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Opinion

Listen, but also be heard

Local Columns

This week and last week there have been a number of meetings with the Webster City school officials. Some have been with architects, meetings they call SPARK meetings where they are beginning to develop a plan for upgrading, redesigning or rebuilding the Webster City High School. There was a school board meeting this week too. And there are more community meetings to talk about changes for the high school starting with tonight. We all need to be paying attention. The taxpayers of the community are paying the bill for this work, paying through property taxes if owned, through rent ...

Is AI data center in future for WC

Letters to Editor

To the editor: As our local officials push forward with marketing the newly certified 478-acre Gateway Industrial Park, we as a community must ask a critical question: At what cost? We are hearing quiet whispers about prospective Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centers eyeing our land. While “high tech investment” sounds appealing on paper, the reality of these projects is a bad deal for Webster City. Our town learned a painful, permanent lesson when Electrolux closed in 2011. We cannot afford to make the same mistake by giving away massive Tax Increment Financing (TIF) ...

Crankbaits in the summer

Local Columns

The weather in many areas has been very inconsistent this summer. One day it’s warm, the next day it’s twenty degrees cooler. The one weather related thing that we’ve been able to count on is the wind. One day it’s windy, the next day it’s windier. But as we get farther into summer, there’s something else that we can count on. The water is warming up, and as the water warms, crankbaits can be very reliable fish-catchers. Here are some ideas about crankbaiting for more fish in the summer. Crankbaits come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. They’re productive by either ...

Summer vacation memories

Local Columns

It’s summer vacation season. At fast food joints and c-stores you can see the vacationing families in their loaded-down cars and minivans heading somewhere. The children look bored, Mom appears exhausted and Dad looks broke. When Cindy’s and my children were younger we took family vacations each year but they were modest compared to the extended vacations some folks enjoy these days. Nonetheless, those summer trips provided many great memories. Believing that a vacation ought to offer something for everyone, we always included a major league baseball game in our ...

Dislikes State Treasurer comments at levy appeal

Letters to Editor

Letter to the Editor, At the June 26th meeting of the State Appeal Board, all three members of the board voted in support of upholding Hamilton Hospital dba Van Diest Medical Center FY 2027 property tax levy. In the meeting, board member, State Treasurer Roby Smith chose to scold the hospital board members for their budgeting and levy process. I find his scolding very rich, coming from Iowa’s chief financial officer who has overseen the states FY 26’ train wreck of a budget. One billion plus dollars in the hole, using the states rainy day funds to keep the lights on. No rain, just ...

Taxpayer offended by Assessors disrespect

Letters to Editor

To the editor As a taxpayer in Hamilton County, I am grateful to our elected County Board of Supervisors, Rick Young, April Ely and Mary Clausen for their diligence in the responsibilities of this office. One such responsibility is the budget for the General fund levy. Budget preparation for the next fiscal year begins in late fall working with each department head preparing the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year. The supervisors work with our elected county officials to make the most efficient use of the revenues allocated by the state of Iowa and property taxes collected from ...