Supervisors approve purchase agreement for Innovative Ag parcel after lengthy discussion

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, November 21 with just a pair of business items to tend to, the first of those items dominating the meeting's discussion.
That discussion revolved around a purchase agreement submitted by Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour for land owned by Innovative Ag in northwest Waukon that lies adjacent and south of the property currently housing the County's Waukon shop for the Secondary Roads Department. The agreement was for the purchase of a 2.113-acre parcel of that Innovative Ag property at an offered price of $31,695.
Ridenour said the lot area of the County's current property has reached its capacity for storing equipment, and that setback requirements for fuel tanks have left the Secondary Roads Department "somewhat penned in by our own lot" at that location, with this proposed land purchase easing those limitations and allowing for any possible future growth. He said the parcel is currently a bare lot with some concrete that may need to be removed, and would need the addition of a chain link fence, which surrounds the County's current property in that location.
Ridenour also said soil testing has been conducted and indicated some chemical measurements that were well within the tolerable limits set by the State of Iowa. He also said that utilities had been located, and that there was the possibility of a future utility easement being requested if the purchase of another parcel of the Innovative Ag property in that area did become finalized.
Supervisor Lennie Burke expressed concerns with the purchase at this time due to an ongoing issue with a residential property located adjacent to the Innovative Ag property, although not adjacent or involving anything the County was looking at purchasing. He expressed an interest in talking with that adjacent residential property owner before he would be willing to approve any type of purchase.
With other buyers also interested in the parcel being looked at by the County, Supervisor Sherry Strub made a motion to approve the purchase agreement, which would give Innovative Ag two weeks to accept the agreement. Burke did not provide a second to that motion, but chairperson Larry Schellhammer did second the motion as discussion wrapped up.
In the second and final agenda item for the meeting, the Board approved a subdivision plat for the Frances V. Blake property being auctioned off this Saturday. Allamakee County Zoning Administrator Tom Blake removed himself from presentation of the plat since it involved his own relative.