~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
The Greene County board of supervisors heard a report on a manure spill east of Cooper from nearby landowner Chris Henning at the regular board meeting on Sept. 11.
Henning told them 600,000 gallons of “liquid hog manure” entered a “pristine stream, home to birds, herons, and beaver.” Henning said a beaver dam stopped the flow just 1.5 miles from the Raccoon River. She said the manure had flowed 2.5 miles through drainage district tile as the result of a “failure in an earthen lagoon.”
“The only reason it was discovered,” Henning said, “is because of citizen science testing by members of the Raccoon River Watershed Association.”
Henning said their testing had shown good water through July.
“You are trustees of those tiles,” Henning told the supervisors. “You’re not paying attention to what we should be paying attention to.” Henning was referring to previous time spent by the board over several meetings on issues of lighting for the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower.
Henning said there were problems in contacting supervisors and other county officials on the weekend when the spill was discovered. Henning said she had contacted the Iowa Department of Natural Resources but asked that contact information for the county be posted on the supervisor website, including other agencies’ contact information.
The supervisors seemed in agreement that Henning had done the right thing in contacting DNR directly.
IT/drainage Clerk Michelle Fields updated the board on tile repair for the railroad right-of-way east of Scranton. She said the railroad company is responsible for the repairs since “tile” is now considered part of their “culvert” responsibility.
Fields told the board there have been many questions from the public to her office asking how to contact individual supervisors. She said the county website only lists one telephone number and one email address for the group and the public is confused as to where the email actually is sent and who might answer the phone if they call. Fields asked the supervisors to advise her as to what they want included on the website.
Fields said a common question is when each supervisor’s term expires.
Fields reported a meeting with CEC, the company that upgraded the sound system around the courthouse square. She said the master controller has been fixed but two speakers are not working properly, and a portable microphone is also needed. She said the company will return to fix those issues.
Engineer Wade Weiss told the supervisors the lease for the Lincoln Highway Interpretive Site east of Grand Junction will expire on Sept. 30. A new lease will be presented to the supervisors at the regular Sept. 18 meeting for their approval. Weiss also told the board progress continues on the E-57 road project.
Jefferson city administrator Scott Peterson reported the city of Jefferson has been designated a Thriving Community and was represented at a housing conference last week in Cedar Rapids. He said several housing developers plan to be in Jefferson looking at housing opportunities.
Peterson said the city has hired a new police officer, Zachary Barton. He also described street improvements from Grimmell Rd west to Linwood Road on Westwood Dr, to include a possible sidewalk. Peterson said this street has more pedestrians since Greene County Schools eliminated some bus stops in the area, and that it’s also popular with adult walkers.
The speed limit on Westwood Dr has changed from 35 mph to 25 mph and a speed monitor has been placed there to let drivers know their speeds.
Peterson said the city and county are working on a 28E agreement for the animal shelter and progress continues on the new dog park with Rotarians providing work and support.
County attorney Thomas Laehn reported 66 pending cases and prison terms court-ordered in two serious cases. He said one defendant received a 55-year sentence and another defendant received a 36 year sentence. Laehn credited county and city law enforcement officers with excellent investigations in those cases.
Laehn also discussed moving his office into the late Judge Ostlund’s former office to allow for an additional office for a State judge and court reporter. New phone lines and internet would need to be installed and security issues taken into consideration. Laehn would like to move before the middle of October.
Jefferson city attorney David Morain requested the county release a judgment lien on a property owned by the city at 600 W. Lincoln Way. Morain said the lien might make prospective buyers hesitant to purchase the property from the city. The supervisors unanimously approved the release of liens to give the property a clean title.
Over an hour of meeting time was spent discussing the operation of the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower and a recent violation of county policy regarding the unauthorized use of random multicolored lighting on Sept. 5. The bell tower had been closed as a result of the incident. A prior news article on GCNO details this part of the meeting.
According to the supervisors and sheriff Jack Williams, the investigation of the incident continues with an eye toward uncovering possible conspiracy to perpetrate the policy violation from within the Bell Tower Community Foundation.
At the end of the supervisors’ meeting on Sept. 11, auditor Billie Jo Hoskins authorized the bell tower to be opened on its regular schedule. Attorney Laehn said the lighting schedule had continued according to policy.
A 28E agreement is reportedly being negotiated with the Bell Tower Community Foundation.
