By BARBARA PROFFITT | November 2, 2022

On Monday, Oct. 31, the Linn County Commissioners began their meeting with the approval of the minutes from last week’s meeting followed by approval of claims in the amount of $75,809.

Commissioner Jim Johnson read the weekly reports from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office and the Linn County Health Department into the record.

Fire Chief Randy Hegwald gave his weekly report noting his crews had handled nine incidents in the last week bringing the yearly total so far to 472.

Hegwald then requested commissioners approve the hiring of Kristen Gillis as a firefighter for the Prescott rural fire station. Jeff Wisdom, captain of Pleasanton Station 920, then requested the commissioners hire Becky Hegwald as a fire fighter for his station. Commissioners approved both.

Hegwald then reported that the joint Trunk or Treat event with the Linn County Health Department on Sunday evening in Pleasanton was a success.

Linn County Economic Development Director Jessica Hightower requested five minutes for executive session for personnel matters.

Linn County Public Works Administrator Shaun West then presented three separate burial permit requests.

The first one was from Anderson County Rural Water at 9557 W. 1150 Road. Commissioners approved the request on a 3-0 vote.

The second burial permit request was from Century Link for repairs at an address on Devlin Road. Commissioners approved this request on a 3-0 vote, as well.

The last request contained multiple locations for completion in bringing fiber optic availability to the western side of the county and commissioners approved these, as well.

The commissioners and West then discussed a contract bid with Pfefferkorn Engineering for a cost and benefit analyses on solid waste storage and hauling at a cost of $12,600. Commissioners approved the bid.

At West’s request, the commissioners reviewed two bids for tires for heavy haul trucks for solid waste; one for $8,822 and one for $11,343. Commissioners approved the lower of the two bids.

West stated the county had received an invoice from Bettis Asphalt & Construction, Inc., Topeka, Kan., for the overlay project for Ungeheuer Road from 300 Road to 850 Road.  West told commissioners the company had opted to bill the county the fixed rate of $630,323.79 rather than the higher fluctuating rate based on cost. After reviewing the invoice and a brief discussion, commissioners voted 3-0 to approve payment of the invoice.

Commissioners reviewed and approved Resolution 2022-35 requiring a sanitation inspection be completed whenever property with a septic system changes ownership and set fees and fines for the same.

Following a 10-minute executive session for personnel matters; five minutes with Hightower and five with West; commissioners voted 3-0 to move Zach Daniels to a new pay scale reflecting his new CDL status and transfer him to Solid Waste to aid in covering transports there.