By Joyce Wiese and John Speer City of Tama leaders and the non-profit Tama County Community Enrichment organization have indicated they will most likely not be placing another application for a casino at this time. As a result the Tama County Board of Supervisors decided not to place the referendum on the November General Election ballot during their regular meeting on Monday, Aug. 9. Tama County and three other locations were denied casino licenses by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission in May. Tama County Community Enrichment and Signature Management of Sioux City had proposed building the $40 million Prairie Hills Resort-Casino just northeast of Tama. All counties in Iowa in which state-licensed casinos are in operation are required to hold a referendum vote in 2010 to allow continuing gambling operations. Iowa currently has 17 casinos with another being built in Lyon County. Tama County Auditor and Commisioner of Elections Laura Kopsa said Tuesday she learned from the offcie of the state auditor no vote is neccessary in the four counties which did not receive licenses. If a referendum is placed on the ballot and doesn’t receive a majority for approval, it would be six more years before anyone could for a license, supervisors had been informed. If it is not on the ballot any group or individual could apply for a gambling license by paying for the expense of having it on the ballot. Supervisors were told the cost would be about $2,000. The Meskwaki Bingo • Casino, west of Tama-Toledo, is Native American-owned and operates under a separately negotiated charter. No referendum approval is required. An invitation for Tama County to join the East Central Iowa Transportation Coalition was turned down by supervisors. This would cover the rebuilding of Highway 63 in southern Iowa which would run from Minneapolis to Columbia, Missouri. Lindi Roelosfe, Tama County Economic Development Director visited with supervisors giving an update on the items her office is working on. Roelosfe stated forty of Tama County’s leading nonprofits are raising $2.9 million of capital investment to invest into the infrastructure or create jobs for contractors for the greater good and the economy. Four Tama County projects out of twenty-five projects received Great Places money in year one of three, totaling $87,163. Over five years this is expected to be a $5.5 plus million locally initiated undertaking. Roelofse also stated five Tama County projects received Mansfield Foundation grants, those being the Tama-Toledo Highway 30 Bypass signage, Dysart Agricultural Museum and Interpretive Center, the Haven 1-room School Restoration, South Tama Recreation Trail Enhancement, and United Way. Tama County Economic Development commissioners have als9o nominated a group inside Tama County for a State Award. Roelosfe stated she was very proud of this group, but can not speak of it publicly at this time. A ceremony is planned for Saturday, October 9, 2010 in Tama County. Tama County Engineer Lyle Brehm told supervisors he had been contacted by Marshall County to work part time while the Marshall County Engineer recuperates from an injury and is unable to do his job for a while. Brehm said he would like to do this with an expiration date, and work as a good neighbor as he felt they would do the same for Tama County under the circumstances. Supervisors agreed for him to pursue this. Brehm also stated Highway 65 work is well under way. The first 3/4 mile is already crushed. When the flyash is delivered and distributed, there will be a gravel road for awhile. The project is in the timeline planned and hopefully the weather will cooperate to get the project completed. A Resolution was passed approving two applications for the purpose of receiving a Community Betterment Grant Award from the Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino. Only two applications have been received and were rated for 1st place and 2nd place. Claims paid for the past week came to $247,761.54.