~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Open forum at the July 6 meeting of the Greene County board of supervisors again included discussion of difficulties in getting information from ISG about the design firm’s previous work on designing or constructing jails. The firm has worked with sheriff Jack Williams on the preliminary steps of building a new county jail.
Several supervisors reported they had attempted to contact counties where jails had possibly been designed by ISG, but supervisor Pete Bardole reported “the name (ISG) was not recognized.”
“ISG might have been using a prior business name,” Bardole said.
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph researched a jail in Faribault County, MN, and reported ISG had apparently been used for “security (design), not architecture.”
GCNO left two voice messages over several days for ISG water engineer Kelly Evans at the Des Moines office, asking for additional information about the ISG representatives’ recommendation at the June 14 supervisor meeting asking for $8250 to investigate “swamp water” at the proposed site of the proposed new jail.
The calls were not returned.
After discussion, the board advised Williams to “go look at other jails and ask them what they would have done differently (in the design and construction), like in storage areas and security.”
The board discussed setting up a committee to study how to proceed with a jail bond project and enlist pre-referendum support for a new jail.
The board was in general agreement there is not enough time to gather information and place a jail bond referendum on the ballot this year.
“We need more research on ISG,” said board chair John Muir.
County attorney Thomas Laehn reported his office has worked through the backlog of court trials caused by the pandemic and there are only 13 trials now scheduled. He also reported the transition to a new computer case management system has been completed. As reported in previous meetings, this brings Greene County into a larger system used by most other counties.
The supervisors received unwelcome news when Joan St Clair of Heritage Insurance presented information to the board about renewal quotes and changes for the county’s Iowa Community Assurance Pool insurance package.
St Clair said the derecho damage of last August led to an increase of nearly $30,000 (18 percent) to the cost of the insurance package. She said casualty rates have also increased for the first time since 1986.
St Clair said workers’ compensation coverage decreased by $8,338 over the past year. Bond premium remains the same.
They received welcome news from conservation director Dan Towers. He reported repair work on the bridge on the Raccoon River Valley (bike) Trail south of Jefferson will be completed in mid-July if “timbers show up on time.”
While he was in the board room, Towers asked about the possibility of relocating the conservation office from the courthouse to a different location after his retirement. No decision was made by the board.
He also joined a discussion with the supervisors, Williams, and engineer Wade Weiss about their perceived need for a public shooting range. Though there is a shooting range at Slininger Woods, located west of Jefferson, it requires membership with fees of $25 per year, according to Williams.
“People are shooting at the county quarries instead,” Williams said.
No action was taken of the idea of a public shooting range.
Treasurer Katlynn Mechaelsen identified two properties considered to be public nuisances being acquired by the city of Jefferson and considered for tax abatement.
The board unanimously agreed to abate all but $250 of owed taxes on each property.
The property at 307 N. Wilson had a tax bill of $8,882 reduced to $250. The property at 300 S. Pinet had a tax bill of $1,295 also reduced to $250.
Chuck Wenthold, environmental director, reported the Cruisin’ to the Square car show scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 12, will have its own restroom capabilities and will not ask to have the courthouse open for restrooms. Wenthold is one of the organizers of the annual Hot August Night car show.
