Supervisors approve transition in the payment of project expenses for Allamakee County Historical Society prior to end of fiscal year, discuss expanded handicapped parking space in lower courthouse parking lot

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Friday, June 30 in special session to address several matters, including the end of fiscal-year claims, discussion and consideration of paying the Allamakee County Historical Society Fiscal-Year 2023 (FY23) expenses for fire escape, stairs and roof improvements on the Allamakee County Courthouse Museum instead of sidewalk replacement, and discussion of the Allamakee County Courthouse sidewalk project. The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Dan Byrnes with Supervisors Mark Reiser and Dennis Keatley present. Byrnes noted the review of claims for the end of the current fiscal-year.

During Public Comment, Byrnes noted the June 29 Allamakee County visit by Senator Charles Grassley at Lid’s Bar & Grill in Waukon as part of Grassley’s 43rd annual 99-County Tour. Byrnes noted that he and Keatley were both in attendance with a variety of concerns being shared with Grassley at this public meeting.

Byrnes further noted a proposed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) managed care program affecting an approximately 14-state area that would be helpful to Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) if approved and that Grassley would be looking into the matter in Washington D.C. He further discussed the Medicaid managed care program as representing $1 billion in funding for Iowa hospitals and potentially $2.5 million for VMH if the multi-year program moves forward with improved reimbursements.

Keatley also provided feedback relating to Grassley’s June 29 Q&A session. He noted the participation of FFA students from the Little Switzerland chapter at Waukon High School at that public meeting in Waukon with Byrnes also noting the availability of internship opportunities for college students in Grassley’s Washington D.C. office in addition to commenting on Grassley’s other visits elsewhere in northeast Iowa that were scheduled to take place following his stop in Waukon.

Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker noted roadway repairs and construction continuing to take place in a few locations in the county, with some minor wait times or delays to be expected.

The meeting moved into the discussion and consideration of paying the Allamakee County Historical Society FY23 expenses for fire escape, stairs and roof improvements on the Allamakee County Courthouse Museum instead of sidewalk replacement, as originally approved. Byrnes noted that the work to be performed by Kelly Concrete on sidewalks was not able to be scheduled yet within this fiscal-year, with the Allamakee County Historical Society proposing that other expenses be paid instead for work completed relating to the fire escape, stairs and back entrance roof of the Allamakee County Courthouse Museum. Following discussion relating to this matter and the claims process for the fiscal-year end, the Supervisors approved the claim of $3,210.50 for the County Historical Society fire escape, stairs and roof improvements instead of the originally planned sidewalk replacement yet to take place.

The Supervisors next addressed the discussion of the Allamakee County Courthouse sidewalk project. Reiser provided a recommendation to move forward with this project during this calendar year. Head of Courthouse Maintenance John Roe noted the need to include sidewalk sealant in this process to prevent salt damage to the new sidewalks during the winter months. Roe noted some differences in the bids received relating to the sidewalk thickness with a bid update or clarification relating to the costs for a four-inch sidewalk from one of the original bidding contractors not yet received.

Reiser suggested that the bids be reviewed Monday, July 3 with the project to move forward. Snitker also provided a recommendation to pave the boulevard area between the sidewalk and street on 1st Avenue NW next to the streetside handicapped parking spaces along the courthouse grounds.

Byrnes noted that one of the previous bidding contractors should be reminded to provide an updated bid. Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer advised that an updated bid would need to be received prior to 9:30 a.m. Monday, July 3 with the sidewalk project matter added to the Monday, July 3 Supervisors meeting agenda for consideration.

The Supervisors discussed expanding the existing handicapped parking space in the lower courthouse parking lot into an area currently occupied by that parking space and the parking space next to it, doubling the size of the current handicapped parking space. The Supervisors and Roe walked from the Supervisors Boardroom outside to the lower courthouse parking lot to view the handicapped parking space located there.

With the placement of the Goodwill Box, a food shelf available to individuals and families suffering food insecurity, next to the handicapped parking space in the lower courthouse parking lot earlier this year, concerns had since been expressed relating to the Goodwill Box’s placement interfering with the operation of vans with wheelchair lifts. Roe and the Supervisors discussed the updated painted markings and painted signage to be placed on the parking lot pavement for the widened handicapped parking space.

The Supervisors then returned to the boardroom to adjourn the meeting. They were also scheduled to meet Monday, July 3 in regular session. With the Tuesday, July 4 holiday forcing an earlier printing of this week’s edition of The Standard, full coverage of that July 3 Supervisors meeting, along with coverage of the July 10 Board of Supervisors regular session, will be provided in the July 12 edition of The Standard.