Supervisors approve seeking assistance to further address English Bench Watershed issues, set holiday schedule for 2019

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, December 10 to address a full agenda of items including the signing of a letter requesting breach planning and design assistance from the NRCS for the English Bench Watershed #9, consideration of quotes for replacing a tag trailer for the Secondary Roads Department and the consideration of the Allamakee County 2019 holiday schedule. There was no Public Comment.

LuAnn Rolling, District Conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Allamakee County, discussed a letter presented to the Supervisors requesting breach planning and design assistance from the NRCS for the English Bench Watershed Site #9. Rolling indicated that commissioners met last week and have signed the letter requesting assistance.

Schellhammer read a portion of the letter aloud, “Due to the unprecedented rainfall amounts we have had this year, the back-slope of one of our PL-566 watershed structures at English Bench #9 is sloughing. We are concerned about the potential hazard of the structure failing and what the impacts of that may be on downstream landowners and the paved road. Because of this, we are planning on de-watering and breaching the structure. We would like to request NRCS assistance with the breach design.” The Supervisors approved to sign the letter requesting assistance.

Under other discussion as necessary regarding English Bench #9, Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour discussed some backhoe work that will be done to clean a waterway and the opening of a small dam to prevent the channeling of water to a nearby resident’s home, with this work to begin Tuesday, December 11. Ridenour indicated that this work will take approximately a day to a day and a half to complete.

Rolling and the Supervisors discussed contacting the appropriate State officials regarding the timeline for permanent repairs to the watershed. Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker advised that sandbags have been placed by the nearby home as a precaution, with the impact likely being minimal following the removal of the small dam.

Ridenour also addressed the next agenda item involving quotes for replacing a tag trailer for the Secondary Roads Department. Ridenour discussed the trade-in of a 2001 Belshe tag trailer Model DT-235 used for hauling various equipment including skid loaders and backhoes, with a 50,000-pound limit.

Ridenour provided a recommendation to purchase according to the low bid received from Ziegler CAT of Postville for a Towmaster T50 tag trailer at a selling price of $27,384 with trade-in of $2,500 and a final cost of $24,884. The board approved the trade-in and purchase from Ziegler CAT.

The Supervisors moved into the consideration of Allamakee County 2019 holidays. Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer and the Supervisors discussed that Union agreements have been changed to include Martin Luther King Jr. Day instead of Presidents’ Day, with this holiday schedule being more in line with the schedule being used by the State of Iowa. The Allamakee County 2019 holiday schedule was approved as presented.

Beyer and the Supervisors also discussed potential Fiscal-Year budget work session dates and times, agreeing upon various times for January 7-9 and January 14 and 15. The Manure Management Plan update from Grove 5/Adam Grove was accepted and placed on file.

Under Department Head Updates, Beyer indicated that the Compensation Board will be meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday, December 11 and that with completion of the general election she is working on various projects put on hold during election time.

Snitker discussed the Department Head meeting to take place at 1 p.m. later in the day with a robust meeting agenda. Snitker briefly discussed work being done involving the Emergency Management Performance Grant Program (EMPG) application process, planning for hazardous materials exercises for 2019 and ongoing work regarding the comprehensive plan.

Ridenour indicated that brush cutting is ongoing with some sand application on slippery secondary roads. Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick briefly discussed a farm-related fatality that took place over the weekend. Mellick also discussed the Sheriff Department’s involvement with the Allamakee County Relief Office and the holiday gift drive and provided an overview of the Sheriff’s Department scheduling for deputies.