Supervisors approve change in percentages for distribution of LOSST funds, contracts with Secondary Roads and Sheriff's Department employees

by Bob Beach

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday, May 13 to change the percentages used to distribute local option sales and service tax (LOSST) funds, removing E911 funding from the equation and awarding a greater percentage of LOSST funds to the townships. Currently, 25% of LOSST revenues are distributed to E911, 22% to the Rural Services Fund, 23% to Secondary Roads and the remaining 33% to the townships.
Over the past several weeks, the Board discussed the distribution of LOSST funds in light of the discovery that the incorporated areas of the County have not been contributing to funding E911. The resolution passed by the Board sets the percentages at 40% to the the townships, 30% to Secondary Roads and 30% to the Rural Services Fund. The Board also passed a resolution to hold a special election August 5 for the renewal of the one percent sales tax that comprises the LOSST revenues.
Board Chairman Larry Schellhammer noted that he had received a lot of positive feedback regarding the proposed change and noted that those in attendance at the Board's meeting Tuesday, May 6 had voiced support for the change. He said that the Board wanted to do more for the townships, saying that the proposed percentages would be more equitable after taking E911 out of the LOSST distribution.
Schellhammer added that the resolution passed by the Board also includes a ten-year sunset date because things change and the tax should be reexamined periodically. He emphasized that the County would continue to fund E911 but the funding will come from the General Basic Fund, to which all property tax payers, urban and rural, contribute.
Supervisor Dennis Koenig said that he had also received a lot of phone calls and that the townships like the new percentages. "We will not underfund E911," he added, "It will just be funded more fairly." Supervisor Sherry Strub was not present at the meeting.
The Board also met with Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour, who reviewed the contract with Secondary Roads employees for the coming fiscal year. The new contract includes a 55 cent per hour raise, which was set after binding arbitration with the union, as well as an increase of $20 per month per employee in the County's contribution to employee health insurance.
Ridenour noted that the contract also includes a new section regarding overtime call-outs, setting guidelines for when employees should be called for overtime hours and setting a maximum of three hours paid in compensation time at the regular hourly rate if an employee is not called in according to those guidelines. The Board approved the contract, as well as a contract with Sheriff's Department employees that includes a 45 cent per hour raise.
The Board also opened bids for the resurfacing of 356 miles of County gravel roads in five divisions. Bruening Rock Products of Decorah submitted the low bid for all five divisions, $8.139 per ton for three divisions and $7.999 per ton for two divisions. Paul Nieman Construction of Sumner submitted a bid os $8.46 per ton for Division 2, and Wiltgen Construction submitted a bid of $8.17 per ton for Division 5. The Board voted to accept the bids submitted by Bruening for all five divisions on Ridenour's recommendation.
The Board also met with Allamakee County resident Maynard Johnson, who suggested that edge lines be painted on all paved County roads for greater safety. Ridenour told the Board that certain areas do have edge lines for safety, citing the curve near Mohn Fish Market north of Harpers Ferry as an example. He noted that the low bid this year to repaint the center lines on all paved County Roads was $60,879 and that using the per gallon cost of paint from that bid, the additional cost to paint edge lines on all paved County Roads would be approximately $78,000. Johnson said that cost seemed low compared to the cost if the County were to be sued if someone were to be killed or maimed on a County road. Ridenour responded that he is "very comfortable" with the liability side of the issue.
In other business, the Board approved an application for a $10,000 Iowa Department of Public Health grant for substance abuse prevention services.