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: Note, this is a new email
address. My old email address will be
cancelled. Use this one - kenpurdy@gmail.com
23423 Highway 92
Columbus Junction, IA 52738
Phone: 319-728-2274
Cell: 319-212-0188
Kenneth Edgar
Purdy
Terms on the
Louisa County Board of Supervisors.
1st term 2001-2004
2nd term 2005-2008
Thanks for the opportunity to
serve on the Louisa County Board of Supervisors. It was
a rewarding experience. As a supervisor I gained
much knowledge of county governement and have made many
lasting connections. I am putting the
knowledge and contacts to good use being an advocate of the
people of Louisa County.
1. REC Board Member from District IV. Eastern Iowa Light and Power.
2. Community Foundation of Louisa County -On January 16th of 2012 we will
distribute grant money to Louisa County organizations to the
tune of $93,000. The grant applications have been
processed and grantees will be notified shortly. The grant
ceremony will be at the Brigg's Center in Wapello. Also,
consider giving a memorial contribution to the Louisa County
Memorial Fund in the name of someone you wish to honor or
remember. If you wish more information contact me or go to
Community
Foundation
of Louisa County.
4. Louisa County Planning and Zoning Board of Adjustment
(commonly called variance board).
I am still active on the above groups.
I am no longer on these boards.
- Southeast Iowa Regional Planning Commission
- Louisa County Board of Health
- Louisa Regional Unity Board -
Mayors and supervisors in the region. - Southeast Iowa Regional Transit Committee - RTA (Regional
Transit
Agency) provides public transportation including aging and
disabled. Call 1-866-753-5107 -Community Action of Southeast Iowa
-Louisa Development Group
Accomplishments of the board in my two
terms.
1. The current
board of supervisors was responsible for obtaining an Economic
Development Director for Louisa County. I was a part of this
effort. I feel this is one of the most important accomplishments
of any board. The mission of this group is to raise incomes or
the tax base in Louisa County. This is reflected in the 2004
work plan for the director: Work with government bodies to plan
for growth. Gather and compile information regarding economic
opportunities in Louisa County. Encourage spending locally to
keep money in Louisa County. Market economic opportunities in
Louisa County. Work with existing businesses to facilitate
improvement and growth to bring more money to Louisa County.
Create a formal plan for LDG's marketing effort.
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.
My Background
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.
Supervisor Duties
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.
ken,ken purdy,supervisor, Ken, Ken Purdy,
Louisa County Politics, Republican, Columbus Junction,
Columbus Jct., Columbus Jct,KCP Enterprises, Lake Odessa,
Odessa,Louisa County Supervisor , Louisa County Elections,
louisa county,politician,Oakville, Wapello, Flood, Flood 2008,
2008 Flood, Iowa River, purdy,purdy,photos Flood 2008,
kenpurdy, Louisa Development Group,LDG, Community Foundation,
Vote,John McCain, Wedding,viaduct,wedding on viaduct, McCain
Columbus,Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Louisa
County,LDG,CFLC
