Supervisors approve compensation increases for County employees, discuss water testing in Village Creek area
by Brianne Eilers
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Monday, March 14 for its regular meeting. During public comment time, resident Jack Knight addressed the Board regarding some of the “controversy” surrounding the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center. He suggested that instead of paving the parking lot, the County consider filling in the parking lot area with stone from the river, which Knight felt would introduce a geology and naturalist aspect to the parking lot. Board Chairperson Larry Schellhammer explained that the County is not going to be responsible for paving the parking lot, it will only be responsible for paving a portion of the county road accessing the Center.
A public hearing was held for the Fiscal Year 2017 Allamakee County budget. No written or oral comments were received. Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour noted that the ten cent per gallon fuel tax adds about $710,000 into the budget. The FY17 Budget and Certification of Taxes were adopted.
COMPENSATION INCREASES
The Board also adopted a Resolution approving compensation for elected officials. The Compensation Board had requested a five-percent increase in salaries, and the Board approved a four-percent increase in the salaries of elected officials from the previous year. The salaries were approved as follows: Auditor, $52,228; Attorney, $80,986; Recorder, $52,228; Sheriff, $67,075; Supervisors, $27,925, with an additional $1,000 for the Chairperson of the Board; and Treasurer, $52,228.
The Board also approved a three-percent salary increase for other department heads and non-union employees, with the exception of a five-percent increase for Kim Waters, Beth Kregel, Jason Howes, Mary Egan and Jean Bossom, and a 7.5% increase for Tom Blake.
Approval was also given to setting County levy support for the libraries at 17.886 cents/thousand, as well as to the FY17 library contracts. County Auditor Denise Beyer noted that the libraries’ budgets increase about $3,000 each year.
ASH TREES
Discussion then moved to treatment and removal of ash trees on the Allamakee County Courthouse property to combat Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation. Stevenson Consulting from Decorah submitted a re-figured bid for treatment of two green ash and two white ash trees on the property at $908. The treatment would be an ongoing, annual process. The Board received a bid from Brink’s Tree Removal Service for the removal of the largest and worst infested tree at $865.
Supervisor Dennis Koenig began the discussion by suggesting that perhaps the Board should consider the removal of all five ash trees and get another species planted to replace them. He noted that he understands they provide shade to the Courthouse and have aesthetic value, but he questioned if it was reasonable to treat the trees annually and not solve the problem. Supervisor Dan Byrnes noted that information presented at the previous meeting suggested the white ash seems to not be as badly affected by EAB, and thought there could be merit in treating the two white ash trees. Schellhammer offered his opinion to remove the three green ash trees and try to treat the two white ash trees.
It was suggested by Jack Knight that the County could use the Courthouse property trees as an educational tool to show the public treatment of infested ash trees as well as the cost of treatment. Koenig noted that he would be in support of an educational situation where the public could see what the cost is and also awareness of removal of infested trees. Byrnes suggested that they could treat this as a demonstration, but would more than likely have to eventually remove the ash trees. The Board ultimately decided to keep with the original plan to remove the largest tree and treat the remaining four ash trees for now.
The Board discussed setting a date and time to open bids for the Conservation Property, a portion of abandoned railroad in Post Township. Allamakee County Conservation Director Jim Janett noted that he felt it would be prudent to meet with the County Attorney to draft a resolution for the Board regarding the matter. Schellhammer asked if the adjacent landowners were aware of the situation or if they would be notified, and Janett explained that they were aware and he would also meet with them. Koenig also stated that the adjacent landowners know that the County will be taking bids.
The Board signed the Official Weed Commission Certificate for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). Laurie Moody, Environmental Health Director/Sanitarian/Weed Commissioner, was present to tell the Board that she has completed her training and passed the required test for her license. She stated that she would have private and public pesticide applicator licenses.
VILLAGE CREEK WATER TESTING
Jack Knight discussed with the Board the water testing options for the Village Creek Watershed. He thought it would be prudent to have baseline readings prior to the proposed hog confinement that is rumored to be proposed for construction in that area. He said that if a group of neighbors in the area or the Board of Supervisors requested it, a pre-project watershed proposal could be done by the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) office. It would be a year-long test and would test all water going into the watershed area. The cost would be around $8,000 and would either have to be paid for by the landowners or the County.
Another option would be to have Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) take water samples in various areas of the watershed at the cost of around $100 per sample. The number of samples taken would depend on how much whomever requests the samples wants to spend.
Yet another option would be to check with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to see what records the DNR might have for testing in that area or have Laurie Moody take water tests in that area. If it would be necessary to have those water quality results hold up legally, testing would go through the State Hygienic Lab, which could be very costly.
Moody noted that there have been requests to test private wells in the area and other projects done through the DNR. Moody said she can test private wells at a very reasonable price through a grant and those tests would go through the State Hygienic Lab, but she would not have proper credentials to do other water quality testing, nor would she have proper kits.
Schellhammer asked if the DNR would ultimately have the say in whether or not this proposed confinement facility could operate in that area. The Board felt that it would be better if a group of landowners in that area would get together and contact either the County Soil & Water Commission, NRCS or the DNR to try and set up some kind of testing. Moody also said that the DNR or RC&D would have people with the proper credentialing for the testing.
Discussion then moved to the ordinance regarding contained animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that Knight had informed the Board about at last week’s meeting. The ordinance comes from Bayfield County in Wisconsin and Knight thought it was in response to an application to set up a hog confinement in Bayfield County from the same entity as the proposed applicant in this county. The ordinance gives Bayfield County more local control on the final decision of these types of applications.
The ordinance is quite lengthy and Byrnes suggested the Board members take a week to study the Bayfield ordinance and revisit the issue next week. The Board also asked County Zoning Administrator Tom Blake if he had any legal cases that the County could use regarding local control by a county over an issue like this.
OTHER BUSINESS
Bids for the 2008 Ford Explorer that had previously been used by the Sheriff’s Department were opened. The bids were specified to be sealed bids. One e-mailed bid was received, but had to be removed because it did not come in the sealed bid format. Another bid was removed at the request of the bidder. The Board accepted the high bid of $3,559 from Denise and Steve Reinhardt. Other bids received were as follows: McMillan Auto, $3,480; Joe Griffith, $2,501; West Side Garage, $2,389; Joe Palmer, $1,601.02; Chicago Motors, Inc., $3,507; Andrew Mellick, $2,500.
The Board approved a resolution to embargo asphalt roads. The resolution is somewhat retroactive, as the embargo signs were placed last Monday. The Board also set a letting date of March 28, 2016 at 10 a.m. for gravel resurfacing and box culvert work on Cherry Valley Road.
DEPARTMENTAL UPDATES
During the department updates, Engineer Ridenour mentioned a possible paving project on Breezy Corners Road, near the Waukon Implement location. Ridenour noted that the road gets 500 vehicles per day, and suggested that the Supervisors consider asking the businesses on the road to consider making a donation to the project. Ridenour said he had spoken to the property owners on either side of the proposed paving project, but there were no agreements or commitment from anyone. He suggested the Board get a final estimate on the project and invite the adjacent landowners to a meeting to discuss the issue further. Ridenour also mentioned that he will be asking the Board to set a public hearing on a paving project on Makee Drive.
John Roe, head of maintenance at the Courthouse, informed the Board of an issue with installing the keyless entry system on the east entrance to the Courthouse. IndiCom Electric had notified Roe that drilling into the marble near the main entrance to the Courthouse to install conduit for the project could cause the marble to shatter. The conduit could be installed on the outside, but it would detract from the look of the entrance and be exposed. The east entrance is not used by many employees to enter, and Roe noted that he is usually there to have it unlocked by the time employees come in. The employees could still use any of the other three entrances. The solution would be to not install the keyless entry on the east entrance and instead re-key it so that there is control over who has keys to that door.
Sheriff Clark Mellick noted that the panic alarm system is in place and operational within County offices. Some departments have requested additional buttons. Construction of the Public Safety Center is estimated to start in two weeks. Koenig asked if it could be possible to tear up and get rid of some of the concrete pads on the property while the hole the rubble is being buried in is still open.
Laurie Moody followed up on more information on the proposed hog confinement in the Village Creek area. She said a declaratory order was done by the DNR and the proposed property is not in a 100-year floodplain. There are no formal figures yet submitted to the DNR regarding number of buildings or number of head of hogs. The confinement would be subject to the Master Matrix, as well as a manure management plan, which the DNR would also have to approve.
County Recorder Deb Winke reported that she has received 52 applications for the opening in her office. She also asked the Board for a budget amendment to be able to clarify and secure a figure for the salary for the new hire, as she will be beginning the interview process soon.
County Auditor Denise Beyer noted that the filing deadline for the primary elections is the end of March. She also informed the Board that she has a small amount of funds left in her budget and she is contemplating a temporary hire, for a few weeks, to help with upcoming absentee voting.
