Ida County’s Official Newspaper CourierIda County $1.00 Vol. 42, No. 1 Ida Grove, Iowa www.idacountycourier.com Wednesday, January 4, 2017 News Supervisors approve salary GLIMPSE increases for county off icials The Ida County Board of Super- Also approved were the visors reduced the compensation AFSCME/Iowa Council 61 public BC-IG Elementary board’s recommendation by 1 safety contract, certiicate of cost Building Addi on percent during the Dec. 29 meet- allocation plan (reimbursement Page 2 ing. Supervisor Curt Phillips was from DHS for their ofice at the not present. courthouse), 2017 wellness Discussion was held on Ida agreement with ISAC and coverage County Compensation Board’s through the Hoffman Agency for recommendation of increasing computer and terrorism at a cost elected oficial’s pay by 6 percent. of $2,297 per year. During the discussion, the super- Discussion was held on the visors discussed the need to get in self-funding plan the county line with other counties in regards currently operates. With an to wages. increase in health insurance “We are still behind,” noted su- rates, the county has the option to pervisor Rhett Leonard. “I’m per- increase the premium, decrease sonally not comfortable with 6 self-funding or leave the plans percent.” alone and absorb the cost of the Outgoing supervisor Bob increases. The board determined Paulsrud agreed, “Five percent is the county would absorb the cost From our backyard pretty good. But, maybe the su- of the increase and not increase Page 5 pervisors should take a 3 percent, premiums for the employees. This Ridge View FFA with the rest of them taking 6 per- decision does not affect county Off icer Spotlight cent. That would be more palat- employees’ costs. Snow sculpture: The Gebel family in Ida Grove made good use of the snow that came down Friday by Page 6 able with the public.” The medical examiner two- sculpting a caterpillar in their front yard. They used food dye to color the snow. Helping with the project Paulsrud continued, “We as su- year term for Curt Hesse was Ida Grove Library were, from left, William, Kip, Eli and Braden Gebel. (Courier photo by Amy Forbes) pervisors don’t do as much as we approved. introduces New Program used to. We don’t have to handle a Jeff Williams, Ida County Page 8 landill, no public health, no men- engineer, was present to discuss 2016 Headlines Part Two tal health, no DHS. Our duties have a tile road application. The board Schnuckels among Diocesan Pilgrims Page 10 come down quite a lot.” approved a tile road crossing Christmas Eve accident But Leonard disagreed, “We may application for Jeff Jochims in have less because of those, but we Section 6 of Galva Township who join communion of singers in Rome claims life have more meetings to go to. And, upstream and for Dan Doxtad, Reprinted with permission from not around for selfies with the Sioux City, Neb., and her mother, Page 12 we need to make sure we push for Section 5 of Galva Township author Joanne Fox of the Catholic choir members, the shepherd of Teri Rosendahl of Spring Grove, the focus on those committees to downstream. Globe. the Catholic Church was a stone’s Minn., rounded-out the “related” Upcoming Events which we are assigned.” Williams also discussed the irst The Cathedral of the Epiphany throw away several times from singers. Add two pilgrims, Bonnie Following the brief discussion, major snowfall and the completion choir may, or may not, be an the 21 pilgrims who traveled, Morarend of Dubuque and her Ida County Ca lemen & Leonard made the motion for a of the wind tower project. integral aspect of a central Nov. 14-21, to Rome. brother, Jerry Balk of Guttenberg, Pork Producers Banquet 5 percent increase for elected of- Ed Sohm, Ida County Emergency belief in the Nicene Creed, but The unusual aspect of the Iowa – who are Rosendahl’s first Saturday, January 14 icials for budgetary purposes. Management Coordinator, was they certainly were blessed to travelers was how many were cousins – and it was quite the Veterans’ Memorial Hall Paulsrud seconded the motion present to discuss a master matrix sing for two historic, pontifical related to each other. The singers family outing. Holstein and both voted aye. evaluation. The board approved ceremonies. included myself and my son, If it’s Wednesday in Rome, Ida County Republicans The board approved Brandi the matrix submitted by Wally and That was the perception of Alex Fox of Sioux City. Mary Jane that means it is general audience Celebra on & Apprecia on Reiss for dispatcher/jailer at $16 Chad Burk in Section 15 of Grant Rachael Wragge of Sioux City, one Hochderffer of Jefferson, S.D., was day in St. Peter’s Square. Getting Dinner per hour effective Dec. 19 and Lena Township. The Burks plan to re- of the 19 vocalists and a member accompanied by her daughter, the pilgrims to the square early Saturday, January 21 Hawthorne as jailer/dispather at design the inside of their hog unit of a 300-plus choir raising their Theresa. Kristine Danner and allowed those of us with the Boulders Conference Center $16.44 per hour, effective Jan. 1. (continued on page 2) voices in song for the Mass son, Michael, of McCook Lake, “ticket” to get through security Holstein celebrated by Pope Francis for S.D., were among the travelers. and be positioned eight rows from the close of the Jubilee Year of Stacey Schnuckel of Odebolt the route of the popemobile. Mercy on Nov. 20, as well as the and her brother, Tyler Schnuckel, When Pope Francis appeared, 3-Day Forecast ISI promotes employment Consistory of Cardinals on Nov. and his wife, Amanda Schnuckel the joy exploded. He waved, 19. of Holstein, were on the trip. kissed babies, anointed a woman Wed 1/4 program with area businesses Although the Holy Father was Finally, Chrissy Martinez of South (continued on page 3) Ida Services Inc. (ISI) is a com- was made to create three needs 19° | 4° munity support program for for those who live with a disabil- Partly Cloudy those living with disabilities. It ity. It needed to be support out offers support for those living in the community; paid jobs, at Thurs 1/5 with disabilities with housing, or above minimum wage and it employment and much more. had to be long term,” said Blum. 18° | 5° However, in an ever-changing “But, as with most government Clear world, those services are being programs, funding was cut and redefined. Those who live with the program didn’t really be- Fri 1/6 disabilities are able to become come the centerpiece of caring more independent with assis- for those with disabilities. And, 20° | 5° tance in a countywide project the sheltered environment be- Partly Cloudy that allows them to work outside came the norm. of the sheltered work environ- “Days in the sheltered environ- ment they’ve been accustomed ment are coming to an end. We Like us on to for the last few decades. are helping to bring them into Facebook Renee Blum, employment de- the community, into jobs that velopment manager, has been help them feel more like produc- www.facebook.com/ assisting ISI in helping clients tive citizens,” Blum stated. gain employment out in the com- “We spend a lot of time prior GoingOnInTheGrove munity through assessments and to job placement taking assess- employment services. She works ments and finding out what the Follow us on with ISI and other regional cen- client likes to do, dislikes and Twi er ters, including the Howard Cen- what skills they have or would Visit to Rome: ter based in Sac City. like to learn,” Blum said. “Just Nineteen vocalists from the Siouxland area made a trip to Rome as part of a 300-plus “Supportive employment has like you and me, we have pref- member choir that performed for Pope Francis for the close of the Jubilee Year of Mercy on Nov. 20. @IdaCoCourier been in place since 1976, but erences. Some prefer to work Three local members were invited to the once-in-a-lifetime event. From left, identity not available, there was a place and time, in in housekeeping, while others Amanda Schnuckel of Holstein, Stacey Schnuckel of Odebolt and Tyler Schnuckel of Holstein. the 1980s, when the decision (continued on page 3) (Photo submitted) Time to replace your old furnace? 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The unit Discussion was held with currently holds 1,600 pigs and Creston Schubert and Ray Drey, will increase to 1,760 pigs. newly elected county supervisors, The board also discussed adding who were present at the meeting, additional Frontier services as on committee assignments. Final back up for the county internet assignments were approved at the and phone lines in case Long Lines meeting on Jan.