Supervisors take further steps to address mental health issues within the county, hear update on timeline for Public Safety Center

by Jason Meyer

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Monday morning, December 21 at 9 a.m. with a relatively light agenda.
With no citizens present for public comment, the Board opened the floor to Kim Waters, Allamakee County Coordinator of Disability Services. She presented the Board with a Resolution sitting before the County Social Services (CSS) Board that states, partly, that CSS signs on to the "Call to Action to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in our county jail..."
The resolution further outlines both actionable items and goals for the counties of the 22-county commission, many of which have already been implemented by Allamakee County. The Board, by a motion, authorized Supervisor Dennis Koenig, a CSS Board Member, to support the resolution on behalf of Allamakee County at the next CSS board meeting.
Next on the agenda, the Supervisors heard a tentative schedule for the Public Safety Center project, including demolition of Makee Manor. Thursday, January 7, 2016 there will be a pre-bid meeting for the construction of the Center, followed by a demolition contractor's pre-bid meeting later in the afternoon. Tuesday, January 19 the Supervisors will open the construction bids for consideration, and Thursday, January 21 the Supervisors will award the construction bid.
Moving along, the Supervisors approved the contract and bond for the Mississippi River Trail project previously awarded to Skyline Construction in the amount of $2,387,963.39. The project, reported on in the December 9 issue of The Standard, consists of shoulder paving and bridge widening on the Great River Road north of Harpers Ferry to Wexford.
Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour asked the Board to rescind a motion made at a previous Board meeting, an offer of employment to Michael J. Peterson in the position of temporary part-time snow plow truck driver. He noted that circumstances now exist that prevent Peterson from accepting the position.
Ridenour also asked for consideration to increase the Secondary Road Superintendent's wage $1.23 per hour - for a total hourly wage of $23.00 for the position, effective January 4, 2016 through the end of the fiscal year. He noted that even with the adjustment, Allamakee County would still fall in the bottom ten counties in Iowa for Superintendent's compensation. Following discussion, the Supervisors approved the request.
Wrapping up the meeting, the Board heard from Jane Regan of Leschensky Insurance, the County's Worker's Compensation Insurance provider, regarding their most-recent audit. She presented the County with a $37,239 dividend check, and stated that the experience rating has dropped from 0.92 to 0.83 - a positive indicator - due to the County's low number of claims and payments.
Regan further noted this was the third year in a row the County has received a dividend, with previous amounts of $36,181, and $31,064, for a running total return of $104,484.
The Allamakee County Courthouse will be closed this Thursday and Friday, December 24 and 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday, with normal hours of operation resuming Monday, December 28, when the Board of Supervisors is next scheduled to meet at 9 a.m.