Announcer Mike Jay         Mayor Mark Huston
"Voice of the Drake Relays"                                            



2022 Columbus Community Distinguished Citizens
Ron Cutkomp    Ken Purdy   Lee and Carol Foster

I'm honored to be on the stage with these folks and
having Mayor Mark Huston present the plaque
and the best Track and Field Announcer in the U.S.
 Mike Jay ("Voice of the Drake Relays")
 do the announcing.  Mike Jay, Ron Cutkomp,
and Mark Huston  are former students of mine.

Click here for the Segway Drill Team
and the announcement of the
Columbus Community Distinguished Citizens





kenpurdy@gmail.com
Cell: 319-212-0188
23423 Highway 92
Columbus Junction, IA 52738


Columbus Junction Purdy Hill, My Weather Station

Ken Purdy Cabin Port Louisa MM 441 Station



PURDY

Eastern Iowa REC  Director and
Vice President
 

Representing District IV
Lone Tree since 2012


28 National REC Classes Passed
Offices held - Asst. Secretary, Secretary, Treasurer, & currently VICE PRESIDENT.

Louisa County Supervisor 2001-2008

Retired Math/Computer Teacher after 34 years
Wrestling Coach 18 years, Track Coach 31 Years

Eastern Iowa REC Site  Iowa Coops Outages

Trump Boat Parade Video 2020 at Muscatine
Trump Boat Parade 2024 Information Flyer
CP Enterprises Apartments and Business space
Ken Purdy's Photos updated from Ken's iPhone
Ken Purdy's Long Time Favorite Photos
Tom Purdy Croquet Tournament

Welcome to Columbus Junction Video and History
Hal Cross Wapello Music Endowment  Donors

KWWL Ron Steele Video Wapello Band
2008 Flood Photos Below

- Advocate for Citizens of Louisa County -




 Ken Purdy REC Board member and Vice President, Eastern Iowa REC.

Thanks for your unanimous vote to re-elect me to Eastern's REC board of directors on Aug. 5, 2024 for a three year term.

I promise to strive to provide the most reliable, safe, affordable power possible.   I'm always available to you.



 


Here is a previous pre-election video I'd like you to look at. I think you'll find it interesting because of the green screen technology. The background includes the EILP REC headquarters in Wilton, the Wapello solar field, me flying over Wapello solar, my solar field,  and the plaque from the old headquarters building, and the  plaque in the new headquarters in Wilton. Click here or the photo to view this previous pre-election video.
I

ITEMS FOR SALE  BY KEN PURDY




Eastern Iowa Light and Power REC Board of Directors 2023-24

 




Jo Anne Emerson, former CEO NRECA  presenting  Ken Purdy, EILP REC Director
with the NRECA
(National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)
 CCD (Cooperative Credentialed Director) Certificate on September 10, 2014


Jim Matheson, CEO NRECA presenting Ken Purdy, EILP REC Director
with the Director Gold award 2018.


Thanks for the continuing opportunity to serve on the Eastern Iowa Light and Power REC board of directors.  It is an honor and pleasure serving you.  I've gained much knowledge through direct experience on the board and by taking over 24 educational training classes. In 2023, I was voted Vice President by the Board of Directors.


 

Aerail photos
                    CJ. Photo of World
                    Record Holders 8 youth
                                                                                                                                  REC Ground Breaking
Aerial Photos of Columbus Junction 7/12/11
Click on photo to see photos.
Guinness World Record 27 hrs. in a Bouncy Castle set at  Louisa County Fair
July 27, 2012
Click on photo for16 minute movie! It may take awhile to play.
Click photo to view video!
EILP REC ground breaking May 26, 2020
 for the new Wapello, IA facility.

CEO Kirk Trede, Pres. Gary Kester, VP Tom Hotz, Dir. Skip Crew, Sec. Kathy Wunderlich, Treas. Ken Purdy, City Clerk Mike Delzell, Mayor Shawn Maine.


Louisa County
Businesses and Organizations on the Web:



Boardwell
and Parsons PLC
Cedar River Ranch CJ Redemption Center CJ Speedway CJ Trained
CLS Laser Services LLC Columbus Jct. Columbus Community Club Columbus Community School Community Bank Peoples Office
Community Health Center SE Iowa CP Enterprises
Apt. and Business rental space
Cove Equipment Delzell Bros. Morning Sun Dorothy Orr Tuxedos.  DOTS
Eli's Highway Service Center Farmer's Elevator and Exchange, Wapello
Fisher Foods
Economart
Floral Gallery H&P Minerals and Gems Ebay from Columbus Juntion
Horak Insurance Integrity Dental Iowa River Tree Service Iowa State Extension Louisa County
Lions CJ
Louisa County Fair Louisa Communications Louisa County Quail and Pheasants Forever LULAC CJ Mincer Ford CJ
Our Shop Prairie Grove Chestnuts River Products Robertson Realestate Rock Valley Physical Therapy
Schweitzer and Bajaric Attorneys at Law Snyder & Hollenbaugh Funeral and Cremation Services TriOak Foods (Oakville Tyson Foods Video of CJ several years ago Wapello Morning Sun Newspaper
Washington State Bank Columbus Junction Wiele Cheverolet Louisa County Pheasants Forever(Old)



2008 Flood Photos at bottom of page

Link to my Photo Gallery uploads from Cell Phone Periodically.

  Louisa Development Group
 Louisa County Board Minutes and Agenda
 Lake Odessa for the People
 County GIS web site
Louisa County Web Site
 Community Foundation of Louisa County
 2008 Flood
Photo Menu
Cabin Map
  Columbus  Development Center
City of Columbus Junction


 



I gained much knowledge serving on these boards in the past.

- Louisa County Board of Supervisors
- Louisa County Board Zoning Board of Ajustment
-
Community Foundation of Louisa County
- 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
-Southeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging

 

Accomplishments of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors 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.

Louisa County Supervisors

 
Forrest Bartenhagen (1997-2006), Ken Purdy (2001-2008), Jim Howell (2001-2004)
Louisa County Supervisors at County Fair
Jim Howell (2001-2004), Forrest Bartenhagen (1997-2006), Ken Purdy (2001-2008) Louisa County Supervisors in Board room at court house.


Louisa County Supervisors

Frank Jamison(2007-2010), Ken Purdy (2001-2008), Dave Wilson (2005-2008)
Supervisors2007

Handy Links:
 Email state Senators

Email State Representives
 Send Email to our state Senator for Louisa County: Mark Lofgren
 Send Email to our state rep. for Louisa County: Taylor Colins   
 People or Reverse Phone
Search
FastPeople

  State of Iowa
 People or Reverse Phone Search
TruePeople

  Search for city facts 
 Movies, Place&Time Fandango
  Car prices and find Edmunds
 Info. about Louisa County
 ISU Farm Publications,  Land Value
  Very Complete Reference Material
FAA link to aviation IA airport weather stations AWOS
 Weather Underground
Columbus Junction

 Burlington Weather
ISU Extension
Cash Rent

Iowa State Association of Counties
 EAA Airventure Oshkosh Air Show
 Iowa HS Athletic A.
  Google Maps CJ

 Burlington Hawkeye
  Cedar Rapids Gaz
  Muscatine Journal
 Quad City Times
 Iowa State Satellite photos
All Radio Stations in IA
Louisa County Conservation Board
Louisa County's Official Website
 Louisa Economic Development Group
Community Foundation of Louisa County
County GIS System
Miss. River Graph Mus 14
Mississippi River stages
Louisa County Genealogy

 



 I am for this Lake Odessa
I will work to keep this Lake Odessa from happening.
 
 
To go to the web site for Lake Odessa for the People <---- Click here.
 
 
2008 Louisa County Flood Photos with Descriptions

Page 1 Unique Flood Photos 2008 of Louisa County Wapello, Columbus Jct.
Page 2 of Flood Photos. Awesome Oakville, Fredonia, Mystery Photo Resolved,
Cedar River North of CJ along Highway 70, Keithsburg, Lock 17
Page 3 Senator McCain in CJ 6/19/08, Wedding on Viaduct, Road Damage
Page 4 Purdy/Cutkomp cabin at Port Louisa Mile Marker 441 on Mississippi River,
NE of Wapello, IA. Probably has local interest only.
Page 5 Oakville tour by boat thanks to Dave Shipman on June 20, 2008.
Page 6 Link to PBS online movie of Jeff Boyer's boat tour
of his confinent operation and rescue of some hogs.
Page 7: 6/28/08 Governor Culver Tour of Oakville and RR Incident at CJ
Page 8 Video of Cabins going under Hwy 99 Bridge North of Oakville during Flood of 2008
I believe long time friend Ruth Meyerholz took the video
Page 9 Video of rotating Tractor Tire against RR bridge East of Columbus Jct.
Video taken by Andy Carpenter. Just an interesting view.
Page 10 Flood Photos comparing During and after the Louisa County Flood 2008
 
Louisa Development Group
 Louisa County Board Minutes and Agenda
 Lake Odessa for the People
 County GIS web site
Louisa County Web Site
  Community Foundation of Louisa County
 2008 Flood
Photo Menu
 Cabin Map
   Columbus  Development Center
City of Columbus Junction

More Photos and Videos:

 Geri and Art Purdy Wedding Photos 9/2/17
CJ Close UP! Mystery Close up photos of Columbus Junction


Home
 

webmaster:  kenpurdy@gmail.com