Report on the Local Public Health Services Grant administered by the Bureau of Local Public Health Services, a division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention of the Iowa Department of Public Health for the period July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2008

Report on the Local Public Health Services Grant administered by the Bureau of Local Public Health Services, a division of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention of the Iowa Department of Public Health for the period July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2008

Optimizing Pavement Base, Subbase, and Subgrade Layers for Cost and Performance of Local Roads, TR-640

This report is one of two products for this project with the other being a design guide. This report describes test results and comparative analysis from 16 different portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement sites on local city and county roads in Iowa. At each site the surface conditions of the pavement (i.e., crack survey) and foundation layer strength, stiffness, and hydraulic conductivity properties were documented. The field test results were used to calculate in situ parameters used in pavement design per SUDAS and AASHTO (1993) design methodologies. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate how in situ and lab testing can be used to assess the support conditions and design values for pavement foundation layers and how the measurements compare to the assumed design values. The measurements show that in Iowa, a wide range of pavement conditions and foundation layer support values exist. The calculated design input values for the test sites (modulus of subgrade reaction, coefficient of drainage, and loss of support) were found to be different than typically assumed. This finding was true for the full range of materials tested. The findings of this study support the recommendation to incorporate field testing as part of the process to field verify pavement design values and to consider the foundation as a design element in the pavement system. Recommendations are provided in the form of a simple matrix for alternative foundation treatment options if the existing foundation materials do not meet the design intent. The PCI prediction model developed from multi-variate analysis in this study demonstrated a link between pavement foundation conditions and PCI. The model analysis shows that by measuring properties of the pavement foundation, the engineer will be able to predict long term performance with higher reliability than by considering age alone. This prediction can be used as motivation to then control the engineering properties of the pavement foundation for new or re-constructed PCC pavements to achieve some desired level of performance (i.e., PCI) with time.

Suggestions to public libraries and local historical societies relative to collecting and preserving materials of local history, 1904

Public libraries and historical societies should work together in collecting and preserving materials of local history. This brochure is a guide for their collaboration.

An Investigation of Signing Needs at Uncontrolled Local Road Intersections, HR-230, 1982

Iowa Counties have been experiencing significant tort claim liability due to the signing of local roads. One such problem is relative to the real or alleged need for signing at uncontrolled intersections of local roads. It has been assumed that the standard CROSS ROAD sign, which calls for a yellow diamond with a black cross, was sufficient to provide the necessary warning that a driver may be approaching an intersection which requires special precautionary driving attention. However, it is possible that this sign on a through highway might conflict with the legal status of the local county road. In light of this situation, it seemed worthwhile to know the extent to which uncontrolled local road intersections were perceived as a potential liability problem; the degree to which the standard CROSS ROAD sign communicated to the driver the message a county engineer wanted at these local road intersections; and whether there were any better signing alternatives available to communicate this hazard to the driver in this situation.

Socioeconomic Effects of Gambling on Iowans Study Committee, 2004

Overview. The Studies Committee received an in-person progress report from the consultants retained by the Legislature to conduct a study of the socioeconomic effects of gambling on Iowans. Dr. Deepak Chhabra and Dr. Gene Lutz, both of the University of Northern Iowa, presented an update on the conduct of the study. Gambling Study Description. The consultants indicated that the study objectives are to determine the economic impact of gambling at existing Iowa casinos on the local community, the socioeconomic characteristics of gamblers, the social impact of gambling on the local community, and the impact of problem gambling. The consultants stated that the major research methods they would use would be historical data, telephone surveys of local residents, telephone interviews with key personnel, and use of an economic impact model. In conducting the study, the consultants indicated they would examine four study areas within Iowa. Study area I would be all of Iowa, area II would be that area in Iowa within a 50-mile radius of a casino, area III would be counties with a casino, and area IV would be based upon casino employee zip codes. The consultants briefed the Committee on the data collected so far and described current challenges in obtaining data on all casino visitors and from obtaining information from several convention and visitor bureaus and chambers of commerce.

Placement of Students Ages 3-21 with Disabilities Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): A Policy Discussion, May 2010

The provision of free appropriate public education (FAPE), an Individualized Education Program (IEP), and the least restrictive environment (LRE) have been important cornerstones of educating students with disabilities since the enactment of the Education of All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), Public Law 94-142, in 1975, and its subsequent reauthorizations, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990, 1997, and 2004. It is impossible to consider any one of these cornerstones without the others, when determining an appropriate educational placement for a student with a disability. The Iowa Department of Education has identified several practice issues regarding the interplay between FAPE, LRE, and the IEP in placement decisions for students with disabilities. To that end, this document will provide guidance for administrators of local education agencies (LEAs) and area education agencies (AEAs), as well as IEP teams (or other placement teams) within Iowa LEAs and AEAs when making placement decisions for eligible children with disabilities. This guidance will specifically discuss ten LRE and FAPE placement/program policy questions that have been identified by the Iowa Department of Education as needing attention. The policy discussions are consistent with the legal provisions of the 2004 reauthorization of IDEA (IDEA 2004) and its 2006 final federal implementing regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). This document is also consistent with the Iowa Administrative Rules of Special Education (2007) [hereinafter “Iowa Rules”]. In addition, the term local education agency (LEA) is used interchangeably for school district throughout this document. Prior to the discussion of specific policy questions, a federal and state legal framework for providing FAPE for students with disabilities within the LRE is briefly outlined. Pertinent FAPE and LRE court decisions that impact Iowa LEAs and AEAs are also included within Section II.

Iowa Department on Aging Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Annual Report 2010 (Federal Fiscal Year October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010), January 2011.

The State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program operates as a unit within the Iowa Department on Aging. Duties of all long-term care ombudsmen are mandated by the Older Americans Act. This office serves people living in nursing facilities, skilled nursing facilities, residential care facilities, nursing facilities in hospitals, elder group homes and assisted living programs. In order to carry out all of the mandates of the Older Americans Act this office recommends to increase the number of local long-term care ombudsman, develop a volunteer long-term care ombudsman program, clarify the definition of assisted living in Iowa, expand the long-term care ombudsman program into home and community based services, and reinstate the Iowa Office of Substitute Decision Maker.

Documentary material relating to the history of Iowa - Volume 2, 1896.

Benjamin F. Shambaugh edited and compiled documents and publications for this book on the history of Iowa. This volume 2 is concerned with the history of local political organizations and documents illustrative of the development of local government in the Territory of the Northwest from 1787 to 1800, in the Territory of Indiana from 1800 to 1805 and in the Territory of Michigan from 1805 to September 6, 1834.

Documentary material relating to the history of Iowa - Volume 3, 1896.

Benjamin F. Shambaugh edited and compiled documents and publications for this book on the history of Iowa. This volume 3 is a continuation of volume 2 which is concerned with the history of local political organization from 1787 to 1834. Documents are illustrative of the development of local government in Iowa from the establishment of the Territory of Wisconsin in 1836 to the revision of the statutes of Iowa in 1842-43. It includes documentary material from the Louisiana Purchase, the Territories of the Northwest, Wisconsin and Iowa; the Convention of 1857; the Iowa Constitution of 1846 and the Ratification of Constitutional Amendments.

Design Procedures and Field Monitoring of Submerged Barbs for Streambank Protection, June 2007

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the hydraulic performance of riprap spurs and weirs in controlling bank erosion at the Southern part of the Raccoon River upstream U.S. Highway 169 Bridge utilizing the commercially available model FESWMS and field monitoring. It was found based on a 2 year monitoring and numerical modeling that the design of structures was overall successful, including their spacing and stability. The riprap material incorporated into the structures was directly and favorably correlated to the flow transmission through the structure, or in other words, dictated the permeable nature of the structure. It was found that the permeable dikes and weirs chosen in this study created less volume of scour in the vicinity of the structure toes and thus have less risk comparatively to other impermeable structures to collapse. The fact that the structures permitted the transmission of flow through them it allowed fine sand particles to fill in the gaps of the rock interstices and thus cement and better stabilize the structures. During bank-full flows the maximum scour hole was recorded away from the structures toe and the scourhole size was directly related to the protrusion angle of the structure to the flow. It was concluded that the proposed structure inclination with respect to the main flow direction was appropriate since it provides maximum bank protection while creating the largest volume of local scour away from the structure and towards the center of the channel. Furthermore, the lowest potential for bank erosion also occurs with the present set-up design chosen by the IDOT. About 2 ft of new material was deposited in the area located between the structures for the period extending from the construction day to May 2007. Surveys obtained by sonar and the presence of vegetation indicate that new material has been added at the bank toes. Finally, the structures provided higher variability in bed topography forming resting pools, creating flow shade on the leeward side of the structure, and separation of bed substrate due to different flow conditions. Another notable environmental benefit to rock riprap weirs and dikes is the creation of resting pools, especially in year 2007 (2nd year of the project). The magnitude of these benefits to aquatic habitat has been found in the literature that is directly related to the induced scour-hole volume.

Clear Zone – A Synthesis of Practice and an Evaluation of the Benefi ts of Meeting the 10-ft Clear Zone Goal on Urban Streets, November 2008

In urban communities, there are often limited amounts of right-of-way available for establishing a large setback distance from the curb for fixed objects. Urban communities must constantly weigh the cost of purchasing additional right-of-way for clear zones against the risk of fixed object crashes. From 2004 to 2006, this type of crash on curbed roads represented 15% of all fatal crashes and 3% of all crashes in the state of Iowa. Many states have kept the current minimum AASHTO recommendations as their minimum clear zone standards; however, other states have decided that these recommendations are insufficient and have increased the required minimum clear zone distance to better suit the judgment of local designers. This report presents research on the effects of the clear zone on urban curbed streets. The research was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved a synthesis of practice that included a literature review and a survey of practices in jurisdictions that have developmental and historical patterns similar to those of Iowa. The second phase involved investigating the benefits of a 10 ft clear zone, which included examining urban corridors in Iowa that meet or do not meet the 10 ft clear zone goal. The results of this study indicate that a consistent fixed object offset results in a reduction in the number of fixed object crashes, a 5 ft clear zone is most effective when the goal is to minimize the number of fixed object c ashes, and a 3 ft clear zone is most effective when the goal is to minimize the cost of fixed object crashes.

Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy Five-Year Strategic Plan July 1, 2003-June 30, 2008

The Office of the Drug Policy Coordinator is established in Chapter 80E of the Code of Iowa. The Coordinator directs the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy; coordinates and monitors all statewide counter-drug efforts, substance abuse treatment grants and programs, and substance abuse prevention and education programs; and engages in other related activities involving the Departments of public safety, corrections, education, public health, and human services. The coordinator assists in the development of local and community strategies to fight substance abuse, including local law enforcement, education, and treatment activities. The Drug Policy Coordinator serves as chairperson to the Drug Policy Advisory Council. The council includes the directors of the departments of corrections, education, public health, public safety, human services, division of criminal and juvenile justice planning, and human rights. The Council also consists of a prosecuting attorney, substance abuse treatment specialist, substance abuse prevention specialist, substance abuse treatment program director, judge, and one representative each from the Iowa Association of Chiefs of Police and Peace Officers, the Iowa State Police Association, and the Iowa State Sheriff’s and Deputies’ Association. Council members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The council makes policy recommendations related to substance abuse education, prevention, and treatment, and drug enforcement. The Council and the Coordinator oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive State of Iowa Drug Control Strategy. The Office of Drug Control Policy administers federal grant programs to improve the criminal justice system by supporting drug enforcement, substance abuse prevention and offender treatment programs across the state. The ODCP prepares and submits the Iowa Drug and Violent Crime Control Strategy to the U.S. Department of Justice, with recommendations from the Drug Policy Advisory Council. The ODCP also provides program and fiscal technical assistance to state and local agencies, as well as program evaluation and grants management.

Governor's Office of Drug Control Policy Five-Year Strategic Plan July 1, 2010-June 30, 2015

The Office of the Drug Policy Coordinator is established in Chapter 80E of the Code of Iowa. The Coordinator directs the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy; coordinates and monitors all statewide counter-drug efforts, substance abuse treatment grants and programs, and substance abuse prevention and education programs; and engages in other related activities involving the Departments of public safety, corrections, education, public health, and human services. The coordinator assists in the development of local and community strategies to fight substance abuse, including local law enforcement, education, and treatment activities. The Drug Policy Coordinator serves as chairperson to the Drug Policy Advisory Council. The council includes the directors of the departments of corrections, education, public health, public safety, human services, division of criminal and juvenile justice planning, and human rights. The Council also consists of a prosecuting attorney, substance abuse treatment specialist, substance abuse prevention specialist, substance abuse treatment program director, judge, and one representative each from the Iowa Association of Chiefs of Police and Peace Officers, the Iowa State Police Association, and the Iowa State Sheriff’s and Deputies’ Association. Council members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The council makes policy recommendations related to substance abuse education, prevention, and treatment, and drug enforcement. The Council and the Coordinator oversee the development and implementation of a comprehensive State of Iowa Drug Control Strategy. The Office of Drug Control Policy administers federal grant programs to improve the criminal justice system by supporting drug enforcement, substance abuse prevention and offender treatment programs across the state. The ODCP prepares and submits the Iowa Drug and Violent Crime Control Strategy to the U.S. Department of Justice, with recommendations from the Drug Policy Advisory Council. The ODCP also provides program and fiscal technical assistance to state and local agencies, as well as program evaluation and grants management.

Development of a New Process for Determining Design Year Traffic Demands, TR-528, 2007

Researchers should continuously ask how to improve the models we rely on to make financial decisions in terms of the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of roadways. This project presents an alternative tool that will supplement local decision making but maintain a full appreciation of the complexity and sophistication of today’s regional model and local traffic impact study methodologies. This alternative method is tailored to the desires of local agencies, which requested a better, faster, and easier way to evaluate land uses and their impact on future traffic demands at the sub-area or project corridor levels. A particular emphasis was placed on scenario planning for currently undeveloped areas. The scenario planning tool was developed using actual land use and roadway information for the communities of Johnston and West Des Moines, Iowa. Both communities used the output from this process to make regular decisions regarding infrastructure investment, design, and land use planning. The City of Johnston case study included forecasting future traffic for the western portion of the city within a 2,600-acre area, which included 42 intersections. The City of West Des Moines case study included forecasting future traffic for the city’s western growth area covering over 30,000 acres and 331 intersections. Both studies included forecasting a.m. and p.m. peak-hour traffic volumes based upon a variety of different land use scenarios. The tool developed took goegraphic information system (GIS)-based parcel and roadway information, converted the data into a graphical spreadsheet tool, allowed the user to conduct trip generation, distribution, and assignment, and then to automatically convert the data into a Synchro roadway network which allows for capacity analysis and visualization. The operational delay outputs were converted back into a GIS thematic format for contrast and further scenario planning. This project has laid the groundwork for improving both planning and civil transportation decision making at the sub-regional, super-project level.

Sprinkle Treatment of Asphalt Surfaces, HR-199, 1984

Methods of improving highway safety are of major concern to everyone who is involved in the planning, development and construction of improvements of our vast highway network. Other major concerns are the conservation of our rapidly disappearing sources of energy and quality building materials. This research is devoted to further exploration of a process which will: 1. help preserve higher quality aggregates; and, 2. improve the frictional characteristics and surface texture of asphalt pavement surfaces. Sprinkle treatment of asphalt concrete pavement surfaces with a non-polishing aggregate, a procedure which was developed in Europe, is one method which has shown promise in accomplishing the above listed objectives. This research seeks to explore the feasibility and cost effectiveness of using standard asphalt mixtures of local, less expensive aggregates for surface courses followed by a surface sprinkle treatment of a hard, durable, non-polishing layer of precoated chips to produce a durable, non-skid pavement surface for safe highway travel. Three standard mixture types are being evaluated for aggregate retention characteristics and six sprinkle aggregates are being evaluated for durability, polishing and friction characteristics. In addition, measurements of the surface texture by the silicone putty method are being made. Another feature of this research is the evaluation of a rubberized asphalt material called Overflex MS as a crack filler. It has been reported that the material could be beneficial in reducing reflective cracking. The project was begun in July of 1978 and was completed in August. A review made in the spring of 1979 indicates very satisfactory performance. It was determined from slide photos taken after construction and again in the spring that aggregate retention was very good. However, many cracks had reflected indicating that the Overflex MS had not been effective. Follow up friction test results and texture analysis were also very good. The results of these tests are shown in Appendix A.