Charles City to File for State Mediation to Join NCC
Charles City will seek state help to join the North Central Conference (NCC).
The Comets are currently in the Northeast Iowa Conference (NEIC), likely to dissolve after the 2024-25 school year. Fellow NEIC members New Hampton, Waukon and Cresco-Crestwood will move into the Upper Iowa Conference (UIC), starting with the 25-26 school year.
Monday (04.22) night, Charles City Activities Director Dana Sullivan told the School Board there was a last-ditch effort to save the NEIC.
Charles City’s bid to join the NCC was denied last month despite an 8-2 vote by league members to bring the Comets on board. However, NCC bylaws allow for denial of an application if more than one member school votes against it.
Monday night, Sullivan sought and received Board approval to file for mediation with the Iowa Department of Education to get Charles City into the NCC.
After Waverly-Shell Rock was voted out of the NEIC two years ago, they went to the state for mediation and the Go-Hawks were granted one final season in the NEIC. That membership comes to an end June 30th.
The two schools which voted against Charles City joining the NCC starting with the 25-26 school year were Fort Dodge St. Edmunds and Clarion-Goldfield-Dows, which cited concerns over travel distance in denying the Comets application.
The average distance from Charles City to the other NCC schools is 83 miles, with Clear Lake being the shortest at 46 miles and the longest trek of 125 miles to Fort Dodge. Other NCC members include Algona, Hampton-Dumont-Cal, Humboldt, Iowa Falls-Alden, and Webster City.
