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November 6, 2009

Supervisors will open bids for county liability insurance on Nov. 16

By Michael Schaffer - Managing editor

The Appanoose County Board of Supervisors Monday morning all by 3-0 votes approved closing 448th Street in Taylor Township, approved a resolution regarding rates for use of secondary road equipment and labor and approved a change in a zoning ordinance to amend billboard regulations.

One word was changed from "a" to "an" and "existing" was added to the ordinance amending billboard regulations so it now reads: "No billboard within three hundred (300) feet of an existing house, church, or school." The talk in the boardroom was this would protect billboards already in place if someone would construct a new house or school or church within the 300-foot boundary.

Appanoose County Engineer Gary Bishop said 448th Street hasn't been a road as much as it has been a right-of-way.

"It's more of a house keeping process to get rid of some right-of-way that's not needed," Bishop said. "It's still a platted road but there's no need, no future for it."

Bishop said Secluded Land Company LLC, which owns all the land surrounding the now closed road, had been contacted about the potential of closing the road.

Rates for county secondary road equipment and operator use between other government entities hasn't been kept up, Bishop said, and this was an attempt to get the rates up-to-date. The resolution allows the county to charge labor "at the rate set in the current union labor contract plus 51 percent after fringe benefits. Equipment rental to be charged according to the current Iowa Department of Transportation schedule of equipment rates for the current fiscal year."

Bishop said the new rates will go into effect Dec. 1 and is an attempt to recoup costs and not to make any money.

In other action, the supervisors entertained questions from three insurance company representatives, voted 3-0 to table signing a letter until Nov. 16 concerning funding for the Ham Creek trail project, discussed the payment of taxes on property purchased with FEMA money in Mystic, approved a preliminary plat by a 3-0 vote for Quercus Subdivision and set a Dec. 7 public hearing for a zoning recommendation.

Representatives from EMC, Power Insurance and Cost Savers were in the boardroom to discuss bidding for the county's liability insurance. Bids are required to be delivered by Nov. 13 and will be opened at the supervisor's Nov. 16 meeting. The lowest bidder will service the policy for three-years.

Nicole Moore with Chariton Valley Planning and Development told the supervisors the city of Mystic was in the second half of accuring properties flooded in 2007. She said the seven properties Mystic has purchased have not been reassessed in the last two years to the value of what they are worth now and the city wanted to know how they could go about getting those properties off the county tax rolls.

Mystic City Clerk Karen Poolman said she has asked the assessor to re-assess all the properties.

"And it should of been done in '07," Poolman said. "The property owners should've been asked in '07."

Chairman Dean Kaster agreed they should have been re-assesed in 2007 but recommended they first work with the treasurer, auditor, assessor and other county offices before asking for the supervisors help.

Bishop said the Ham Creek trail project budget was $150,000 and it came in at $133,000. But now Chariton Valley REC wants to be paid $41,000 for burying a power line, which would exceed the budget. The Iowa DOT would allow the county to pay Chariton Valley with Regional Planning Agency money, but complicating the issue is Appanoose County Trails Inc wants to use the county's RPA money on a different project, he said.

The supervisors tabled Bishop's request until Nov. 16 to sign a letter he would draft where they would ask the county's RPA money not be diverted toward a different project. Rouse wanted to first see the letter before committing to agreeing to sign it.

Bishop said the Ham Creek trail project next to J18 was just a few days away from completion.

Ultimately when Chariton Valley submits the $41,000 bill it would be paid for out of a combination of trail stimulus money and from money ACT Inc will receive from the snowrider's club, Bishop said.

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This week the Iowegian wants readers to think about the recent decision by the Centerville Municipal Waterworks Board of Directors to increase the fee for late payment of water bills. In a story published in Wednesday's Ad Express, board members announced a 10 percent late fee after two days late, a $50 red tag fee for accounts unpaid after seven days late and a $25 shut off fee, water service terminated after two weeks late. The board said the decision to increase the fees associated with late payment is to encourage customers to pay their bills on time. So, the question this week is, "Are these fees too much to ask for?"

A. Yes, they are.
B. No, they are not.
C. I'm not affected so I don't care.
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