Mahaska County Supervisors Address Public Safety Concerns and Infrastructure Projects
The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met March 3, 2025, covering a range of topics including public safety concerns, infrastructure improvements, and updates on intergovernmental agreements.
During public comments, Amanda Vanderveer addressed the board to file a formal complaint regarding the sheriff’s department. Vanderveer detailed a series of incidents involving harassment and property damage allegedly perpetrated by her ex-partner and daughters. She expressed frustration with what she described as a lack of response from law enforcement, stating, “There has been a lack of action by the sheriff’s department putting myself and my family at risk.” Supervisors thanked her for her comments but took no immediate action during the meeting.
The board approved the submission of an application for funding through the RPA 15 Surface Transportation Block Grant Program. The project targets improvements to County Route G29 from Highway 63 to Oxford Avenue. Engineer Carter spoke about the project’s timeline, stating the anticipated letting date is November 2026, with construction planned for fiscal year 2027.
Discussion also centered on funding the ongoing repairs at the Mahaska County Law Enforcement Center. Supervisor Mark Groenendyk and County Maintenance Director Ross discussed how to handle internal county funds for covering $210,000 in gray water piping repairs and associated projects. The county will utilize a combination of budgeted funds, additional county contributions, and city contributions. The city has agreed to contribute $30,600 toward its share of the building’s repairs, pending approval in April.
The board also approved three 28E agreements for police protection services with the cities of Beacon, Fremont, and Rose Hill.
Further, Supervisors approved updates to the county’s indigent burial policy. The county removed a proposed automatic annual increase in assistance amounts and instead agreed to review the policy each January.
Lastly, the board reviewed a draft of a new 28E agreement between Mahaska County and the City of Oskaloosa concerning cost-sharing for the Southeast Connector project. Supervisors discussed the agreement’s language on bid selection and reimbursement procedures but took no final action, awaiting further approval from the city’s legal counsel.
The next regular Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for later this month.
