~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
With plans nearing completion for the new law enforcement center to be located in the former Midland Power building near the municipal cemetery, the Greene County board of supervisors heard ideas at the regular meeting on June 14 for the construction of a new county jail on the same property.
Representatives of ISG, an architectural, engineering, and environmental consulting firm with offices in Des Moines and surrounding states, spoke to the board about the possibility of building a jail which would be detached from the LEC building.
Architect Bryan Paulsen, water and wastewater engineer Kelly Evans, and civil engineer Nick Frederiksen said ISG had worked with sheriff Jack Williams in 2017 on plans for a new law enforcement center, jail, and fire department but the group now understands the idea is for a detached jail only.
“The detached idea is easier to work with as far as design,” said Paulsen. “Close proximity to the LEC is probably needed for staffing, though.”
Board chair John Muir asked about the group’s experience with jail design. Not hearing specifics from the ISG representatives, Muir asked them to “get a list of jail experience you have to Jack Williams.”
The group agreed also to send design team resumes to the board and Muir asked for a description of services available from ISG.
“The first phase will be a schematic plan,” said Paulsen.
According to Muir, the county is interested in plans for a 30-bed jail that meets federal standards.
The group felt their previous designs from the 2017 planning could be adapted.
Wastewater engineer Evans spoke briefly about costs associated with investigating a possible “swamp water” problem at the location and a fee of $8,250 was mentioned.
Auditor Jane Heun said the county would need to have a bond issue for a 30-bed facility. She estimated a need for ‘$10 million or less.”
“One hundred twenty people are waiting to serve sentences,” said sheriff Williams. “We fall behind more and more every week.”
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph asked if a bond referendum in November would meet deadlines.
“We’ll have to discuss this among ourselves, Jack Williams, and the county attorney,” Muir said.
A possible time frame of referendum in November, start of construction in spring 2022, and completion in 2023 was discussed among board members.
No action was authorized by the board.
In other business, the board set the master matrix scoring review for Franklin Pork, LLC, located in Section 5 of Franklin Township near Cooper, for 9 am at the next board meeting on June 21. The public hearing was set by the board for June 28 at 9 am.
Chuck Wenthold, environmental health director, said he will get a packet of information to the board with distances pertaining to Franklin Pork.
“There will just be one change on the original matrix scoring,” he said.
Wenthold told the board at a previous meeting that trees planted at the site had died, thus reducing the total score of the original matrix. He said 460 points is a passing score on the matrix and Franklin Pork had scored 440 points including trees.
In an unrelated matter, Wenthold told the board he was invited to the state capitol for an announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency of projects to be funded involving “improvement of water quality, habitat, resilience, and peer-to-peer information exchange by Iowa farmers.”
Wenthold chairs the Beaver Creek Watershed Management Authority and said that organization is included in funding to be awarded.
Chris Henning of rural Cooper told the board farmers market will begin on June 29 and be held each Tuesday until Aug. 31. Henning said hours will be from 4:30 to 6:30 pm and it will be held at the usual place on the east side of the courthouse.
Jefferson city administrator Mike Palmer reported the Bell Tower Festival went well this past weekend. He spoke of a new business opening, The Funky Zebra, in the building north of the old Tea Garden, and of a grand opening for Gravitate, a co-working office space next to The Forge on E. State St.
Palmer also spoke of renovation at the former Pizza Ranch being near completion. He said alley resurfacing continues as well as paving at the airport.
Palmer also addressed a continuing situation with recycling in the county. He said Grand Junction plans to withdraw from the Greene County Recycling Agency and that will increase the county’s share for recycling costs after FY22.
The board unanimously approved a County Substance Abuse Prevention Services grant and drafted an agreement with New Opportunities to provide substance abuse prevention services. The FY21 contract was extended from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. The board assigned Billie Jo Hoskins to be board authorized signatory.
During open forum, Muir reported two questions he had received from the public since the last board meeting.
“For future reference,” Muir said, “should we decide whether the courthouse should be closed during Bell Tower Festival? Should there be tours?”
“Also,” he said, “should representatives of the taxpayers be included on the committee set up for deciding how to spend the American Recovery Plan money coming from the federal government?”
Heun said, “You can have anyone you want on that committee.”
No action or discussion occurred concerning these questions.
The board went into closed session at about 9:35 am to consider an employee disciplinary situation. At about 10 am, the board returned to public session.
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph moved to adopt the disciplinary action discussed by the board in closed session and the board unanimously approved the motion. No details were made available.
