Week of Apr 5 2008 - 7:00pm to Apr 12 2008 - 6:59pm

    Officials are investigating a case of vandalism at Clear Lake High School.
    Graffiti was spray painted across a sign on the east side of the school sometime between 3 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday, according to Clear Lake Police Chief Greg Peterson.  Additional signs on the school property were also spray painted.
    The stray paint used was water-based, so the signs were cleaned, rather than replaced.
    CLHS Principal Jay Mathis said a $250 internal reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the vandal.  The school district has received several leads, however “nothing concrete” at this time.
    Peterson and Mathis encourage anyone who may have seen suspicious activity, or with knowledge of the incident, to call the police station, 357-2186.

    Many ideas have been shared, but the Clear Lake School Board says it anxiously awaits concrete proposals for the Lincoln School site.
    The district held a second public input session Monday night to discuss the future of the school, which will be closed at the completion of the school year.  Just one person attended the meeting, urging the district to sell the site rather than give it away, but offering no plan.
    “We will have at least one more meeting, but what we are needing are some proposals in black and white and do they have any money to back it up,” said Board member Ron Andrews, who heads a sub-committee to study the school’s future.  
    Andrews noted the Board invites proposals for the 4.25 acre site for consideration at a 7 p.m. meeting on May 12.  
    “By June 15 we are done with the building and it becomes a liability,” said Andrews.  He noted the district has experienced the problem a vacant building can create.  Officials believe one or more persons were living inside Central School after it closed in the late 1990s. Eventually an unexplained fire destroyed part of the building; the district razed the remainder.
    Superintendent Dwight Pierson said the district has received estimates of $40,000 to remove asbestos from the school building and $100,000 to demolish the older, three-story portion of the school.  A single-story addition with six classrooms and an office space was made to the school in the mid-1980s.  The addition is heated by a boiler system housed in the older part of the building.

    Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), an Alliant Energy company, began work this week on an electric distribution system project in Clear Lake, Iowa. The $306,000 will enhance electric reliability and safety throughout the community.
    The project is part of the company’s long-term plan to enhance the reliability and safety of its Iowa electric infrastructure. As part of the project, the company will be installing new poles, lines, transformers and other electric equipment along a stretch of its electric distribution system located in the southern, central and northern areas of the community.
    IPL expects to complete work on the project by the end of September. Construction will occur along 8th Street, Main Avenue, 1st Avenue South through 12th Avenue South, North 6th Street, 1st Avenue North and 2nd Avenue North.
IPL expects minimal impact to motorists traveling on these roadways. However, motorists should exercise caution and drive slowly when traveling through these areas. The company expects to complete the project in September 2008.
    As part of the project, it may be necessary to interrupt electric service to customers in these areas of the community at various times. Any electric service interruptions would be necessary to safely complete work on the project. Customers potentially impacted by electric service interruptions due to work on the project will receive notification prior to the outage.

    The Clear Lake City Council voted unanimously Monday to proceed with bid letting for proposed reconstruction of South Shore Drive between Main Avenue and 12th Avenue South.
    On March 19, the Council tabled a decision on the project after hearing from many property owners opposed to their assessments for the work.  According to City Administrator Scott Flory, the average assessment against an affected property is $7,000.  The cost may be as high as $14,000 for some.
    About 60 persons watched Monday as the City Council briefly discussed, then decided to continue to use the assessment process for the street and infrastructure work.  
    The city received objections from 46 percent of the 135 affected property owners at its March 19 public hearing. Assessments will fund approximately $800,000 of the $1.85 million project; federal funding accounts for about $515,000, with the balance to be paid from the proceeds of a General Obligation Bond issue.
    Councilman Ben Furleigh made the motion to continue to move the project toward bid letting.  He touched on several points which supported his vote, including the need to protect the lake by replacing aging infrastructure, diminished capacity of existing water lines and the need for more water hydrants.
    Furleigh noted recent city history shows assessments to property owners have been reduced an average of 21 percent from preliminary assessments to final charges.  
    Councilman Terry Unsworth shares Furleigh’s optimism that the city will receive favorable bids for the work, which will reduce assessments.  He believes there is an opportunity to reduce assessments by 25 percent or more.  “I pledge to you, I will not vote for it if it is not at least 25 percent less,” added Unsworth.

NIACOG will help make unique trolley more visible, profitable
    Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce leaders have reached what they are calling a “win-win” solution to its Main Street Trolley woes.
    The Chamber’s Board of Directors has signed a two-year agreement with North Iowa Area Council on Governments to house and maintain the rubber-wheel trolley.
     October, the Chamber Board sent a letter to its members asking for input concerning the trolley which it has operated for 10 years. The trolley had been operating at an annual net loss of $5,300 per year. A committee studying ways to make the trolley more visible and profitable eventually concluded sale of the vehicle must be considered.
    Thankfully, the letter to members generated a telephone call suggesting the Chamber contact NIACOG. With ample building to store the trolley and two full time mechanics on staff, the agency was a good fit.
    “We had the ability to help out,” said NIACOG Executive Director Joe Myhre. “And we will be able to make the trolley more visible in Clear Lake, as well as North Iowa.”
    Under the terms of the agreement, the Clear Lake Chamber will continue to use the trolley as it has in the past. The Chamber charters special occasions aboard the trolley, as well as uses it for community events.
    When not in use by the Chamber and its charters, NIACOG will be allowed to use the trolley to serve its eight-county area. Myhre envisions sending the vehicle out for additional special events, such as the North Iowa Band Festival, as well as conventions and gatherings which could benefit from a shuttle. He also hopes to have the trolley make more frequent trips in and around Clear Lake, accepting free will donations for rides.

Heitlands compete in USTA Meet
    Jillian and Eric Heitland recently competed at the USTA Meet held in Waverly, Iowa on Sunday, March 30. Jillian earned top honors in her division, while Eric brought home third place. This meet was the sub-state meet which leads up to the USTA State meet which will be held in Des Moines on April 19-20. Jillian and Eric are the children of Stacie and Jason Heitland.
Zirbel earns win for the Panthers
    Zach Zirbel, Clear Lake, earned the win on the mound for the University of Northern Iowa after they defeated Grand View, 17-3 on Wednesday, April 2, at Riverfront Stadium. Zirbel earned the win after giving up two hits and no runs through 5.0 innings of work. He finished the game with six strike outs. Zirbel retired the side in order in the first inning, striking out two in the process.
Youth baseball clinic planned
    The Clear Lake baseball staff and players will put on a four-day Youth Baseball Clinic for players currently in third-seventh grades on April 21-24, from 4-6 p.m.  Cost for the clinic will be $30 with prizes for individual and team competitions.  A clinic t-shirt will also be given to each participant which will get them free admission to a Lions baseball home game.  Email Coach Thompson at thompse@clearlake.k12.ia.us with any questions.
All-Vet's Golf Course to open
    Clear Lake's All Vet's Golf Course, 2000 North Shore Drive, is tentatively scheduled to open for the seaon on Thursday, April 10.  The course is under the direction of Mark Vargason.
Meeting scheduled for Relay For Life
 Meeting scheduled for Relay For Life