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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2022
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TRENTON
REPUBLICAN-TIMES
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Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 158th Year - No. 43
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Deficit County Budget A Cause For Concern General Revenue Fund Will Take A Hard Hit
R-T Photo/Ronda Lickteig
PINEWOOD DERBY It might not have been the Indy 500 but members of Cub Scout Pack 23 were just as excited to watch their cars race down the track at the pack’s annual Pinewood Derby. The event was held Saturday afternoon in the Trenton High School gym with winners selected from each level as well as having overall winners named. In addition, scouts voted on a “Best of Show.” See photos of all the winners on page 6 of today’s Republican-Times.
TMS Sweeps Spelling Bee Lasley, Spurgeon Advance To Regional Bee When the Grundy County Spelling Bee began Friday afternoon in the Trenton R-9 Performing Arts Center there were 27 spellers from five school districts ready to step up to the microphone to compete for the title of county spelling champion. When it ended about an hour later, Trenton Middle School seventh grade student Henry Lasley was the last one standing. Henry, who correctly spelled the word “phonics” to grab the crown, outlasted his fellow TMS student, fifth grader Wyatt Spurgeon, to earn the top spot. Both boys will now travel to St. Joseph on Saturday, March 5 for the Regional Spelling Bee. Nine spellers went out in the first round, with another six misspelling their word in the second.
When the 2021 budget was approved last January, it was described in the Republican-Times as “ugly.” With a $1.1 million projected deficit, that seemed like a pretty accurate description of the county financial situation. Even with that large projected deficit the three Grundy County commission-ers, Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray, First District Commissioner Don Sager and Second District Commissioner Brad Chumbley, took some comfort in knowing - or believing that several big projects were going to be completed by the end of the year. That didn’t exactly pan out as two bridges that had been budgeted didn’t get constructed and the courthouse door project remains stalled since the hardware for the doors hasn’t arrived. That certainly helped the budget look better at the end of 2021, with the county seeing a surplus of $1,384,756.56. A huge portion of that money, over $950,000 came in the form of intergovernmental revenue that had not been anticipated through the
American Rescue Plan Act. The county’s three sales taxes were projected to dump $1,425,000 into the county coffers but actually came in more than $160,650 higher than projected. The 2022 budget doesn’t look any prettier than 2021. Overall, the county is going into 2022 with a $5,294,977.37 fund balance. The budget shows total anticipated revenue of $7,218,191 for a total of $12,513,168.37 in total funds available. On the expenditure side of the budget, total expenses are listed at $9,019,582, leaving a deficit of $1,801,391 and a projected ending balance on Dec. 31, 2022 of $3,493,586.37. That balance would be about $500,000 less than the county began with in 2021 but about $1.8 million less than it is starting with this year The budget does include a $1 per hour across-theboard pay increase and additional adjustments to salaries for deputies and emergency responders in an effort to be comparable with surrounding counties. Deputies will see increases of just under 15 percent, making the starting salary $14.45 per hour. That would put the base at [See BUDGET, Page 6]
BRIEFS Alumni Meeting Postponed
R-T Photo/Ronda Lickteig
Henry Lasley, a seventh grade student at Trenton Middle School, is the Grundy County Spelling Bee champion following competition held Friday at TMS. Wyatt Spurgeon, a fifth grader at TMS was the runner-up, while Isaac Bonta as the first alternate and Graeme Sager as the second alternate made it a clean sweep for TMS this year. See a photo of the top four on page 12.
Five more were eliminated in the third round and after the fourth, only Henry and Wyatt were left. In Round 5, Henry correctly spelled “moorage” before Wyatt
incorrectly spelled “seethe.” Henry had to spell one more word correctly to be named the champion and that’s when he correctly spelled
“phonics.” Five spellers then competed in a spell-off to determine the two alternates, with TMS students Isaac [See BEE, Page 12]
Plans for the Feb. 6 mass mailing meeting of the Trenton High School Alumni Association have been postponed. Steve Maxey, secretary of the association, said that efforts to hold the meeting earlier than normal to allow for the printing of the Alumni News simply have not worked out. Maxey asks that classes who have special reunion plans to contact him with details for inclusion in the general mailing and for all classes to submit address changes and updates of alums to Dr. John Holcomb. “A new date of Feb. 20 is a tentative make-up date for the mass mailing,” Maxey said. “But plans may be altered depending on the COVID status for a group meeting as well as adequate news to complete the general information letter.” The 2022 annual reunion of THS Alumni is scheduled for Sept. 2-5.
Park Board Meets Wednesday
The Trenton Park Board will hold its monthly meeting at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday at the park shop building. Other than reports from the pool, grounds and facilities committees, the only items listed on the agenda are the discussion of a recreational trails program grant and the superintendent’s report.
TAMA Plans Annual Event
The Trenton Area Ministerial Alliance will hold its annual “Sharing of the Heart” baked potato bar and homemade pie auction for the group’s Good Samaritan Fund on Friday, Feb. 18. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church Activity Center, located at 1107 E. 11th St. in Trenton. The eat-what-you-want, pay-whatyou-want chili and potato bar will be accompanied by a pie auction conducted by Michael Witten, with pies to be auctioned every 15 minutes. The Good Samaritan Fund is a ministry of TAMA that helps those in need of assistance to pay for utilities.
CHAMPS
Trenton wrestlers take first league title since joining GRC. SPORTS, 2
WEATHER ALMANAC Day: High/Low Rain Thursday 38/28 — Friday 28/7 — Saturday 50/15 — Sunday 36/22 — Barton Campus Sunday 34/20 —
R-T Photo/Ronda Lickteig
The 2022 Trenton High School Courtwarming Queen and King are Gracyn Rongey and Caleb Johnson, with the royalty crowned Saturday evening in the Trenton Performing Arts Center prior to the courtwarming dance. The event had been postponed from Jan. 21 when classes and activities were cancelled due to illness and inclement weather. Pictured are, from left, freshman attendants Aiden Weyer and Arianna Ortega, sophomore attendants Milo Simpson and Madi Moore, junior attendants Gaven Kelsall and Mercy Schweizer, Queen Gracyn and King Caleb and senior candidates Teya Cooksey, Kaden Owen, Morgan King and Nate Burkeybile. Emersyn Coe, pictured in front, and Case Saul, not pictured, were the flower and crown bearers.
Variance Is Requested
The Trenton Board of Adjustments will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m., Monday, March 7 to hear a request for a variance. The request from Le Tran and Anh Nguyen is for a four-foot variance on the front yard setback requirement of 25 feet to allow for the construction of a 10-foot by 18foot addition on a house located at 1707 E. Seventh St.