THE HERALD'S YEAR IN REVIEW: PART 2
Dec. 30—APRIL
NORTH MAHASKA HIRES INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT AMID CONTROVERSY
The news that Tim Veiseth would be filling the position of interim superintendent came just after Angela Livezey's March announcement that she intended to resign from the position. The board posted the job opening for just six days before extending the contract to Veiseth at a special board meeting April 3.
Board member Todd Vander Wilt voted against Veiseth's appointment, voicing his strong objection to the "fast-tracking" of the hiring process, saying that the board's conduct opened the door to stakeholders alleging that Veiseth had been given the job without due process.
A press release issued by the district said the board felt that a prolonged hiring process would run too close to the 2023-24 school year, so decided to offer the position to "an internal candidate they felt good about."
The vote for Veiseth's appointment passed with four in favor, Vander Wilt dissenting. A contract awarding him a salary of $155,000 for the contract year was approved at the board's April 17 meeting, amid further public concern about the board's hiring process.
OCSD UNVEILS RENOVATIONS AT OHS
The Oskaloosa Community School District celebrated the completion of the high school's portion of a nearly $9.5 million renovations plan approved in 2020 covering projects in both the high school and the elementary school.
Among the improvements at the high school are new walkways that allow students to get to class without detouring outside, new fine arts rooms and homeschool assistance facilities.
The district solicited input on the renovations from administrators, teachers and students. Everybody in the group was "dreaming" of what the school wanted or needed, said school board member Amanda McGraw.
OSKY'S PAULA FALCONER INDUCTED INTO IOWA HALL OF FAME FOR VOLUNTEERISM
Oskaloosa's own Paula Falconer was inducted into the 2023 Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame, an honor given in recognition of her outstanding volunteer service in Mahaska and Wapello counties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg presided over the ceremony, which took place on Thursday at the Iowa State Capitol, and honored the state's volunteers for the hard work they put toward caring for their communities. Induction into the hall of fame is the most prestigious state-level honor for volunteerism in Iowa.
Falconer's work focused on fighting the food insecurity people suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
MAY
CROSSROADS OF PELLA CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF THE KLOMPEN CLASSIC
Walkers, joggers and runners from 26 states and Germany signed up to participate in the 2023 Klompen Classic 5k hosted by Crossroads of Pella for the past 30 years.
The Klompen Classic has grown significantly over the past 30 years, says Jim Hibma, director of Crossroads. Participants have grown from 287 to over 2,000-plus in recent years.
Traditionally held at the Tulip Toren, the Klompen Classic's start and finish lines were recently moved near the Pella Community Center, where Crossroads is housed.
TENSIONS RUN HIGH AS OSKY REACHES FOR AIRPORT ANNEXATION
Strong words were exchanged at the Oskaloosa City Council's special session on May 5, where council voted to remove an article from the city's charter as they sought to annex 379 acres of farmland near Leighton, intended for the construction of a new airport.
The changes to the charter will remove Article VI, or "Initiative and Referendum." The article guaranteed Oskaloosa's registered voters the right to propose ordinances to city council, require reconsideration of approved ordinances by city council, and to submit those ordinances to voters in an election.
The changes come after an Oskaloosa resident attempted to exercise the right by submitting a proposed ordinance to bar the city from constructing a new airport without first submitting the issue to a vote in a city election. The proposed ordinance also would require that the city withdraw from the South Central Regional Airport Agency and sell any property it owns related to SCRAA to the highest bidder. In an unrelated matter, the ordinance would also call for A Avenue/Highway 92 and Market Street/Highway 63 to be converted back to four lanes.
FARMERS ENJOY EARLY BIRD PLANTING SEASON
Iowa farmers are getting a head start on this year's planting season thanks to favorable weather, but that still doesn't mean it'll all be easy coasting going forward.
The planting season is well underway, with a May 8 United States Department of Agriculture Crop Progress and Condition Report showing 73% of southeast Iowa's corn crop planted and 72% of south central's planted. Soybeans are at 69% and 42%. The numbers put both crops about a week ahead of Iowa's five-year average.
The early kick-off is thanks to a stretch of warm weather in early April that allowed farmers to get a jump on their planting. Alex Fynaardt, an agronomist at Key Co-op in New Sharon, estimates that the percentages of crop in the ground in the co-op's area are even higher than the USDA is reporting for the rest of the region.
JUNE
MAHASKA COUNTY YMCA ANNOUNCES NEW CEO
After a nationwide search, the Mahaska County YMCA Board of Directors, partnering with the YMCA of the USA and the Heartland Alliance of YMCAs, announced that Barry Martin will serve as the new chief executive officer.
Martin has a diverse nonprofit background, having served in leadership roles for six different organizations in addition to for-profit sports, recreation and health companies.
These attributes make him an ideal choice to lead the Mahaska County YMCA.
A community reception to meet Martin will be held. His first day at the Mahaska YMCA is to be determined, but is likely in June of 2023.
THE HERALD MOVES TO DOWNTOWN OSKY
The Oskaloosa Herald moved to a new location after nearly 40 years in its A Ave building on June 7.
The Herald's new location is in downtown Oskaloosa at 219 High Ave. East, just off the square.
"The Herald staff is very excited to move into our new office space this week. We feel it will make us more accessible to the Oskaloosa community and that the space will be more suitable for our current needs," says Kyle Ocker, general manager and editor of the Herald. "The Herald building at 1901 A Avenue West served the newspaper, and by extension the community, well for several decades. However, the space is much larger than our current needs call for, so the new location will help us be more efficient in serving our mission."
The Herald has occupied its building at 1901 A Ave. West since the late 1980s. The building once housed a printing press and distribution department, but printing was moved in the early 2000s to the Ottumwa Courier, the Herald's sister newspaper.
OSKY RESIDENTS FILE PETITION TO PUT CITY CHARTER ON THE BALLOT
A petition requiring the City of Oskaloosa to hold a special election to allow citizens to vote to keep or remove Initiative and Referendum from its charter has garnered the required number of signatures.
Oskaloosa resident Alicia Helm presented the petition to Oskaloosa City Council during public comment at their regular meeting Monday evening.
The petition is in response to council's decision in June to remove Article VI and amend Section 7.2 in the city's charter. Section 7.2 previously allowed for changes to the city charter to be made by an amendment in an election, an ordinance or petition, which now only allows for changes to be made "only as provided by law."
Helm cited Iowa Code 372.11, which states that council must submit an ordinance amendment to voters in a special election if a petition "valid under the provision of section 362.4 is filed with the council" within 30 days of the ordinance's publication. The amendment would not become effective unless approved by a majority of voters.
Iowa Code 362.4 states the petition is valid if it acquires signatures equal to 10% of eligible voters in the last city election. Signatures must be from petitioners who reside in Oskaloosa's city limits, and include their address and the date they signed the petition.
According to the Mahaska County Auditor's office, 1,348 Oskaloosa residents voted in the last city election in 2021. The petition would require roughly 135 signatures, or 10%, of eligible voters to be considered. The petition received a total of 209 signatures.
Channing Rucks can be reached at crucks@oskyherald.com.
