Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

Good morning everybody. It's Tuesday, March 31st, 2026. I'm going to call the Jackson County Board of Directors meeting to order. My name's Don Swanker. To my left, Mike Steinus. To my right, Nen Flegel. Not morning director. Yeah, one of those supervisor, you know, everybody gets We got from it. We got Lisa from the auditor's office. We got Britney in the press box. And first up, who do we have online? We got Michael, I'm assuming. Good morning, Michael. Welcome. Someday maybe he'll talk to us. There's nobody else in the gallery online. We can move on from visitors and citizens to Jaden Shackle, county engineer. Good morning.

Good morning. Uh our agenda is utility permit for Makoka Valley Electric. It's along 7 67th Street um just north of Manmouth. It's for a new underground line fiber. Um it's in the Manmouth Township section 17. Um it's just going to feed a new structure just east of where the existing line is. So pretty straightforward. Uh we don't see any issues. So our department recommends approval. Make a motion to approve. I would second.

Got a motion by N. Second by Mike to approve the underground utility permit for Makoka Valley Electric Cooperative on Monmouth Township section 17 on 67th Street. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries.

Um can just give a brief update on construction projects. Uh Chennworth is going well. They poured the north pier column last Thursday. Um, so depending on how much rain we get this week or how that delays some things, they may pull their sheet piling of that coffer dam and start using that coffer start building the coffer dam for the south gear. Um, they starting last week they also add some started the embankment um fill so that we're the existing bridge is 100 ft longer than what the new bridge is going to be. So um due to the shortening of the bridge, we got to bring in a bunch of fill to build up the road embankments. They started doing that last week. That'll probably take at least a month depending on well weather conditions because way forecast looks this week. It's not going to get much of that done. Um but everything's going real well out there. Um

we have got we do have a pre-construction meeting this week for our Z15 bridge on 362nd Avenue. Uh we borrowed variable message boards from Debuke County yesterday and those are on the roadway to inform motorists that or the users of that road that it's planned for that bridge closure to start next Thursday, April 9th. So I will do a road notification. Britney, you'll have that highway.

Yeah, Spring Spring Highway for those of you that know around that area. Um, so should be plenty of notice here for the people that regularly use that road anyway because that 700 cars a day quite a few people affected by that will be starting. So cool. So I I've got question on the bunch of uh marking slags if you will or um on 395th locate. Seattle Kingston.

I don't know what they are. They're headed up north on that road. And the guy questioning me says, "Cuz you didn't mark nobody marked the electric to the new light. Are they utility marked?" I guess I'm not sure. Well, no. The red flags. H I guess I don't know. I know from a while ago. So, it's north of 308 Street though. Well, you know, actually, it starts way down by the offshore turnoff where you turn in. And I mean it's totally marked up along both sides there. Now I know we did the water thing there already. That should be all done. So that's probably the from Oh, I don't know. It's probably been a handful of months ago already. Uh when Lamont Telephone had a utility, okay,

in the right of way to put all new fiber from they're going to do it all the way along Highway 52, bring it in on 308 and go south on 395th like through the what subdivision? Is that the Drestler, the whichever one there? So it's probably related to that. Okay. Yeah, there's a lot of markings. The white ones, yellow ones, orange ones. Yeah, that'd be my guess.

And I know we had a relatively light winter in that, but as we drive around the county, I'm sure you guys have seen it, but it's amazing how many different spots when you get on a a back road or something, you can see where the rideaways have been ground on and worked on and and things like that. And and it's continually being noted by people where they can see a difference. and you know kind of getting more and more cleaned roadway back to the point where I'm starting to get concerned we overwhelm our weed commissioner when you start handing her volume one and volume two of your maps and places you've worked and stuff. So you guys have done a good job and the rec has done a good job also. So between the two, there's a lot of

there has been a lot a lot of clearing done because they're doing a lot better job than what they used to in years. In years past, it was just a little straight shot under the lines. Now they're kind of clearing quite a ways also. So all pass it along to Jaden and Rick. Uh the conditions of your gravel roads, if you will, are in excellent shape that I have been on. And I've also received comments from the public that they are next.

I'm going to look at it the fact that I haven't received any comments about the gravel roads this spring that that's a that's a glaring testament to their condition right now because that's kind of been an accepted dorm every spring is we got you know our litany of phone calls and and that kind of stuff. So the fact that this year I have not received one negative complaint about gravel roads is a mother nature is very cooperative this year as well. I think it's a collective effort our guys or you know our department's um efforts and then mother nature as well because well if you keep the roads drier there's less to come out and it's less affected. So I mean there it goes both ways. So you are right, mother nature did help this year, but the frost did come in and out a couple of times, but when the road isn't saturated,

it makes a difference. It's less affected, I would say. And uh and I do know as relates to our Chennorth Bridge project, we are monitoring the conditions of uh 82nd Avenue from the bridge going north because that's where all the embankment loads of dirt for the embankment are coming in and out and it's pumping pretty well, but our guys have been putting rock where needed uh making it a point to, you know, check on it a couple times each day as we are doing this earthwork process. So that's one road that is probably the outlier compared to the other ones, but it's due to the construction project and we're monitoring it accordingly. Has that one been uh crowned or probably a good thing because it will need it after this?

No, I'd have been interested to see how it held up. But I that have been done two years ago, I would have been interested of how it held up. Project calls for about 7,500 cubic yards of dirt, which in can equate to you say roughly at least 700 dump truck loads of dirt. So it wouldn't hold up. And then all the traffic that's coming in for the peers and everything. That road's seen a lot of traffic that it probably sees more traffic here in the last two months than it probably has in the last 10 years.

Well, yeah. And so we had a sidebyside ride this weekend and a lot of people from out of county and they commented on what our county was looking, you know, what it looked like and how big it was. Yeah, it's amazing that brush that was kind of mowed back that you can see. And yeah, my hats off to the guys. It's all it's all due to them. Yeah. But I just wanted them to know that people people are noticing whether they're here or from out of county, you know. So,

and again, just to the land owners, we appreciate all they're doing. Uh and we, you know, we we hope that they can continue to help us out. You got uh you've got 650 miles of gravel, if you will, or 800 miles of road on both sides. That's a ditch on both sides. That's 1,600 miles. That's a lot of waste. It is. That's a lot of brush to cut. So, we do appreciate the the land owners, which which they own it to the center of the road, if I'm correct, um that they maintain fence lines anyway, so it's we can get at the rest of it. Cool. We'll pass that along in your safety meetings and uh we'll do. All right. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Thank you. Lisa, you have the floor.

Uh this morning, I need a motion to approve the March 24th, 2026 meeting and work session minutes as written by Deputy Auditor Flying and authorized publication. The official District. I'll second that. Got a motion by Mike, second by N to approve the March 24th, 2026 meeting and work session minutes as written by Deputy Auditor Shelley Hoy and authorized publication in the official newspapers. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I opposed. Motion carries.

So last Thursday we did have a public hearing here in the boardroom for the maximum property tax levy. So, with that behind us and needing to move forward uh to finalize the FY27 budget, I need a motion to approve setting the public hearing for the FY27 budget hearing on April 21st, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. So moved. I would second. Got a motion by N, second by Mike to approve setting a public hearing for the fiscal year 27 budget hearing for April 21st, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I I motion opposed. Motion carries.

And I also need a motion to today to approve resolution 1174-31-2026 for the bianual interfund operating transfer from the rural basic 11,000 fund to the secondary roads 20,000 fund for 675,000 effective March 31st, 2026. And this is just part of what we had budgeted for and we do it in two installments and this is one of the installments. It's an annual train by annual whatever the making approves your resolution as presented.

I would second that. Got a motion by Mike, second by Nin to approve resolution 1174-03-31-20226 for the bianual interf fund operational transfer from rural basic 11,000 fund to the secondary roads 20,000 fund for $675,000 effective March 31st 2026. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I opposed. Motion carries. And as far as meetings for you, it looks like it's kind of an easy week. Um I know this evening at six o'clock there's a Makoka Watershed Management Authority meeting for Don and Monaceel. Tomorrow you all have an RTA board meeting in Debuke or by Zoom. And that's all that I have on the calendar.

If either one of you would like to go to the the WMA this evening, you can. It's the annual report. That's where they talk a lot about what they found in their sampling. um be unable to attend because I have a I have to be out of town for a an appointment. So I won't be back in time to make that. So it's at the Heights used to be or Hilltop Cafe or whatever. Yes. Monet in in Monaceel. That supper club used to be up right next to the river. It's right in there. You know, they eat and then they give a little PowerPoint presentation. They talk about what they found in their sampling things like that. It's usually pretty interesting. Um but all right that's all that I have for the board today

boards and commissions any

looks like the waste authority at landfill building is moving progressively it looks like electrician trucks were there this morning I tend to stop on the way home and check it out get an update hopefully that's I know the roof's all on the new steel's all on it's all closed up it's looks good Um, I don't I mean I don't have a ton. Early Childhood, we met again. They're moving forward. They're going to be putting out they're looking for a new director. Our director is going to be leaving in June or July, I believe, was her last. She's going to stay on to try to help transition somebody. But um Iris Met um there's some stuff going on there that we need to look at. I'm talking with Brian about on kind of the late payment fees, how they want that taken care of according to the agreement that was signing back in 10 years ago. Other than that,

not a whole lot. I didn't have anything. So, there's nothing else for the good of the meeting. I just, you know, want everybody to have a safe and happy Easter and enjoy your family life and have a good have a good weekend. Enjoy it. Agreed. Hopefully, we get a little this rain. Good. We sure need it. No further business. I make a motion we adjourn. I'll second it. Got a motion by Mike second in to adjurnn. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. Have a good day everybody.