Emergency Drill

Posted on August 02, 2010 - 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM

August 7, 2010

Buchanan County will conduct an all day Emergency Exercise drill. 

Buchanan EMA Flood Waters

Posted on July 08, 2010

 July 8, 2010, 3 p.m. CDT                      

 NEWS RELEASE

The flooding waters of the Wapsipinicon River in Independence have begun to recede.  After cresting at about 9 a.m. Thursday at 15.57 feet, the river is now dropped a foot and a quarter and continues to recede.

The National Weather Service estimates the Wapsipinicon River to back below the 12-foot flood stage by mid-morning Friday and back to normal flows by Tuesday.  A website is available for the public to check on the current and predicted levels of the Wapsipinicon and can be found at water.weather/gov/ahps.

Another site to check on is www.co.buchanan.ia.us, where Buchanan County residents can subscribe free to Code Red, which is a reverse call out system that will alert subscribers to severe weather, including flash flooding.

Information on cleaning up following a flood is available at the sanitarian’s office at the Buchanan County Courthouse in Independence.  Rural wells that have been contaminated by floodwaters need to be shock chlorinated and then tested before using that water for consumption.  A free well test is available by contacting the sanitarian’s office at 319-334-2873.

Residents are asked to contact Buchanan County Emergency Management Director Rick Wulfekuhle at 319-334-6411 if they have sustained any large damages due to the flooding.

Public Hearing

Posted on May 05, 2010

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors offers for sale to the general public the following property:

Parcel A – Commencing at the Northeast corner of the Southwest qtr. Sec. 25, Twp. 89, Rng. 9 west of the 5^th P.M. Buchanan County, Iowa, thence West 325 ft., South 725 ft., East 325 ft., North 725 ft. to the point of beginning.  5.41 acres more or less.  Excluding the generator and including one LP tank.

Parcel B -  Commencing 325 ft. West of the Northeast corner of the Southwest qtr. Sec. 25, Twp 89, Rng. 9 West of the 5^th P.M., Buchanan County, Iowa, thence West 250 ft, South 725 ft., East 250 ft., North 725’ to the point of beginning.  3.90 acres more or less.  Excluding LP tanks.

Interested individuals must submit bids in writing, enclose them in a sealed envelope, and write on the outside of the envelope the word “bid.”

Bids must state the name(s) of the bidders(s), a current mailing address, and daytime phone number and/or e-mail address.

Bidders may bid on either Parcel A, Parcel B, or both parcels together; bidders are advised that Parcel B will not be sold unless Parcel A sells.  Bidders are advised that the minimum acceptable bid for Parcel A is $100,000 and the minimum acceptable bid for Parcel B is $50,000.

Bidders must indicate on their bids whether the bid is for Parcel A, Parcel B, or both parcels together.

A letter of reference from a financial institution and a certified check in the amount of 10% of the bid must be enclosed with the bid.

Bids will be accepted in the Buchanan County Auditor’s office at the Buchanan County Courthouse, 210 5^th Ave. NE, Independence, Iowa 50644 until 9:45 a.m. Monday, June 14, 2010. 

Bids will be opened at 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 14, 2010 in the Supervisors’ chambers at the Buchanan County Courthouse.

Bidders will be permitted to raise their bids at the time of the bid opening.  Bidders will not be permitted to orally bid on a parcel that was not the subject of a written bid. The Board reserves the right to reject any and all bids.

The parcel(s) sold shall be surveyed after the sale and a copy of the survey shall be provided to the successful bidder.

The balance of the purchase price shall be due thirty (30) days after acceptance of the bid.   Failure to receive the balance shall be grounds for voiding the sale.

Additional information can be obtained from the Board of Supervisors at 319-334-3578.

County Audit FY2009

Posted on April 19, 2010

Please find attached the news release from our audit firm regarding the FY09 audit of the county.

Commission Members Needed

Posted on January 13, 2010

The Buchanan County Board of Supervisors is accepting applications for the Board of Health and Pioneer Cemetery Commission members. 

If you are interested in serving on one of these commissions please submit an application and letter of interest by February 1, 2010.  Applications can be obtained and returned to the County Auditor, Courthouse, 210 5^th Ave. N.E., P.O. Box 317, Independence.

FLU - H1N1

Posted on October 29, 2009

H1N1 Vaccine Availability Update

 ·        Vaccine is now available to all groups!

Thanks for all your support of public health services! Your patience and kind words are appreciated during this very busy time.  Additional information can be obtained at the following website:

 www.bchealth.info/publichealth.asp

Answers to your questions:

• The H1N1 vaccine is "free" from the federal government. There is no charge for the vaccine.


• Women who are breastfeeding can receive the nasal spray flu vaccine: www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5705al.htm


• If you have been on antivirals, you cannot receive the nasal spray vaccine until 48 hours after your last dose of antiviral. If you get the nasal spray vaccine and start an antiviral within 2 weeks after, the vaccine may not provide protection: www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/antiviral.htm


• Nasal spray H1N1 vaccine spray does not contain Thimerosal.


• Children 9 years of age and younger will need to receive the vaccine twice, at least one month apart.


• If you have received a seasonal influenza vaccine by nasal spray form recently, you cannot receive the H1N1 nasal spray vaccine until 28 days after the seasonal nasal spray flu vaccine was given.

The staff here at the Public Health Department thanks all of you for all your support in helping us with our vaccination campaign against  Influenza A (H1N1). We are on "Wave 2" of this H1N1 outbreak, expecting "Wave 3" possibly yet before spring and for this strain to return again next fall according to the Iowa Department of Public Health. Getting vaccinated will be important whenever the vaccine is available! In the mean time:

• Cover your cough and sneeze into your elbow.


• Clean your hands.


• Contain germs. (STAY HOME when ill until the fever subsides for 24 hours without fever reducing medications.)

Stay Healthy!

Voting Machine Test

Posted on October 09, 2009 - 10/27/2009

PUBLIC NOTICE 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN in accordance with Chapter 52.9 of the Iowa Code that the commissioner’s duly authorized agents shall examine and test the voting machines to be used at the City Elections, November 3, 2009 beginning on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, at 11:00 a.m. at the courthouse.  This certification, testing the voting machines for said election, is open to the public.

Cindy Gosse

Buchanan County Auditor

& Commissioner of Elections 

Code RED Alert System

Posted on April 30, 2009

The Community Notification Enrollment link allows your residents to supply their own information. Not only does this ensure a more accurate database, but also allows residents to input an unlisted number, their cell phone number or any other secondary phone numbers. This will create a more robust database for you to use and reach more of your residents with essential emergency information.

Here is the link to your Community Notification Enrollment (CNE):

https://login.coderedweb.com/codereddataentry/Default.aspx?groupid=3v74cjUBmrZW09gfRMEbbw%3d%3d

You can also enroll by clicking on the Code Red Icon to the right -- above Directory of Services. 

Please Review the Code RED page under Emergency Management, Sheriff pages or Directory of Services.

City of Independence Election

Posted on April 15, 2009 - May 5th

The election is May 5th for the City of Independence Special Bond Issue, the polling hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters will vote at their regular precincts.

Clerk of Court

Posted on March 31, 2009

Reminder that beginning last week 3/24 the Clerk of Court Office is closed to the public every Tuesday and Thursday starting at 2:30 p.m.