RSVP volunteers to help with tax preparation
Experienced volunteers with the RSVP Tax Assistance Program are prepared to help you this tax season. Free income tax assistance is available for all mid to low-income clients. The threshold this year is $67,000 and under to qualify for these services. RSVP specializes in helping seniors. There will be appointments available in Newton, Colfax, Kellogg and Monroe.
Newton DMACC
DMACC Daytime Appointments
· 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4 to Feb. 27 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays · 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 4 to April 9 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
DMACC Evening Appointments: · 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20
· 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13
DMACC Weekend Appointments:
· 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 15, Saturday, March 1, Saturday, March 22 and Saturday, April 5
Colfax Library Drop-off/Intake from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 22 and review/return from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 8
Kellogg Christian Church Drop-off ONLY appointments are available from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10; you will do review/return at the Newton DMACC site at a later date
Monroe at the Gathering Place
Drop-off/Intake from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, March 3 and review/return from 2 to 6 p.m. Monday, March 17
All locations are by appointment only. Call the Iowa State University Extension Office any between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. any Tuesday or Wednesday beginning Jan. 14 to schedule your appointment. Tax-hotline is 641-787724.
Public release for schools operating the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program
The Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services, has finalized its policy for free and reduced price meals for students unable to pay the full price of meals served under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program and the Afterschool Care Snack Program.
State and Local school officials have adopted the following family size and income criteria for determining eligibility:
Households may be eligible for free or reduced-price meal benefits one of four ways
1. Households whose income is at or below the levels shown are eligible for reduced price meals or free meals, if they complete an application for free and reduced price school meals/milk. Households may complete one application listing all children and return it to your student’s school. When completing an application, only the last four digits of the social security number of the household’s primary wage earner or another adult household member is needed.
2. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households, students receiving benefits under the Family Investment Program (FIP) and students in a few specific Medicaid programs are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Most students from SNAP and FIP households will be qualified for free meals automatically. These households will receive a letter from their student’s schools notifying them of their benefits. Households that receive a letter from the school need to do nothing more for their student(s) to receive free or reduced price meals. No further application is necessary. If any students were not listed on the notice of eligibility, the household should contact the school to have free or reduced price meal benefits extended to them. If you feel you would qualify for free meal benefits and received notification qualifying for reduced price benefits, complete an application for free and reduced price meals. Households must contact the school if they choose to decline meal benefits.
3. Some SNAP and FIP households will receive a letter from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) which will qualify the children listed on the letter for free meals. Parents must take this letter to the student’s school to receive free meals.
4. SNAP or FIP households receiving benefits that do not receive a letter from Iowa HHS must complete an application with the abbreviated information as indicated on the application and instructions, for their students to receive free meals. When the application lists an assistance program’s case number for any household member, eligibility for free benefits is extended to all students in a household.
Eligibility from the previous year will continue within the same school for up to 30 operating days into the new school year. When the carryover period ends, unless the household is notified that their students are directly certified or the household submits an application that is approved, the students must pay full price for school meals and the school will not send a reminder or a notice of expired eligibility. An application cannot be approved unless complete eligibility information is submitted. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year. If a family member becomes unemployed the family should contact the school to complete an application. Households notified of their student’s eligibility must contact the school if the household chooses to decline the free meal benefits.
Foster children are eligible for free meal benefits. Some foster students will be
qualified for free meals automatically through the state direct certification process. Their host family will receive notification of these benefits. Families that receive this notification from the school need to do nothing more for their foster students to receive free meals. If a family has foster students living with them and does not receive notification and wishes to apply for such meals, instructions for making application for such students are contained on the application form. A foster student may be included as a member of the foster family if the foster family chooses to also apply for benefits for other students. Including students in foster care as household members may help other students in the household qualify for benefits. If the foster family is not eligible for free or reduced price meal benefits, it does not prevent a foster student from receiving benefits. Special Supplement Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants may be eligible for free or reduced price meals based on a completed application.
When known by the school, households will be notified of any child eligible for free meals if the children are enrolled in the Head Start/Even Start program or are considered homeless, migrant or runaway. If any children are not listed on the notice of eligibility, contact the school for assistance in receiving benefits. If households are dissatisfied with the application approval done by the officials, they may make a formal appeal either orally or in writing to the school’s designated hearing official. The policy statement on file at the school contains an outline of the hearing procedure. School officials may verify the information in the application, and that deliberate misrepresentation of information may subject the applicant to prosecution under applicable state and federal criminal statutes. Households should contact their local school for additional information.
There will be no discrimination against individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) in the school meal programs.
Nondiscrimination Statement: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly.
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Declaración de no Discriminación del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos
Iowa Nondiscrimination Notice. “It is the policy of this CNP provider not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or religion in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code section 216.6, 216.7, and 216.9. If you have questions or grievances related to compliance with this policy by this CNP Provider, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 6200 Park Ave Suite 100, Des Moines, IA 50321-1270; phone number 515-281-4121, 800-457-4416; website: https://icrc.iowa.gov/.”
has the original flooring and the Gothic arches. No one makes these kinds of barns anymore.
“As you drive around the countryside, there are barns falling down all over the place,” she said. “And that just breaks my heart because barns are a part of history. Once they’re down you can’t rebuild it. We were to the point where if we didn’t do something we were risking the structure of the barn.”
Coupled with the pyramid-stacked windows to let in more natural light and the ornate chandelier hanging overhead, the upper level makes for a breathtaking location for a wedding ceremony. It has already served that purpose a handful of times. Visitors frequently awe at the architecture and sheer scope of the venue.
They see the beauty Terpstra has been seeing her whole life.
“When I was a kid, I was in charge of the elevator,” Terpstra said inside Country View Barn, located in rural Newton. “In case bales got stuck or thrown off, I would have to shut the elevator off and they’d have to go fix the problem so we wouldn’t get anymore hay bales on heads. I’ve just always loved this barn.”
It took some time to get the barn updated to commercial standards. Crews used jackhammers to tear out the old concrete floor and replace it with a more level floor. Day-
light could be seen peaking out from the mortar, so Terpstra had it tuckpointed. New ductwork was needed to heat and cool the space.
Utilities were installed just in time for Terpstra’s son to get married in the barn. New windows were affixed to the barn, but Terpstra kept the original frames. The main floor is now equipped with a sizable kitchen and a lounge space with comfortable recliners. Framed photos show what the farm looked like years ago.
The barn was built sometime in the late 1940s. According to an article from Iowa Farm and Home Register in February 1949, it operated under farmer O.K. Flaugh as a 20-cow dairy barn. It was touted as both sparrow-proof and pigeon-proof, which was a big deal for farmers who needed sanitary conditions for livestock.
Flaugh built the 40-feetby-62-feet barn for $10,000 at the time, which would be equivalent to about $130,000 in current day prices. It was built with concrete floors and feed mangers, all-steel equipment, title sidewalls, laminated rafters and a shingle roof. The gable ends were covered with white asbestos shingles.
Terpstra’s father purchased the farmstead in 1970s. They used the barn to farrow hogs for a number of years. Over time it sat empty until Terpstra turned it into a workshop to repurpose furniture. When she decided to turn it into a venue space, she moved her equipment out and began the painstaking redevelopment.
“We literally took straw out of the loft so I could start working in it last year,” she said. “I had plans. I had been working on getting my stuff out the year prior. The construction was done in at least seven months. They came in and did a whirlwind of work. Things were done in stages.”
All the while Terpstra was seeing her plan come to life. She took great care in the details and the structure of things like the bridal suite and the loft deck, which can be accessed by brides without spoiling the first-look for either the groom or the guests welcoming her as she walks down the aisle.
The deck itself overlooks miles upon miles of Iowa landscape. If they look hard enough, guests and members of the wedding party can see Prairie City, Monroe, Otley and Sully from the loft. While Country View Barn certainly comes with its own view of the country, it, too, is a picturesque locale.
Surrounded by fields and pastures, it is a pure Iowa setting. Terpstra feels good knowing she is able to preserve that setting in all its beauty.
To see her vision fully realized is an exhilarating feeling. The first round of hard work is done. Now there is a new kind
of hard work in store for Terpstra. But it has been rewarding listening to guests gasp at the sight of the loft on the upper floor. It makes all that extra hard work worth it. Terpstra said, “I have so many memories in this barn. Not only as a kid, but we lived here for 42 years. I can see the beauty outside the roughness. I love to make things beautiful. So now she gets to keep all of her character; I just added all of my own ‘jewelry’ to her. She’s stable and ready for another 76 years.”
Country View Barn is located at 7198 E. 36th St. S. in Newton.
newer models are also more accurate, pack more penetration power and fire at a rate of 205 feet per second.
In total, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office wants to purchase 35 tasers to equip all active law enforcement staff, including reserves. Shutts said the price of the taser systems will be paid in yearly installments, with the first being a discounted rate of $16,700. Beyond that is a yearly payment of $37,575 until 2029.
Over the course of five years, the county will pay $167,000 for the tasers.
“We’ve had a good partnership with Axon,” Shutts said. “They’re the same company that makes our camera systems, our body cameras and our car systems. These tasers integrate with our cameras. So if they’re activated they automatically turn on our
cameras if they aren’t on.” For the sheriff’s office, a taser is the premiere tool for when a more hands on approach has failed or is not possible. Tasers are less-lethal weapons since they use electrical currents to incapacitate a person temporarily. Shutts said tasers are a valuable tool that help officers in their duties.
In April 2022, the Jasper County Board of Supervisors approved a more than $524,000 system upgrade to replace body cameras and car cameras for the sheriff’s office. Newton News previously reported the new system would improve accountability and provide protections for both deputies and suspects.
The sheriff’s office obtained 38 body cameras and 24 car cameras over a five-year period. As part of the agreement, the footage of the cameras is stored in a cloud system hosted by Axon. Originally, tasers were included in the camera proposal but were removed due to admins feeling they could get by without them.
If there are no objections to the first public hearing on Dec. 31, it is likely the supervisors will opt to waive the second and third and approve the contract.
Continuedfrompage1
As part of that deal, the secondary roads department traded in the T-27 and T-28 and then began soliciting bids for the dump bodies or dump beds. When attached to the cabs, the dump bodies can haul away loose materials.
Combined with the cab chassis purchases, the total cost to the county is $427,470 in FY26.
Which gives the county two completed tandem dump trucks.
Frietsch said the last time the county solicited bids for dumb bodies back in June 2022 the prices were significantly less expense. Back then he said the price was $88,000 per package. The county engineer said FY26 dump truck purchases locks up his new equipment budget for that year unless more is allotted.
“The good news is we will have these trucks in November 2025,” Frietsch said. “So the good news is lead times are back to where they
should be.”
Supervisor Doug Cupples asked Frietsch if there is anything else that will pop up in the near future. Frietsch said when he looks at the secondary roads equipment there are some “nice-to-haves” and some “good-tohaves,” but he is not seeing any dire need for another specific set of equipment right now.
While Supervisor Brandon Talsma certainly wasn’t thrilled to see the price for these sets of equipment to increase by more than $17,000 in two-and-ahalf years, he didn’t hold it against his county engineer. Frietsch said the new dump bodies will be made of stainless steel to last longer and not have the inherent issues of metal bodies.
Supervisor Thad Nearmyer asked if the county engineer was comfortable looking up all of his new equipment budget for FY26. Frietsch said he was fine with it. To him, the secondary roads department needs to keep modernizing its fleet of trucks. They generate a lot of miles and they’re critical in the winter and summer.
“They are a critical piece of equipment to our operations,” Frietsch said.
Talsma wondered just how many miles one truck could put on in a year. Frietsch reminded him the T-27 and T-28 had over 300,000 miles on them.
“So you’re probably talking 20,000-30,000 miles a year you’re putting on those trucks,” Frietsch said. “Or more.”
Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune
Bonnie Terpstra gazes upon the original interior of a barn that has been in her family since before she was a kid. She has since preserved the barn and transformed it into a wedding venue and event space.
Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty shows off the previous body cameras used by himself and his law enforcement staff back in 2022. The updated body cameras will work in tandem with the 35 new tasers which are expected to be approved and purchased later this month.
It was important for him to separate his personal life and beliefs from his job, but he recognized his strengths as a leader was his passion for public service and his willingness to have a heart to care about the well-being of not only his staff but the people who might be getting a ticket or a trip to the jail.
Keeping his personal life and beliefs away from his job is something he always tried to do, but his innate dedication to family, faith and service had a way of blending into how he approached his role at the sheriff’s office. He valued compassion and transparency while still taking care of business.
“Even if we make a mistake or have a bad event or one of our employees screws up, we’re going to be accountable for it and we’re going to try to do better and we’re going to move on,” he said. “But we can always care about people. We can be invested in the county and the people here.”
‘HE STILL ENJOYS WHAT HE DOES’
Kendra Halferty has been married to John for almost 37 years. They live in Colfax and within a short driving distance from the Jasper County Fairgrounds, which is good for when the sheriff is “voluntold” by his wife to help out. It is also where she is hosting his retirement party at 3 p.m. Saturday to honor his service.
Some might not know he used to coach football for Colfax-Mingo High School or currently serves as a youth leader at the First Baptist Church. He has also volunteered as a firefighter and advanced EMT for the Mingo Fire Department for almost 25 years. He’s even served as its chief for a time.
His wife can recall a time when running for sheriff was never on John’s mind. But it seemed to be a natural progression in his career. John had served as chief deputy for former Jasper County Sheriff Mike Balmer, who eventually retired in the early 2010s. John has been sheriff ever since.
Kendra said his best qualities as a leader are his integrity and his honesty. He is “pretty black and white” and is a naturally humble person. Instead of him taking the credit, he gives it to his team. He is immensely protective of his staff, too, and he would never ask them something he wouldn’t do himself.
Perhaps selfishly — rightfully so — Kendra is looking forward to her husband’s retirement. It means more time with family, but it is going to be a huge adjustment for everyone. Especially the ol’ sheriff. She thinks he is excited for a break, and she is happy to see him leave on his own terms.
“He always wanted to leave when he still liked the job and not hate it,” she said. “He has seen too many people who hate their job and were miserable and made everybody miserable around them. That’s the hard part because he still enjoys what he does. He’s excited for the most part, but he’s going to miss the people.”
‘HE SHOULD FEEL VERY PROUD’
Lt. Brad Shutts has been working with John throughout his 23 years of service to Jasper County, but they had crossed paths a few times before. When Shutts was a reserve deputy for Poweshiek County, John was still in Newton. Shutts will soon be sworn in as the new sheriff of Jasper County.
To Shutts, there is no one else who has the quality of leadership John has. He lives his whole life that way, Shutts said, and leads by example. He’s an open book. What people see is what they get. When Shutts was in a three-way primary race for county sheriff, John lent his endorsement.
“It meant everything to me to have somebody like that who basically mentored me through my time here at the sheriff’s office and given me so many opportunities, along with former Sheriff Balmer,” he said. “… Having his trust in my leadership and what I envision moving forward is very important to me.”
Shutts knows he has big shoes to fill, but the sheriff-elect feels like he and the staff have been given the tools to fill those shoes as best they can.
“He should feel very proud of what he is leaving here and what he is handing over to all of us here at the sheriff’s office,” Shutts said. “His whole life is centered around his family, his faith and serving the public, and I don’t see that changing. He’s still going to be vital to every avenue
of public safety and EMS and fire.”
‘WE DOVE IN WITH BOTH FEET’
Prioritizing EMS service has been an initiative John has pushed hard the past few years, and it has culminated in the advanced life support (ALS) program. The program allows paramedic deputies to respond to emergencies and provide additional and sometimes higher-level support to volunteer responders.
As someone who serves on a volunteer agency, John sees the writing on the wall. Volunteerism is dying, and it’s having detrimental effects on small towns and rural residents. While some volunteer agencies still see support from their communities, finding individuals to donate their time these days is difficult.
Coupled with the barriers that come with getting volunteers trained in higher level care, John sought out some kind of solution to bridge the service gaps and reduce response times. Jasper County did not invent this type of countywide hybrid EMS support service, but it is has received a fair amount of attention.
And it seems to be working. The board of supervisors devoted a hefty chunk of COVID dollars and ARPA funds to the program to get it up and running. John was a strong advocate for the program and for developing it in a way that met the needs of the county. It was “one of the most challenging” projects of his career.
“There was an opportunity so we dove in with both feet,” John said. “…It is absolutely addressing a need in this county despite what a small percentage of naysayers say. The first responders and volunteer services that are out there taking the calls and we’re seeing, they’re thankful for when it’s available.”
‘YOU DO NOT LEAVE THIS CAR’
Jacob Halferty’s earliest memories of his dad were when he was on the task force for the sheriff’s office. He was a cop but he didn’t look like a cop. He had a rugged beard and a junk car for when he worked undercover. He also remembers his dad serving at the Mingo fire station.
There were times John had to bring his son to a call since there would not be someone around to watch him. Jacob didn’t mind too much, and it let him see his dad in action on the job. He’d watch from car for as long as he could. Jacob still distinctly remembers one particular call.
You do not leave this car. That is what John told his son before responding to an accident on Interstate 80. First responders had to block traffic.
“At some point he looks back and I’m still with the car but I’m on the hood looking at it,” Jacob said. “So as a young kid it kind of piqued my interest.”
Jacob has followed in his father’s footsteps and taken up a life of public service. He is currently the fire marshal of the Newton Fire Department, and in the past he has worked numerous ambulance calls for the station and the fire station in Mingo. And he even served as a reserve deputy.
Yup, he worked under his dad. Jacob admits, yes, his dad did give him special treatment. The sheriff held his son to a much higher standard and more would be expected of him. He treated his son like he did coaching football. Jacob still remembers the aching pushups from accidentally calling him “dad” at practice.
The longer Jacob works as a first responder, the more he realizes how much of his dad’s leadership traits and compassion have rubbed off on him. John is always someone who wanted to be active in the field and be the first one out the door. Jacob said he tries to do the same at the Newton fire station.
“The caring was a big aspect, too, and putting your all into these calls,” Jacob said. “You’re truthfully going in there on the person’s worst day of their life.”
‘IT’S OK TO NOT BE OK’
Jacob said his dad genuinely cares about what he does, and he has a strong work ethic. He worked hard for his family and found time for a number of side projects. John and his dad even used to roof houses back in the day, and the extra cash helped fund their family hobbies. John still puts his family first.
When Jacob and his wife and daughter were all sick at home, John was able to come by and do his son’s chores in addition to his own. Putting other people before himself is not uncommon for John. When the derecho devastated Central Iowa, John didn’t get to the damage to his home until the day after.
Of course, that kind of thing can take a toll on someone. Take on enough heavy loads and you’re bound to break. Jacob said at times he is sure his dad did. But over the past few years John has become more cognizant of the mental health of both himself and his fellow first responders. He preaches it any chance he gets.
“Him becoming more vulnerable about his experiences in the past few years to help the first responder community I think has made a huge impact for people,” Jacob said. “…He’s realized in the past few years how to help take care of this. He’s pushed really hard at the sheriff’s office to have mental health screenings.”
John has also been heavily involved with Crisis Canines of the Midlands to pair working dogs with officers to better not only the public on calls but the people responding to them. Jacob even has his own Crisis Canine assigned to him at the fire station, fittingly named Marshall.
“It’s tough when you’ve had alpha males in these positions for so long to be vulnerable, but he knows it’s what he needs to do to let people know it’s OK to not be OK,” Jacob said. “Stuff is going to get to you and you need to get ahead of it and not wait for it to get built up so much.”
‘AT SOME POINT OUR TANK GETS FULL’
John puts it bluntly: “It’s hard for us old time crusty cops and firefighters to admit that things bother us. But the reality is the number of incidents of trauma and critical events that we see are significant. Not only that, it builds up. It’s a culmination or an accumulation of events. At some point our tank gets full.”
Eventually, the tank may even overflow. John said many law enforcement and fire/EMS agencies have done a horrible job of taking care of its people over the past 40 years. They have all the right equipment and most are paid fairly well, but when it comes to mental health and wellness they are expected to suck it up.
Or worse.
“I tell people, ‘No one has a right to tell you or decide when a critical
incident overwhelms you or bothers you.’ It could be your first year on and you could have a significant event and it overwhelms you, or you could be on 15 years before it overwhelms you,” John said.
First responders see the worst of the worst at times. Some may rationalize that is what they signed up for. Well, sort of. They signed up to serve and help the public and others, but John said experiencing critical incidents can take a toll on a person. John has recognized his own cumulative affects. He has triggers, too.
Knowing the negative effects that can come with not properly addressing these issues, John has pushed for mandatory annual mental health and wellness check-ins with a certified trained therapist with experience with members of the military and law enforcement, and it is at no cost to the individual.
As part of that, if an individual needs additional resources the sheriff’s office has an employee assistance program through the county’s human resources director. The sheriff’s office also holds critical incident debriefings. The addition of Crisis Canines, John added, has been an incredible resource as well.
“How can we expect our people to take care of the public and all of this stuff that’s going on if we don’t try to take care of them too?” John said.
‘YOU NEED TO HAVE A RESCUE TEAM’
On his last day, John prepared a going away letter to be sent out to his team. In that he shares how thankful he is for them and the sacrifices they make. He lets them know he cares about them and he cares about the county. He lets them know he is not perfect, but he hoped he has always been transparent.
“Integrity is incredibly important to me,” John said. “When my integrity gets questioned, I will do what I can to justify what I’m doing. But if I make a mistake I’ll let you know too. I want them to know that I hope I’ve been transparent and I hope I’ve been able to be a mentor to people.”
Whether they were a team member at the sheriff’s office or someone he met in the public, John hopes he made a positive impact on them and presented a strong work ethic. Family and faith have been strong motivators for John, and they have also been his strongest support system. He calls them his rescue team.
“Whatever you have for family, whatever you have for faith, I think you need both of those to continue in this profession,” he said. “…That’s kind of what my letter says. It says you need to take care of yourselves, take care of each other but you need to have a rescue team, whether it’s spouse or family or friends.”
There he goes again — taking off that armor and showing people that he cares. As he exits the sheriff’s office, John is optimistic and hopes other members in law enforcement can lead by his example and learn from his experiences. It was a long journey to get to where he is now.
“I never had it all figured out. I don’t want people to think I was doing things perfectly,” John said. “It’s always a work in progress and I hope that first responders and law enforcement officers realize that, too, so they can continue to better themselves and serve our people here.”
Christopher Braunschweig/Jasper County Tribune
Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty retires after a 38-year career in law enforcement. For about a decade, Halferty has served as sheriff and valued his integrity and his service to the citizens.
Jasper County appoints members to re-established compensation board
Recommending body likely to meet soon to discuss the elected official salaries
By Christopher Braunschweig Jasper County Tribune
Seven people have been appointed to the Jasper County Compensation Board, which was re-established by the board of supervisors last week after state lawmakers effectively disbanded the recommending bodies across all counties but still gave boards of supervisors the option to keep them.
The compensation board is tasked annually to review the salaries of all elected officials and recommend adjustments. Recommendations are then provided to the supervisors for a final decision. Whether they adopt the recommended salary changes or make amendments is entirely up to the board of supervisors.
Each elected office in Jasper County — apart from the board of supervisors — is granted one individual to represent them on the compensation board; the county supervisors have two individuals who represent them. They are likely to meet this month to discuss salary increases for all county elected officials.
Here are the individuals on the compensation board and the specific office they are chosen to represent (in the order they appear on county documents):
• Denny Stevenson for the Jasper County Auditor Office.
• Brett Doerring for the Jasper County Board of Supervisors.
• Denny Vander Weerdt for the Jasper County Board of Supervisors.
• Jake Hedgecock for the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.
• Jason Morgan for the Jasper County Treasurer’s Office.
• Allison Udelhoven for the Jasper County Attorney’s Office.
• Nancy Parrott for the Jasper County Recorder’s Office.
Newton News previously reported that the board of supervisors agreed to re-establish the compensation board in a 3-0 vote. Supervisor Brandon Talsma told Newton News it did not feel right for only the board of supervisors to decide the salaries of elected officials. He saw value in the compensation board.
“So I went ahead and had a discussion with our fellow elected officials, and the consensus was, ‘Hey, we kind of feel like it’s been a good thing.’ It was also the general consensus that having outside entities discuss this also kind of takes the pressure off of the board of supervisors,” Talsma said.
Community Calendar
Send items to news@jaspercountytribune.com
SATURDAY • Poweshiek Partners 4-H club meets at 9 a.m. the first Saturday of the month in the C-M Elementary lunchroom
MONDAY • BEDCO meets at 5:30 p.m. the first Monday of month
• Colfax Cub Scouts Pack 345 meets at 7 p.m. the first Monday of month in the C-M High School Cafetorium
• Colfax Planning & Zoning meets at 7 p.m. the first Monday of month at the library
TUESDAY
• Mingo Library Board meets at 5 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month (public meeting)
WEDNESDAY
• C-M Athletic Booster Club meets at 6 p.m. the second Wednesday of month in the high school
With regular gun seasons over, deer hunting shifts to late season mode
With the two regular gun seasons now in the books, Iowa’s deer hunting shifts to a more solitary endeavor with the opening of the late muzzleloader season and the reopening of the archery season.
Jace Elliott, state deer biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said roughly 15-20,000 hunters will participate in the late muzzleloader season and likely harvest about 10,000 deer.
“The season is popular with hunters looking to avoid the crowds. It’s the season with the highest percentage of does harvested and is a good opportunity for herd management or to put meat in the freezer,” Elliott said. “This time of year, hunters would be wise to target existing food sources as these resources can be limited.”
While the archery season also re-opens, fewer deer are harvested during this time than during the early portion of the season.
The late muzzleloader and late split archery season are Dec. 23 to Jan. 10, 2025.
The final deer seasons are the two January antler-
Recorder
Continuedfrompage1
his second term, movie rental stores don’t even exist and Cherry Coke is enjoyed with vanilla these days.
But those prices in the recorder’s office? Well, those have stayed the same. Jasper County Recorder Denise Allan said the fees have remained the same since 1985, but a new proposal advocated by the Iowa County Recorders Association hopes to change that this coming legislative session. Allan said the proposed fee modernization bill will be introduced the Iowa Legislature in 2025.
According to documents included in the agenda, the bill aims to simplify and increase recording fees to $10 per page. Iowa County Recorders Association said the price is still well below the $14.62 inflation-adjusted rate for 2024. Other
HOWARD ST. CHRISTIAN CHURCH
(Disciples of Christ)
Pastor Josh Burns
101 N. Locust St., Colfax Cell - 515-779-3148
SUNDAY - 10 a.m. Fellowship;10:30 a.m. Worship, in person or online via YouTube
MONDAY - Pastor Josh day off
TUESDAY - 9:30 a.m. Coffee Time; 2:30 p.m. Chair Yoga
WEDNESDAY - 3:30 p.m. After school elementary youth; 6:15 ChiRho and CYF youth supper; 7:30 p.m. Youth Group
THIRD SUNDAY - 8 p.m. Elders meeting, Board meeting after church; Collect for Food Pantry
FOURTH SUNDAY - Potluck Dinner
FIFTH SUNDAY - Potluck Breakfast
FIRST MONDAY - WIC appointments
FOURTH & FIFTH TUESDAY - 3
p.m. Table of Grace
IRA UNITED CHURCH
Rev. Michael Omundson
less deer only seasons – the Population Management January Antlerless Season and the Excess Tag January Antlerless Season. Both seasons run from Jan. 11-19, but there are differences between the two.
The Excess Tag January Antlerless Season is available in all counties with unsold county antlerless tags on Jan. 11. Due to the compressed timeline, license sales will only be available over the counter, not online, until the quota is filled. Hunters participating in the excess tag January antlerless season may only use rifles from .223 caliber to .500 caliber as a method of take.
“We began running both seasons concurrently in 2023, and this past January we had just shy of 3,000 hunters participating who harvested about 1,500 deer statewide,” he said. “We will likely have similar counties participating as last year – primarily in northeast Iowa and southern Iowa - that will not fill their antlerless quota by Jan 10.”
Hunters can monitor the quotas in real time at iowadnr.gov/Hunting then click on the Antlerless Deer Tag
“add-on” fees are to be eliminated, too, and large documents will be capped.
“This proposed legislation is being introduced to increase recording fees, to modernize recording policies and practices and to do some cleanup in the Iowa Code. Recording fees have not increased since 1985, which is almost 40 years. To put that into perspective, I was 25 years old,” Allan, 65, said.
The current rates are actually $7 for the first page and then $5 for each additional page. So if someone wanted one page, it would cost $7; if they wanted four pages it would cost $22. The proposed bill would make one page cost $10 and four pages cost $40. Again, the association argues the prices are below inflation.
Additionally, the bill proposes both the $1 records management fee and the $1 electronic transaction fee be removed while adding a $7 transaction fee for multi-transaction documents with reasonable limits. The proposed recording
SUNDAY - 9:30 a.m. Church service; 10:15 a.m. Sunday school (communion first Sunday)
Quotas link under the Helping You Prepare heading.
“If hunters are interested in using more than a centerfire rifle, they should consider purchasing the Population Management tags to have larger menu of options for the method of take,” he said.
Harvest Update
“We’ve been tracking closely to last year when we harvested 104,000 deer across the state, and I think we will end up in that same ballpark when the season closes in January,” Elliott said. To date, hunters have reported 87,000 deer.
Late Muzzleloader season Method of Take: Bows, muzzleloaders, handgun, or crossbow Season is Dec. 23-Jan. 10. 2025
Excess Tag January Antlerless Season Method of Take: Rifles .223 caliber to .500 caliber Season is Jan. 11-19, 2025 – available in all counties with unsold county antlerless tags on Jan. 11, and sales will only be available over the counter, not online, until the quota is filled.
fees are also well below the fees from a number of surrounding states.
Allocation of the moneys collected from the fees will go toward a number of funds. Allan said $3 of every document will go toward Iowa Land Records operations and projects, $2 will go towards the Recording Technology Fund for technology needs and then the remaining will go toward county general funds.
“Revenue generated by recorders goes to the county general fund, which helps reduce property taxes,” Allan said. “I might add that every project I’ve done, like digitizing, I’ve always contributed money from the record management fund, which is not taxpayer dollars. That is money that comes from recording.”
Smaller counties do not always have the means for new technology or lack the ability to digitize their records. By doubling the amount of money allocated to the recording technology fund, Al-
Church Schedules
METZ COMMUNITY CHURCH
3253 W. 62nd St. S., Newton Pastor David Rex 641-521-4354
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10:10 a.m. Worship Last Saturday of month - 8 a.m. Men’s Breakfast
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
Colfax
Minister, Pastor Cody Dyer Church Office 674-4165
FRIDAY, Dec. 27 - Saturday, Dec. 29 - 6 p.m. through 10 a.m. “The Well” Youth Group Lock-In
SATURDAY, Jan. 4 - 7:30 a.m. Men’s Breakfast/Bible Study; 9 a.m. Women’s Ministry mtg.
SUNDAY, Jan. 5 - 9 a.m. Fellowship; 9:15 a.m. Bible Education Classes; 10:25 a.m. Message by Pastor Cody Dyer; 5 p.m. “The Well” Youth Group
MONDAY, Jan. 6 - 6 p.m. Deacon/ Deaconess meeting
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8 - 9 a.m. Busy Bee Quilters and Fresh Encounter Prayer; 5:45 p.m. AWANA Family
The church schedule is brought to you by Coburn FUNERAL HOMES
Colfax-Prairie City-Monroe 515-674-3155 www.coburnfuneralhomes.com
Meal; 6:25 p.m. AWANA Clubs
FRIDAY, Jan. 10 - “The Cellar” following the Colfax-Mingo basketball game
SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH Newton, Iowa
SATURDAY - 4 p.m. Mass
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Mass
COLFAX FIRST UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
S. Locust & W. Division St. Office - 674-3782
Rev. Phil Dicks pastor
SUNDAY - 10:30 a.m. Family Worship with Holy Communnion; Sunday School
HOPE ASSEMBLY OF GOD
126 E. Howard
Rev. Paul Avery, pastor Church: 674-3700 hopeassemblyofgod@yahoo.com
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10 a.m. Worship
WEDNESDAY - 7 p.m. Evening Service
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
CATHOLIC CHURCH
302 E. Howard St., Colfax Fr. Ron Hodges 515-674-3711
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Mass
DAILY MASS - 8 a.m.
MINGO UNITED
lan added, will benefit all recorders in Iowa. Since the fees would be going up, so would the revenue to the county. Allan has served as the county recorder since 2015. Other county recorders will likely be looking for support from their affiliates to help the bill move to the statehouse, much in the same way Allan did by discussing it with Jasper County supervisors who seemed ready to write a letter of support on the spot.
“It is the Iowa County Recorders Association’s hope that our county affiliates will support us as we move forward and into the upcoming legislative session,” Allan said to the board of supervisors. “The office right now has been slow the past few years, and we’re hoping for a turnaround.”
Even so, the Jasper County Recorder’s Office has contributed about $500,000 in both state and county recording fees.
“The people we work with, their costs are not the same they were 40 years ago either,” Allan said. “It’s time.”
METHODIST CHURCH Rev. Phil Dicks 515-689-4926
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Worship service (Sunday school not meeting at this time)
ASHTON CHAPEL
8887 W. 122nd St. N., Mingo Pastors: Larry Craig & Mark Eddy
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10 a.m. Worship
BETHANY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 5627 N. 95th Ave. W., Baxter 641-227-3402
Pastor Chris Hayward
SUNDAY - 9 a.m. Sunday School
(Sunday after Labor Day to second Sunday in May); 10 a.m. Sunday Worship. First Sunday communion. All are welcome. baxterbethanyucc.org
EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH
BAXTER Mike Mclintock, Pastor
SUNDAY - 9:15 a.m. Sunday School; 10 a.m. Worship; 6 p.m. Awanas WEDNESDAYS - 1st & 3rd - 6:30 p.m. Mens Bible Study 2nd & 4th - 6:30 p.m. Men’s and Womens Bible Study
THURSDAYS 10 a.m. - Womens Bible Study
BAXTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
218 S. Main, Baxter Pastor Ben Spera Church: 641-227-3382
SUNDAY - 10 a.m. Worship
WEDNESDAY - 6 p.m. Bible Study
THIRD THURSDAY of month6:30 p.m. Theology on Tap at Bea’s Place on Main Street Check us out on Facebook and baxtercongregational.com
CORNERSTONE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP
1000 E. 12th St., Newton Rev. Josh
We can stop HIV, Iowa by finding the HIV prevention methods that work best for us!
Find a health care provider to whom you can talk openly about your sexual health.
Make HIV testing part of your journey. Getting tested is the only way to know your status!
Practice safer sex.
Use condoms and choose sexual activities with a lower likelihood of passing on an infection.
Get in care. Stay in care.
If you’re living with HIV, getting and keeping an undetectable viral load helps you stay healthy and prevents transmission to your sex partners.
Learn more at stophiviowa.org
Generator Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase Call 1-855-954-5087 today to schedule a free quote. It's not just a generator. It's a power move
