County Update: Southeast Connector Project, Roads, and Law Enforcement in Focus
Mahaska County Supervisor Mark Groenendyk recently sat down with Oskaloosa News to provide an update on county operations following the adoption of the upcoming fiscal year’s budget. With litigation-related expenses no longer burdening the county, Groenendyk confirmed that the county’s tax asking has been reduced by approximately $500,000.
A key focus moving forward is infrastructure, particularly the long-anticipated Southeast Connector Project, which aims to improve traffic flow around Oskaloosa. The project, decades in the making, was jumpstarted through local collaboration and substantial grant funding. The county utilized TIF revenue generated from local wind projects to allocate resources toward the connector’s development. Partnerships between the City of Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, business leaders, and state and federal officials helped secure more than $10 million in grant support, making it the largest RISE grant ever awarded in Iowa.
Construction on the connector is expected to begin imminently, with equipment arriving this week and dirt work scheduled to start soon after. The project has broad public and institutional support across the county.
Beyond the connector, the county continues to focus on secondary roads. The county recently amended its five-year plan to include more bridge deck overlays and infrastructure upgrades. The secondary roads department was fully funded this year with an additional $500,000, bringing it back to pre-litigation operational levels. County crews are responsible for maintaining over 1,000 miles of road, an effort that Groenendyk compared to the logistical scale of maintaining highways from Oskaloosa to Colorado Springs.
Law enforcement remains stable. According to Groenendyk, the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office is fully staffed, including the deputies and jail personnel. Previous staffing issues in the jail have been resolved following a pay scale adjustment.
Facilities maintenance is also ongoing. The courthouse recently received a new HVAC system for the upper floors to improve conditions for public meetings. Meanwhile, the jail, built in 1996, is undergoing plumbing repairs and discussions are underway to modernize a decades-old 28E agreement with the City of Oskaloosa concerning the shared Law Enforcement Center.
Groenendyk also addressed public concerns, citing road conditions as the top issue raised by constituents. He emphasized efforts to standardize road grading practices across districts while acknowledging challenges posed by diverse terrain and varying operator experience.
As the county prepares for a new fiscal year starting July 1, the overarching theme is stability and progress. With major legal hurdles behind them, county leaders say they are focused on core responsibilities—roads, law enforcement, and essential services—while executing long-term infrastructure projects that aim to benefit residents across Mahaska County.
