Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

Good morning, everybody. It's Tuesday, July 28, 2026. My name is Don Smiker. I'm a College of Jackson County Board of Supervisors meeting to order. To my left, I have Mike Stein. Good morning. To my right, I have Nan Flagler. Bjorn from IT. Lisa from the Auditors. First up is Visitors and Citizens. Anybody online or in present in the gallery would like to address the board today? I see we have Michael Miller back and Brittany is from the Press is online. So Hearing none, we'll move on to Becca Fuva from the Zoning Administration. Good morning. Good morning.

This morning, I am proposing a resolution regarding a temporary moratorium on high-density computing and data processing facilities. I'm not asking the board to take formal action on the resolution today. I wanted to introduce it, explain what is being proposed, and give you an opportunity to review it. before I bring it back for consideration and possible adoption next week. The county's current moratorium was established by resolution number 1142-09-09-2025 and is scheduled to expire on August 31, 2026. The proposed resolution would continue that moratorium without interruption, update the terminology, and expand its scope to cover the broader range of high density computing and data processing facilities that the zoning commission is currently reviewing. The draft ordinance is substantially developed, but there is still important work to complete. We need additional legal, technical, departmental, and agency review on matters such as noise and vibration, cooling systems and water use, groundwater and curse protection, backup generators, emergency response, road impacts, setbacks, decommissioning, financial assurance, ownership transfers, inspection authority, and enforcement. After review with the county attorney's office, the proposed duration would be one year after signing. The moratorium would end sooner if a final county ordinance becomes effective before that date and the board would retain the authority to terminate it earlier. The proposed resolution also clarifies that the moratorium applies only in unincorporated Jackson County and only to approvals within the county's jurisdiction. It would not apply to ordinary office computers, accessory server rooms, telecommunications equipment, or similar technology that is subordinate to another principal use. The resolution has also been revised to directly reference the current moratorium resolution and to make clear that the moratorium would continue without interruption. I would like to bring it back next week for formal consideration and possible adoption after you have had the opportunity to read through it and raise any questions or requested changes.

Basically, you changed the date on the last one you signed?

For the most part. The last one you signed?

The last one. Moratorium. Moratorium resolution.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yes.

So just kind of an update here. So we are gathering information still. I mean, I have... come back from base camp or other counties that participate and weigh in on it, if you will. We're still learning. So we've gathered some good information, something that, oh, well, maybe I never thought of that. So we are working on it, of course. And like you said, the municipalities are separate from us. So I don't know how close we are to rewriting our current draft. and such um things like that and last week we had something out of base camp and camera and whatever all entailed it was kind of interesting a couple items that we never really thought of but uh right um yeah we're still working on it so i do the information is coming in a lot more now through base camp and they've set up a specific um the county's awning base camp um

specific just for data centers. And so then they're just kind of weighing in on that. There's been representatives that have gone to the National Association, and there was a lot of information that came out of that.

Yeah. No, I mean, so again, it's very complex, but every day, if you want to read an article, you can open the paper and read an article.

to write an ordinance for something that's constantly changing and be like map in the desert right now you can't do it it's only just a snapshot yeah we don't want to jump and have ours go into effect before we're 100 ready and we know all the different you know there's avenues it's anything new we've We've got to learn all about it and make sure we're hitting all the avenues that we need to to protect our citizens.

And definitely everything that comes through, then we get more research and look into it and see if it would be pregnant.

So can you tell me, are we any closer to changing our draft as we have currently?

Our draft, the way it looks now, is... It just needs some final.

Right.

The way it seems.

I agree. And I've had people from the public weigh in on that. And I've sent them to the county site to read them. He said, you are leaps and bounds ahead of most people.

I appreciate that very much. And just changing some certain things. But yeah, substantially, I'd say the zoning commission has worked really hard.

Yeah. And I appreciate that very much. So very good.

Yeah. You've done a great job.

All right. We'll look that over and I guess bring it back. Anything else?

One other thing. I wanted to briefly update you on a utility scale solar tour that I attended on June 16th at the Rock Creek Rock Creek Solar Farm in Clinton County. The tour was organized through Iowa State University's Iowa R-STEP program with Todd Bowman from the Center for Rural Affairs helping bring the group together. NextEra representatives led the tour along with several contractors working at the site. There was a good mix of people in attendance, including Clinton County Supervisor Jim Irwin, a representative of Farm for Power, Ben Davison with Jackson County Energy and staff from Johnson County Canyon Zoning to point out a few. The next era of representatives and the contractors who answered their questions appeared to understand that these projects affect nearby residents and indicated that they try to address concerns and minimize impacts where they reasonably can. The tour gave me a much better real world reference point as we continue evaluating utility scale solar regulations and potential projects in Jackson County. So that will be the next ordinance that we start on either in August or September will be done.

We're doing our best, but it don't happen overnight either. Then you'll cap it off after that with battery storage? Yes. Wow. Yes.

Yeah. They might kind of run simultaneously because they're kind of very similar, but yeah.

What's the next animal we don't know about yet?

And then, yeah, there'll be something after that for sure.

Awesome. Well, appreciate the work they're doing. They really do. They stick with it and come up with it. I know it pays well, but we appreciate the work they do. Getting better and better. Perfect.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Have a good night.

Next up, we have Elizabeth Townsend with the Environmental Health Director for Departmental. Good morning. How are we doing?

Do you guys want copies of it? You have a copy. If you don't, that's okay.

Well, you already got printed off. Thank you.

Okay, so on July 12th, the new revisions to the Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 69 went through. I haven't had a chance to review the revisions, and the DNR has a meeting set for the sanitarians across Iowa today. just so that they can give us their full interpretation of the new revisions and what they would mean for us. So I did put a few kind of baselines in there. I do know that it's going to have some revisions for the time of transfer inspections, the VTS systems, so that's proprietary treatment systems. We've been calling those like ATUs, but they've changed the the name for that, and then some flow equalization. So I know some of like the soil, some soil absorption bed sizes have changed for certain systems. So I'll be getting more information on that today. GIS mapping and digital records. So currently what we do for our mapping for our septic systems is pre-archaic. So I go out to a site do an inspection and try to draw up a map to the best sustainability. Or we have the contractor put the map together and send it to us. And we get quite a few map requests and they just, they look like a kindergartner drew them. So I met with a company called Traverse PC And they have a company out of Sweden where they have partnered with to, it's a GPS piece of equipment. So it's very modernized. It works well with Trivers PC. And then you go out to the site, GPS everything, the well, and then it puts a really nice map together for you. And it can be put on the beacon layer. It just looks really professional. And I feel like what people are paying for their permits and what, you know, us as a county that we should be providing them with a map of their septic system that is very accurate. We do have an older piece of equipment that could be used, but it's several years old. And when I spoke with the Traverse BC, they said that it would be more difficult it's maybe getting close to like 10 years old.

I remember when we got that. I don't know that it ever come out of the box, to be honest.

I think it did. I think on the previous administration prior to me, there was some, they did some mapping over it, like the leisure lake or something like that. So it was like used for wells. I think they had an interim that may have used it. I had tried to go in and like figure out how to use it, but I couldn't, there was no manual for it. And to use it with the technology that's out there.

I remember last year. there was something missing from it.

Yeah, there's something not right. I tried contacting the company and I was like, you know, we need to have something like with our wells and the septic just so we know exactly where everything is.

So are you talking just specifically on new systems to mapping and stuff like that? Because I've seen a lot of them, old ones back from the 70s when they draw the picture and the tanks here and the

Yes, that's how they still are. I know. And it's like we try to tie the measurement off of a building or this or that, but that stuff changes over time. People tear buildings down or they add additions on and it's like sometimes you just can't find things.

So this is interesting because in, and I'll bring this up, but And if you walk in, you just kind of walk around and it, it will, that's exactly what it will draw this diagram for you. And, and basically walk you through the house without saying a word. And it's just like, it was documented.

Yeah. So, so basically what it is, is we'd be purchasing Trevor's PC with this piece of equipment that they've partnered with from Sweden. So it's a very modern piece of technology. And again, so basically I would go out to the site and, We have some revisions in our new ordinance. So like if a site is somewhat covered up by the time I get out there for the inspection, they'll be required to have markers at every point of that leach field so that I can still go through and GIS everything. so like you go ahead so this is just like a apple no so this is on this is what i'm talking about like oh it's amazing so traverse pc is um it's an online it's a platform but then you purchase the equipment to go with it so okay well i'm just saying when we

that's used in the industry.

This is the most, this is going to be the most accurate. For how long? Traverse PC has been around for a long time. So like when, so I'll just give you an example. So like when you go and get like, like a survey done, you know what those maps look like. This is going to look like that. So it's like $1,000 a year. We do have to do a purchase of the equipment, which is anywhere, depending on which one you want. And we will be getting a basic one. They range anywhere from like $2,000 to like $5,000. So we would be getting a more basic one around like $3,000. So I've looked at lots of different companies. This is the best one that I've seen. I've met with them. I'm really impressed. There is a learning curve to the... to the portal and all that, but they've got assistance.

It's a leach field and stuff all being marked out and stuff. You go out and you map it. Do the people get a notice that, hey, you can pull the sticks out at some point?

So, yeah, I would give them a notice. There you go. Or the owner would be responsible to pull them out.

Interesting. Yeah. We were always going to put a layer on the GIS where the septics are, where the wells are, you know.

Yeah.

That's all we're contrived with also.

Yeah. So it's just kind of there's a lot more to it than just throwing a layer on there. So, yeah, we would start with this. And then once we have that traverse PC and start doing it, then we can build that layer and have that on there. So it should be helpful for us contractors, homeowners. real estate. I think that, you know, just to kind of see where stuff is, it'd be helpful for our zoning administration so that, you know, when they go to issue a permit, maybe I don't even need to do a review at that point. They can simply measure to see what their setbacks are. So I think it would be really helpful.

So honestly, I would like to see some of these that were done. You know, I mean, I don't know if other counties are using them. Of course, I don't want to be the guinea pig, but I don't want to.

No, we're not that. There are other counties in Iowa that use this. And there's some of the ones that do have that GIS layer with the septic and well.

Do you know, can you send us, I'm not asking you to recall it right off the top of your head, but could you maybe send us some information? Then we can go out and look and see.

Yeah, I mean, do you want, am I needing like approval to purchase this? Or, I mean, it's like going to be under $4,000.

Is it in your, I don't know, is it in your budget? Do you got money for it?

Yes. It's not in my budget, but we have money for it.

I don't have a problem with that. If it's on the up and up and all that, I'd like to see a version of it.

I can send you like what it would look like, and I can send them, I can ask them which other counties are using it.

Good.

Because if this is an open, in a video of it or something?

So some of them have a video. We're not buying the one with the video. So you purchase the Traverse PC. It gives you the platform. You can do all sorts of stuff on there more than just this GIS mapping on it. But that's why we are purchasing it. And then you get the equipment and you go out and it goes to your traverse pc and then you can go in and do all sorts of stuff so you can even go as far as doing design for a septic system um but i don't think we're gonna be doing anything like that but if we needed to we could we could say this is where it's going to go this is like the proposed area to a t so this basically this piece of equipment will give you the

I'm going to say GPS location.

Yeah, it's just the GPS equipment.

So you're getting the Traverse PC, it's $1,000 a year, and then you're buying this equipment.

It's like they have several different versions of it. One of them does have a camera, which is more expensive. But when I met with them, they're like, you don't really need that, and it'll make it more complicated. I mean, we could purchase that, but I think that... I mean, this is a big step up for us just with the smaller piece of equipment. So, but I will get that information for you and send it over, but I haven't made the purchase yet. And I met with them maybe like three weeks ago, but I would like to move forward with it. virtual inspection. So we've started our virtual inspection program. I've only sent out maybe a handful of these inspections to our contractors. They The company that we got for the platform, they initially like put the inspection together for us based off of our inspection list that we have. And it just was not working well. So I was what I'm doing is I'm sending it to the contractors, asking them to complete it and then give me feedback. So like the first four that went out, they weren't. They were confused. They were like not filling out while they were there. They were like trying to upload information and pictures afterwards. And I'm like, no, you got to read the instructions. And so then, you know, they're like, well, there's a lot of questions and they're all mixed up. And we tried combining multiple types of inspections into one to make it easier. And that didn't work. So I went in and the last one we did was for a sand filter inspection and I changed it to make it primarily photographs. So we're asking them to take pictures of each component as they do the install because otherwise I would have to stand out there for two days and watch them to get a full view of what's actually being installed. Um, so the last one with the photographs worked well. Um, I did have a meeting with the company yesterday. They have a new, um, I guess I would say like person that's there to assist me if needed. And he's very good. He's very interested in what we're doing and he's going to sit down with me sometime after the 7th and we're going to really put something good together that's a little bit better than what I have. because i told him that we were kind of running this as like a pilot for the dnr over the next year or two um so he's going to help we're going to continue to make improvements on it and hopefully by next year it would be something that's better than what it is but these are again this is something nobody else has so we're just kind of sell rights to it is that what you're saying i don't know it's like stole my idea yeah if we're working with the dnr i appreciate yeah yeah Our soil evaluation program, so I've kind of cut back on doing the evaluations. We purchased the equipment last year through our grant program, the private well grant. And I've tried really hard to kind of keep up with it, but it's extremely time consuming for one thing. So initially I was like, oh, I'll go out and do a test and it'll be fine. But the soil testing can take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to complete. Initially, we were thinking we were going to get this hydraulic machine, which all of a sudden we couldn't get. So here I am still pounding a post into the ground. Sometimes I'm running across situations where I can't pound the post in properly. So it's just kind of not working the way I was hoping. And again, time consuming. I've had a lot of people after me like, when are you going to get out to my property? And I have to explain to them, well, there's either weather delays or I'm backlogged and can't get out there. So I've kind of pushed it back towards our soil scientists that were doing it previously. It doesn't mean that we still can't do them. Soil reports are generally good for one year. So like if we had a soil analysis completed by a third party company and the owner did not get the chance to get anything completed yet, like I would be willing possibly to go out and do that evaluation for them. We already know we've had an evaluation there, but they would just need that second one. So that's kind of where we're at. Like I said, I'm kind of bummed at what's kind of a nice revenue coming in for us, but I don't know that I was able to, I don't know I've fully been able to provide the service the way that I wanted to without that hydraulic machine. So anybody disappointed like I am, or you guys don't care, maybe?

I was expecting to see you fly around with that, holding onto that drill. Well, we just took a picture.

Um, okay. So then our private well grant, I think I might've told you guys the last time. So maybe not actually. So, um, there we, so we just wrapped up our last year. I'm actually wrapping up this week. It needs to be submitted in by the end of the month here. Um, we spent almost all of the money except for like $250. So we did really well. So we, we went through $65,000 last year. It was, it was quite a bit.

Um, Because we spent our money plus some.

Yeah, so we spent our money, which was like $45,000, and then we asked for an additional $20,000. So we used almost everything. When we got our contract back for this year, there was an obvious... large reduction in the amount. So the last few years, historically, it's been between 40 and like 50,000 and now it's down to $30,000. They did the contract for like three years. So for the next three years, we're only going to be getting $30,000. After that, it basically says that we have, we don't know if we're going to get anything. So I don't know if they're like phasing it out or what's going on, but I guess with that reduction, I've kind of made, I tried to go make some changes. So I wanted to focus on our PFAS testing because the Mississippi River was found to for sure have that forever chemical in it. So I wanted to do testing along the river there and see whose wells might be contaminated. So I had sent out newspaper ads saying that we were making changes to what we were doing with the grant funds this year. And then I had a meeting with the DNR and we were like one of like five counties selected for this other grant that covers PFAS. So this other grant that the DNR got received is a million dollar grant. They're still waiting for their work plan to be approved. but we would be able to test up to 25 wells in the county. And if they come back positive for PFAS, the DNR would pay for those individuals to get a reverse osmosis to treat that PFAS. So I asked them, I said, I asked the HHS, I said, do you want me to like not do the PFAS testing? And it sounds like they want us to kind of hold off on it and allow this other grant to cover it. But with just 25 wells, I mean, I'd still like to get more information on which wells are contaminated out there. So I will still do the PFAS testing through the private well grant, but I'm not going to restrict it just to that. But because of the reduced amount of funds that we're getting for the private well grant, we are going to limit it to not anybody and everybody just getting a free water test. So on the website, we're very specific about which wells are eligible. And why?

So will we still do water testing for a fee?

Yeah, so there's a $40 fee. So if anybody wants just a regular annual test, they can pay us a $40 fee or they can go to the local laboratory or they can contact the state hygienic lab. Our fee is very good. I mean, we pay $25 for a test kit and we're charging $40. So that's our time to go out there and collect the samples or gas. I mean, it usually takes, I would say, anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to go out and do a water test, a single one. And then there's obviously the clerical end of it because we still enter that into our DNR database. I know that Africa without our expenses.

That's for sure.

But yeah, I mean, honestly, it should be more like if you go somewhere else, like it could be $100 to have somebody come and test your water. So we're doing it very inexpensively. And as soon as I made that change, we still have people calling in and they're willing to pay that fee. deal yeah I think if we you know get through the grant year or we're getting like you know at the end of the quarter we're like oh we're not spending enough money then you know we could do something like open up a month to anybody if they want the test they can um we can go out and do them so we're just going to kind of wait play it by ear because I don't want to go through that money too quickly like I still want well-read constructions and and things like that to be available for people Other than that, I mean, that's kind of all. I mean, we've just been busy with our regular day-to-day inspections, working with the zoning administration on even builds. And so really it's just this year has been kind of dedicated to trying to continue to make improvements and efficiency to the department.

So there's revision to the code.

the separation distance is going to be any indication of what they're doing there as far as time of transfer and so I mean they this came out at just like the worst time this is like our busiest time and I have not it came out on the 12th I haven't even had a chance to look at it they've moved some of the stuff from this code to another code so it's not even in there so I'm not even sure which other code it's moved to So that's why I was kind of waiting for the DNR to sit down and give me their interpretation of this and what they would like us to do.

So that is effective, though. So it is effective. Okay. If we do a TOT at this point, we'll be denied by the new revisions, which we don't know what they are.

Not yet. But we haven't had any TOTs come through yet, so... today and the separation distance is interesting too i mean yeah i mean we've had so it's going to be less i do know that um and i know that we've had some properties um up in bellevue and some of those subdivisions up there that we've really just had some issues with and i think min can you know she wants to speak to that but um where we're just struggling to fit systems in without variants. So luckily, the new revisions are going to make it a little bit easier.

When you get them figured out, just open them up.

But yeah, once I know everything, if you guys have any questions, please feel free to reach out. One last thing, the Board of Health approved last Tuesday, the new revised ordinance that we have for our onsite wastewater. so this is i don't want to say revised it's a new one so we're getting rid of our 250 and 88 that are still out there um this will be taking its place so i plan on bringing that to you guys by september 8th um so i just have to go through that process together are you talking to greywater or what are you talking about so this is our ordinance so we currently we're following um ordinance 250 And it's older. I think it was back from like the Frank days. And there's just been so many changes. Like we've gone through two code revisions since then. And so this just aligns a little bit better with like what the state is doing. And then it kind of puts some more stuff in there with like our virtual inspections that were already approved by the DNR and the state attorney. add some other things in there for just locating septic systems and making it a little bit easier. It talks about our mapping, making that more clear about what we're looking for. So it's much better than what it was. So I'll be bringing that to you guys. I will send you copies of that so you can review it before the 8th. And if you guys have any questions or anything, please feel free to reach out.

We'll do.

And again, we're trying to work really hard with a couple residents up in the Bellevue area that I feel really bad that one couple just bought a place recently and found out that their septic is bad and back from wells to septics.

So this is just so you guys, so this is a subdivision that is south of the Dressler subdivision. Okay. So they, so in the Dressler and Spruce area, we did the water project last year that was completed before they completed everything. The water was offered to the subdivision south of them, but it was going to be at their own expense. Nobody wants to pay for it. So I would like to really push for them to go on the iris water system even though they don't want to it's just going to be the best long-term um uh plan for all all of them up there um and for us but um so that's kind of like the discussion that the board of health had it was talking about the water um and the capability to you know there's no currently there's no capability for them to annex into the city but there is the So I don't know where the Board of Health will go with that. I don't even know if we can force them to go on other than if we plug the wells or something like that.

Well, if they go on, the wells would have to be plugged.

Yeah. But we talked about different alternatives. But as it stands right now, we're looking at variances. Which is not ideal.

There was a large contribution from USDA and the other programs, so I don't know if anything like that's available. Again, they should have included the older part of that south division there. I mean, we met with these people.

Originally, they were asked, and nobody really wanted to, and then later on, a few people kind of... stressed interest in it and at that point it was too late yes and they were basically told that it would have to be at their own they could go on but it would have to be at their own expense because the grant and all that was already done yeah um i know there is at the very there's like a row of houses just north of um offshore

And the majority of those are on shared wells. And I know that there's been some plans for new construction over there. And they are not going to meet setbacks. And the Board of Health has already said that they're not going to give variances for new builds on these smaller lots. I think what we were looking at with those other houses was the exception was... it's an existing structure that they purchased and, you know, want to live there. So they don't, it's not like they're tearing it down and want to build some big house right there. So anyway, those houses just north of Dressler's that bump up to that property line, I'm going to say that they should probably go on the city water. I mean, they're on an older shared well and I just don't know.

You still have to have a right of way to come through from the south to get there, correct?

So they would come for the iris water. They would just come in from the west, I believe, because it's right there. I'm trying to think where it bumps. um it's coming in off of the where we're still on 395th though where secondary roads is going to be going in and making that right it's going to be right in over there yeah so then they'd have to go east and back north correct and again these setbacks are important because you obviously don't want systems right and i did reach out to and then was on some of these emails um but when i reached out to iris i was like hey what's going to be the cost for these people to connect to this water system and you know they didn't really give a full answer but i do recall it being around twenty thousand dollars maybe ten to twenty thousand dollars per connection so i mean it's going to be close to or less than if they had to drill a new well, because that was another question. Somebody was like, well, can I drill a new well if I need to? Well, probably not. Like, I don't know that the board is going to approve any new wells being drilled out there just because of the circumstances. But anyway, it's still just kind of in the phase of lots of discussion. There's currently, you know, the review of possible variances. But a lot of fun.

Very much.

Thank you. Have a good day.

Next up, we have Becky Chapin of Human Resources. How are we doing today?

I'm good. How are you guys? Good morning. You coordinated outfits today, I see. Both of you. You got the memo.

No, what up?

Okay, I just had one quick thing for you today. So because we are a public body that maintains a self-insured health care plan for our employees, we are required to file an annual certification and financial summary with the Iowa Division of Insurance, which is also required to be completed by a third-party actuary. We can't just attest to them ourselves that our funds are solvent, so we have to give all the information to an actuary. They have to develop all the information that goes to the insurance commissioner. We had a contract with Nihart to perform these services that expired after fiscal year 25 reporting requirements. So I'm here today to ask for a motion to approve a new two-year agreement with Nihart to provide 509A actuarial certifications for fiscal years 26 and 27 in the amount of $3,100, including authorizing the chair to sign the agreements. I would make that motion.

I have a second. I've got a motion by Nan, second by Mike, to approve motion of a new two-year agreement with NYHR to approve 509A actuarial certifications for FY26 and 27 in the amount of $3,100 in approved chair and auditor signature. Any other discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed? Motion carried. All right.

Thank you.

Yep.

That's all I have. All right.

All right. Any questions for Becky? No. All right. Jayden Shackle with the County Engineer's Office.

Good morning. First thing on the agenda. on the east right-of-way of 418th Avenue in the Van Buren Township, Section 29. Since it's right at the edge of the right-of-way and they're boring, our department sees no issues, so we recommend approval. So moved.

I would second.

Got a motion by Mike, seconded by Nan to approve a utility right-of-way permit for Mediacom Underground Fiber Boring on 418th Avenue, Van Buren Township, Section 29. Any other discussion? Aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries.

Next is another underground fiber boring. This time is for Windstream. It is along Seaverding Ridge Road in the Bellevue Township of Section 13. Just as it leaves, most of the work is occurring in the city of Bellevue, city limits, but it will extend just to the west city limits along Seaverding Ridge Road into our county portion. And it's really as it goes. are familiar with the area. So they are proposing to bore at the edge of the existing east right-of-way, which I see no issues with. The only thing is given the terrain and the no-shoulder existence of that roadway, permit that they shall be required to perform the appropriate traffic control measures in accordance with the Iowa DOT traffic control standards so whether it's limited to a one lane closure and signed appropriately or whatnot just so that way I know they should be working off in the ditch but there's again there's no shoulder so for one of their trucks or equipment's parked in the lane just knowing the limited sight distance and everything with that

And then they're going under again when they get to the top? Is that where they're going? No. I think to an existing hand hole they have. Okay. Okay. And that's where the riprap situation was a couple years ago or a year ago? Mm-hmm. They're going under? Mm-hmm.

Do we have a minimum depth that they have to go?

I want to say it's 36 inches. FOR ALL UNDERGROUND COMMUNICATION. 30 INCHES FOR COMMUNICATION CABLES.

I WISH I'M NOT GOING UP THAT HILL.

IT'S GOING TO BE NOTHING BUT BLUFF.

I MOTION TO APPROVE.

I WOULD SECOND. I'VE GOT A MOTION BY NIN, SECOND BY MIKE, TO APPROVE A RIDAWAY UTILITY PERMIT FOR WINDSTREAM UNDERGROUND FOR UNDERGROUND FIBER BELVIEW TOWNSHIP SECTION 13 SEVERING REACH. Any other discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries.

Last but not least is a right-of-way purchase agreement for our upcoming bridge replacement on 189th Street on DOT project number BROS-C049-102-HA-49. So this is currently on the December letting. This is with our federal aid bridge replacement money. But in order for that bridge to be replaced, it's obviously going to be a longer bridge, but then also the grading, which is pretty common with most of our projects like this, of this magnitude. So this is the purchase agreement for permanent easement for said project. It covers a little over half an acre, 0.52 acres with the total price for the easement of $2,915. And it's just one landowner only.

How do you come up with that valuation? Are they priced? Seems reasonable for half an acre.

Yeah, there is an appraisal process that goes through where we find comparables. It goes through the comparable sales of the area of like, for example, a year ago we had a channel worth, all that was floodplain. So there was a comparable sale within a floodplain, you know, cause that is reduced the amount of cost per acre. This one's not. plan, I don't believe. But there is a process I can send you.

No, that's fine.

I mean, I thought it was reasonable.

I would make a motion to approve.

I would second that.

Got a motion by Mike Segenbein to approve and address your signature on the right-of-way purchase of 0.52 acres for the 189th Street Bridge Replacement Bridge Project BROS-CO49 from Clifford Nielsen and Cheryl Nielsen Revocable Trust for $2,915. Any other discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries.

So then with that, then once the check gets issued, we have all the easement already prepared that will be recorded for such. to that. Updates? Yes, let's see. Bernard Road is very nice. It is, yeah. That's quite the improvement. They are working on, they just, they're paving the shoulders yet on the north end of the project towards Moorheads and Crabtown Bridge. I don't know if they're, probably wait till tomorrow because with Moorheads access, they got to do it in phases, do part of it. Once that cures, you can drive on it and then they do the remaining half. So they're finishing up that. Next week for Bernardo Road, they're planning on doing all the core out and pavement put back for the intersection with where it intersects E17. It won't get into E17, but as Bernardo Road approaches at the intersection with the radiuses, work on that next week. There's the Chevron signs will start going up on the curves either this week or next. There's a culvert line that'll happen yet, but... Are they going to Cut the little rumble strips and stuff in it. Yep, they'll do that once all the, kind of at the, they'll do that at the very tail end of the project, just prior to a pavement markings getting put down.

That's center line too? Center?

they were able to pour the as you are traveling uh would it be southbound on bernard road and approaching e17 as they were pouring that back they were able to cast in the the transverse rumble strips as you approach stop sign they were able to cast those in but uh along the shoulder center line no that'd be that's always diamond grind after the fact um but yeah it's uh They just ran the profilometer. It's a device that checks the profile of the road for smoothness. I haven't gotten results of that, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's some corrections. That's pretty typical, which maybe just bound to a little bit of a grinding.

Seems pretty smooth to me.

Yeah, I would be very happy with that. Channelworth, they did not get the beams delivered last week because they were still having issues with the river. So it's planned for Thursday and Friday of this week for the beams to come in. rapids and whatnot and bring their trucks in because they're 120 foot long beams that are coming in so they'll have to have a tent bridge for the truck to that's all the beams so he can drive into the site and drive out and set another set cranes um closer to the river so that way they can lift the beam up from the truck onto the piers um it's a very um yeah in other words yeah it's a there's a lot of stuff on that long guy in the road you know into just placing the beams so they're getting that raised but that is planned for this week um and reclaim we have two and they're on schedule though is that correct oh yeah they still have plenty of days since you know this winter whenever shut down it's free days um so they still are good on days i don't know yet of when it's expected to open it might be pushed back originally everything you know end of september well that may not happen it may get pushed back later just because of Coker River seems this year that it's flooded more than it has in the last couple of years combined. But they also started earlier. During the winter, yes. But those were free days. They don't get charged those days for working in the winter. Working days didn't get charged until by DOT spec. I want to say it was April 1st. Yeah, so at least I don't see them running short on days yet. And when the river was flowing, they really couldn't do any work. There were days not charged because they couldn't. When everything else that was done outside of the river, when there was no other work that could get done due to the river being flooded, they don't get charged days because... But yeah, it's going well. Beams, again, should show up this week. Then Reclaim, we got two crews going. Again, over by the Preston Green Island area, there's a crew, and I believe there's a crew over on the east side of the town here as well. So that's going good. We've been getting some know it's so uh i'm trying to think there's anything else that i can think of anyway unless you guys have any questions across the spring of a bridge too that's that's good yeah yeah big improvement there oh i did uh the chpp grant that had included Moorhead Bridge and the 407th. The DOT did submit that over the weekend. It's expected to know sometime by the end of September whether or not an award was what the determinations are of awards for that grant. Fingers crossed. That was

as they say do again so let's appreciate it yep thanks june good day next up east academy good morning i need a motion to approve the july 21st 2026 meeting minutes as written by auditor smith and authorized publication official newspapers i make that motion no second got a motion by then second by mike to approve the minutes of the july 21st 2026 meeting is written by auditor smith and authorized

All those in favor, say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries.

Need a motion to approve and authorize the auditor's office to issue warrants in the publication of the claims listing in the amount of $691,718.90. I move. I would second that.

Got a motion by Mike, second by Ninn, to approve and authorize the auditor's office to issue warrants in the publication of the claims listing in the amount of $691,718.90. And for the record, there were some pass-through commitments and RPA money. There was the emergency management money. There was for the fair board, we paid $63,000 in voting machines. There was about $100,000 in rock. There was $160,000 plus in pavement markings. Internet solutions was about $80,000. So there was just a lot of payments and annual commitments and pass-throughs and things like that. So any Anybody have anything for the good of the meeting?

As we all know, we had a little incident with the waste authority again, and we're up and running, wide open. We're good. We're open the very next day, so next morning. So, again, work in progress is very unfortunate.

Thanks for the people that saw it and called it in, and we got there in time, and there wasn't a lot of stuff there, so I think that helped.

Evaluating again, you know, process. They have a board that they are run by. So again, they're evaluating everything. ECIA meeting, we had a board, executive board and the council meeting last week. Everything went well as far as grants goes. Of course, I don't know if you've gotten emails, of course, about the rebranding. They got a new logo. The rebranding thing is about completed. They're doing a lot of outreach with that. It was May's yearly year evaluation. So the director was evaluated, staff, board, executive board, council, and All in all, she's doing a really good job with the ECIA director position. So everybody seemed to be very happy and went pretty well.

My boards and committees this month kind of took the month off. Yeah.

It looks like.

Hearing none, nothing else for the board.

I'd make a motion we adjourn.

I would second it.

Got a motion by Mike, second by Ninh to adjourn. Any other discussion? All those in favor say aye. Aye. Motion is approved. Everybody have a great weekend. Enjoy the fair.