Hillsboro and most of Marion County were drenched with rain from Thursday through Sunday, with more than 6 inches falling, by some estimates. A deluge on Thursday afternoon in Hillsboro made the Municipal Golf Course one large water hazard (top photo). Traffic was stopped for a time near this drainage area because water was running over the street. On Sunday afternoon, another drenching resulted in several roads in Marion County, including Kanza southeast of Hillsboro (right photo), being closed on Monday because of flooded creeks and rivers. Beyond the concern of some travelers and homeowners about flooding, local citizens seemed to take the situation in stride, even grateful in the light of enormous tornado damage suffered in Greensburg and other areas of the state.
Where to locate the carnival during this summer’s Marion County Fair remained an open question following a discussion of options between the Hillsboro City Council and members of the fair board during the May 1 city council meeting.
Unified School District 410 board president Rod Koons (standing, left) and member Dale Klassen lead discussion Monday at the first informational meeting about the upcoming bond election. About 20 patrons attended the session about the $6.625 million proposal. Koons and Klassen reviewed aspects of the proposed facility changes and fielded questions from the audience. Projected costs, mill-levy increases, ongoing maintenance and the proposed partnership between the public school district and Tabor College, a private institution, were among concerns raised. Superintendent Gordon Mohn, who arrived toward the end of the meeting, and architect Ken Helmer of Howard & Helmer, also provided input. Mohn said the verbal agreements between Mohn and President Larry Nikkel are being formalized in light of both administrators leaving their positions. Koons said plans are to hire an interim superintendent who has construction experience to oversee the project if the bond election passes. Another meeting is planned for 7 p.m. May 15 in the high school technology classroom. Aleen Ratzlaff / Free Press. Click image to enlarge.
The Unified School District 410 Board of Education is attempting to make its $6.625 million bond issue as palatable as it can for district taxpayers, officials say.
One piece of that strategy is to refinance the past several years of the bond that was issued in 1992 for the construction of Hillsboro Middle School, and then phase in the mill-levy increase over the 20-year life of the bond.
Mike Duerksen follows fellow firefighter Murray Koop up the ladder and onto the roof of the former AMPI building Wednesday morning in what turned out to be a challenge to find the source of a fire within. Smoke was wafting from the small black area in the far upper left of the photo. It took firefighters from Hillsboro and Marion nearly two hours to find the room of origin. On the ground are Dave Lancaster (left) and Todd Helmer.
Don Ratzlaff / Free Press. Click image to enlarge.
Inspectors from the state fire marshall’s office have yet to determine the cause of a fire Wednesday at the former AMPI building that caused more frustration than actual damage.
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