Supervisors approve Southtown speed limits, consider Riverside pipeline

By Mary Zielinski
Posted 1/31/25

WASHINGTON

For Washington County Supervisors Tuesday, main business concerned eight personnel changes, agreeing to changes in speed limits for Kalona’s Southtown and the incorporated area of …

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Supervisors approve Southtown speed limits, consider Riverside pipeline

Posted

WASHINGTON

For Washington County Supervisors Tuesday, main business concerned eight personnel changes, agreeing to changes in speed limits for Kalona’s Southtown and the incorporated area of Richmond, and hiring a county inspector for a proposed natural gas pipeline.

The personnel changes for the Washington County Ambulance Services followed a brief quarterly report from Director Jordan Wright noting that the department is on target to meet its estimated revenue. Revenue for the quarter was $712,000, an increase of $190,000 from the previous quarter. Answering a question about the busiest time for the service, he noted it was about 6 p.m. each Thursday, and of a total of 734 calls, 70%, were for transport.

Approved personnel changes were Jake Peterson, EMT/Coder, changed from $25.94 to $27.80 hourly, effective February 5; Chad Scarff, paramedic, casual part-time, $38.11 per hour (Wright noted that in 2016 Scarff had hired Wright in Iowa City), effective January 28; Justin Boecker, paramedic, $33.78 hourly, effective January 24; and Wes Love, paramedic, $38.11 hourly, effective January 26.

Other personnel items included termination for Cindy Rico Chavez, environmental health specialist, who resigned December 23, 2024; Chandler Harsher, engineering summer intern, to end August 31; Angela Langstraat, auditor office election administrator; Shelby Hill, Public Heath, who left to a “better opportunity.”

In approving the resolution to change speed limits around Southtown and Richmond, the board noted the investigation by the county engineer’s office of the roadways in both Kalona’s annexed Southtown area and the unincorporated town of Richmond, approving changes from 55mph to 35 and 25 mph in Richmond and from 55 mph to 45 mph for 133rd Street from Highway 1 east to Nutmeg Avenue. The changes and enforcement will come after the appropriate mileage signs are installed in the areas.

County Engineer Jacob Thorius explained that the City of Kalona and the county are cooperating, noting that with the development of Southtown, traffic has increased in the area. The study, which also had input from the sheriff’s department, also found many drivers regularly exceeding the statutory 55 mph limit.

The main discussion came regarding the proposed MidAmerican Energy Company natural gas pipeline between Ainsworth and Riverside with a presentation from ISG, Inc, on its proposed inspection services. Such a service is mandated by Iowa code. The county has been used IGS services. The range of services were detailed by ISG project manager Tiffany Kruizenga, who stressed that ISG also assists the landowners affected by the planned pipeline, overseeing a wide range of project aspects including drainage tile repairs, soil erosion and more.

The board approved designating ISG as its inspector for the project which is expected to begin this year. The county will be reimbursed by MidAmerican for the inspection service with payment made to ISG after the reimbursement.

In other business, the board deferred the report from PAWS & More to next week, due to the director's jury duty service; received an update on the renovation plans for the courthouse, plans for which can be reviewed in the supervisors’ office; and were told by supervisor Marcus Fedler that costs are within budget. They learned that there had been six bids for the renovation work, including from Woodruff Construction, who has been involved with the Orchard Hill project. The board approved having Carl A. Nelson draft the contracts. Work is expected to be done this year.

Washington County Board of Supervisors, Washington, Iowa, Southtown, Kalona, speed limit, gas pipeline, Riverside, personnel