IOWA CITY

LL Pelling, an asphalt and highway construction company located in North Liberty, has been selected for crack sealing projects that include 500th Street SW, west of Frytown, and 520th Street SE, east of Hills.

Pelling’s bid of $110,252 was approved by the Johnson County Board of Supervisors at its formal session Oct. 26.

Pelling was one of three bidders for the project and the only one to come under the county engineer’s cost estimate of $116,780.

The sealing project on 500th Street will begin at the road’s intersection with Angle Road and go 4.7 miles west to the Johnson County and Iowa County line.

The work on 520th Street will go 4.3 miles, from the intersection of 520th and South 4th Street to Utah Avenue SE.

Another project segment is scheduled for Sutliff Road NE, northeast of North Liberty.

Pelling is also working on a resurfacing project on 540th Street SW in the Stringtown area.

Lulu Johnson Exhibit

Plans for outdoors and indoors exhibits honoring Lulu Merle Johnson, a native Iowan who was the first African-American woman to earn a doctorate degree at the University of Iowa, will include a bronze statue, a walking path and interactive displays at the Johnson County campus. The Board approved Lulu Johnson as the eponym for Johnson County in 2021 and began a process to honor her.

The initiative creation of the displays carries a budget of nearly $50,000. Work on conceptual designs for the project will begin in November with a series of public meetings to occur over the winter.

Those working on the project include Sonya Jackson of eSJay Creative Works in Des Moines, a niece of Lulu Johnson, and Rebecca Conard, a consulting historian who lives in Coralville.

“I think this is fantastic,” Supervisor Rod Sullivan said. “I’m really excited about the future of this.”

“I’m excited because I have hoped to get recognition for Aunt Lulu forever,” Jackson said. “To see this coming to fruition is just very heartening. It makes me proud, my family proud.”

Board Action

The Board approved a Provider Participation Agreement with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services for the Ground Emergency Medical Transportation Uncompensated Cost Prospective Payment Program.

The Board approved an amendment to an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) subrecipient agreement with Shelter House for eviction diversion services.

The Board issued a proclamation in honor of Direct Support Professional Recognition Day, Oct. 26.

Next meeting: The Board’s next formal session is at 9 a.m. Nov. 2.