Supervisors discuss temporary access during Green Valley Bridge project, new drafts of flood plain hazard maps along with personnel matters and road project items during regular session

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, April 23 to address a full agenda of items including the approval of road rock resurfacing bids, discussion of a temporary access during the Green Valley Bridge project and the consideration of purchasing a vehicle from Fayette County for use by an Allamakee County Service Coordinator. There was no Public Comment.

Brian Sweeney of Green Valley Getaway discussed a temporary access for the business during the Green Valley Bridge project. Sweeney indicated that the temporary access is vital to Green Valley Getaway’s operation during the bridge replacement project with 19 events scheduled for the months of May and June involving anywhere between 25-350 people per event. Sweeney indicated that he has discussed the matter with Allamakee County Engineer Brian Ridenour and that the County has a 48” culvert that could be used with fill to construct a temporary access for traffic coming off the highway rather than using an alternate route requiring an additional three or more miles of travel.

Ridenour provided a brief overview of the project’s history as a joint project between the City of Waukon and Allamakee County with a half million dollars in State funding and requirements including temporary easements. Ridenour confirmed that a 48” culvert currently not in use would be available for the temporary access. Ridenour recommended using the services of the contractor handling the bridge project to also handle the fill needed with the culvert installation for the access road.

The Supervisors discussed matching up to $2,000 which the City of Waukon has committed to the project contingent upon approval by the Board of Supervisors. The matter will be added to the April 30 Supervisors meeting agenda for consideration and approval.

Quarterly reports from the Allamakee County Veterans Affairs and Environmental Health departments were accepted and placed on file. A Manure Management Plan update from Gibbs Dairy was accepted and placed on file.

Allamakee County Veterans Affairs Commissioner Pat Cota and Director Heather Homewood of Allamakee County Veterans Affairs (VA) discussed the next agenda item, Fiscal-Year 2019 salaries - VA Commissioners. Cota discussed the salary level of the VA Director position and expressed concern that it had not kept pace with comparable positions and deserved an increase. Supervisor Dan Byrnes indicated that with budgeting, the Compensation Board’s recommendation of a two-and-half percent increase was utilized across the board for a majority of County positions in consideration of the benefit package also being offered. Schellhammer added that the County is fortunate to have a dedicated VA Director and that Cota will be provided information illustrating the comparison with other counties and compensation levels for the VA Commission’s reference.

The Supervisors moved into discussion of purchasing a vehicle from Fayette County for use by the Allamakee County Service Coordinator based in Howard County. Jane Regan of Upper Iowa Insurance Services indicated that Sheri Vierkant is on the list of approved drivers on the County’s insurance policy and that operating and housing the vehicle outside of Allamakee County will be covered. The potential purchase of the vehicle had been previously discussed at the April 16 Supervisors meeting. Fayette County has the extra vehicle available, a 2009 Dodge Caravan, due to the reorganization of County Social Services (CSS) into a quadrant system. The Supervisors approved the purchase of the vehicle for $1 from Fayette County.

Allamakee County Zoning Administrator Tom Blake presented a plat request for Charles P. and Dorothy Ann Byrnes indicating that a parcel is to be divided off the property and that the Plat Review Board and the Planning and Zoning Commission have recommended approval. The Supervisors reviewed the information and approved the plat request.

Blake discussed the new drafts of flood plain hazard maps and provided an overview of the map adoption process. Blake indicated that the Iowa Flood Center has the new maps on its website at http://iowafloodcenter.org and that the current maps are available on the Beacon website at https://beacon.schneidercorp.com, with plans forthcoming from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for public meetings to take place in June. The Supervisors discussed that this is an opportunity for the public to educate themselves about their property and whether or not flood insurance would be required for construction on their property if within the flood plain. Blake recommended having the flood plain hazard maps available in the Allamakee County Auditor’s office for the public to review.

Ridenour discussed the contracts and bonds for road rock resurfacing, with the low bid from Bruening Rock Products of Decorah for 111,550 tons of road rock at a cost of $1,110,848.83. The Supervisors approved the contracts and bonds with Bruening Rock Products.

Ridenour also discussed the quotes for painted pavement markings for 173 miles of County roads which have been received from five contractors with two contractors declining to provide a quote. Ridenour recommended the low bid from Vogel Traffic Services of Orange City at a total bid of $67,381.68. Supervisor Dennis Koenig and Ridenour discussed quality and longevity of this type of work with Ridenour advising that all the bidders are prequalified by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), which does random testing of their products, and that the County has experience working with all the bidders listed. The Supervisors approved Vogel Traffic Services for the painted pavement markings project.

Under Department Head Updates, Ridenour discussed part-time positions for a scale person, mower and general laborer and briefly discussed recent weather conditions with snow removal on Secondary Roads last week. Allamakee County Auditor Denise Beyer discussed the eighth grade student tours which will take place this Wednesday, involving two groups alternating between the Public Safety Center and the Allamakee County Courthouse. Beyer indicated that due to weather conditions last week, the second grade tours of the County Courthouse will be rescheduled for sometime in May and that the Supervisors will be having a presentation/forum discussion with the Postville eighth graders this Friday.