Decorah, IOWA — At this afternoon’s special board meeting, the WinnMed Board of Trustees responded to a notice provided by Mayo Clinic Health System (MCHS) that the current management services agreement (MSA) with WinnMed will not be renewed when it expires on July 1, 2025.
The WinnMed Board of Trustees discussed how to proceed with a new WinnMed leadership structure to replace the existing roles covered by the MSA. They voted to appoint Steve Slessor, the current chief administrative officer under the MSA as the new WinnMed chief administrative officer and, pending successful hiring, directed him to continue in his leadership role.
“We have enjoyed the key benefits of our relationship with Mayo Clinic Health System and look forward to the new paths, relationships and opportunities that lie before us,” says Clark Goltz, chair of the WinnMed Board of Trustees. “The WinnMed board will work hard to develop options for our physicians so they can continue to serve here. We have a remarkable staff at WinnMed and know, with their support and the support of our entire community, we will continue our mission to ‘be worthy of the trust our patients place in us.’”
“WinnMed is in a strong position to employ the existing leaders and pursue its goals independently,” says Robert Albright Jr., D.O., Mayo Clinic Health System regional vice president. “We appreciate and value the history of this partnership, and we look forward to collaborating to ensure patients in and around Decorah continue to receive high-quality care.”
Additionally, MCHS has voiced intentions to the WinnMed Board of Trustees to engage in negotiations with WinnMed leaders to develop a modified, long-term professional services agreement, which would take effect in July 2025 for the MCHS physicians who practice at WinnMed.
Name: Zach & Stephanie Fromm Vehicle (Model and Year): 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid Purchased on: July of 2023 used and under the $25,000 threshold to access the $4,000 tax credit.
Electric Range:As a first year model and with 80,000 miles on it at the time of purchase, I assumed the battery would be degraded a bit, so I wasn’t surprised to find it at 26 miles in the summer and sub-20 in the winter (the heater takes a lot of electricity). It’s rated to get 30+ miles, and maybe the newer models with newer battery technology come closer to that.
How many miles do you drive annually? Of those, can you estimate how many have been all electric versus gas? I’m not entirely sure how many miles we drive annually. On our most recent vacation we drove 200 highway miles and hadn’t charged the van before we left. Fifty-two of those miles ended up being electric, so the regeneration from braking and going down hill garnered us about 25% electric miles total. That’s pretty good! Our commute to town, daycare, groceries, etc., each day is about 30 miles, and the battery covers 90+% in mild driving conditions, which is awesome. Knowing the average American puts about 40 miles a day on their car, I feel like PHEVs need to get to that amount of range to really make sense.
Thinking back to when you first considered an EV, what were your biggest concerns? Did those concerns result in you opting for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) instead? Knowing it was the first iteration of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, I was cautious about battery life and overall maintenance, but we are approaching 100k miles with no issues.
Given you’ve now had experience with a PHEV, do you think you’re more or less inclined to buy a pure electric vehicle (PEV) next time? I like the idea of a PHEV for the longer hauls until the pure EV battery tech can achieve 300+ mile range consistently, but there are no pure electric minivan options yet, which is a bummer. We also have a Tesla Model Y and would love to give a full EV minivan a go if the range looked promising.
Are you a multi-vehicle household, and if so, is your second vehicle gas powered? Our other car is a Tesla Y and our third vehicle is an old beat up truck we use for house chores.
Disregarding upfront purchase costs, has your cost of ownership been what you had expected? We purchased used and under the $25,000 threshold to access the $4,000 tax credit. Having installed a 14-50 Nema 220v outlet in my garage, the Pacifica can recharge to 100% in less than 2 hours and we have been happy paying about $.07 kWh through MiEnergy’s EV metered option.
What’s been the biggest plus of driving an electric vehicle? And challenges? I love the idea of using greener energy options to power a vehicle and believe that electric/hybrid options are the future. My hope is that we are in the infancy stages of EV/PHEV technology and all the downsides (of which I don’t feel there are many—I have 40k miles on my Tesla and outside of tire maintenance and replacing windshield wiper fluid have had zero other costs) are overcome through time.
Have you used public charging? If so, what has that experience been like? I have not used a public EV charger in the Pacifica to date, but anticipate no issues.
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE CITY OF DECORAH WATER METER REPLACEMENT PROJECT IS ELIGIBLE FOR A CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FROM NEPA REVIEW. THIS PROJECT IS BEING FUNDED IN PART OR WHOLE BY SRF FUNDING.
The proposed project was reviewed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for eligibility for a categorical exclusion from NEPA review specified in the 40 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 6.204. The project meets all criteria described in the above reference, and it was determined that this project is eligible for a categorical exclusion. Consequently, a preliminary decision has been made that a Finding of No Significant Impact (FNSI) will not be prepared.
This action is taken on the basis of a careful review of supporting information that is on file at the DNR’s Des Moines, Iowa office. The Categorical Exclusion documentation for this project is available online at https://www.iowasrf.com/environmental-review/ . The DNR will not take any administrative action on the project for at least thirty (30) calendar days from the publication of this Notice. Persons disagreeing with the above environmental decision may submit comments to SRF-PC@dnr.iowa.gov during this period.
Click here to view the Iowa State Revolving Fund Categorical Exclusion
For further information, please contact James Boatright at James.Boatright@dnr.iowa.gov or 515-782-2473.
Emily Hursh, a rising senior, interned at the Supreme Court this past spring.
Emily Hursh, a rising senior at Luther College majoring in history and minoring in museum studies, applied what she learned at Luther during a spring 2024 internship for the highest court in the U.S. Hursh, a rising senior from St. Charles, Minnesota, was able to connect her history studies at Luther with her internship duties at the Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, D.C.
Hursh completed the collections management internship for the Office of the Curator at the court. She spent her days cataloging and organizing items in the court’s archives. This included making high quality images of ephemera in the court’s archives and maintaining the digital archives. She also assisted staff members with research and public programs.
“I’ve always been interested in the background of items or objects,” Hursh said. “I’ve always wanted to understand why an object is important and how it came to be that way.”
During her internship, Hursh was also able to sit in on oral arguments for the Supreme Court, giving her a firsthand look at the judicial branch.
“One of the best parts of the experience is understanding more how the judicial branch operates,” Hursh said.
Hursh did her internship through the Lutheran College Washington Semester, a personalized program where students from Lutheran-affiliated colleges engage in academic and professional opportunities in the nation’s capital.
She chose to come to Luther for its history program; she connected with the history major through all it had to offer. She’s taken a variety of history courses during her time at Luther, including upper level history classes on American empires in Asia and apartheid in Africa. She took the course “Historian’s Craft,” which helped her better understand historical interpretation.
She was excited by Luther’s museum studies minor, which is generally only offered in graduate level programs. The program helped her learn the fundamentals of managing collections and archiving objects.
“Emily is an excellent student, setting the highest standards for herself. She is also a valuable asset to the history department, always willing to assist departmental events, meet prospective students, and moderate panels of student speakers,” Robert Christman, professor of history at Luther, said. “Students like her don’t just learn about the past, they make the department function as a community. It is difficult to overestimate just how important this work is. “
After Hursh graduates from Luther, she plans to attend graduate school for library sciences or archival conservation.
About Luther College
At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.
9:30 a.m. Michael Kueny – County Engineer
Re: road projects updates
9:50 a.m. Miscellaneous
– VA Guest Column idea
– Community Services Building energy audit / Winneshiek Energy District
– New Year Transfer Resolution
– New Year Appropriations Resolution
10:00 a.m. Andy Van Der Maaten – County Attorney
Re: legal questions regarding agenda & other issues
Happy National Upcycling Day, everyone! Today, we honor the creativity and environmental benefits of upcycling. Instead of tossing out old items, let’s give them a new life and purpose. Upcycling not only reduces waste but also allows us to create unique and useful pieces from things we might otherwise discard.
Here are a couple ideas:
1. Transform Old T-Shirts Into Tote Bags: – Gather those old, unused t-shirts and turn them into stylish, resuable tote bags. You can use these for grocery shopping or day trips.
2. Repurpose Glass Jars into Stylish Storage: – Clean out those empty glass jars and use them for storing spices, crafting supplies, and other items. Add a coat of paint or some twine for a personalized touch!
Remember, one person’s trash can be another’s treasure. Happy upcycling!
The Decorah Community School District Board of Education will receive a recommendation from the district’s Facility Committee at its regular meeting on July 8. The Facility Committee consists of community leaders who have met multiple times over several months to consider the future of the district’s elementary facilities, which currently include John Cline Elementary School and West Side Early Childhood Center.
Reviewing Decorah CSD’s facility needs at the early childhood and elementary level is a process that dates back to 2008. Past and current members of the Board of Education and administration have examined John Cline and West Side and discussed potential replacement options for both schools.
This process, spanning more than 15 years, has included engagement with residents about the district’s needs, multiple building assessments by architects and engineers, and the formation of committees tasked with exploring possible solutions. The district is currently partnered with Emergent Architecture as part of its ongoing planning effort.
Last fall, the district purchased from the City of Decorah land adjacent to John Cline Elementary on what has been referred to as the “Heivly Island.” This purchase also included the acquisition of the varsity softball field and a portion of the varsity baseball diamond, land which the school district has long occupied but did not own.
“Many years have been invested by many people in the pursuit of providing our youngest students with the type of environment needed for 21st century learning,” said Superintendent Dr. Tim Cronin. “We want to thank everyone for their dedication to this shared mission, and we will continue to provide updates for the community as this process moves forward.”
West Side was constructed in 1939, and John Cline opened in 1964. Today, students and staff face numerous deficiencies, including outdated structural, mechanical, and electrical systems; aged HVAC systems lacking air conditioning and proper ventilation; a sewer system in need of replacement; playground drainage problems; and roofs in poor condition that require replacement. Additionally, building configurations hinder effective security measures, and there is a shortage of both classrooms and adequate space within existing classrooms.
In April, Decorah CSD hosted a survey and asked residents for input about the potential construction of a new school to replace John Cline and West Side. More than 76 percent of the 1,151 respondents said they would support the construction of a new school, while 15.4 percent said they would not support such a project. Another 8.1 percent said they were unsure.
An election on , will ask voters to approve the renewal of the district’s Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) through 2051. The RPS specifies the uses for which income generated through the existing Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) fund can be utilized. Renewal requires 50 percent approval from voters.
If the school board accepts the recommendation of the Facility Committee, a second election would be held on November 5, asking voters to approve the issuance of general obligation bonds for the construction of a new elementary school. Bond issues need 60% approval by voters in order to pass.
Join us for some fun programs at the Decorah Community Prairie and Butterfly Garden on Sunday, June 23, 1:30-4:00 pm. This event is appropriate for all ages.
