Retired Teacher and Former Louisa County Supervisor

Advocate for Citizens of Louisa County.   If you need guidance or help dealing with county entities , let me know. With my experience as a former supervisor, I may be able to help you. Email: kenpurdy@lisco.com 23423 Highway 92 Columbus Junction, IA 52738 Phone: 319-728-2274 Cell: 319-212-0188  Lake Odessa for the People

Kenneth Edgar Purdy

Terms on the Louisa County Board of Supervisors. 1st term 2001-2004 2nd term 2005-2008

Louisa Development Group	Board Minutes and Agenda	Lake Odessa for the People	County GIS web site	Louisa County Web Site
Community Foundation	2008 Flood Photo Menu		Cabin Map

1. Louisa Economic Development Group, Inc. (LDG)- I was appointed to the board of directors of this organization as a representative of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors. I was subsequently approved by vote of the development committee and I am on the executive committee as past president. The mission of this group is to raise incomes or the tax base in Louisa County. http://www.louisadevelopmentgroup.org/

2. Community Foundation of Louisa County - In January of 2008 we distributed grant money to Louisa County organizations to the tune of $58,000. Next year we hope to double this. If you wish more information contact me or go to Communtiy Foundation of Louisa County and click on gran

3. AAA Area Agency on Aging (helping anyone 60 or over) Chairman of the board of directors

4. Lake Odessa for the People - Advocating for less drawn down of water in Lake Odessa.

5. ILLOWA Ferry Boat Commission - Advocate for Ferryboat service between Louisa County, IA and Mercer County, IL across the Mississipii River

6. Louisa County Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment (commonly called variance board).

I am still active on the above groups.

2. Started the clean up of contaminated soil at the Texaco Station in Oakville, This includes excavation of soil and demolishing the old station and getting the property back on the tax rolls, at no cost to the county. I helped find out that county's are eligible for Underground Storage Tank clean up funds. $300,000 from the state Underground Storage Tank funds will be used in Louisa County for the clean up at no cost to the county. No matching dollars are required for countys. A new well was intstalled for the city of Oakville at no cost to local government.

3. Helped guide the progress of getting the GIS (Geographical Information System) for the county. The system involves taking high resolution aerial photographs of the county, digitizing the photos and putting them into a computer, and attaching data layers to the aerial photograph. Some of the data layers are: text documents in the court house involving real estate information and taxes, roads and right a way layers, utilities, lot lines, 911 addresses, confinement facilities and minimum distances to neighbors, trails, conservation board ground, school district boundaries, fire districts, etc. The system should streamline the work in several offices and help the constituent access information quicker and easier.

4. With the recommendations of existing staff and the board of supervisors, helped guide and approve the reorganization of Community Services and the CPC's office into one office. This reorganization saved 4/5 the cost of one full time equivalent person and benefits.

5. Helped guide the Louisa Regional Solid Waste Agency in managing the closed landfill at Cairo and the Transfer station in Wapello. This process involved meeting requirements of the DNR and past debt obligations of the agency to Great River Solid Waste. The Louisa Regional Solid Waste Agency is operating smoothly.

6. Helped score the first Matrix (animal confinement scoring sheet) for the DNR in the county. This scoring system introduced by the DNR this year is used to evaluate animal confinement facilities. Unfortunately, this is only for facilities housing over 2500 animal units and the DNR still has the final say. However, by a county board of supervisors being willing to score the matrix, this gives the board of supervisors the right to give input to the DNR on whether to issue a construction permit.

7. Manually helped clean up the Fredonia Cemetery of old LP tanks and dispose of them properly at no cost to the county.

8. Was one of the intial organizers of the Community Foundation of Louisa County. I am on the board of directors and am active in granting the $58,000 + money coming from state gambling revenue to Louisa County organizations. The goal is to grow a permanent endowment fund (a fund you only spend the interest off) to do good in Louisa County forever. To date, the Community Foundation has over $100,000 in their pemranent endowment funds. The goal is to raise this to a million dollars.

9. Helping the board lead the new jail project and passing the 1% local option sales tax to fund the new jail. The Jail should be completed in April 2009.

10. Helping the board on it's effort to pave the last 3 miles of the great river road.

11. Helped witht the flood recovery efforts.

12. Changed county zoning requirement from 5 acres to 2 acres for a dwelling in the unincorperarted area with safe guards for prime farm ground.

13. Helped an individual get a buy out when originally not on the list. He will get over $100,000 because of my efforts.

14. Helped the same individual in his dealings with county zoning so he could build a house on his high ground after the flood of 2008. My belief is a zoning administrator should help an individual with the zoning hurdles put in front of them. This will create a job for a local contractor and increase the tax base.

I am a life long resident of Louisa County so I feel I am very knowledgeable about the county. I spent the first 22 years of my life in Wapello, IA where I graduated from high school in 1961, first in my class. I got my Masters Degree in Mathematical Statistics from the University of IA in 1969.

I taught HS mathematics at the Columbus Community School District from 1965-1999. I started the wrestling program at Columbus and coached wrestling for 18 years, and coached the boys track team for 30 years. All programs (math, wrestling, track) were very successful.

I retired from teaching in June of 1999. I now have the time to devote to being a county supervisor and do devote the needed time.

As a youth in Wapello I worked on farms around Wapello (John Hupp, Paul Buster, Wayne Ryan,Jack Dotson, etc). While going to college I worked summers at the US Gypsum plant in Sperry, IA. I worked 2 summers for the Louisa County engineer on a survey crew out on the roads and drew cross sections of the roads of Louisa County in the office. It was fun work. I learned a lot about surveying and the county road system and it paid my way through college.

While teaching at Columbus I was active in the salary negotiation process and learned to deal with multi-million dollar budgets. I was instrumental in the fund raising project to build the all weather track in CJ. I worked one summer at the former Rath Packing Plant in CJ to see first hand what the parents of a lot of my students did.

Yes, I feel I am very knowledgable of the county. I feel I can make informed logical decisions because of my background.

The supervisors are in charge of the non elected officials in Louisa County, such as the county engineer (Secondary Road Dept.), Community Services and CPC director, and court house custodian. The supervisors make appointments to the board of health, conservation board, etc. The supervisors also approve the budget of each department, including elected officials, so they do have a significant influence on the other elected officials. Besides the weekly regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday mornings at the court house, each supervisor is on various committees that meet during the week representing the county.

Supervisors 2008 Frank Jamison(2007-2010), Ken Purdy (2001-2008), Dave Wilson (2005-2008)

I am for this Lake Odessa	I will work to keep this Lake Odessa from happening.

Louisa Development Group	Board Minutes and Agenda	Lake Odessa for the People	County GIS web site	Louisa County Web Site
Community Foundation	2008 Flood Photo Menu		Cabin Map

Online College Degree

webmaster: kenpurdy@lisco.com

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