A Community Conversation Starts At Eggs And Issues
Eggs and Issues with Supervisor Mark Groenendyk and Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The highly anticipated Eggs and Issues returned on Saturday morning, once again made possible by the Mahaska Chamber.
The opening edition featured Mahaska County Supervisor Mark Groenendyk and Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt. Both answered questions posed to them by attendees from the public and questions from moderator Andy McGuire.
Groenendyk fielded a question involving the levy and how Medicaid privatization may have impacted the levy.
Groenendyk explained that “we don’t get into the weeds with the county levy with the hospital levy,” he says they rely upon the recommendation from the hospital board. “I think the hospital is a main key to this county, the center of our community, and so I do want to see our hospital stay here.”
Groenendyk also fielded a question in regards to TIF and how that money is impacting the county budget. Groenendyk explained that the money generated by TIF helps “to recoup the cost of damaged infrastructure to the roads.”
Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt answered a question regarding increases in sanitary sewer rates.
Krutzfeldt, referenced the aging infrastructure of the sanitary sewer system, and the requirements from the EPA and Iowa DNR to meet current regulations as reasons for the sharp increase to rates.
Krutzfeldt said that ten years ago and before, the approach to the system was a band-aid style approach while holding rates low.
Having to make the needed fixes to the system has cost the city seven million dollars to this point. “You have to have money to be able to do what the DNR is mandating for you,” explained Krutzfeldt.
This year’s 8% increase comes off the recommendation of financial consultants “who look forward as to what we’re going to be spending on this repair work.”
Beyond the repair work, those consultants are also taking into effect the cost of the new treatment plants that are coming within the next seven years.
“Boy, does it hurt while we do it,” added Krutzfeldt of the increases to ratepayers.
The first Eggs and Issues session with the area’s state legislators will be on January 25th, 2020, starting at 8:30 am.
You can watch the entire Eggs and Issues in the video below.
