The Greene County courthouse received a good review from Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen when she visited last week during a Supreme Court “On the Road” event in Jefferson.
County attorney Thomas Laehn told the supervisors at their Nov. 10 meeting that Chief Justice Christensen visited the courthouse while in Jefferson. He took her on a tour of the third floor where county court services are handled.
“She was very sincerely impressed with our building…. She was very impressed with how we’ve maintained the courthouse. She asked me to relay to all of you that she thinks our custodian must be doing a fantastic job because everything was very clean. She was truly impressed with our courthouse, our security, with the beauty of the building, and the facilities we’re providing our judges,” Laehn said.
He thanked the supervisors, the auditor’s office, and county engineer Wade Weiss for the roles they’ve played in maintaining the courthouse over the generations.
Laehn said Chief Justice Christensen favorably compared the Greene County courthouse to the Polk County courthouse. “We’re distinctly above some of the other rural counties in terms of the quality of the building,” Laehn said.
“They’re always hinting about consolidating court services…. The fact that the chief justice took note of our courthouse as one that is exceptionally attractive… can only work to our benefit,” he said.
On other topics, Laehn reported a “significant increase” in the number of arrests for operating a vehicle while intoxicated over the past few weeks. “It may be associated with economic pressures. We know that alcohol use goes up when people are under economic distress… I treat OWIs very seriously because it puts lives at risk,” he said.
Sheriff Jack Williams said there is a taxi available, and that people can get a one-time ride home by calling the LEC. “That’s better than having you on the road or having to arrest you for being on the road,” Williams said. He added that the increase is across the board, not specific to any one age range.
Laehn reminds the public that driving while intoxicated with children in the vehicle results not only in an OWI charge, but also a charge of child endangerment.
He also reported he has reached out to Hoyt, Morain and Hommer Law Firm to seek the $41,000 reimbursement owed to the county by Union Pacific for drainage work done in the UP right-of-way east of Scranton.
Weiss reported the secondary roads crew has picked up 2,500 tons of concrete from county farmers to use in road surfaces. He said the recycled material is often better than virgin rock he purchases. He wants the general public to know secondary roads will pick up used concrete from anywhere in the county.
He said a bid letting for the Parkland Ave bridge is scheduled this month, with a bid letting for work on Hwy 141 from Dana south to Hwy 30, and for a bridge on X Ave, in March.
Also, motorists can expect to see blinking red lights posted on more stop signs at dangerous intersections in the months ahead.
The supervisors approved a contract between Integrated Telehealth Partners and the sheriff’s office for telehealth services for jail inmates. Sheriff Jack Williams said inmates are currently taken to Greene County Medical Center if they need medical care. The supervisors opened the only bid submitted for snow removal and lawn care at the courthouse and decided to take another look at the workload of the fulltime custodian and revisit the possibility of hiring a part-time custodian.
The supervisors also approved the $500 payment to the Iowa State Association of Counties to support the drafting of an amicus curiae brief regarding the zoning dispute on Phase 1 of Summit Carbon Solutions carbon dioxide pipeline. The subject was discussed thoroughly a week earlier.
