Supervisors listen to funding request of $3.7 million for new comm tower

By Rick Morain
Jefferson Herald

The Greene County Board of Supervisors on Monday received a letter from the county’s E911 service board requesting that the county proceed to raise $3.7 million to finance a communication tower, equipment and structure, generator, and enough mobile radios to complete the needs of fire departments, ambulance services, and conservation in the county.

Heidi Kuhl of Northland Securities, the firm serving as a consultant for the project, said the next step would be for the supervisors to set a date and provide proper published notice for a public hearing, at which the board would propose to take necessary action to issue “essential county purpose” bonds.

The communication equipment project, as an essential county purpose, could be funded by supervisor board action without a voter referendum. Kuhl said she plans to provide data at the board’s next meeting on Monday, Aug. 22, concerning repayment of the proposed $3.7 million project debt.
The board took no action, awaiting Kuhl’s forthcoming information.

The new tower and accompanying equipment are necessary in order for law enforcement and emergency services to be able to communicate among themselves and with state enforcement and emergency services.

NOTABLE ITEMS

• Board chair John Muir said that alternate cost estimates for the roof of the proposed new county jail have been requested from the ISG firm. The request for a pitched steel roof rather than the flat roof included in the original cost estimate would be expected to increase the total estimated cost of the new jail.
A resolution to call a special county election for the new jail is planned for consideration at the board’s Aug. 22 meeting next week.

• On another matter, Ryan Berven of Group Benefit Partners provided the board a midyear update and review of the county’s health insurance plan. He said the county is having a very good year so far, with actual claims well below expected claims. The county’s fund balance in the health fund has increased each of the past few years.
Berven is “cautiously optimistic” that premium rates should only need to be increased by five to eight percent if the current positive trend continues. He said he will revisit the supervisors in another few months regarding renewal for the coming calendar year.

• County conservation director Tanner Scheuermann reported that a 60-acre parcel of land has been bequeathed to the county from the estate of Wallace Teagarden. The landlocked area, just east of Spring Lake, would be managed as the Teagarden Wildlife Refuge with no hunting or fishing permitted on it.
Currently, no easement exists to access the property. Fencing would likely be necessary. County attorney Thomas Laehn said he would like to begin discussion about an easement with the law firm representing the Teagarden estate.

• County engineer Wade Weiss discussed the condition of roads in northeast Greene County damaged by past wind turbine construction and work that will be needed at some future point because of temporary patching already performed. He referenced using tax increment financing (TIF) funds from the turbines in the future for those roads.

• The board approved a resolution to participate in federal roadway safety funding available through the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program. To be eligible, a county must have an eligible action plan in place. The plan would be developed with the Iowa County Engineers Association.
The board also approved an agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) for a federal-aid swap project.

• The supervisors indicated their support to participate in Operation Green Light, to show support for veterans by lighting the courthouse green from Nov. 7 through Nov. 13, the week that includes Veterans Day.

• The board approved a certificate of adjustment (abatement of taxes) requested by county treasurer Katelyn Mechaelsen for the law enforcement center on East Lincoln Way, the former Midland Power office building purchased by the county. The abated amount is $28,602.

• County attorney Laehn told the board he hopes to have a finished draft of the proposed county code of ordinances soon, and he thanked county auditor Jane Heun for carefully reviewing the draft code.

• The board discussed whether the county should be involved in what was referred to as a junkyard in an unincorporated area at the east edge of Grand Junction. County zoning administrator Chuck Wenthold said he thinks the area is under the jurisdiction of IDOT due to its location near a state highway.