The Stuart City Council voted to repair the weather siren on the north side of town. They approved a repair quote from Unplugged Wireless of Panora for approximately $1,800. Fire Chief Michael Renslow says the siren is 41 years old and would cost about $25,000 to replace entirely.
It’s been three weeks since massive amounts of rain led to historic flooding throughout the region, and city workers in Guthrie Center are still cleaning up the aftermath. Streets Superintendent Bob Secoy says crews continue to remove flood debris and clean up at city parks. Large amounts of sand washed ashore from the South Raccoon River, and Secoy says the City has to figure out where to haul it, because Department of Natural Resources regulations prohibit simply pushing it back into the river.
The Guthrie Center City Council is preparing to hire a part-time compliance officer. When the City’s Police Department was dissolved earlier this month, they lost anybody on staff able to deliver nuisance notices. The position is only for several hours a week and pay has not yet been set. Mayor Denny Kunkle recommended that Councilmember Randy Nickel apply for the position, but he would not be able to unless he resigned from the Council. The City plans to accept applications until August 10th. For more information, call 641-332-2190.
Some Guthrie County residents are making repairs to their roofs and siding after recent storms produced heavy winds, hail and rain. Guthrie County Sheriff Marty Arganbright says there have been numerous repair businesses in the area and warns that not all of them may be legitimate. If a situation doesn’t feel right, or you feel a contractor may be trying to scam you, he recommends calling the Sheriff’s Office at 641-747-2214.
The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday. In his monthly report, Conservation Director Joe Hanner said camping totals this summer may be down, due to significant flooding at Nation’s Bridge Park, in June. Additionally, the Supervisors voted unanimously to appoint Brett Michael to the position of Mental Health Advocate.