~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Preparation for winter was among topics presented to the Greene County supervisors at their regular meeting October 19.
On a festive note, the supervisors asked county attorney Thomas Laehn to prepare resolutions under the public art policy to allow for the display of snowflake lights in the trees on the courthouse grounds.
The lights were recently purchased by the city of Jefferson from Home State Bank. At a previous board meeting, city administrator Mike Palmer had offered to share the lights with the county for display around the downtown square.
As with all public art on county property, the board must identify a message they wish to express through the art to meet the requirements of the public art policy.
Board chair John Muir suggested “enjoyment of winter,” and attorney Laehn suggested “spreading holiday cheer and beautifying the courthouse grounds.”
Engineer Wade Weiss reported his department is getting ready for snow removal. Weiss also said the bells on the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower are scheduled for repair on Nov. 9, using a crane which could partially block traffic for a time.
In other business, Don Reffer of B&W Control Specialists gave the board a quote of approximately $25,000 for tree and brush control of more than 30 open drainage ditches in Greene County.
Refer said maintenance of trees and brush around the ditches runs in roughly three-year cycles.
The board unanimously accepted the quote from B&W Control Specialists and authorized the work be done to keep the drainage ditches open.
The board unanimously approved the hiring of Beth DeMoss as part-time custodian for 20-25 hours per week at a rate of $16 an hour, effective Oct. 19.
The board adjourned into a drainage district trustee meeting to approve pay estimate #3 of $48,099.60 for DD-187, located in Franklin and Greenbrier townships south of Jefferson, and to set the date for a completion hearing on Nov. 16 at 9 am.
A change order was also approved due to decreased expenses and materials needed for work being done in that district, from an estimate of $223,070 to $212,000, a savings of $11,000.
Back in regular session, the board heard a presentation from Ryan Berven, Group Benefits Partners, reviewing county health insurance and making a recommendation for renewal.
Berven recommended some minor changes to be accomplished by moving short and long-term disability insurance from Transamerica to Mutual of Omaha.
Bervan said the renewal rates offered the county are “phenomenal” due to the county’s prudent use of benefits over the past year.
