~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
The Greene County board of supervisors reported progress toward a 28E agreement with the Bell Tower Community Foundation at their regular meeting Sept. 18. County attorney Thomas Laehn previously has said the agreement is necessary before the Foundation can receive funds from the county.
Laehn said a draft agreement has been sent to Foundation board member David Morain for the Foundation to review. Morain, an attorney, has denied being the attorney for the Foundation but is lending legal skills to the Foundation’s needs.
Specifics in the draft of the 28E were not discussed but the forming of “committees” to address various issues was mentioned.
Engineer Wade Weiss again spoke to the board about costs to repair smaller bells on the tower that seem to be struck by lightning regularly. Weiss identified three bells as currently in need of repair to replace coils involved in the electronic clapper devices. Weiss said the Verdin Company of Ohio, manufacturer of the bells, estimates the cost of repair to be $14,440. Expense for a crane to access the smaller bells would be in addition to that.
Supervisor Pete Bardole, also serving on the Foundation board, said the higher (smaller) bells “can’t be heard” often due to wind. Additionally, various carillonists have said they choose music in the lower range because the higher, smaller bells “tinkle” even when working properly.
Previously, the board heard information about moving the smaller bells to a more protected location among the larger bells and possibly hanging fake bells on the outside scaffold to represent the small bells to the public. This would be much more expensive than repairing the bells but could possibly be a longer-lasting solution.
Weiss said the secondary roads department could possibly help defray some costs through equipment and labor. Weiss said no repairs will be made until early spring.
The supervisors unanimously approved the renewal of a five-year lease agreement for the Lincoln Highway Interpretive Site east of Grand Junction and authorized Weiss as authorized signatory of the agreement.
Weiss said there were no changes in the lease agreement from the previous one.
The board discussed printed materials issued by GCDC stating the supervisors were “a source of funding” for the site. Supervisor Dawn Rudolph said funding for the site has not been discussed by the supervisors, and supervisor Pete Bardole said he would “make some calls.”
IT/drainage clerk Michelle Fields reported she had consulted with the telephone company and was advised a “telephone tree” could be implemented for the public to contact specific supervisors from one telephone number listed on the county website. She described a system of “for Supervisor Muir, push #1, Supervisor Burkett, push #2” and so on.
Fields said messages can be left and text notifications could be sent to all supervisors. She said the cost would be $4 per month.
The issue of contacting supervisors was presented at the meeting on Sept. 11. The board took no action.
Auditor Billie Jo Hoskins reported an estimate of $6,418 from the Drees Company to repair the first-floor women’s restroom.
Attorney Laehn reported receiving a memo from Court Administration reminding counties to have a security committee. Laehn told the supervisors Greene County already has one. He said he and Chuck Wenthold will respond to the most recent security survey.
The board approved a resolution to hire Brenda Seaman, nurse practitioner, for work part-time, as needed, at paramedic-level, for Greene County Ambulance at a rate of $21 per hour starting Sept. 15. All votes were aye with supervisor Dan Benitz absent.
