01/09/25: Area Happenings & Accomplishments

Audit report released on H-M-S school district

Nolte, Cornman & Johnson P.C. has released an audit report on the Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn Community School District in Hartley.

District revenues totaled $13,617,207 for the year ended June 30, 2023, a 6.18 percent increase from the prior year. Expenses for district operations for the year totaled $10,609,884, a 2.62 percent decrease from the prior year. The increase in total revenues is largely due to an increase in revenues from property taxes compared to the prior year. The decrease in total expenses occurred mainly in the support services function.

Nolte, Cornman & Johnson reported seven findings found on pages 65 through 69 of the report. The findings address issues such as a lack of segregation of duties, certified budget, questionable disbursements, travel expenses, board minutes, supplementary weighting and interfund loans. Nolte, Cornman & Johnson provided the district with recommendations to address each of the findings.

Four of the findings discussed above are repeated from the prior year. The board of education has a fiduciary responsibility to provide oversight of district operations and financial transactions. Oversight is typically defined as the "watchful and responsible care" a governing body exercises in its fiduciary capacity.

A copy of the audit report is available for review in the district secretary's office, the Office of the Auditor of State and on the Auditor of State's website at https://auditor.iowa.gov/audit-report.

Applications open for healthcare scholarship, loan programs

Spencer Hospital is accepting applications for the Bennie B. and Ernestine F. Shine Scholarship, the Adam J. Anderson Scholarship and the Cornwall Loan Program. These programs aim to support students from the region who are pursuing careers in healthcare.

The Bennie B. and Ernestine F. Shine Scholarship provides annual awards to individuals who have completed at least one semester in nursing or allied health programs. Eligible fields include radiology, respiratory care, speech therapy, physical and occupational therapy, medical technology, laboratory tech, paramedic training and pharmacy. This scholarship does not support students pursuing degrees in medicine, dentistry, physician assistant studies or veterinary science.

The Adam J. Anderson scholarship supports individuals training to become certified EMS providers, from EMT to Paramedic, while the Ruth Cornwall Loan Program provides low-interest loans to individuals pursuing healthcare education.

The application deadline for all three programs is March 31. Recipients will be notified of their award in May. Applications are available on the Spencer Hospital website at https://www.spencerhospital.org/about-us/professional-education/scholarships/.

For more information, please contact Danelle Stumbo, Spencer Hospital Educational Coordinator, at [email protected].

Hunting seasons starting to close

Iowa's pheasant, late muzzleloader and archery deer, and archery fall turkey seasons close on Jan. 10. Squirrel, quail, partridge and grouse remain open until Jan. 31.

Furbearer seasons and rabbit season is open until Feb. 28. Crow season are Jan. 14 to March 31. Beaver trapping season closes on April 15.

For waterfowl, the north zone dark and light goose season closes on Jan. 11, the central zone dark and light goose season closes on Jan. 18, and the south zone dark and light goose season closes on Jan. 25.

The light goose conservation order season is open Jan. 26 to May 1 statewide; additional regulations apply.

Nominees sought for NCC Alumnus of the Year

Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon is accepting nominations for the 2025 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year. This annual honor recognizes an NCC graduate who has achieved exceptional accomplishments in their professional career, made significant contributions through volunteer work, received prestigious awards or attained other notable achievements.

This is your opportunity to celebrate the success of an NCC alumnus by nominating them for this distinguished award. Accomplishments can be personal, professional or a combination of both. Please note that current NCC employees and retirees are not eligible for consideration.

Nominations can be submitted by completing the Alumnus of the Year nomination form available online at http://www.nwicc.edu/alumnus-of-the-year/. The deadline for nominations is Monday, March 3.

The recipient of the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year will be honored during one of NCC's 2025 commencement ceremonies, where their achievements and contributions will be celebrated by the college community.

If you have questions, please contact Kristi Landis, Director of College Advancement, at (800) 352-4907 ext. 164, or at [email protected].

NEW Co-op Foundation donates hams to Clay County UDMO

Last month, NEW Cooperative, Inc. held its annual Hams for Hunger Event, benefiting food pantries across Iowa. The Clay County Upper Des Moines Opportunity Outreach received hams from NEW Cooperative this year.

Since 2018, NEW Cooperative has donated hams to local communities in its trade area by partnering with local food pantries to ensure that the appropriate population is reached to help ease food insecurity while making the holiday season more joyous for all recipients.

Thanks to a matching funds from Land O' Lakes, the cooperative was able to increase the number of hams distributed in 2024 to 4,500, equal to 24,678 pounds of Iowa grown pork.

NWI fishing report

Most area lakes have 8.5 or more inches of ice; many larger lakes have areas of open water. Check ice thickness often when going out.

East Okoboji Lake: Ice thickness is around nine inches in most areas; there are a handful of open areas.

Silver Lake (Dickinson): Ice thickness is around 8.5 inches.

Spirit Lake: The lake has safe ice for ice fishing, but also has a large open water section off Big Stoney Point.