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Government

  • Records Jan. 3

    The following events were filed with the Montgomery County Clerk’s Office between Dec. 22 and Dec. 29, 2011. All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty. For details on these events, visit the public records office or online at www.iowacourts.gov.

    Real Estate

    WARRANTY DEED

    Mary M. and Orville L. Fast to Charles E. and Mary Beth Fast, 25-72-37.

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  • No. 7: Ernst elected by landslide to Iowa senate

    RED OAK — When Terry Brasntad won a fifth term as Iowa’s governor in 2010, it would propel a Montgomery County official to the state capital.

    Joni Ernst (R-Red Oak) won a special election to the Iowa Senate to fill the remaining two years on Kim Reynolds term Jan. 4. Reynolds resigned so she could serve as Branstad’s Lieutenant Governor.

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  • Location, date of council meeting changed

    RED OAK — Typically scheduled for Monday nights in City Hall, the first City Council meeting under new mayor Bill Billings has been moved to Tuesday, Jan. 3, at the Red Oak Fire Station

    With New Year’s Day falling on Sunday making Monday the nationally recognized holiday, the meeting was pushed back to Tuesday. However, Billings had indicated he wanted to relocate the meetings to the fire station’s community room to accomodate more seating.

    One thing that hasn’t changed is the meeting time, which remains 5:30 p.m.

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  • Women excluded from board appointments

    RED OAK — A state mandate requiring gender equity made Red Oak City Council’s decision for the public library board a much easier one.

    While seven individuals submitted applications for Norma Wilson’s seat on the board, five were eliminated because they were women, as the board needs more men to balance its gender totals.

    As a result, John Blomstedt was selected to replace Wilson.

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  • Applicants needed for municipal boards

    The City of Red Oak has the following volunteer positions on City appointed Boards or Commissions available.  

    Any Red Oak resident interested in serving can obtain an application at Red Oak City Hall, 601 N 6th Street, or print one from the City’s website, redoakiowa.com    

    The application deadline is 4:30 p.m., Dec. 28, and can be hand-delivered to City Hall or e-mailed to redoakcity@mchsi.com

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  • Council votes 3-1 for special election; Rev. Pilecki to run

    RED OAK — There will be a special election for Red Oak’s city council, most likely in February, and one resident has already announced his candidacy.

    By a 3-1 vote, the Council voted at its meeting last week to conduct the special election, declining to appoint someone to fill the seat vacated by Mark Gregg’s resignation.

    Whoever is elected will serve the remainder of Gregg’s term, which runs through 2013, instead of the next general election in November, 2012.

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  • County hosting public meeting on jail

    RED OAK — Local citizens will have a chance to give their opinions and offer suggestions as to what the County should do with the current jail at a public meeting Wednesday.

    The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will host the special meeting at 6 p.m. in the Supervisor’s meeting room in the courthouse.

    “This is essentially an opportunity for the residents to share with the supervisors their thoughts on what should be done with the existing facility,” Montgomery County Auditor Ted Schoonover said.

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  • Billings elected mayor by landslide

    RED OAK — By an overwhelming majority, Bill Billings was elected Red Oak’s new mayor Tuesday.

    Billings received 735 of 1,331 votes, or 55 percent, winning all three wards in a race that featured five candidates.

    Larry Brandstetter finished second with less than half of Billings’ total with 347 votes, followed by former 8-term mayor James Johnson with 154 votes.

    Bill Haufle finished fourth with 76 votes, followed by Jeff Van Scoy with 17.

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  • Three become one: Red Oak consolidating polling places Tuesday

    RED OAK — Calling it a “guinea pig” election, Montgomery County Auditor Ted Schoonover has consolidated all three Red Oak polling places into one for Tuesday’s municipal election.

    The decision to have all Red Oak and Coburg voters cast their ballots at the Gold Fair building stemmed strictly from economic reasons.

    “This alleviates a certain number of poll workers which translates to a less expensive election which translates to savings to taxpayers,” Schoonover said.

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  • Jobless rate lowest in nearly 3 years

    MONTGOMERY COUNTY — Local unemployment numbers are finally no worse than the state average after dropping to its lowest level in nearly three years.

    According to figures released by Iowa Workforce Development, Montgomery County’s jobless rate dropped from 6.4 percent in August to an even 6 percent in September.

    While local labor force grew from 4,980 to 5,060, the number of people with jobs also increased from 4,660 to 4,760, while the number receiving jobless benefits dropped from 320 to 300.

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