Slew of accidents spurs safety message from county sheriff

By BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

During the department head portion of Thursday?s Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting, Henry County Sheriff Rich McNamee reported on a recent slew of traffic accidents in the county, reminding people that the Fourth of July holiday is a prime time for traffic accidents and violations.

?We have had an upswing in the past 90 days of traffic accidents, and unfortunately there have been some fatalities with those,? said McNamee. ?Two of these fatalities were ejected from the vehicle because they weren?t wearing a seat belt.?

McNamee said that with the upcoming holiday, law enforcement officers would be out diligently enforcing traffic laws and the use of seat belts in order to hopefully deter the number of traffic-related accidents and fatalities.

In addition, McNamee said that there have been many reports of vehicle versus deer collisions, and urged drivers to be extra cautious of these animals as they commute.

Besides an update from the sheriff, Henry County Recorder, Shirley Wandling, reported some rather good news for citizens on the hunt for birth records.

After Governor Brandstad passed a recent bill, Iowans in need of birth records from Jan 1, 1996, to present day, may now go to any county of their choice to obtain birth records.

?With this new bill, you may now go to any county of your choice to get birth records, even if you were not born in that particular county,? Wandling explained. ?The same rule applies for adoption records. Before, you would have to go directly to state officials, now you can get that at the county level.?

Wandling said this new bill would hopefully be a great convenience for individuals. Those with questions regarding this new piece of legislation may call the Henry County Recorder?s Office at 319-385-0765.

Henry County Treasurer, Ana Lair, also updated the board on the current remodel of the Henry County Treasurer?s Office, and said things are progressing well at this point in time.

?The contractor is making great progress and our staff are working around the reconstruction very well,? reported Lair. ?We really appreciate the public?s support and cooperation as we try to get this project done as safely and as quickly as possible.?

Besides the department head meeting, the board of supervisors also heard from Joe Buffington, Henry County Planning and Zoning Director, about a consent agreement to rezone property adjacent to Henry County ground.

?This area in particular is adjacent to the Old Reserve property on West Washington Street, in Mt. Pleasant,? explained Buffington. ?I have done all the necessary checking, and I have no concerns with anything.?

The board approved the consent unanimously.

In other news the following items were approved:

Sallie Benedict was designated as a Henry County Patient Advocate with the Des Moines County Employer of Record

The board approved a fireworks permit for business owner, Mike McGuire. The permit is valid for July 4, in Mt. Pleasant

The next Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 7, at 9 a.m., inside the Henry County Courthouse.