The Greene County board of supervisors set a public hearing for April 7 to provide information about using general obligation general fund loan notes for the HVAC project at the courthouse. The loan notes would be repaid by transferring Local Option Sales & Service Tax (LOSST) funds to the general fund.
Voters in the unincorporated areas of the county twice voted against using LOSST funds for the project. A change in the interpretation of state code makes that an option. The supervisors would need to hold another public hearing in May to take that action.
County residents have 30 days after the informational hearing – until May 7 – to file a petition forcing a vote on the issue. If no petition is filed the supervisors can move forward with a second public hearing and then sell the loan notes. If a petition is filed, the next available date for an election is next November.
County engineer Wade Weiss reported contractors have returned to the Grimmell Road bridge project west of Jefferson, and he’s looking for “a quick end to the project.” If weather is favorable the project could be done in early April, Weiss said. county engineer Wade Weiss told the county supervisors at their March 10 regular meeting.
The supervisors approved documents needed for a pair of upcoming road projects. PCC pavement will be replaced on E-18 from Hwy 144 east to Boone County, and on P-46 south from E-18 to E-26. Pavement will also be replaced on P-29 from the Webster County line 1-1/2 miles south to E-18.
During his monthly update to the supervisors, Jefferson city administrator thanked the tax coordinator Pam Olerich for her work related to the revaluation of Wild Rose Casino and the tax implications. He said Olerich had laid out the information in an easy-to-understand way.
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph, an ex officio member of the Grow Greene County board, reported spending five hours March 7 reviewing 26 applications for Grow Greene County funds. The applications totaled more than $5 million; Grow Greene has just more than $1 million to award. The grant awards will be announced April 1.
Auditor Billie Hoskins told the supervisors a ceremonial ground breaking is planned for the new jail Monday, March 17, at 11 am at the jail site near the LEC on E. Lincoln Way west of the fairgrounds.
At the end of the meeting the supervisors spoke of South Dakota governor Larry Rhoden signing legislation last week that bans the use of eminent domain for the construction of carbon capture pipelines across the state. The move blocks Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed pipeline to transport liquified carbon dioxide from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota for sequestration in North Dakota.
“It’s a possibility now this is a pipeline to nowhere,” county attorney Thomas Laehn said.
Summit’s Phase 1 was approved in Iowa by the Iowa Utilities Commission, but the Phase 1 route includes South Dakota. Laehn explained Summit would need to begin the permitting process again in Iowa if the route is changed.
“The legislators in South Dakota are much more responsive to their citizens than our legislators are here in Iowa,” Laehn said. “Seventy-eight percent of Iowans, according to polling, are opposed to this, but no bill with any teeth is going to pass our legislature. They’re going to pass some bills… that are obvious… but [the laws] won’t actually change anything… I’ve long pinned my hopes on South Dakota.” “We should send them (SD legislators) a card,” Rudolph joked.
