Supervisors Discuss Updated Meeting Recording and 220th Street

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Supervisors met on Monday morning for their regularly scheduled meetings.

In the first order of business, the Supervisors passed the second reading of Ordinance #16 that will provide for the division of taxes levied on the taxable property (TIF) in the Prairie Wind Urban Renewal Area under Iowa Code Section 403.19.

Supervisors Van Weelden, Groenendyk, and Wanders voted unanimously to pass the second reading.

Mahaska County Supervisors heard from Mahaska Communications Group in regards to installing a new camera system to help broadcast the supervisor meetings live, as well as cut the cost of labor and needed time to provide that service.

MCG will pay for the equipment needed, but the broadcast is provided by the students and staff at William Penn University.

A concern that was raised was safeguarding closed sessions and any other meetings that may take place in the space, which may include attorney/client privileged conversations.

Staff from William Penn explained the process by which it takes to make a live broadcast happen, which is a multi-page startup procedure, which eliminates “flipping a switch” that would make the camera live.

The board approved the installation of the camera system paid for my MCG and ran through William Penn on a 3-0 vote.

The Supervisors heard from Troy Bemis, who is in charge of courthouse maintenance, on sidewalk repairs for both the courthouse and the law center. The repairs for the Mahaska County Courthouse sidewalks would be $1968.00, while the repairs to the law center would be $1035.00.

The board approved the bid to repair the sidewalks by the two locations.

The board considered a contract for the courthouse from db Landscaping for the 2018 Painting with Lights, which includes the installation and removal of the lights.

Steve Wanders brought up a concern over the cost of the lights, which he says is nearly $8000 for the year.

“I guess I’d like to sit down and discuss this,”, said Van Weelden in regards to negotiating the cost with the owner of db Landscaping.

The Oskaloosa Chamber had negotiated the cost of the project a few years ago. Last year, then supervisor Mark Doland said he didn’t want a contract, but would rather negotiate on a year by year basis, believing it wouldn’t tie the hands of future boards.

“We’ll let that set for now,” said Van Weelden of the contract to install the lights for the upcoming holiday season.

The board also discussed an alternate route for 220th Street as part of the airport project.

“If and when 220th is closed, that this would provide a route for traffic to go west toward Leighton,” said Van Weelden. ‘It’s 235th Street.”

The board approved sending a letter to the South Central Regional Airport Agency with their plan for the rerouting of 220th.

The board also accepted the first quarter reports from the Mahaska County Sheriff, Recorder and VA.

The supervisors then informally discussed the Mahaska County Solid Waste Commission and the RFP they developed for recycling in Mahaska County, and in particular the incorporated areas.

Groenendyk said that the recycling program “Is still in limbo.”

Dave Sedivec gave the Mahaska County Conservation report which highlighted the success of the Youth Outdoor Field day which had over 300 participants this year.

The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors will hold their next regularly scheduled meeting on November 5, 2018, at 9 am in the 3rd-floor conference room.