December 3, 2012, Club Bulletin #444

Program for December 3, 2012: Water for Life with Leon Miller

Invocation By: Gayle Roberts

Guests on November 26, 2012: Students: Elizabeth Sturms, Bailey Carter, Jaden Weeks, Jordan Wozney, Adam Hutton and Jake Mueller. Mike Ferguson, Mark Lofgren and potential members: Chris Steinbach, Jerry Rhoads and Melanie Alexander.

Keith Porter presided and introduced the Rotary and Interact Committee who had delivered dictionaries to 4th graders.  Interact also contributed $250 for the project!!  Great job!!

Happy News: Paul Kraushaar was happy that the Hawkeye season is over, Thanksgiving is over and oh yes...soon he will have his second grandchild!! Sara Ingstad is happy that she only has one month left before new baby Ingstad arrives, that her family could come for Thanksgiving and yes for the new exercise room at home!!  Bill Phelan is retiring from the GMCCI after 5 years and oh yes, he had a great family Thanksgiving!!

Program: Tom Ward introduced our State Legislator Mark Lofgren from District 91.  Mark has been on the Economic Growth, Natural Resources and Human Resources Committees.  This year he will be the Vice Chair of Appropriations.  He explained the government fiscal year and budget strategies being used.  Major issues this year will be Property Tax Relief, Medicaid and state pension programs through IPERS.  He thinks education will get funded at at least 2% this year.  This means an appropriation of $40 million dollars for every %.

We are still recovering from the floods and this year's drought effects.  Baby Boomer retirements and health needs are major impact issues to the state.