Supervisors hear update from Planning and Zoning Commission in regard to frac sand mining regulations and ordinances

by Bob Beach

During the regular meeting of the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors Monday, August 26, Allamakee County Planning and Zoning Administrator Tom Blake updated the Board on the Planning and Zoning Commission's progress with developing appropriate ordinances and regulations for frac sand mining operations. Blake said that the Commission has scheduled six public forums (see schedule in shaded box below), one of which has already been held, to receive public input on the various aspects of the issue, such as air quality/quantity, road wear, dust, economic impact, etc.
Blake said that the Commission is also examining ordinances from other jurisdictions and is compiling information in order to draft recommended ordinances and possibly an addendum to the County Comprehensive Plan. The Commission's goal, he said, is to draft regulations that are not "overly burdensome" but will protect the public. He added that the Commission is on track to complete its work on the issue within the 18-month moratorium period, but that extending the moratorium remains an option if the process can't be completed within that time.
The Board then turned its attention to Makee Manor, having learned last week that the renovations to the facility for use as a jail or for another purpose for which it was not designed would be prohibitively expensive. Chairman Larry Schellhammer said that the cost of maintaining the facility as it sits empty would amount to approximately $40,000 per year. He said that the Board welcomes public input with regard to the future use of the building, adding that the Board "would love to see it reopened and employ people." After some discussion, the Board voted to direct Allamakee County Attorney Jill Kistler to start the process to put the building up for sale.
The Board met with Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour, who reported that he had spoken with the County Attorney about how to resolve last week's bidding tie between Fauser Energy Resources and Postville Farmers Coop to provide LP gas for several County departments. He said that Kistler had advised him that the Board could resolve the tie in any way it choses, but recommended that the Board follow the Iowa Department of Transportation policy, which is to award the contract to the bidder that was awarded the contract in the previous year, which in this case was Fauser. Chairman Schellhammer and Supervisor Sherry Strub voted to follow Ridenour's recommendation and award the contract to Fauser. Supervisor Dennis Koenig voted no on that motion, preferring that the contract be awarded to Postville Farmers Coop.
The Board also met with Allamakee County Conservationist LuAnn Rolling, who presented the Board with inspection reports for the English Bench and Little Paint watersheds that detailed damages caused by flooding this spring. Ridenour said that he had sent the maintenance agreements for the watersheds to FEMA to determine if the cost of repairs could be covered under the recent federal disaster declaration for public infrastructure. The Board directed Rolling to look into other possible funding sources to pay for the necessary repairs.
In other business, the Board set Monday, September 9 at 9:15 a.m. as the date and time for a public hearing on a request to rezone the Paint Creek Cabins subdivision from Agricultural (A1) to low-density residential (R2). The Board also approved the hiring of Jeremy Bjerke as an assistant to the County Engineer starting September 3 at a wage of $21 per hour.