2016 Greene County School Budget Approved
Earlier this week, the Greene County School Board approved the 2016 budget.
Superintendent Tim Christensen says the blended tax rate for the district is $12.51. The Voter-Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) will be $1.20 per $1,000 valuation, which will generate $576,000 for projects.
Other budget details that were approved include setting the instructional support levy at seven percent and the income surtax at five percent. The supplemental state aid is assumed at 1.25 percent, but if it comes in lower than that or even at zero percent from the legislature, the Board will need to amend its budget.
The budget had to be certified by April 15th.
2015 Greene County Impact Award Winner Announced
Alice Walters from Jefferson is this year’s recipient of the Greene County “Impact” Award.
The award recognizes an individual or a group whose activities have made a positive “impact” on Greene County residents.
Walters has volunteered with the Greene County ISU Extension office and 4-H, worked in the school system where she still volunteers and has done several other community activities in the County. Her nomination said that she is a volunteer who unselfishly contributes her time, talent and resources to benefit others and through her efforts, her impact is priceless.
Past recipients of the award includes Lawrence Geisler, The Town and Country Band, Carson Griffith, Vickie and Tim Robbins, and Doug Hawn.
A public ceremony will be held in the Greene County Courthouse rotunda on Sunday, May 3rd at 4pm with a reception to follow.
Final Day for Used Book Sale at Jefferson Library
Today is the final day of the spring used book sale at the Jefferson Public Library.
Friends of the Jefferson Library President Barb Labate says the spring book sale is a major fundraiser for their organization that helps with improvements and provides free programming for the library.
Most of the books range in price from 25 cents to $1, plus there will be CD’s and DVD’s available. New this year are several historical war books that were donated by Greene County High School.
The book sale will be in the basement of the library from 9am-1pm today. Admission is free and all proceeds will go back to the Friends for purchases for the public to use.
Jefferson Woman Sentenced to Prison
A Jefferson woman is sentenced to prison for several incidents last summer.
According to court documents, 22 year-old Hayley Lynn Brown will serve two five year prison sentences, that will run concurrently, after pleading guilty to two Class D Felonies for third degree burglary and forgery.
Charges stem from when Brown stole checks and a credit card from a residence and used them at several places from July 30th to August 13th. All other charges including a felony for ongoing criminal conduct and misdemeanors for identity theft, unlawful possession of prescription drugs and unlawful use of a credit card were dropped.
Brown was also ordered to pay victim restitution for $4,667.99 to Discover Financial Services, $772.20 to Farmers State Bank in Yale and $354.14 to Check Into Cash in Ames. She must also pay $90 in attorney fees and $125 for a law enforcement initiative surcharge.
Project Updates at Town Hall Meeting Next Week in Jefferson
The public is invited to another town hall meeting next week in Jefferson.
Greene County Economic Development Director Ken Paxton says it will be their second town hall meeting after their first one this past August. The next meeting will provide updates to current projects going on throughout the County.
He describes how beneficial it is for everyone to learn about the County’s economic progressiveness in one convenient location.
“Happily, we have so many things going on in the County, we want to keep our residents informed. Just want to let everybody know that the open town hall meetings seem to work really well, gets everybody involved and then if you’re involved, then you get excited because there are a lot of things going on here.”
The next town hall meeting will be on Monday, April 20th at 6pm at the Greene County Community Center. The speakers will include Wild Rose Jefferson General Manager Mike Couch, Greene County Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Carl Behne, a Welcome Center and Bell Tower Festival update with Angie Pedersen, Jefferson Matters: Main Street Board President Jamie Daubendiek, updates on new housing projects with Lisa Jaskey and new business sites with Greene County Development Corporation President Chris Nation.
Paxton encourages everyone to come to the town hall meeting to learn about the continued growth of the County.