Board of Supervisors holds pair of meetings in past week due to Memorial Day holiday

by Bob Beach

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors held its weekly meeting last Tuesday, May 28 due to the Memorial Day holiday Monday, May 27 and reconvened Monday, June 3. Coverage of both meetings appears below.

MAY 28 MEETING
During public comment time at the Tuesday, May 28 Board of Supervisors meeting, Jack Knight, representing the Allamakee Soil and Water Conservation District Commission, presented the Board with a letter detailing the Commission’s concerns about the potential impacts of large scale frac sand mining in the county. Knight noted that while the Commission has statutory authority over run-off, there is no soil loss limit for quarries, so it would have no authority to control run-off from frac sand mines and would have no funding source to repair any damage that may be caused by such operations. Knight also encouraged the Board to participate in a webinar regarding the costs and economic benefits of industrial frac sand mining.
During regular business, the Board met with Allamakee County Attorney Jill Kistler, who requested the Board’s approval to create a new full-time position for the Victim and Witness Coordinator to include collections of unpaid court fines. Kistler said that the current Victim and Witness Coordinator is salaried for 32 hours per week and that by adding collection duties, a full-time position with benefits could be funded. In addition to providing continued support for victims of serious crimes, the Victim and Witness Coordinator would work to collect overdue fines for the State, retaining 40% of the funds collected initially, increasing to 52% after a certain amount has been successfully collected.
Kistler added that an agreement with Winneshiek County to share collections would ensure that the threshold would be met sooner and that she anticipates that through collections, the Victim and Witness Coordinator position would pay for itself. The Board agreed to make Victim Witness Coordinator a full-time position and authorized Kistler to move forward with State collections.
In other business, the Board authorized the closure of Bear Creek Drive beginning June 3 for paving. The Board also signed a resolution to take over custody and control of Makee Manor, in accordance with an agreement with Makee Manor signed the previous week.

JUNE 3 MEETING
During its regular meeting Monday, June 3, the Board met with Sara Berges of the Allamakee County Natural Resources Conservation Service, who encouraged the Board to lead by example by including conservation in its lease agreement for the County Farm. Berges said that if the County were to include conservation practices in its lease agreements, the Conservation Service would be willing to conduct compliance checks. The Board agreed to take her suggestions into consideration after the current lease on the County Farm expires in about a year and a half.
The Board also met with Zach Ramsey of Solutions, Inc., who presented the Board with a proposal to provide wireless internet service. Ramsey said that the cost would amount to approximately $2,000 per year for five years, which would include 10 access points inside the courthouse and one outdoor access point for use by law enforcement from vehicles. After hearing enthusiastic support for the proposal from several heads of departments, the Board agreed to explore funding options.
In other business, the Board appointed Tracy Dibert to represent the Sheriff on the County Compensation Board. The Board also signed a maintenance agreement with the City of Waukon and Iowa Department of Transportation and approved the hiring of temporary Secondary Roads employees for roadside mowing and scale operations.