Supervisors approve hiring of bond counsel to help townships secure funding for new fire station

by Bob Beach

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday, May 27 with County Attorney Jill Kistler to discuss the hiring of bond counsel to assist the County in securing up to $750,000 on behalf of the member townships of the Waukon Area Fire Protection District to fund the construction of a new fire station in Waukon. Kistler said that she had, at the Board's request, obtained a price quote for bond counsel services from a firm other than Dorsey and Whitney, bond counsel for the City of Waukon, and was quoted up to $10,000 for the same services Dorsey and Whitney has offered for $7,000. Kistler recommended that the Board sign a resolution to hire Dorsey and Whitney as bond counsel.
Chairman Larry Schellhammer agreed with Kistler, saying that in order to keep the project moving forward, hiring bond counsel is the way to go. Supervisor Sherry Strub said that the Board needs to be sure that the costs related to administering the loans on behalf of the townships are passed on to the townships, emphasizing that the County is not funding the project. After some discussion, the Board voted unanimously to hire the Dorsey and Whitney law firm as bond counsel for the fire station project.
The Board held a public hearing regarding an amendment to the County's budget for fiscal year 2014, primarily due to the fire station loan. Hearing no comments from the public, the Board closed the public hearing and adopted the amended budget and appropriations as presented. The Board also approved amendments to the Secondary Roads budget made necessary by flooding last summer and an unusually harsh winter.

The Board met with auctioneer Mike Monroe to discuss the auction of the contents of the Makee Manor building. Monroe recommended setting the date for the auction on a Monday because it would make it easier for restaurant owners to attend for the commercial-grade kitchen equipment to be included in the sale. The Board agreed with Monroe's recommendation and set Monday, September 8 at 9:30 a.m. as the date and time for the auction.
The Board also approved the second reading of an amendment to the County's zoning ordinance to regulate mining of frac sand and other industrial minerals. The Board also scheduled the third reading of the amendment for Tuesday, June 3 at 10 a.m., at which time final passage will be considered.