The Greene County supervisors had no business listed on the agenda for the regular meeting Monday but heard updates from county staff and reports of meetings attended.
Supervisor Pete Bardole reported attending the first meeting of the city of Jefferson’s comprehensive planning committee, the Greene County Chamber and Tourism board meeting, a meeting of Bell Tower Festival committee chairs to begin thinking of the 2019 festival, and a meeting of the Bell Tower Community Foundation.
Updating the elevator is still a concern of the Bell Tower Foundation. The foundation and the supervisors submitted a grant application to Grow Greene County for $50,000 toward replacing the elevator, with both groups adding another $25,000 to meet the total $100,000 cost of the project.
The grant was not funded, but the need remains. The current elevator is not 100 percent reliable and will be out of compliance with state Code in two years.
The foundation wants to know the supervisors’ thoughts, Bardole said. Their thought is to apply to Grow Greene County again, or to look for other grant opportunities.
Bardole also attended an airport commission meeting. He said the first step in extending the runway – realigning part of 243rd St – will be done next spring. The county has agreed to pay $20,000 of the cost.
He attended a meeting of the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention commission Friday. The group is amending the 28E agreement that adds two counties, bringing the total to 27. Member counties pay a membership fee and receive services at a reduced rate.
Greene County is utilizing the facility much less than in recent years, auditor Jane Heun mentioned.
Chuck Wenthold reported that at a meeting he attended Friday the North Raccoon Watershed accepted the city of Adel and Palo Alto County into the watershed and awarded contracts for engineering work for $2 million in projects in Buena Vista and Pocahontas counties. The work is funded by a federal grant. Contracts went to Emmons & Olivier (EOR) of Oakdale Minnesota for the watershed plan, with WHKS & Co of Ames and RDG Planning & Design of Des Moines.
Sheriff Jack Williams reported Verizon will pay the county $6,000 per year for space for a cellular tower at the LEC, and make a one-time payment of $9,000 to the county for installation of equipment.
Disability services coordinator Ellen Ritter agreed to serve as interim general assistance contact. The position is vacant with the departure of veterans affairs coordinator Tracie Perez, who did that work on a one-quarter time basis.
Perez is relocating out-of-state. The supervisors have discussed hiring someone qualified to do both human resources and veterans affairs work.
