Supervisors Approve Union Contract For Secondary Roads

Mahaska County Courthouse

ATV-UTV Ordinance Being Considered By Supervisors

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The first public hearing that would allow UTV and ATV riders to utilize county roads will be heard at the next Mahaska County Board of Supervisors meeting on October 17, 2016.

The ordinance would make a provision to persons in the county to utilize UTV’s and ATV’s on the county roadway for recreational use. Users would need to follow all applicable laws for their use. A registration system could also be a part of that proposed ordinance.

Currently, agricultural use of ATV’s and UTV’s is permitted, and the ordinance change would not impact those users.

The proposed change came after a Keomah Village resident, Mike Senate, was stopped by a DNR officer.

Senate uses an ATV ride as a reward for his special needs child, and advocated to the board for the change in policy.

Also approved was the Union Contract for Secondary Roads, which will be effective in July of 2017. The contract would be for two years.

Also approved was a mitigation easement agreement between Mahaska County and Phil Griffin and the DAPL [Dakota Access Pipeline]. Because of a mitigation process on Griffin’s property, a government agency like the Mahaska County Conservation would then be issued funds to finish the project.

An endowment will be in place after the eight year mitigation project is completed. This is said to relieve any potential financial burden from the taxpayer.

The easement for the mitigation plan passed the board with a 3-0 vote.