PROCEEDINGS OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2024
At 10:00 a.m. Chairperson Richard Young called to order in regular session a meeting of the Washington County Board of Supervisors which took place in the Washington County Courthouse. Items on the agenda included the following: Pledge of Allegiance; approval of agenda; public comment related to agenda items; personnel change requests – Communications; Resolution 24-33 related to the release of road right-of-way in Section 24, Township 74 N, Range 7 W along Fern Cliff Road; discussion and action regarding establishment of a Secondary Road Assessment District for a portion of 140th Street from Vine Avenue east approximately 4,000 feet; personnel change request – Ambulance; Quarterly Report – Ambulance; discussion and action regarding various job descriptions – Ambulance; discussion and action regarding quote(s) for new ambulance; department head comment; adjourn. Supervisors Bob Yoder, Jack Seward, Marcus Fedler, and Stan Stoops were also present.
Other individuals in attendance included Kalen McCain with the SE Iowa Union along with County Attorney Nathan Repp, Board of Supervisors Administrative Assistant Amber Williams, Ambulance Director Jordan Wright, Communications Supervisor Cara Sorrells, and County Engineer Jacob Thorius along with citizens Charla Howard and Kathy Colbert. Various other individuals listened and/or watched remotely by way of electronic means.
Young led the individuals assembled in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
All motions were passed unanimously unless noted otherwise.
On motion by Stoops, seconded by Yoder, the Board voted to approve the agenda as published.
Citizen Charla Howard provided background information and clarification with regard to the need for Board approval of Resolution 24-33. Citizen Kathy Colbert voiced opposition to any type of a Secondary Road Assessment District for a portion of 140th Street from Vine Avenue east approximately 4,000 feet.
On motion by Seward, seconded by Fedler, the Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chairperson to sign, a personnel change request from Communications for the hiring of Shannon Tong Van as a non-exempt full-time Dispatcher at the rate of $24.18/hr. for 1st shift, $24.53/hr. for 2nd shift, and $24.68/hr. for 3rd shift effective November 4, 2024. It was also noted that effective November 4, 2025, the rate of pay for Tong Van will increase to $25.33/hr. for 1st shift, $25.68/hr. for 2nd shift, and $25.83/hr. for 3rd shift as a result of Ton Van’s anticipated 1 year employment anniversary.
On motion by Fedler, seconded by Stoops, the Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chairperson to sign, a personnel change request from Communications for the hiring of Rendee Campbell as a non-exempt part-time Dispatcher at the rate of $24.18/hr. for 1st shift, $24.53/hr. for 2nd shift, and $24.68/hr. for 3rd shift effective October 31, 2024. It was also noted that effective October 31, 2025, the rate of pay for Campbell will increase to $25.33/hr. for 1st shift, $25.68/hr. for 2nd shift, and $25.83/hr. for 3rd shift as a result of Campbell’s anticipated 1 year employment anniversary.
On motion by Fedler, seconded by Seward, the Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chairperson to sign, a personnel change request from Communications for the hiring of Laura McDowell as a non-exempt full-time Dispatcher at the rate of $24.18/hr. for 1st shift, $24.53/hr. for 2nd shift, and $24.68/hr. for 3rd shift effective October 30, 2024. It was also noted that effective October 30, 2025, the rate of pay for McDowell will increase to $25.33/hr. for 1st shift, $25.68/hr. for 2nd shift, and $25.83/hr. for 3rd shift as a result of McDowell’s anticipated 1 year employment anniversary.
The Board took up discussion involving the release of right-of-way property located on Fern Cliff Road. Yoder opined that since the County paid the landowner when the right-of way property was acquired approximately 30 years ago it was only reasonable to expect the present landowner(s) to pay the county. On motion by Fedler, seconded by Stoops, the Board voted by way of roll call vote to approve Resolution 24-33 as follows and to authorize the Chairperson to sign Resolution 24-33 on behalf of the Board. The vote on the motion was follows: Aye-Young, Seward, Fedler, Stoops: Nay-Yoder
RESOLUTION NO. 24-33
RELEASE OF HIGHWAY EASEMENT
[For real estate located in Section 24, Township 74 North, Range 7 West]
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of Washington County, Iowa that Washington County no longer has need of the following described road easement and does RELEASE and ABANDON to:
Michael D. & Sherry Pategas
all of Washington County’s interest in the easement as shown on the attached plat located in the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 24, Township 74 North, Range 7 West, Washington County, Iowa and more particularly described as follows:
Being a part of the existing right of way for Fern Cliff Road in Auditor Parcel C as is recorded in Plat Book 15 on page 176 in the office of the Washington County Recorder, located in the Southeast 1/4 of the Southwest 1/4 of Section 24, Township 74 North, Range 7 West of the 5th P.M., Washington County, Iowa and is described as:
Commencing at the Southwest corner of said Section 24; thence N 88°46’35” E along the South line of the Southwest 1/4 of said Section 24, a distance of 2170.76 feet to a found concrete monument as a PI Station 127+79.43 of a 954.93 foot radius curve; thence N 09°30’55” E along tangent line of said curve and the centerline of Fern Cliff Road, a distance of 891.87 feet to the Northeast corner of Auditor Parcel E as is recorded in Plat Book 15 on page 176 in the office of the Washington County Recorder; thence S 88°46’40” W along the North line of said Auditor Parcel E, a distance of 101.78 feet to a point on the Westerly right of way line of said Fern Cliff Road; thence S 09°30’55” W along said Westerly right of way line, a distance of 81.03 feet to the Point of Beginning; thence Southerly 131.62 feet along the arc of a 854.93 foot radius curve, concave Westerly, whose 131.49 foot chord bears S 13°51’24” W; thence N 71°43’59” W, a distance of 60.00 feet to a point on said Westerly right of way; thence Northerly along said Westerly right of way 122.38 feet along the arc of a 794.93 feet, concave Westerly, whose 122.26 foot chord bears N 13°51’24” E; thence S 80°33’14” E along said Westerly right of way, a distance of 60.00 feet to the Pont of Beginning containing 0.175 acre.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of Washington County, that the easement described above is now released and the above-described property is to be transferred to the named individuals on the corresponding Quit Claim Deed for no consideration of said property.
Thorius presented information regarding the possible establishment of a Secondary Roads Assessment District for a portion of 140th Street from Vine Avenue eastward approximately 4,000 feet. According to the wording contained in the document property owners along the affected portion of 140th Street would pay 50% of the cost in 10 equal payments over 10 years at 0% interest with the County paying the other 50%. Thorius explained that the funding terms contained in the citizen’s petition as presented to the Board could be modified. He also clarified that he was not necessarily expecting an immediate Board decision but instead was seeking to renew conversation in the hope that the Board would reach a decision soon regarding the matter. Seward expressed that the petition should not receive Board approval due to what he described as a lack of public support. Young expressed his lack of support for the proposal and opined that individuals who purchased property within the affected area were aware, or should have been aware, that y that the property was accessed only by way of gravel roads and they should not now expect the cost of improvements to be financed by the County. On motion by Fedler, seconded by Seward, the Board voted to reject the establishment of a Secondary Roads Assessment District and to authorize the Chairperson to sign relevant documents on behalf of the Board.
On motion by Fedler, seconded by Stoops, the Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chairperson to sign, a personnel change request from Washington County Ambulance Services for Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Dan Stigers whose final day of employment occurred October 27, 2024.
Ambulance Director Jordan Wright provided the Washington County Ambulance Quarterly Report. The report listed a total of 646 calls which included 425 actual patient transports. Wright stated that presently due to call volume the addition of another 24-hour ambulance at the Kalona facility is not justified. On motion by Stoops, seconded by Seward, the Board voted to acknowledge the Ambulance Quarterly Report for the 1st quarter of FY25. The complete report is available in the office of the Washington County Auditor.
Wright provided two job descriptions for the Supervisors to review which included “Billing Office Manager” and “Billing Coder”. While there are no present plans to fill each position Wright stated that he wanted to have the job descriptions available should someone with the applicable skill became available for hire. The Board took no formal action.
Wright shared that one of the current ambulance vehicles will soon reach the point where a remount will be needed while another ambulance needed to be completely replaced. Wright recommended a remount be performed by Life Line Emergency Vehicles whose bid of $264,228.00 was the low bid. Wright also recommended acceptance of the low bid received from Foster Coaches in the amount of $384,000.00, for a new ambulance. On motion by Seward, seconded by Fedler, the Board voted to authorize the Washington County Ambulance Director to begin negotiations for a remount from Life Line Emergency Vehicles as well as a new Ambulance from Foster Coaches.
There was no department head comment.
At 11:10 a.m. on motion by Yoder, seconded by Fedler, the Board voted to adjourn.
ATTEST:S/DANIEL L. WIDMER, County Auditor
Published in The News, Thursday, January 9, 2025 L-302
