Supervisors Authorize Engineer To Control Cross Intersections

Mahaska County Courthouse

Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met in session on Tuesday, September 8th. This was one day later than normal because of the Labor Day holiday.

Uncontrolled intersections became the topic of the day with the board. The discussion about the number of uncontrolled intersections within the county caused Supervisor Mike Vander Molen to add the agenda item.

Vander Molen asked his fellow board members if it was time to look at some intersections within the county to see if they should be controlled with the usage of stop signs. “There is a large discrepancy between what we do and what some other counties do,” said Vander Molen.

Vander Molen believes that the number of uncontrolled intersections within the county needs to be brought down.

Mahaska County Engineer David Shanahan explained that there is no clear cut guidelines to follow with the implementation of stop signs. “If you put too many signs up there, people tend to disrespect them.”

“I believe it’s incumbent on us to put some control there,” said Vander Molen.

The other Supervisors, Mark Doland and Willie Van Weelden, had very little comment on the proposal for additional stop signs in the county.

As the Supervisors went to move on to the next agenda item, Vander Molen said that he believed the other Supervisors needed to talk about the uncontrolled intersection topic further.

“You need to think through this a little bit more than sit here and twiddle our thumbs, and not saying anything is not the way to do it. This is a safety issue throughout the county and to just sweep it under the rug is not acceptable,” said Vander Molen to the other Supervisors.

Supervisor Van Weelden explained that there are very few uncontrolled 4-way intersections in the county. Vander Molen fired back saying they should do something about those today. “Lets give him [Engineer] direction to control those intersections.”

Vander Molen asked Van Weelden if they, the Supervisors, were going to have an analysis done of the intersections, “What are we going to do going forward?”

Doland said he agreed, that he thought the uncontrolled intersections that cross each other were already being looked at by Vander Molen. “I can’t instruct anybody,” Vander Molen said, “I’m just one guy on a three person board. We make instructions as a board.”

Vander Molen made the motion that “we control all cross intersections within the county.”

The motion passed on a 3-0 vote in favor.

The board heard from Andrew Jensen, Director of Mahaska Community Development Group, in regards to MCDG’s support of the proposed development agreement with Welders Shield LLC and Co-Line Welding, Inc. “It shows that you as Supervisors want to help our businesses expand and do anything they can to bring jobs here to Mahaska County.”

Jensen said that Mahaska County was lucky to have such a strong employer in Co-Line Welding.

The Supervisors passed Resolution #2015-09-25 which approved and authorized execution of Development Agreement by and among Mahaska County, The Welders Shield LLC and Co-Line Welding, Inc.

The Supervisors then discussed land acquisition with the Mahaska County Conservation. The total price for the land wasn’t discussed in open meeting in order to help prevent the conservation board from being outbid on the proposed acquisition. The land acquisition shouldn’t cost the taxpayer any money, but the county discussed if they had to cover the cost of the purchase in the event that not all funding options came in.

The Supervisors asked that the conservation board look for options that would not put the taxpayers on the hook to finance the acquisition.

Also approved were the:

• August bills
• 5 day liquor license for Cater 2 U
• A class B native wine permit for Frisian Farms Cheese
• Payroll changes for the Sheriff
• Authorized signature for Living Roadway Trust Fund Grant
• Accepted a bid to hold a joint auction with Country Life