By BARBARA PROFFITT | March 15, 2023

Linn County Commissioners met on Monday, March 13, and began their meeting with the approval of the minutes of the last meeting followed by claims in the amount of $477,015.57.

County Counselor Gary Thompson requested a 20-minute executive session for legal matters to discuss possible litigation. That session was extended 15 minutes on a 2-0 vote. No action was taken following the executive session.

Linn County Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator Randy Hegwald reported his department had responded to six incidents in the last week, bringing their year-to-date total to 80.Tod Moeller, Asphalt Division, reported on his asphalt plan for the year, noting he plans to use hot mix more than cold patch and will focus around the La Cygne area.  Moeller stated he currently is setting up bids for hot mix and materials.

Linn County Sheriff Kevin Friend reported on numbers for his department for the week, with 24 prisoners farmed in and 115 calls to 911.

Linn County Health Department Director Missy Lancaster reported her department had handled 42 clients this past week for various services. She then requested approval of yearly grants that help cover salaries, community outreach and more totaling just over $51,000.  She then requested a 15-minute executive session for personnel matters which commissioners voted to enter into shortly thereafter. That session was then extended for five minutes on a 2-0 vote. Upon resuming a regular session, commissioners noted the resignation of Lancaster from her current position with no comment regarding her last day of work or who may be replacing her.

Kenny Boone with Maple Ranch then spoke to commissioners on a proposed shared cost project of asphalting State Line Road from K-52 south to their location. Boone noted that Maple Ranch employs 32 people on a daily basis that travel that road to and from work, as well as their many clients and visitors. Commissioners briefly discussed the proposed project noting the increased costs to the county for snow removal and maintenance with no real benefit to county taxpayers. Boone added his company does try to spend as much as they can within the county. Linn County Public Works Administrator Shaun West noted they are simply putting the option out there. Moeller noted that for a project like this the county would need to shut down everything else in order to complete it and maintenance would be required every three to four years. Commissioner Danny McCullough noted it would be difficult for him to ask his taxpayers to put money toward it with no benefit to the county or any county residents; no decision was made.

Darin Wilson, Linn County Planning Administrator, requested a 10-minute executive session for legal matters with West and Thompson. 

Following the executive session commissioners approved adds and abates 866-871, 873, and 875-877 with a total reduction of $3,433.86.

County Clerk David Lamb reported that Diehl Banwart and Bolton are no longer doing municipal audits and recommended a new company and asked for approval of the engagement letter. Commissioners approved the engagement of Jared, Gilmore and Phillips for this year’s audit.

Commissioners approved the contract with Scarecrow for mowing and a contract with Randy Page as construction consultant and authorized McCullough as chair to sign both.

Commissioners then discussed the Pleasanton Senior Meals site with several patrons in the audience. (See related article in this edition.)

Commissioners reviewed tabled items and discussed setting employment compensation and the health department as priorities for the next meeting.  (See related article in this edition.)