it’s my responsibility to evaluate the nominee on the merits, just as I always have. The Constitution gives the Senate that authority, and the American people’s voices in the most recent election couldn’t be clearer. While there was ambiguity about the American people’s will for the direction of the Supreme Court in 2016 under a divided government, there is no such ambiguity in 2020.

 

“Our colleagues on the other side made clear long ago their intentions to upend norm after norm to hijack the judiciary. From Bork to Estrada to Kavanaugh; from torching the filibuster to threatening justices who rule against their wishes, Senate Democrats have a long, sordid history of politicizing the courts and the confirmation process. Even before the current vacancy, Democrats discussed plans to pack the Supreme Court and eliminate the legislative filibuster, just because they can’t get the results they want at the polls. In this case the people have spoken, putting power to appoint and confirm a nominee to the Supreme Court in one party.

 

“So, make no mistake: if the shoe were on the other foot, Senate Democrats wouldn’t hesitate to use their Constitutional authority and anything else at their disposal to fill this seat.”

 

 

 

In 2016, citing a divided government, then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley and his committee colleagues exercised their constitutional authority to withhold consent on any nominee prior to the completion of the election. In a 2016 letter to Leader McConnell, the senators wrote:

 

“Not since 1932 has the Senate confirmed in a presidential election year a Supreme Court nominee to a vacancy arising in that year. And it is necessary to go even further back — to 1888 — in order to find an election year nominee who was nominated and confirmed under divided government, as we have now.

 

“Accordingly, given the particular circumstances under which this vacancy arises, we wish to inform you of our intention to exercise our constitutional authority to withhold consent on any nominee to the Supreme Court submitted by this President to fill Justice Scalia’s vacancy.”

 

The circumstances are different in 2020, where the American people elected a Republican President and Senate in 2016 and expanded the Republican Senate majority in 2018.

 

-30-

Patricia Ann “Pat” Ludwig

Patricia Ann “Pat” Ludwig, 81, of Hillsboro and formerly of Ottumwa passed away on Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at Savannah Heights in Mt. Pleasant.

Graveside Services will be held on Sunday, September 27, 2020, at 2 p.m.  at the Hillsboro Cemetery in Hillsboro, Iowa.  Memorials may be directed to Every Step Hospice in her memory.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant are caring for her arrangements.

 

 

Leslie Carleen May

Leslie Carleen May, 83, of Mt. Pleasant passed away on Saturday, September 19, 2020, at the Henry County Health Center in Mt. Pleasant.

Private family graveside services will be held at the Salem East Cemetery in Salem.  According to her wishes cremation has been entrusted to the care of Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.murphyfuneralandmonuments.com

Murphy Funeral Home of Mt. Pleasant are caring for her arrangements.

 

Update-One Person Injured in Saturday Night Incident

On September 19 the Henry County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office of male subject with a head injury resulting from a motor vehicle accident in the 1100 Grid of Old Highway 34 in Henry County.  The Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa State Patrol responded to the incident.  The male sustained a head injury requiring him to be air lifted from the scene. The accident investigation was handled by the Iowa State Patrol. The State Patrol was notified of the incident at about 10:30 pm. The patrol investigation indicates a passenger was on top of the vehicle and fell off. That individual was identified by the patrol as 18 year old Sawyer Carrasco of Mount Pleasant. Carrasco was airlifted from the scene and taken to University Hospitals in Iowa for treatment of head injuries. The patrol reports that a 16 year was driving the vehicle involved and has been cited for reckless driving.  Henry County Sheriff Rich McNamee said he was notified Monday by a family member that Carrasco was in stable condition.

Another investigation was started by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office from the call into a juvenile underage drinking party.  From this three juveniles were charged and released to their parents for Possession of Alcohol Under the Legal Age.

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office was assisted during this incident by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Midwest Ambulance, Henry County Ambulance, Mount Pleasant Fire, and Med Force.