Supervisors issue formal statement on proposed closing of Makee Manor

by Bob Beach

During the regular meeting of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors Monday, March 25, the Board issued a statement regarding the planned closure of the Makee Manor residential care facility: “The Allamakee Board of Supervisors accepts the decision of the Makee Manor Board to close its facility. Makee Manor has been a county institution for decades and its role in our county’s history has been significant. The Board of Supervisors recognizes that this has been a difficult decision for the current Makee Manor Board and has nothing but gratitude and praise for its current and past employees and management. The staff at Makee Manor assures our community that placement of the residents is their top priority. The Allamakee Board of Supervisors will endeavor to find the best future use for this iconic facility.”
During public comment time, Allamakee County Protectors spokesman Jeff Abbas informed the Board of a zoning problem at a Reilly Construction project near Blackhawk Road and Highway 26. Abbas said that Reilly Construction had requested rezoning of the site from Agricultural to Industrial in November in 2010 and that the Planning and Zoning Commission had approved the rezoning request and sent its recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, but at that point action on the request was inexplicably dropped.
Abbas explained that since the rezoning process was never completed, the site is still legally zoned as Agricultural and suggested that the rezoning process should be started over. Chairman Larry Schellhammer said that he expects that the Board will be hearing soon from the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding the issue and the Allamakee County Attorney should formally notify Reilly Construction of the issue.
The Board also met with Central Point of Coordination Administrator Jan Heikes, who presented the Board with a 28E agreement with County Social Services (CSS) for mental health and developmental disabilities services. Heikes said that agreement makes reference to a contract between the County and CSS regarding the specifics of services provided, but such a contract as has not been developed. Supervisors Sherry Strub and Dennis Koening each posed questions regarding the use of the levy funds the County will be turning over to CSS for services and what kind of reports will be available to show how the money is used. Heikes said that the Board member who sits on the CSS Board will receive financial reports, but was uncertain as to whether expenditures for individual counties are specifically tracked.
Heikes said that CSS does not yet have all the answers about how the regionalization of mental health and developmental disabilities services will work, but by accepting the 28E agreement, Allamakee County will have a voice at the table. The Board adopted a resolution to accept the 28E agreement with CSS and appointed Dennis Koenig to serve on the CSS Board with Sherry Strub serving as alternate.
The Board also met with Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick, who asked for and received the Board’s approval to seek bids for the providing of meals to County Jail inmates. Mellick said that Makee Manor had previously provided the meals and due to that facility’s pending closure, a new provider would need to be found. He said that qualified bidders would need to have a registered dietician, be located within five miles of the jail or be willing to deliver the meals, and be able to provide meals 365 days a year.
In other business, the Board appointed Dennis Keatley to the Board of Adjustment to complete the term of Doug Mullen, who recently resigned from that Board. The Board also approved contracts and bonds with Brennan Construction for the Irish Hollow Bridge project, with Mathy Construction for the repaving and shoulder widening of a portion of County Road X-52, and with AAA Striping Service for the repainting of pavement markings.