SECC911 Board to decide on new radio communication system

SECC911 Board to decide on new radio communication system

The Scott Emergency Communication Center (SECC911) selected a consultant last June, Elert & Associates, to evaluate options and develop a recommendation and long-range plans for the design and installation of a replacement radio system using P25 (Phase 1 and/or Phase 2).

It was announced in October that Elert expected to complete their recommendation by Thanksgiving with the four options being considered: Starcom21, ISICSB State System, Racom & join SARA (Shared Area Radio Agreement), initiate a request for proposal (go out for bid) for a full radio …

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QCTimes: Holst Polls as well as incumbents

QCTimes: Holst Polls as well as incumbents

Republican challenger Diane Holst did more than survive Tuesday’s Scott County Board of Supervisors primary.

The hard campaigning activist actually outpolled at least one of the two GOP county board incumbents in 25 precincts. Holst won 11 precincts outright over incumbents William Cusack and Carol Earnhardt.

Holst polled best in Pleasant Valley, LeClaire and Hickory Grove precincts. But she was competitive throughout Bettendorf, winning the Bettendorf 12 precinct. She turned enough Republican heads in the primary to advance to the general election, where we expect she’ll …

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Holst Places 3rd in Primary, Moves On to General Election in Nov

Holst Places 3rd in Primary, Moves On to General Election in Nov

Bill Cusack received 3,598 votes, while Carol Earnhardt collected 3,347 votes, according to unofficial election results. Along with Diane Holst, who won 3,053 votes in her first-ever election, they move onto the Nov. 4 general election ballot.

Holst was excited about the results. “I feel I’ve really gotten a vote of confidence from the people I’ve talked to in Scott County,” she said.

Full article found here: http://qctimes.com/news/local/government-and-politics/incumbents-lead-gop-county-board-primary/article_369524ce-e9fd-56f5-8959-af59cfc7948e.html

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Holst Endorsed by River Cities Reader

Holst Endorsed by River Cities Reader

“Every blue moon the stars align to produce a candidate for public office who is the real deal. Taxpayers are fortunate enough to have just such a candidate for the Scott County Board of Supervisors in Diane Holst.”

“….the current Board of Supervisors protects the needs of the bureaucracy more often than the needs of residents. This is seen with such cavalier mid-year budget increases over $700,000. There was no discussion, just perfunctory approval as usual. The Scott County budget has doubled over the past 14 …

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Holst 2011 LTE’s: Contact Your Elected Officials Now About Property Taxes

Holst 2011 LTE’s: Contact Your Elected Officials Now About Property Taxes

[Published in the Quad City Times and River Cities’ Reader in Fall 2011.]

Last week, the Iowa Department of Revenue issued an Assessment Limitations Order, or “rollback,” on property values in Iowa. The order adjusts the property values used by local governments to compute property taxes for agricultural, residential, commercial, and industrial property. The taxable value for residential property will be 50.7518 percent of the assessed value. This is an increase from the 2010 level of 48.5299 percent.

This will result in an increase to your residental …

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About Diane

About Diane

“I bring decades of experience in reviewing requests for proposals, competitive bids, and statements of work.  Missteps affect the ability of our county employees to do their job, affect the service provided to the public, and cost the taxpayers.”

Diane is a native Iowan who grew up on her family farm in Scott County.

She and Dave, her husband of 39 years, have two children, one grandchild, and two more on the way.  The Holsts live in rural Eldridge, Iowa, where Diane enjoys gardening, cooking & canning, …

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Holst Interviewed in North Scott Press

Holst Interviewed in North Scott Press

“What I will bring to the board is a guarantee that I will read and research any policy, resolution, agreement and purchase that warrants an extra look. I want transparency and to build trust that I am the taxpayers’ advocate.”

April 2, 2012 – All the candidates appearing on the democratic and republican primary ballots were profiled recently in the North Scott Press.  Diane was interviewed by Eric Chalus. Excerpts of her interview are below. A scan of the full profile is available here: NSP.Interview.April02.2014

Holst has never …

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ALERT: Spot Zoning on Unincorporated Land Proposed to P&Z

ALERT: Spot Zoning on Unincorporated Land Proposed to P&Z

The Orascom fertilizer plant’s efforts to quickly rally a zoning variance that individual farmers and land owners have been denied, focused unusual pressure on the Planning and Zoning Commission in 2013.   After the controversial project went to Lee County, the idea of such a “mega-site” continues to have legs with boosters both internal and external of county government.

July 16, 2013 – These Planning and Zoning Meeting Minutes contain much insight into what staff, supervisors and P&Z commissioners agree and disagree on. The meeting included exiting …

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ALERT: FOIA Requests Point to No-Bid Contract Missteps

ALERT: FOIA Requests Point to No-Bid Contract Missteps

“Review of the grant file did not indicate that any sole source justification documents were submitted by the grantee or processed by the COPS office.”

March 29, 2012 – Holst receives a response to her Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request showing that the RACOM contract for $1.6M in ZETRON consoles, paid for in part by a federal grant, was not preceded by any evidence of sole source status for the vendor. COPS.Grant.FOIA.Response.March29.2012

Additional documentation is available that proves there was no RFP and no bids for the purchase.

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Holst’s Questions Addressed at SECC911 Board Meeting

Why do the radios on walkie not work in Buffalo? We were told in April that the Buffalo issue would be resolved by RACOM. What steps are you taking, and when do you expect this to be fixed?

Has the $14K BDA been installed at Hillendale, and has it resolved the problem?

Where are the areas around the County that you’re relying on NPSPAC?

Has there been a “due date” set with the Vendor, New World Systems, for the CADS/RMS system to be working correctly?

Thursday, August 18, 2011 …

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