The Denison Free Press

10/07/2025

*AMENDED* AGENDA
Crawford County Board of Supervisors
Date Tuesday, October 7, 2025 9:00 A.M.
Board Members
Dave Muhlbauer, Chair | Craig Dozark, Vice Chair | Kyle Schultz | Ty Rosburg | Jean Heiden
Time Item
9:00 a.m. Call to Order by Chair
Opening Ceremony
Review Agenda
a. Conflicts of Interest
b. Approve the Agenda
Reading and Approval of Minutes
Report of Supervisors and their Standing Committees, followed by Special Committee Reports
Approval of Claims
Notification of Manure Management Plans
Personnel Changes - Ruth Parker – Status change from Full time to PRN

9:45 a.m. Ben Schaben – County Engineer

Discussion – Janette Clausen, Crossroads of Crawford County, Update of Services.
Discuss/Take Action – Resolution 2025-36 to Pay Back Inter-Fund Temporary Operating Loan.
Discuss/Take Action – Resolution 2025-37 Transferring Funds from Self Insurance Fund (8500) to Wellness Fund (4020).
Discuss/Take Action – Tax Abatement for parcel 13-11-326-003 purchased by Crawford County June 2025
Discuss/Take Action – Resolution 2025-38 Transferring Funds from General Basic Fund (0001) to General Supplemental Fund (0002).
Discuss – Camera Inspection of plumbing at the CCCS Building and the 1st Floor of Courthouse.
Citizen’s Input
Closed session pursuant to Iowa Code § 21.5(1)(c) to discuss strategy with counsel in pending litigation
Adjourn

UPCOMING MEETINGS TO WHICH THE SUPERVISORS MAY BE ATTENDING:
Leading Edge – CDC- Visiting the Courthouse
- 8:30 Board of Supervisors – Beginning 9am Auditor, Treasurer - Recorder, Assessor and Engineer

Zoom Meeting - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81981696967?pwd=plGXfHrxFWNkxMIHhPiUwg90CK4kAL.1
Passcode - 774897
Phone – 1 312 626 6799 – (meeting-819 8169 6967)

All those seeking to petition the Board will be granted "5 minutes" of time to state their petition. Petitioners will also be granted an additional "2 minutes" of response time to each question asked by a member of the board.

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10/07/2025

REGULAR CALLED CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 ‒ 5:00 p.m.
Council Chambers ‒ Denison, Iowa
Dial In: (312) 626-6799 Meeting ID: 453 000 9887 Passcode: 2633143
Meeting Link:
https://zoom.us/j/4530009887?pwd=eUJkeFMxZHJjZmxhdW1lbkxRZDhXZz09&omn=98994757224
1. Call Meeting to Order
2. Roll Call ‒ Curnyn, Granzen, Logan, Miller, Zupp-Smith
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Motion to Approve Agenda
5. Motion to Approve Consent Agenda
a. approve and waive the reading of the minutes for 09/16/2025 regular meeting and 09/23/2025 special meeting
b. approve the bills as presented
c. approve liquor licenses for: Ampride, Hollywood Bakeshop Café
d. approve tax abatement for: 851 13th Avenue South
e. approve appointment of Drew Polzin to Boulder’s Conference Center Commission to replace Steve Oatman, term expiring 06/2028
f. approve the hiring of Dominik Garcia as a temporary Administrative Assistant, at an hourly wage of $19.50, effective 10/01/2025
6. Citizen Input – limit 5 minutes
7. Department Director Reports
8. Engineering Update
a. 2024 HMA Improvements
i. Motion to approve Change Order #3 to Ten Point Construction Co, Inc, in the amount of ($15,817.02)
ii. Motion to approve Pay Application #5 (final) to Ten Point Construction Co, Inc, for the 2024 HMA
Improvement Project, in the amount of $9,162.00
iii. Resolution Accepting the Completion of Work – 2024 City of Denison HMA Improvement Project – Division I, II, III, and IV, Denison - Iowa
9. Wellness Center
a. Motion on Change Order 16 from Jensen Builders for the Crawford County Wellness Center project, in the amount of $1,445.09
b. Motion on Change Order 17 from Jensen Builders for the Crawford County Wellness Center project, in the amount of $5,588.04
10. Discussion on the development agreement with Donna Reed Foundation
11. Discussion on AT&T Agreement
12. Motion to approve the Tourism and Convention Business Services Agreement
13. Resolution Adopting an Updated Employee Handbook
14. Resolution Approving the Official Street Finance Report for FY 2025
15. Resolution Setting Date for Public Hearing on Community Development Block Grant
16. Mayor Report
17. City Manager Report
18. Possible motion to enter closed session per IA code 21.5(1)(j) to discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the governmental body would have to pay for that property or reduce the price the governmental body would receive for that property
19. Action after Closed Session
20. Possible motion to enter closed session per IA code 21.5(1)(j) to discuss the purchase or sale of particular real estate only where premature disclosure could be reasonably expected to increase the price the governmental body would have to pay for that property or reduce the price the governmental body would receive for that property
21. Action after Closed Session
22. Adjournment
If accommodation is needed, please contact City Hall within 48 hours prior to the City Council meeting.

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10/03/2025

Mitchell sentenced to 10 years
By Gordon Wolf
Timothy Craig Mitchell, age 40, was sentenced on Friday morning in Crawford County District Court to concurrently serve three prison terms not to exceed 10 years for three counts of s*xual abuse in the third degree, Class C felonies.
County Attorney Colin Johnson had urged that the sentences be served consecutively – one after the other – instead of concurrently – at the same time.
On July 11, a jury found Mitchell guilty on the three counts of s*xual abuse in the third degree that are tied to acts at his bar in Dow City, Cheers, on January 8, 2023. He was found not guilty on two counts of s*xual abuse in the third degree tied to acts that occurred on November 13, 2022.
As a condition of his sentence, Mitchell is to be placed on parole for the rest of his life after being released from prison. He is also required to be listed on the s*x offender registry for the rest of his life.
Mitchell has the right to appeal the sentence within 30 days.
He may become eligible for parole before serving the maximum sentence.
Mitchell has been in custody at the Crawford County Jail since the July 11 verdict.
Prior to the sentencing, Judge Steven J. Andreasen denied a motion by Mitchell’s attorney for a new trial and arrest of judgement.
Read more in the October 9 issue of The Denison Free Press.

09/29/2025

Chores and Cheers: Ron Rothe from Denison shocked by $1 million Powerball win
CLIVE, Iowa — The weight of a $1 million Powerball win left a Denison man so jittery, he tackled household chores just to steady himself.
“I went home and I was nervous, so I vacuumed,” Ron Rothe said with a chuckle Monday afternoon as he claimed his prize at the lottery’s main office in Clive.
Rothe’s easy-pick ticket matched all five white balls but missed the Powerball to win $1 million in the September 13 drawing. His ticket was one of only four nationwide to hit that mark.
The 73-year-old admitted his lucky ticket spent nearly a week riding around in his glove compartment before he realized its value. Even after hearing that the winning ticket was sold in Denison, he never imagined he was the one holding it.
“We had heard rumors that so-and-so won, so we never really even thought about it,” he said.
The week after the drawing, Rothe stopped at Kimmes Denison Country Store, 1108 Fourth Avenue South, to buy tickets for the next three drawings. While there, he asked a clerk to check the tickets he’d purchased the previous week.
“She comes back with the manager, a big smile on her face, sticks her hand out and goes, ‘Congratulations!’” he recalled. “I said, ‘For what?’ She goes, ‘You won a million dollars!’ It’s like, ‘OK?!’”
Dumbfounded, Rothe brought the ticket and receipt showing the prize amount to his wife’s hair salon to share the news.
“She goes, ‘Oh, you won a thousand dollars!’” Rothe recalled with a laugh. “I go, ‘No.’ She looks again and goes, ‘A million?!’”
Kimmes Denison Country Store will receive a $1,000 bonus from the Iowa Lottery for selling the $1 million-winning ticket.
Pat, Rothe’s wife of 53 years, said both she and her husband are still pinching themselves.
“I’m still not sure it’s really sunk in, if you want to know the truth,” she said. “It has taken some for us to get past the basic shock.”
The couple said they plan to put the winnings toward home improvements, estate planning, charitable donations and funding college savings accounts for their two grandchildren.
Players in $2 Powerball choose their first five numbers from a pool of 69, and another number – called the Powerball – from a separate pool of 26. The Power Play option is available for an extra $1 per play.
Pictured with this post are Ron and Path Rothe with the $1 million check.

09/23/2025

The coronation ceremony for Monarch Homecoming 2025, “Once Upon A Homecoming,” took place Monday evening, September 22, at the high school football field. Giana Garcia was crowned queen and Diego Garcia was crowned king. From left: Charlotte Schrum, Ivan Ledesma, Emily Gehlsen, Alexander Segoviano, Avery Bock, Luis Salas, Queen Giana Garcia, King Diego Garcia, Addison Houston, Brandon Lopez-Nieto, Lexie Wiese, and Joshua Ramos.

09/22/2025

Firefighters from the Denison, Vail, Manilla, and Dow City-Arion departments responded to a structure fire at 315 North 15th Street in Denison on Monday. Streets near the fire scene have been blocked.

09/22/2025

The offices of The Denison Free Press and La Prensa are open today (Monday, September 22) in the basement of the Chamber & Development Council of Crawford County office.
Today is the last day for our special one-year subscription price of $100.

09/19/2025

This weeks issue of The Denison Free Press

09/19/2025

Members of the Col. William H. Kinsman Camp #23 of the Iowa Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Camps provided educational demonstrations for fourth and fifth graders on Friday, September 12, on the lawn of the historic McHenry House in Denison. Included in the demonstrations was the firing of a half scale cannon with a small charge of powder.

09/19/2025

Julie Graeve, who served as leader of the East Boyer Rustlers for 11 years, received gifts from club members after a tree-planting project at the Crawford County Fairgrounds on Sunday, September 14. She is stepping down as a leader. Photo by Gordon Wolf

09/19/2025

Members of the East Boyer Rustlers 4-H Club beautified the Crawford County Fairgrounds on Sunday, September 14, by planting 10 trees in varieties of oak, maple and linden. Club member Hayden Hipnar applied for and was awarded $450 through the Pioneer Seed Grant program to purchase the trees. The East Boyer Rustlers matched this amount to total $900, and the fair board matched that combined total. Between last year and this year, 15 ash trees had to be cut down at the fairgrounds

09/19/2025