~by Janice Harbaugh for Greene County News Online
The Greene County board of supervisors decided to continue electronic audio meetings through June as well as opening the boardroom for public attendance.
At the meeting on June 8, chair John Muir said the slow reopening of the courthouse over the past week went well. “Face masks were available, people used the east door, made appointments first, and followed social distancing.”
Chris Henning spoke electronically to thank the board for facilitating absentee voting in the primary election held June 2. She said there was a 40 percent turnout.
Henning also said she hope Zoom board meetings could continue as an option to personal attendance.
Chair Muir said, “Benefits have come out of it.” No decision was made on electronic access to board meetings past the meeting on June 29.
Real estate coordinator Pam Olerich presented an inquiry from a Cooper resident who has been maintaining alleyways adjacent to his property in that unincorporated community. The resident is wondering if the alleys could be vacated and owned.
The status of the alleys was uncertain according to Olerich. Further study is needed on the question.
Jefferson city administrator Mike Palmer reported on downtown projects and trail progress. Palmer said bids had been let for four trails: E. Lincoln Way from the depot to the cemetery, a sidewalk to the new high school property from Highway 4, the loop trail at Daubendiek park, and a 10-foot wide trail from Ram Drive to the Greenewood Road.
There is continuing progress toward replacing the roof of Angie’s Tea Garden, an off-street parking lot near Arch Alley, and the east bay of building now rented by Heartland Bank.
Engineer Wade Weiss reported a few trees were down after the recent storm. He also said the donor wall at the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower will be finished this week.
Treasurer Katlynn Mechaelsen reported appointments for driver’s license matters are working well. The board unanimously accepted her investment and driver’s license report for February through May.
In other business, the board unanimously approved a service agreement with the Howard E Nyhart Company, Inc. for a full GASB 75 (Governmental Accounting Standards Board) actuarial update for Other Post- Employment Benefits. Cost will be $3,100.
The board also unanimously approved a 3-year contract with Cost Advisory Services, Inc. to provide cost allocation services covering fiscal years 2020 through 2022. The annual fee will be $4,125.
The board discussed and unanimously approved a 28E agreement involving a new Workforce Development Area consisting of the counties of Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Cherokee, Crawford, Fremont, Greene, Guthrie, Harrison, Ida, Mills, Monona, Page, Plymouth Pottawattamie, Sac, Shelby, and Woodbury.
An installation agreement with SCI Communications, Inc for $81,740.18 was unanimously approved by the board. This will involve network cabling in the courthouse and will coincide with the installation of security equipment from the same company.
The board of supervisors canvassed the returns from each precinct in the county for the primary election held June 2. There were no contests for county positions.
Candidates whose names will be on the general election ballot in November are County Supervisor District 1, Democrat Linn Cipperley-Price and Republican Mick Burkett; County Supervisor District 4, Democrat Chris Henning and Republican John Muir; County Supervisor District 5, Democrat Ginny Showman and Republican Peter Bardole; county auditor, Republican Jane Heun; and county sheriff, Republican Jack Williams.
