Emmetsburg City Administrator Kim Kibbie joined Iowa Lakes Community College leadership, faculty, and students for Community College Day on the Hill on March 3rd. The group presented Iowa Lakes Community College’s Construction Technology program, showcased the Five Island Cabin project, and advocated for growth in construction and carpentry opportunities for the next generation of Iowans.

The City partnered with Iowa Lakes to design and build Cabin 1 and Cabin 2 at Five Island Campground, with funds from Palo Alto County Gaming Development Corporation. Students are working to design Cabin 3 this semester, and construction will begin in the fall. Construction Technology Program Coordinator, Corey Menning said “I absolutely love the partnership between the City of Emmetsburg and Iowa Lakes Community College.  The experience that my Construction Technology students get by learning while designing and building the cabin project is extremely valuable!”

Valerie Newhouse, President of Iowa Lakes Community College  emphasized the importance of the program and career technical education. “Our students are gaining an abundance of critical skills with this partnership, not only the technical skills of construction, but also the job readiness skills like leadership, team work, client communication, business skills, problem solving and enhanced work ethic. The skilled worker shortage has really impacted the construction industry locally and regionally. The cabin project has served as a great recruitment tool for this program, which in turn helps supply those skilled workers and entrepreneurs back into the construction industry.”

2020 Seasonal Employment

The City of Emmetsburg and Emmetsburg Municipal Utilities are accepting applications for the following seasonal positions: seasonal public properties workers, seasonal utilities workers, seasonal golf course workers, seasonal community center staff, bartenders, banquet staff, kitchen prep and servers.

Duties, qualifications, hours or work, and application requirements vary for each position. Contact City Hall for more details and/or to obtain an application.

Community Center Director

The City of Emmetsburg seeks to hire a Community Center Director for The Shores at 5 Island Community Center.  The Director will work with a seven-member board, city council and city administrator.  The Director will be responsible for the management of the community center, staff and budget.  Qualifications should include a previous managerial, financial and marketing experience.  Salary based on qualifications.

For more information, contact City Administrator Kim Kibbie at 712-852-4030.

Send letter of application and resume to:

City of Emmetsburg, Attn: Kim Kibbie

2021 Main Street, Emmetsburg, IA  50536
kkibbie@emmetsburg.com

Positions open until filled.  EOE

Tourism – Works for Palo Alto County

Tourism in Iowa is about more than places to visit; it’s jobs, economic growth, quality of life and revenue generation.

In 2018, Palo Alto County received $37,430,000 in expenditures by travelers and generated $5.39 million in payroll for 270 travel related jobs.  Palo Alto ranks 31/99 counties in total expenditures and received $2.71 million in state tax receipts and $720,000 in local tax receipts.

The Wild Rose Casino, Grotto, Nature Center, destination weddings, sports and business travel, St. Pat’s, Bully Bullhead, Labor Day town celebrations and our many lakes, parks and trails, hotels, restaurants, and more can all be credited with this positive economic impact which reduces the tax burden on our citizens and supports community “quality of life" assets enjoyed by both residents and visitors.

Source U.S. Travel Association: Domestic Travel Impact on Iowa

Deb Hite

The Palo Alto County Gaming Development Corporation (PACGDC) held their 14th Annual Grant Award Celebration on Friday, March 6 at the Wild Rose Casino & Resort. This year, PACGDC distributed $1,612,504 to cities, schools, and organizations in Palo Alto County. The City of Emmetsburg received  a $152,543 City Per Capita Grant and a $140,000 City Award, and Emmetsburg Community School received a $85,560 School Award plus a $50,000 shared grant with schools in Palo Alto County. Other projects in Emmetsburg include trails, playground equipment, classroom and education improvements, fire department equipment, and more. Thank you to PACGDC for the tremendous support!

As the golf season approaches, we would like to remind citizens of Emmetsburg City Code 77.  Golf carts may only be operated on city streets by a valid licensed driver (16+ years old) and must be equipped with a safety flag and slow moving sign. Golf carts are permitted to operate on the city streets of Emmetsburg from sunrise to sunset, regardless of lighting equipment. For a complete list of regulations for Code 77, please visit the Emmetsburg Police Department, email Chief Ryan Veldboom at veldboom@paloaltosheriff.com, or message the Police Department on Facebook. 

- Chief Ryan Veldboom

If you are heading out to a St. Patrick’s Day celebration this year, make sure you have more than just the luck o’ the Irish on your side. This holiday, March 17, 2020, is one of the biggest drinking nights of the year and this, unfortunately, means more impaired drivers on the roads. Drunk driving accounts for nearly one-third of vehicle related fatalities in the United States. Nationally, in 2018 alone, 73 people (39% of all crash fatalities) were killed in drunk-driving crashes over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period and 33% of the pedestrians aged 16 and older killed in crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above .08. In 2019 in Iowa, there were two crashes over the holiday which killed four people.

To combat the increased impaired driving around the holiday, the Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office will be stepping up traffic enforcement March 14 – 17, 2020. Officers will especially be watching for drunk and drugged drivers and anyone not wearing seat belts.

Drinking and driving should never be combined. It’s essential to plan a sober ride in advance if the holiday celebration will include alcohol. The alternative could change your life, not to mention the lives of your passengers, pedestrians, or other drivers and passengers nearby. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day responsibly!

The Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office, the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau remind you, driving while impaired is illegal!

- Palo Alto County Sheriff's Office

Mondays @ 10:30 AM
Emmetsburg Public Library

Wednesdays @ 4:15 PM
ISU Extension

Thursdays @ 2:00 PM
Emmetsburg Public Library

Feb 12 @ 6:00 PM
The Shores

Sponsored by the City of Emmetsburg & Chamber
$25 Registration - Contact Gretchen at 712.415.1142

Mar 12 @ 3:00 PM

Irish Potato Bar
Mar 12 @ 5:00 PM
Multipurpose Center

Mar 12 @ 7:00 PM
School Auditorium

Mar 13 @ 9:30 AM

Served by Knights of Columbus
Mar 13 @ 5-7 PM

Mar 13 @ 5:30 PM
St. Pat's Event Tent

Mar 14 @ 8:30 AM
Smith Wellness Center

Mar 14 @ 9:00 AM
The Shores at Five Island

Mar 14 @ 9:00 AM
St. Pat's Event Tent

Mar 14 @ 11:00 AM
St. Pat's Event Tent

Mar 14 @ 9:00 AM
Holy Family Parish Center

Caricatures by Lauren Naig
Mar 14 @ 9:00 AM
Holy Family Parish Center

Palo Alto County History/Celtic Cousins Family History
Mar 14 @ 10:00 AM
Multipurpose Center

Irish Beef Stew Dinner
Mar 14 @ 10:30 AM
Multipurpose Center

Potato Palooza
Mar 14 @ 11:00 AM
Family Life Center

Chainsaw Artist
Mar 14 @ 11:00 AM
Fire Department Lawn

Famous St. Patrick's Day Parade
Mar 14 @  1:30 PM
Broadway Street

Social Gathering of the Clans
Mar 14 @ 3:00 PM
Fire Department

Free Movie - Lion King
Mar 14 @ 3:30 PM
Riviera Theatre

New Trick Band
Mar 14 @ 6:30 PM
St. Pat's Event Tent

Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast
Sponsored by Emmetsburg Rotary
Mar 15 @ 8:00 AM
VFW

Mar 15 @12:00 PM
Sportsman's Park

Mar 17 @ 8:30 AM and 5:15 PM
First United Methodist Church

Mar 18 @ 1:30 PM
PACHS Health Ed Room

Mar 20 @ 9:30 AM

Served by Kiwanis Club
Mar 20 @ 5:00 PM

Mar 25 @ 8:00 AM
Water's Edge Nature Center, Algona

Sponsored in part by Kossuth/Palto Alto Co. Economic Development

Chamber Coffee @ Middle School
Mar 27 @ 9:30 AM

Apr 1 @ 1:30 PM
Emmetsburg Library

Apr 3 @ 9:30 AM

Served by Senior Center
Apr 3 @ 5:00 PM

BINGO @ VFW
Apr 6 @ 5:00 PM

High School Career Day
Apr 7 @ 9:00 AM
Iowa Lake Community College

Chamber Coffee @ Multipurpose Senior Center
Apr 10 @ 9:30 AM

Mar 17 - 5:00 PM @ Emmetsburg Public Library

Mar 23 - 6:00 PM @ City Hall

Mar 24 - 7:00 AM @ City Hall

Apr 14 - 6:00 PM @ City Hall

Apr 14 - 7:00 AM @ City Hall

See more events and details at www.emmetsburg.com/
community-events