Board of Supervisors addresses variety of items during two regular sessions held this past week due to Memorial Day holiday
by Joe Moses
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in a pair of regular sessions this past week due to the Memorial Day holiday falling on the Board's usual Monday meeting day, May 3. Coverage of both the Board's May 31 and June 6 regular sessions appears below.
TUESDAY, MAY 31
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in a delayed regular session Tuesday, May 31 due to the Memorial Day holiday falling on the Board's usual Monday meeting day. The Board discussed such items as the use of the Allamakee County Courthouse grounds for a Bible reading marathon, the Wennes Communications tower lease agreement and applying dust control on gravel roads that have added traffic due to road closures on pavements.
There were no comments heard or read during the public comments portion of the meeting. During that time, local residents Kristi Hager and Mary Keatley arrived at the meeting in preparation for the next agenda item involving the use of the courthouse grounds from June 30 through July 3 for a Bible reading marathon. Hager explained that the Iowa Prayer Caucus Network and others have read the Bible from cover to cover in the rotunda of the State Capitol Building in Des Moines and that planning is taking place statewide to do the same in front of every county courthouse in the state of Iowa.
Hager further explained that Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed the Iowa 99 County Bible Marathon proclamation April 26 and is encouraging all Iowans to participate in this historic occasion. The Bible readings will take place 24-hours a day during the several days of this event.
The Board was supportive of this initiative and ultimately approved the usage of the courthouse property to do so. Supervisor Dan Byrnes recommended checking the electrical outlets by the Civil War monument to make sure they were functional for usage by the group. Safety concerns were also addressed with extension cords laying across the sidewalk during the marathon event.
Allamakee County Attorney Jill Kistler addressed the Board concerning the Wennes Communications radio tower lease agreement. The agreement is for a 20-year term where Wennes Communications will be leasing land for its communications tower, and details of the agreement had been discussed at the Board's previous meeting. The lease includes an option to renew at the end of the current 20-year term, with Wennes Communications paying $400 per acre annually in rent for the two-acre site. The tower and equipment is the company's property and the company will be required to adhere to FCC rules. The lease agreement was approved by the Board.
The procurement policy for federal grants was discussed by the Board. The policy ensures that sound business judgment is utilized in all procurement transactions and that supplies, equipment, construction and services are obtained efficiently and economically and in compliance with federal laws in a manner that provides full and open competition. The procurement policy was approved by the Board.
The Allamakee County Code of Conduct was also discussed. This policy ensures that federal grant funds are used in compliance with grant requirements and other federal and state standards, regulations and laws. The Code of Conduct was also approved by the Board.
A resolution to approve payment to Waukon State Bank for the semiannual loan payment on the new fire station in Waukon was discussed. Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer requested approval by the Board for an interim payment to be made from the County's General Fund to make up a small shortfall in the Fire District Fund's required June 1 fire station loan payment due to non-payment of some property taxes in various townships and a slight miscalculation in township levies in regard to the Fire District Fund. Beyer explained that the General Fund will be reimbursed as these funds are paid by the townships as part of their obligation to the Fire District Fund, with an adjusted levy being implemented for fiscal year 2017 to make up for the current shortfall. Beyer advised that the County's auditing firm, Hacker Nelson, had recommended the payment request approval be done by resolution, and the resolution for the payment request was ultimately approved.
A proposal was discussed regarding the installation of a card-reader for the computer room door on the second floor of the courthouse as an added security measure. Currently, there is a keypad that is used for secured access to the computer room, but these keypads tend to wear out quickly due to the amount of usage by the number of County employees that need access to this room, with a card-reader suggested as a better long-term option. A $905 quote has been provided to the County for the installation of that card-reader, and the project and purchase were both approved by the Supervisors.
Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour addressed the Board concerning the application of dust control on gravel roads that have added traffic due to road closures on pavements. Ridenour explained that with the Wexford bridge being closed for expansion this summer, there has been some additional traffic on some secondary roads because signage indicating that there is a detour on paved roads or that the bridge is closed has been ignored by drivers, who end up turning around at the bridge and taking the closest gravel road. This additional traffic has caused an increase in dust on some gravel roads.
Rural residents Maury and Kay Mooney were in attendance in regard to the dust on Sweet Ridge Drive, one of the gravel roads most commonly used when motorists discover the closed Wexford bridge. Ridneour explained that in the past, the County has not participated in dust control on gravel roads, leaving this to property owners if they choose to do so. This type of dust control generally costs $250 per 400 feet of application. Supervisor Byrnes suggested a 50% contribution from the County for those property owners who are interested in dust control along roads used in conjunction with the Wexford bridge closing. The Board voted on this measure and it was approved. Ridenour stated that he would be contacting those near the secondary roads that are affected and that he would create a list of residents who are interested.
The new Allamakee County Public Safety Center currently under construction was the next item for discussion. John Hansen of Midwest Construction Consultants provided an update on the project. He discussed some specifics on the water pressure requirements, water tower and well and provided details on the construction process, including what will be done in the next month.
In other business, the manure management plans for the Kent McCormick Site #1 and Site #2, and Regancrest were accepted and placed on file. The Board also gave its approval to the fireworks display application for the June 11 New Albin Days event.
The meeting closed with Department Head updates. New Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker addressed the Board with his update, saying he is enjoying the work and will be attending upcoming hazardous materials meetings in Waterloo. He also advised that with his involvement in this organization, he will need to get voting rights as a representative of the County and will be following up with the Board on that process.
MONDAY, JUNE 6
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, June 6 to discuss several items, including the contract and bond for Rolling Hills Concrete Construction Inc., setting a date and time for the public hearing regarding the DNR construction permit application for Regancrest Holsteins, LLC., and department updates. There were no comments heard or read during the public comments portion of the meeting.
Kim Waters, Coordinator of Disability Services for Allamakee County, provided an update for Allamakee County Social Services, noting that Jim Aberg has submitted his resignation from the County Social Services (CSS) Board as the Provider Representative due to his retirement from Opportunity Village. Waters also advised that this is the second year for the I-START Team, the regional interdisciplinary team that responds to and supports individuals with intellectual disabilities who also suffer behavior that puts them at risk for crisis. Waters further noted that the Human Resources Committee has interviewed applicants for the I-START Director position and Jim Aberg has been recommended as the hire for that position.
In one final note, Waters advised that Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A) has entered into a letter of agreement with CSS and The Spectrum Network to share occupancy cost to create a one-stop shop for access to supports and services that will allow more individuals to continue to be independent in the local community. This would involve CSS moving out of its current office on the Winneshiek County Courthouse campus to an office in The Spectrum Network building that would be newly named the Lifelong Link Center for Community (Independent) Living.
The contract and bond for concrete pavement patching on County secondary roads for Rolling Hills Concrete Construction, Inc. was approved at $71,790 and signed by the Board of Supervisors. Bids were also considered for concrete overlay on Cherry Valley Drive (B38), with Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour recommending the low bidder, Cedar Valley Corp., LLC. Ridenour advised that he had contacted the Concrete Paving Association to research this company and was told that they are a qualified bidder and a very reputable company that will be able to do this job. Their bid of $2,346,018.49 was accepted and approved by the Board. The other bid was from Croell and Subsidiary at $2,434,788.69.
Supervisor Dan Byrnes questioned Ridenour about the work type being listed on the contract as un-bonded. Ridenour explained that a thin lift of asphalt on top of the existing pavement will be applied before the concrete overlay. This slippage will prevent reflective cracking. It would be bonded if the project involved concrete directly on concrete. Supervisor Dennis Koenig asked whether or not this overlay makes this road any wider. Ridenour explained that they are not doing any shoulder widening at this time and will be achieving a similar shoulder as before.
The Solutions annual Support Agreement and IT Services Agreement for Fiscal Year 2017 was approved and signed by the Board. The next item for discussion was setting a date and time for a public hearing regarding the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) construction permit application for Regancrest Holsteins, LLC. The public hearing was approved for June 27 at 9:40 a.m.
The meeting concluded with Department Head updates. Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker discussed the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant program for the improvement of watersheds including the Upper Iowa River. This program involves a cost-share grant with 75%/25% contributions from HUD and the landowner, respectively. Improvements may include ponds, wetlands, terraces and other floodplain restoration. Snitker will be attending a meeting at the Winneshiek County Supervisors office regarding this grant. Supervisor Byrnes commented that he is also on that Board and provided some additional details.
Chris Gavin, First Deputy in the Allamakee County Auditor's Office, commented that the office will be busy with the June 7 Primary election. Gavin was in attendance at the meeting in place of Allamakee County Denise Beyer, who was out of the office working with voting equipment elsewhere in the county.
