Supervisors address variety of matters involving Secondary Roads Department, approve contract for coordinating County Comprehensive Plan

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, April 2 to address a full agenda of items, including the contract with Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) for Comprehensive Planning Services, consideration of Road Rock Resurfacing bids and consideration of the Sexual Assault Response Team Proclamation of April 2018 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) discussed two recent articles in “Our Iowa Magazine” relating to Allamakee County Reinke also advised that the upcoming month of May is Tourism Month.

The Supervisors moved into the consideration of a request by a citizen to invite Dr. Chris Disbro, Director of the Iowa Hemp Association, to discuss hemp farming. Jeff Abbas of rural Dorchester discussed that he would provide potential dates to Disbro to conduct a presentation for the Board of Supervisors about industrial hemp as an alternative crop.

Supervisor Dan Byrnes recommended that Abbas work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and ACED regarding an educational public forum on the matter. Abbas discussed legislation currently being discussed in Iowa that was modeled after legislation in Wisconsin allowing a program for the growth and processing of hemp with permitting for paper production and medicinal purposes. Abbas further discussed other hemp products, including bale wraps which are edible for livestock.

Supervisor Dennis Koenig agreed that the conversation on this matter should be started. Schellhammer indicated that a public forum may be in order and that the Supervisors could attend. Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick advised that hemp and marijuana are different plants.

Allamakee County Zoning Administrator Tom Blake discussed the contract with Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) for comprehensive planning services. Blake indicated that the contract covers the scope of services provided by UERPC at a cost of $15,000, which will be invoiced at different phases as the project progresses. Blake discussed that the involvement of cities in the planning process is being encouraged with their research and information being incorporated into the comprehensive plan, which covers various facets including industry, agriculture, conservation and education throughout the county. The Supervisors approved the contract with UERPC.

Schellhammer discussed the designation of a Board of Supervisors member to be part of the Steering Committee for the Comprehensive Plan. Schellhammer agreed to be part of the Steering Committee, which was then approved by the Supervisors.

The Supervisors moved into consideration of Road Rock Resurfacing bids, with Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour providing some background on the matter. Ridenour discussed that there are over 700 miles of County gravel roads with the goal of resurfacing approximately half of them each year, contracting out between 100,000 and 120,000 tons of rock. Ridenour indicated that 111,550 tons of rock on 391 miles of secondary roads has been bid out for this year.

Byrnes individually opened and read aloud bids received from Bruening Rock of Decorah and Paul Niemann Construction of Sumner. Bids were opened for Division I (32,575 tons), Division II (22,230 tons), Division III (27,055 tons) and Division IV (29,690 tons). Bruening Rock bid $10.0999 rate per ton for Division I at a total $329,004.24, $9.8999 rate per ton for Division II at a total of $220,074.77, $9.8999 rate per ton for Division III at a total of $267,841.79 and $9.8999 rate per ton for Division IV at a total of $293,928.03. Paul Niemann Construction bid $10.49 rate per ton for Division II at a total of $233,192.70 and $10.79 rate per ton for Division III at a total of $291,923.45. Ridenour indicated that he will verify the bids and present a recommendation at the next Board of Supervisors meeting.

Ridenour discussed the hiring of a full-time Maintenance Person #2 with the Secondary Roads Department, indicating that the selected candidate has completed a pre-employment physical and that reference checks have been completed. Ridenour recommended the hiring of Wayne Hirth at the Union contract wage of $18.92 per hour. The Supervisors approved the hiring.

The Supervisors discussed alternatives for the possible ditch cleaning and possible encroachment along Morgan Bridge Road. Ridenour provided an overview of the discussion that took place December 11 and a site visit December 18 of last year at Morgan Bridge Road while viewing County road projects. Ridenour indicated that Don Hitchins, a landowner along Morgan Bridge Road, has requested a review of options and has hired a surveyor to put flags on the property line. Ridenour described the matter as a routine ditch cleaning.

Ridenour and the Supervisors discussed options, which include doing nothing, cleaning the ditch or the installation of a drainage pipe under Morgan Bridge Road. Hitchins discussed various concerns with the proposed ditch cleaning and loss of dirt affecting his field and fence line.

The Supervisors approved the plan to install a cross-pipe under Morgan Bridge Road from the neighboring Don Zoll and Les Colsch property on the east side of the road to the Zoll and Colsch property on the west side of the road with the dirt hauled out of the flood plain to the nearest non-flood plain area. This motion was approved, with Koenig and Byrnes voting to approve but Schellhammer voting against the motion on the grounds that he would like to see a signed contract before moving forward.

Ridenour provided an overview of a draft of the Five-Year Secondary Roads Construction Program, a preliminary plan for bridge, roads and grading projects. Ridenour discussed specific projects and budget matters. Schellhammer thanked Ridenour for his work on the preliminary draft of the five-year plan.

The Supervisors moved into the consideration of the Sexual Assault Response Team Proclamation from the Riverview Center. Sexual Assault Response Team Coordinator Brandi Lewin, Sexual Assault Advocate Lacy Jorgensen and Bilingual Sexual Assault Advocate Tirzah Corbin introduced themselves with Lewin reading aloud the Proclamation of April 2018 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Lewin discussed Sheriff Mellick’s involvement with the Response Team and a recent law enforcement training session. The Supervisors approved and signed the Proclamation of April 2018 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Under Department Head Updates, Ridenour discussed that the Health Insurance Committee will be meeting this week and that a recommendation may be possible for the next Supervisors meeting. Ridenour indicated that the next Six-County meeting is scheduled to be held April 12.

Beyer discussed that the filing deadline for candidates for County offices in the upcoming election was last week with candidates having since been submitted. Beyer indicated that work continues on pre-election and payroll items.