WASHINGTON

In an “agreeable” meeting Tuesday, Washington County Supervisors approved a personal property (communications tower) agreement with the Wellman Cooperative Telephone Company (WCTC) and a lease for the land under it; Letters of Support to seek WCRF grants; set a hearing for GO bond issuance; and approved personnel changes.

The personal property will be the rebuilt communications tower at 1469 125th Street in Wellman. It was destroyed by a tornado March 31, 2023, and the replacement price is $665,000 as noted by the Dorsey and Whitney, Des Moines, bonding firm. The motion for the tower purchase was approved subject to having the funding for the tower.

In a related motion, the board approved the leasing of the actual tower site for 15 years at a fee of $1 per year. However, there is an additional provision that if WCTC wishes to sell the site, the county will have the first right of refusal. The lease period will extend through December 2039.

In a related action, the board set 9 a.m. April 2, for a public hearing regarding the county issuing General Obligation bonds not only for the tower but also for several other county projects totaling $2,420,000: for road improvements and disaster mitigations, $765,000; renovations at the McCreedy Building including an elevator, $105,000; EMS security and systems improvements for the sheriff’s department, $245,000; similar system improvements for other county buildings, including the courthouse, $195,000; computer equipment, $215,000; and a new maintenance building, $155,000.

The debt service was set at four years with a levy of $1.31 per $1,000 valuation, shorter than usual issues, a move that will save the county approximately $200,000 in debt service fees.

In other business, the board approved a letter of support for an application to the Washington County Riverboat Foundation (WCRF) that will have a $30,000 match from the county and $15,000 from each of the county’s cities for a countywide outdoor siren project. The board also approved the motion for the county funding.

The board accepted the quote of $12,438.50 from Slabach Construction of Kalona to bury fiber cable at the county courthouse site. Discussion included the presence of the utilities on the site.

The board approved three resolutions for applications for WCRF funds for the Sheriff’s Office for equipment, for the county EMS services for equipment, especially for life saving measures, and also for the Ambulance services for equipment. The grant funding source has become more important since the state changes changed the local authority to provide vehicles for certain services, including for sheriff and emergency services.

The board approved the resolution adjustment to the fiscal 2024 budget Appropriations for Capital Projects, amounting to $62,000 for fund transfers.

The board approved employment changes for Melissa Handy and Mary Ebersole from casual part-time to permanent part-time. Handy is a medic and Ebersole, an EMT, both with the ambulance department.