~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Just two weeks after learning the price tag on a new HVAC system at the courthouse has grown to $3.4 million, the Greene County supervisors learned of the need for a new communications tower for law enforcement. The price tag on that necessary infrastructure improvement is nearly $2.8 million.
During the supervisors’ regular June 13 meeting, John Marckres of Unplugged Wireless and Chad Gappa of Motorola Solutions spoke about the county’s need for better communications with the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System (ISICS.)
Marckres and Gappa described ISICS as a state-of-the-art radio platform used by public safety agencies, first responders, schools, and municipal utilities.
County sheriff Jack Williams described current radio communications as good while officers are in their vehicles, but lacking coverage when officers are on the streets or inside buildings.
Marckres and Gappa said there are more than 90 ISICS towers in Iowa, but Greene County does not have one. They said the towers make in-building communications reliable.
After reviewing a map of existing towers located in Greene County, Marckres and Gappa found none that would be tall enough or strong enough for adding equipment. They recommended a new tower be located in the Jefferson area to best fit into the ISICS communications system.
Macres and Gappa recommended a 200-foot tower. They estimated the cost for a new tower, microwave, fence, other equipment, and moving dispatch to the new law enforcement center at $2,795,294. They estimated maintenance at $288,381 for the period of 2024 through 2030.
“This starts discussion,” board chair John Muir said. “We’re 18 to 24 months out.”
No action was taken by the board.
Jefferson city administrator Mike Palmer gave his monthly report on various city projects. He mentioned that Thomas Jefferson Gardens will sponsor farmers markets on Tuesdays, there are now flower planters in Arch Alley, and that the city is close to bidding out a water main replacement project on Russell St.
Patti Treibel-Leeds, representing Central Iowa Community Services (CICS), spoke to the board about a memorandum of understanding concerning the transfer of client files from Greene County to CICS.
The MOU ensures that ownership and possession of client mental health and disability services files generated prior to July 1, 2013, shall be transferred to CICS effective July 1, 2022.
The board unanimously approved the MOU.
Phil Heisterkamp, chair of the Bell Tower Festival steering committee, reported the Bell Tower Festival was very successful and he thanked the board for its financial support and encouragement.
County engineer Wade Weiss reported secondary road crews will be patching roads west of Churdan for several weeks.
The supervisors also acted as a board of canvass for the June 7 primary election, recording the returns for each voting precinct in the county.
Supervisor positions are up for election in November 2022 in District 2 and District 3. The board declared Dawn Rudolph the Republican nominee with no Democratic opposition in District 2. Dan Benitz was declared the Republican nominee and Mike Holden was declared the Democratic nominee for District 3.
Republican Katlynn Mechaelsen was declared the nominee for county treasurer with no Democratic opposition.
Democrat Deb McDonald was declared the Democratic nominee for county recorder with no Republican opposition.
No nominee from either major party was on the ballot for the position of county attorney. County attorney Thomas Laehn, won the 2018 election running as a Libertarian and will run as a Libertarian in 2022.
The supervisors later received a written request for a recount of the primary election ballots for the Republican nominee in Supervisor District 3. A special meeting was held on June 14 in the courthouse boardroom to consider the request.
Supervisor Mick Burkett was appointed chair pro tem. Election deputy Billie Jo Hoskins told the board James Hedges, a candidate for the Republican Supervisor District 3 nomination, had filed the written request.
After telephone consultation with attorney Laehn and gaining some additional information about the request, the request was deemed legally valid.
The supervisors unanimously ordered a recount of the Republican ballots in Supervisor District 3. The recount is set for Friday, June 17, at 8:30 am.
