Allamakee County Board of Supervisors moves its weekly meetings to Tuesdays

by Bob Beach

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors held a special meeting Thursday, January 2 in order to organize for the new year. Larry Schellhammer was reappointed as the Board's Chairman and Sherry Strub was named Chair Pro-tem.
County Attorney Jill Kistler requested that the Board hold its regular weekly meetings Tuesday mornings rather than Monday so that she would be able to consistently attend the Board's meetings, something she has not previously been able to do because she is often in court Monday mornings. Kistler said that her regular attendance of the Board's meetings would enable her to provide more timely legal advice and would provide her with a better understanding of the issues being considered by the Board.
The Standard Newspaper had previously objected to such a change, pointing out that reports on meetings held Tuesday mornings could not be published until the following week due to the newspaper's print schedule.
Supervisor Sherry Strub said that she believes it will be beneficial to have Kistler regularly attend the Board's meetings and made a motion to schedule weekly meetings on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. with public comment time from 9 until 9:15 a.m. Dennis Koenig seconded the motion, which carried with Chairman Schellhammer voting no.
Accordingly, the Board set the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month as the pay dates for claims, with bills due by noon the Thursday preceding the next pay date.
The Board voted to keep the mileage reimbursement rate for county employees at 40 cents per mile and the meal reimbursement rate at eight dollars per meal with a $25 per day maximum. The Board also voted to keep the bounty on coyotes at five dollars and 50 cents for gophers.
The Board voted to reappoint Laura Olson, Bruce Palmborg and Jim Jannett to the Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission Transportation Policy Enhancement Committee. The Board also voted to maintain the assignments to boards, committees and commissions on which the Supervisors currently serve.
The Board also voted to reappoint 25 members to the Compensation Commission. Three positions on that Commission remain open - two real estate agents or brokers and one person with knowledge of property values by virtue of his or her occupation (banker, auctioneer, appraiser, etc.).
In other business, the Board passed a resolution authorizing County Engineer Brian Ridenour to execute the certification of completion of work for all farm-to-market and federal or state aid construction projects. The Board also named The Standard and Postville Herald as the official newspapers of Allamakee County.