Board of Supervisors proposes County assuming control of Makee Manor property earlier than original agreement

by Bob Beach

During its regular meeting Monday, May 6 the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors reviewed a draft resolution to immediately transfer care and control of the recently closed Makee Manor residential care facility to the County. Board Chairman Larry Schellhammer said that continuing issues regarding maintenance of the facility indicate that it would simplify matters to transfer the care and control of the facility to the County prior to the previously agreed upon date of July 1.
The Board agreed to present the resolution to the Makee Manor Board for approval prior to taking action. In a related matter, the Board voted to approve a contract with Dave Schmelzer for mowing at the Makee Manor facility pending termination of the lease with Makee Manor.
The Board also met with Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour, who explained the terms of the union contract with employees of the County's Secondary Roads Department. The one-year contract includes a 55-cent per hour raise, a $12.00 increase in the County’s health insurance contribution (the same increase other County employees received), as well as some changes regarding the use of unused sick days. The Board approved the contract.
Ridenour also presented the Board with bids for a tandem truck chassis for use by the Secondary Roads Department as a dump truck and snow plow for the Dorchester shop. The Board approved his recommendation to accept Truck Country of Decorah’s bid of $103,206 for a Western Star Chassis.
The Board also accepted Ridenour’s recommendation to approve Bruening Rock Products’ bids for resurfacing County gravel roads using over 108,000 tons of rock at an average cost of $7.57 per ton.
In other business, the Board approved a detour route for use during the June 7 Civil War Monument rededication ceremony at the Allamakee County Courthouse and also approved the firing of muskets during the ceremony.
The Board also approved plans to enter into both open and closed session Wednesday, May 8 on a rolling basis as needed during mediation proceedings regarding the ongoing case of unpaid property taxes at the former Agriprocessors (now Agri Star) meat packing facility in Postville.