Franklin County News

Hampton Ward 1 Special Election March 6, 2012

Notice is hereby given to the qualified electors of Hampton Ward 1 in Franklin County, Iowa, that a Special Election will be held for electing to fill the vacancy of the position of Council person for the remaining four year term ending December 31, 2015.

New precinct boundaries based on the 2010 U.S. Census became effective on January 15, 2012. View Hampton Precict Map (.pdf)

Date of Election: Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Hours polls will be open: 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Polling Place: 
Law Enforcement Center (fka Park School)
105 5th St SW
Hampton, IA  50441
                                                                                       
Voter Pre-Registration Deadline: February 24, 2012 by 5:00 p.m. in the Franklin Auditor’s Office

Absentee Voting:

• Absentee Ballots are available in the Auditor’s office.
• Application Deadline for mailing an Absentee Ballot-Friday, March 2, 2012
• In-Person Voting Deadline- Tuesday, March 6, 2012, 11:00 a.m.
• Return Absentees must be postmarked by Monday, March 5th or returned in person to the Auditor’s office prior to 8:00 pm on Election Day; to be counted.

Eligible Voters: All eligible voters residing in the newly described boundaries of Hampton Ward 1 as per the redistricting of the City of Hampton per the 2010 Decennial Census, effective January 15, 2012. 

All voters are reminded of the requirements of VOTER REGISTRATION.  After February 24, 2012, Election Day Registration requirements will be met and a photo ID and proof of residency will be needed in order to register.  Election Day Registration is available at the polls.

All polling places are handicap accessible.  Any voter who is physically unable to enter a polling place has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle.  For further information, please contact the County Auditor’s office at 641.456.5622 or FAX: 641.456.6001. 

The above notice of the March 6, 2012 Hampton City Ward 1 Special Election is given by order of Michelle S. Giddings, Franklin County Commissioner of Elections.

Preliminary Franklin County Flood Insurance Rate Maps

On November 15, 2011, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued preliminary copies of updated flood insurance rate maps for Franklin County and all incorporated cities. A flood insurance rate map (FIRM) illustrates the probable extent of flood hazards in a community by depicting flood risk zones and the Special Flood Hazard Area (commonly referred to the 1% annual chance flood or 100-year flood). The FIRMs in Franklin County are being revised using the latest technologies and the most current elevation data so property owners may understand the local flood risk.

The new preliminary maps in Franklin County use a 2009 photographic base map. All streams studied by approximate methods were either newly studied or revised based on updated hydrologic and hydraulic models. In Hampton, Squaw Creek was re-delineated based on updated topography.

On December 19, 2011, FEMA, their mapping contractor, and the Iowa DNR held a meeting in Hampton to discuss the preliminary maps with local and elected officials through the County. The intent of this meeting was to address any questions or concerns city and county officials had with respect to the preliminary maps. This meeting also provided the opportunity for city and county officials to submit comments on the maps.

The Franklin County preliminary maps are available via the web to give citizens the opportunity to view and comment on the maps.

View Franklin Flood Plain Comparison Map (.pdf)

Comments that FEMA and their mapping contractor will accept include: revisions to proposed floodplain boundary delineations, requests to incorporate Letters of Map Change, base map errors, corporate limits revisions, and road name changes. All comments should be submitted to FEMA through the CEO or other community designated official. Comments affecting flood risk information must be supported by scientific or technical data and provide sufficient data to make revisions. All maps, except community maps showing corporate limits and roads, and other submitted supporting data, must be certified by a Registered Professional Engineer or a Licensed Land Surveyor and must reflect existing conditions.

Franklin County Flood Hazard Information (.pdf)

Floodplain Administors

* List includes only the contact information for the floodplain administrators in the incorporated cities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program 

A public meeting will be held on Monday, December 19, 2011, at 10:00 AM at the Franklin County Law Enforcement Center in Hampton to present an updated Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) Report for all of Franklin County, including the incorporated areas. FEMA will be discussing the flood study and the impact of the DFIRM and FIS report on Franklin County's participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This will also be an opportunity for members of the community to comment or ask questions regarding the DFIRM and FIS report, and the NFIP in general.

Franklin County Flood Hazard Information (.pdf)

CodeRED Emergency Notification System

Web Soil Survey Online

Want soil information for your farm or other property? Visit the online Web Soil Survey (WSS) site to access relevant soil and related information needed to make land-use and management decisions. The WSS provides an alternative to traditional hardcopy maps, quicker delivery of information, electronic access to full soil survey content, and customized reports.

Download Information Brochure (.pdf)

Franklin County Sheriff's Office has participated in the DEA’s Take Back Drug Program earlier this year and had 30 lbs of outdated or un-used medication turned into the Sheriff’s Office for DEA disposal.

The Sheriff’s Office had numerous contacts from citizens that were unable to make the drop-off day, so the Sheriff decided to make the drop-off more accessible.  Drug forfeiture money was used to purchase a DEA recommended Drop Box, and this has been installed in the front lobby of Franklin County Law Enforcement Center at 105 5th Street SW in Hampton.

Anyone can bring in their un-used or out-dated medications to the Sheriff’s Office during regular business hours 8-4pm on Monday thru Friday and place them in the black drop box.

1. You can use the original container or zip lock bag for medications.
2. Please no needles, syringes, or glass bottles.
3. You do not have to give your name or address.

Prescription Drug Abuse is a growing problem in Franklin County as well as the rest of the United States.  This program is meant to give people an avenue to remove unused and outdated medication from our residences, before we have an accidental or intentional overdose of someone else’s medication, without placing them in our landfills or flushing them into our ground water.

Please take part in the program, there is no cost and there is no names taken to drop off the un-needed medications.  Thank you.

Sheriff Larry Richtsmeier
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
105 5th Street SW, Hampton, Iowa 50441
Business phone 641-456-6035 or 24 hr number 641-456-2731

Beacon GIS/Real Estate Website Upgrade

Franklin County, Iowa, is updating the existing Beacon™ map engine that will enhance the user experience when working with the map, improving existing and expanding functionality that the users are accustom to using. This upgrade of the Beacon™ map engine is now able to support multiple map server technologies, like ArcServer dynamic and tile caches, WMS, ESRI Base Maps, Google base maps, along with other pluggable architectures. It can support all modern map services, as well as easily adapting to future services. As an industry leading application, Beacon™ map engine works on multiple platforms, including all modern mobile devices.  Users will see improved navigation, new tools, and expanded map; therefore, harnessing the best parts of back-end technologies and data services, delivering a seamless experience to all.

Beacon™ gives users 24/7access to a variety of integrated local government data including GIS, appraisal and tax information, and the data is updated daily.   Beacon™ streamlines how the public interfaces with local government offices by consolidating searches of multiple offices into just one query that can be conducted from any computer or mobile device.  The result is a more efficient way to obtain up-to-date information, as well as providing search, reporting and printer-friendly features.

2012 Purple Heart Honor Flight

The next Honor Flight, tentatively scheduled for August 7, 2012, will not only honor WWII veterans but all Purple Heart veterans as well. Honor Flight Winnebago, the local sponsor of Honor Flights, has flown 602 World War II veterans to Washington, D. C., in seven trips since the program started. The flight is planning on taking any World War II veterans meeting medical requirements plus about 130 Purple Heart recipients from the Korean War until present day. The veterans will be veterans residing in an eight-county area.

All Purple Heart applications for Franklin County are available at the Franklin County Veterans Affairs Office at 123 1st Av. S.W. in Hampton or call 641-456-5670. The applications must be accompanied by a DD-214.

Franklin County Contracts with The Berryhill Center for Mental Health

Franklin County has contracted with The Berryhill Center for Mental Health to provide services to county funded individuals. They also accept Medicaid, Medicare and payment from many private insurance companies.
 
The Center will have an outreach clinic offering a wide range of outpatient mental health services in Hampton. The Center serves people with emotional and mental health problems, from short term personal and family problems to the most disabling illness.  They offer:
 
Counseling and Psychotherapy, which provide an outlet for individuals to discuss their problems on a confidential basis and receive assistance in learning to cope with the problem;
 
Psychiatric Evaluations, which assess the individual’s mental health problems, and determine the best course of treatment and level of service to be provided; and
 
Medication Management Services, which include a comprehensive assessment by a Psychiatrist, Nurse Practitioner or Physician’s Assistant to formulate a diagnosis and prescribe psychotropic medications as needed.
 
The Berryhill Center for Mental Health will see clients in Hampton on Friday afternoons beginning in January of 2011.  They will be located at the Franklin County Community Resource Center at 123 1st Ave SW in Hampton.
 
Dr. Melanie Porter will be the therapist seeing clients here.  She obtained her Master’s and Psy.D in Clinical Psychology from the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology.  She has been licensed as a Psy.D Psychologist in the State of Iowa since 8/23/2006.  Her practice includes children, adolescents, and adults.
 
Persons wanting services can contact them directly at 515.955.7171 or 800.482.8305 to set up appointments or can contact the Community Resource Center at 641.456.2128 for assistance in coordination.  Anyone desiring assistance from Franklin County in funding these services can contact the Community Resource Center and ask to speak with someone regarding applying for outpatient mental health services or they may stop by to pick up a CPC Application.