The Greene County supervisors at their Sept. 29 meeting put canines who visit the courthouse grounds, as well as their owners, on notice that if doggie doodoo continues being left on the courthouse grounds, doggies won’t be allowed there.
An increase in the number of doggie piles being left on the lawn prompted the supervisors to review county policy. First, anyone who allows a pet to defecate on the courthouse grounds must clean it up promptly in an appropriate manner; and second, anyone who has a pet on the courthouse grounds must have in their possession a suitable container or tool to remove fecal material and disposing of it.
The policy has been in place since January 2023. “Pets” refers to dogs, cats, or similar domesticated animals kept in the home. Pets on the courthouse grounds must be licensed, vaccinated, on a leash, and cleaned up after.
The policy was written only after Jefferson Matters and other groups promoting upper story downtown living expressed concern about a total ban on animals on the courthouse grounds.
Further violations may result in a ban on any pets on courthouse property except for service animals.
Chuck Offenburger, Greene County HS teacher Dena Boyd, David Burkett, Jed Magee and students Yaakov Gehling and Aden Bardole gave a presentation on their project to commemorate the service of 32 Rippey students and two adults from Rippey in the Civil War. A committee is working to raise $95,000 to place memorials at the Rippey cemetery and either on the courthouse grounds or inside the courthouse.
The committee plans to start fundraising yet this fall with a goal of completing the project next summer. The supervisors were asked for funding. They tabled any decision on funding or placement of a memorial until a later date.
Heidi Kuhl of Northland Securities updated the board on current debt the county has incurred and the status of payments. Her focus was on projects to be paid for with tax increment financing (TIF) revenue. Bonding is in place and payments are being made on the Career Academy and Phase 1 road projects in the TIF district (those areas near the first 41 MidAmerican wind turbines in eastern Greene County in 2017).
Bonding for Phase 2 road projects will come from TIF generated by the 85 MidAmerican wind turbines built as the second phase of the Beaver Creek Wind Farm in 2018. Kuhl explained that $10 million in bonds will be sold after the new year for Phase 2 road projects. That will be the final urban renewal project funded through TIF revenue.
The county still needs to borrow $2 million to complete the HVAC project at the courthouse. The board is considering either a non-rated general obligation bond, which could potentially have a higher interest rate, or a bank qualified general obligation bond that would have a lower interest rate. Kuhl said the lower interest rate could potentially save the county $150,000. Kuhl planned to notify local banks to bid on the non-rated GO bond and share her findings with the board.
The board approved a resolution to transfer $100,000 from the general basic fund to the bike trail fund, and $30,000 from the general basic fund to the conservation reserve fund. Both transfers were previously budgeted. The board tabled an amendment to the professional services agreement with ISG for new jail until the Oct. 6 meeting.
