~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
At the regular meeting on May 2, the Greene County board of supervisors unanimously approved a request by NEW Cooperative located near Cooper to add a 30,000 gallon anhydrous ammonia (NH3) tank to three other storage tanks already being used for storage at the location.
The tank could be operational by the fall of 2022, Jon Wells, safety and risk manager at NEW, told the board via Zoom.
The new tank will bring total storage capacity to 120,000 gallons. It will be located south of the existing plant, 160 feet from the property line.
Wells asked if NEW will need an additional building permit. Supervisor Pete Bardole and the board said that it would not be necessary.
Boad chair John Muir asked about future turning lanes on Highway 4 to handle increased truck traffic into the location.
“We have plans for that,” Wells said.
Wells said NEW has received permission from the Iowa Department of Agriculture to add the new storage tank but needed formal approval from the board of supervisors.
In other business, county attorney Thomas Laehn spoke to the board about tax assessments on railroad easements that have been returned to the landowners.
“As soon as the tracks are pulled up, the easement ceases and the land reverts to the owner.”
Laehn said landowners have not been assessed taxes on the land returned to their use “for, in some cases, 30 years.”
“It will be a big undertaking to get the land assessed and returned to the tax rolls,” Laehn said. “Some abandoned railroad easements have become bike trails.”
“Good luck,” said Muir.
Laehn also reported there are 69 criminal cases pending with a trial scheduled for next week.
“Also, two of the three people involved in a recent ATM theft have been arrested and will be pleading guilty,” Laehn said.
Laehn spoke about the Youth Community Service Program. He said Vern Foje, long-time volunteer in the program, is “stepping back” from it and Laehn would like to see the program continue. Laehn has also been in support of an adult community service program.
“We need to save the juvenile program,” Laehn said.
“We’re all on board,” Muir said.
Laehn said he has been speaking with Boone/Greene County Probation program director Diane Hinderaker to try to find a way to provide services to both juveniles and adults.
Engineer Wade Weiss reported some issues with roads due to recent weather. He also said an outdoor light fixture at the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower has been fixed with an LED light that will light the outside of the tower. The light had been damaged by a vehicle.
Attorney Laehn told the board the Jefferson Rotary Club planted trees at the outdoor classroom at the elementary school Saturday. County conservation director Tanner Scheuermann gave advice about the selection of trees and the secondary roads department fabricated a new grate for a drainage intake nearby.
Supervisor Tom Contner asked about a weather siren at Spring Lake for people camping there during spring, summer, and fall weather.
The board agreed the park “is like a small city.”
“We are concerned about all the parks,” Muir said, and he suggested the board consult with Scheuermann.
The board unanimously approved a resolution to hire Samantha Frette as a full-time jailer at a yearly salary of $34,000 which will be increased by $1,000 per year upon completion of a certificate. Her hiring will be effective May 10.
The board also unanimously approved the transfer of $115,000 from TIF Special Revenue fund to the Debt Service fund to pay “principal, interest, and related fiscal charges” for General Obligation Urban Renewal Capital Loan Notes.
The payment is due June 1, 2022, in the amount of $40,000 on principal and $73,942.50 interest. TIF (tax increment financing) revenue has been collected to cover the payment.
Auditor Jane Heun told the board a camera has been installed for the ballot box and Crystal Clear of Des Moines will clean the windows of the Bell Tower at a cost of about $1,000 for the outside windows and $108 for the observation deck windows.
“We try to do that in May, every year,” she said.
The board also discussed getting the roof of the ambulance garage re-shingled before the end of the fiscal year.
