Discussion of the north spur of the Raccoon River Valley Trail – the bike trail – was at the top of the Greene County supervisors Oct. 19 meeting.
Trail users Sheila Madsen and Vicki Copeland, both of Jefferson, spoke during the open forum. Their particular concern was the trail from Vest St in Jefferson to Winkleman Switch, 4.4 miles south.
Madsen said maintenance is needed immediately, with overgrown shrubs, moldy benches, and layers of walnuts and leaves on the trail. “A lot of people have raised the issue that they don’t even think it’s safe to walk anymore,” Madsen said. “Is there a plan for the repair of it, and if so, what’s the plan?”
She asked what funds are needed and what the timeline for repair might be. “We’re looking for some answers so we know where to start,” Copeland said.
Supervisors Dawn Rudolph and Pete Bardole told the two the county needs to work with Guthrie County on repair needs as part of the trail goes through that county. Bardole also said “they” are working on some grants. He and Rudolph later said county conservationist Tanner Scheuermann is being assisted by Region XII staff in writing grants.
The supervisors were unsure of the total cost and suggested $3 million. When county engineer Wade Weiss arrived at the meeting he said the cost to replace the north spur with concrete – it was built with asphalt – is about $6 million. “It’s unfortunate it wasn’t build with long term stability to last,” he said.R
According to Weiss, about $1.7 million is available for bike trail repair through Region XII.
Supervisor Joe Gannon explained one of the challenges is that the bike trail doesn’t have its own revenue stream. Supervisor Dan Benitz, referring to the tourism value of the trail, said he isn’t sure it’s the obligation of county residents to provide a trail for people from Kansas.
The supervisors planned to talk with Scheuermann about the issues.
Ambulance director Michelle Madsen reported her department has started cleaning out the former LEC on S. Chestnut St for use as sleeping quarters for ambulance staff. Her office will be relocated there as well. Her current office at the ambulance garage on N. Grimmell Rd will be repurposed as sleeping quarters for the first crew in line to respond, and the second crew would be at the S. Chestnut St location.
Greene County public health director Shelby Cooklin updated the supervisors on the new alignment of Iowa Health and Human Services public health. The state is being split into five regions, with Greene County in Region 5. Polk County is also in Region 5. HHS will select a lead entity in each region through a request for proposal process. According to Coolkin, Polk County public health is applying to be the lead entity in Region 5. The lead entity will claim 15 percent of the grant revenue of each of the other counties in the region to cover administrative costs of those grant funded services.
Cooklin told the supervisors that county funding for public health will stay in the county and not go to the region.
The supervisors approved a preconstruction agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation for repaving the paved intersections on Hwy 25 between Scranton and the Guthrie County line (E-53, E-57 and E-63).
Sheriff Jack Williams reported Webster County is interested in housing inmates in the Greene County jail. He said the backlog of persons sentenced and waiting to serve jail time in Greene County cases is quickly getting smaller, and that he’ll have a written agreement in place with Webster County before holding inmates from there.
The supervisors renewed the employee health insurance coverage with an increase in the stop loss coverage from $90,000 to $100,000 per covered member. The change will result in a 3.05 percent decrease in fixed cost of the county employees’ health benefit. Serving as trustees of Drainage District #149, the supervisors approved the preliminary plan for a wetland proposed by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship for an 843-acre wetland in Section 29 of Highland Township, one mile south of Churdan. The wetland will drain more than 1,000 acres.
