2014 The Grundy Register Thursday, August 21, 2014 Serving Grundy County since 1928 Grundy Center, Iowa Volume 90 – Number 34 www.TheGrundyRegister.com $1.00 Newsstand Price County again Grundy Center schools may face tough financial decisions By JOHN JENSEN Over the past four years, the Dis- Four years ago, spending authority denies financial The Grundy Register trict’s unspent budget balance, the exceeded spending by 13.1 percent. GRUNDY CENTER — Last amount of money it has that exceeds Three years ago that number dipped ‘If we stayed on current course, we would responsibility for spring, the Grundy Center School its maximum authorized balance, has to 11.3 percent, two years ago to 8.7 Board discussed the possible need dropped from more than $950,000 to percent and last year to 3.4 percent. be $500,000 below our authorized spending runoff damages for difficult financial decisions down just less than $246,000. If that trend Schutz said the state recommends (next year), which is illegal. And if we contin- By ROB MAHARRY the road. The time to make those de- continues into next year, according that unspent authorized balance be Mid-America Publishing cisions is nearing, according to Su- the Schutz, Grundy Center spending between 5 and 15 percent. ued to do that the state would have to take us GRUNDY CENTER — A perintendent Jerry Schutz. would dip into illegal territory. The problem the district faces week passed, but little changed “I believe there will have to be “If we stayed on current course, is not with cash on hand, but with over.’ in the ongoing debate between a some cuts,” Schutz said in a meeting we would be $500,000 below our authority to spend what it has. The group of Grundy Center residents with The Grundy Register Friday, authorized spending (next year), School District receives $6,366 per — Superintendent Jerry Schutz and the Grundy County Board of following a School Board work ses- which is illegal,” he said. “And if we student from the state, and that plus Supervisors over who should bear sion Thursday night. continued to do that the state would some other smaller allocations is goes down, you are spending more to the real possibility that the District the financial burden related to runoff Schutz said if things do not have to take us over.” what it is allowed to spend. than you’re taking in and you’ve got could be forced to cut positions next damages after the Iowa Department change as early as next year (Fiscal Schutz added that the amount of “If we were steady, even at 5 to turn that around.” year. of Transportation resurfaced 2016), the Grundy Center Commu- money being spent by the district percent, no problem,” he said. “The Schutz said reversing the trend “We’ve got to turn this ship Highway 14/175 in 2007. nity School District is in serious has not been the problem. The prob- trend line is the concern. What hap- will be difficult, as more than 80 around,” he said. “It’s going to take Rich Ahlberg, his wife Shirley, Vi jeopardy of seeing its spending ex- lem has been the trend of the amount pens is even though you’re above percent of the authorized budget is Roberts and Tony Gustafson of the ceed its state-authorized budget. spent related to spending authority. your spending, when your trend line tied to salaries and benefits, leading See BUDGET page 13 Iowa Department of Transportation all attended the board’s regular meeting on Monday to ask the county for compensation for the Grundy Center, G-R explore water runoff in their driveways, which they believe was caused by expanded athletic sharing the resurfacing project. Gustafson By JOHN JENSEN before the meeting, between 15 and claimed that because Grundy County The Grundy Register 18 boys and between 4 and seven served as the contract administrator GRUNDY CENTER — Athletic girls would be expected to be part for the project, the responsibility of sharing has become more and more of Grundy Center’s teams, and the paying for the damages fell on the the norm in Iowa’s smaller school combined team would move up from county. districts, and Grundy Center is no 1A (where both schools currently “The project caused the whole exception. The school currently has compete) to Class 2A. problem,” Shirley Ahlberg said. sharing agreements in cross country The higher class concerned Spar- The Supervisors, along with with Gladbrook-Reinbeck, wrestling tan girls’ track coach Todd Rohler, county engineer Gary Mauer and with G-R and North Tama and girls’ who noted that his team would not assistant county engineer Steve soccer with Aplington-Parkersburg. have won any of the relay titles it Cox, countered that Grundy County Could more sharing be on the took a few years ago if it had run only acted in accordance with state horizon? That was the question fac- in 2A, and that Gladbrook-Rein- specifications for the project and that ing the Grundy Center School Board beck hurdler Eric Stoakes, who won it is a state owned highway. last Thursday during a special ses- the Class 1A 400 hurdles last year, “We were hired to make sure sion. Superintendent Jerry Schutz would have placed fourth in Class that it was constructed according to said Gladbrook-Reinbeck has ap- 2A. the plan, and that’s what we did,” proached Grundy Center about joint “Can we compete? Yes. Can we supervisor Chuck Bakker said. boys’ and girls’ track and field teams compete at a high level? Not really,” After several minutes of back this spring, and he asked if now is he said. “I think it would put us at and forth strongly reminiscent of the time to explore sharing sports ex- a competitive disadvantage. I don’t previous discussions at the June 23 clusively with G-R rather than going see it as a benefit to anyone.” and August 11 meetings, Chairman several different directions. Ackerman, however, said he did Harlyn Riekena closed debate on the “That way we wouldn’t be cherry not see any reason why Grundy Cen- topic and made no offer to the group picking,” he said. ter/Gladbrook-Reinbeck could not of residents. Athletic Director Rollie Acker- be competitive in Class 2A. “If you’re entitled to man said G-R came to Grundy Cen- “Eight or nine years ago we had compensation, it’s not from the ter last spring and said conversations 30 to 35 kids out and competed well county. End of story,” he said. “It’s were not limited to track. in Class 2A,” he said. not a county road, county curb or “Since they extended their hand Another factor to look at, ac- county gutter.” to us, it’s worth us looking at it,” he cording to Rohler, is that Glad- said. brook-Reinbeck currently does not IN OTHER BUSINESS, New The track proposal would bring have a boys’ track and field coach. Hartford City Councilman Gordy Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s kids to be Its previous coach, Andy McQuillen, Ballhanga spoke to the board about Time for school part of Grundy Center’s teams. Ac- water drainage in his community, Area schools returned to class today (Wednesday) after two and one-half months of summer break. For some, cording to information provided See SHARING page 13 which is located in the southeast like Oliver Del Castillo, Monday was a new adventure as he met his new teacher, Mrs. Strohbehn, who is corner of Butler County but takes Grundy Center’s new kindergarten teacher this year. (John Jensen/The Grundy Register photo) in much of Grundy County’s runoff. Inside today’s According to Ballhanga, a court order from the 1940’s required Butler County to dig an open ditch See SUPERVISORS page 3 Grundy Register What’s August 7 5:30 pm Evening Story Time Happening Snapshots Kling Memorial Library Celebrating the 138th Grundy County Fair August 11 1 pm Wednesday, August 20 Grundy Center School Board Movie Monday at the Kling Memorial Li- Administration Building brary 5 p.m. Please call the library for details, 825-3607 Thursday, August 21 Grundy Center Blood Drive Community Center, 2-5 p.m. Alzheimer Support Group Arlington Place • 6:30 p.m. Saturday, August 23 Taste Iowa Landscaping work still needed to be completed Tuesday at Grundy Center’s new tornado safe addition. (John GNB, Conrad Jensen/The Grundy Register photo) 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Monday, August 25 New facilities greet Grundy Center students The Grundy Register By JOHN JENSEN their learning environment, but also science rooms. Board of Supervisors August 21, 2014 The Grundy Register their safety in the event of a severe Craig Schwerdefeger, the owner Grundy County Courthouse GRUNDY CENTER — Students storm. and principal architect for Struxture 9 a.m. at Grundy Center Junior-Senior Last weekend and as teachers Architects of Waterloo, designed the Thursday, August 28 High School were greeted by a pair prepared for Monday’s open house, tornado safe area, which is designed 2014 Grundy County Fair Taste of Grundy Center of new or renovated facilities as they final touches were being placed on to withstand winds of up to 250 Courthouse Lawn • 5-7 p.m. returned to classes Wednesday … the school’s new tornado safe area as Wrap-Up Section facilities that will not only improve well as vastly renovated high school See FACILITIES page 14 The Grundy Register, P.O. Box 245, Grundy Center, IA 50638 Phone: (319) 824-6958 • Fax: (319) 824-6288 • E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 2 Thursday, August 21, 2014 Grundy NEWS Register www.thegrundyregister.com Meet the new Grundy Center schools staff By JOHN JENSEN Illinois prior to coming to Grundy in Webster City and Waverly.