By BARBARA PROFFITT | September 28, 2022

Linn County News

linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

The Linn County Commissioners met on Monday, Sept. 26 and opened the meeting with the pledge of allegiance and a prayer.

With Commissioner Danny McCullough absent due to illness, Commissioners Jim Johnson and Rick James voted 2-0 to approve the minutes of the last meeting.

That was followed by a motion to approve the payment of bills in the amount of $579,386.79 which was approved on a 2-0 vote.

Galen Anderson with AMR Ambulance Service gave a brief report on their activities for the month.

Randy Hegwald, Linn County Fire Chief and Emergency Management Coordinator, gave a report on his departments activities and calls and then requested permission to hire Renea Marshall as a firefighter for the Pleasanton station. Commissioners approved that request on a 2-0 vote.

Hegwald then requested a 10-minute executive session for personnel matters.

County Clerk David Lamb brought up old equipment that the fire department no longer uses and the commissioners passed a resolution declaring the equipment as surplus property.

Missy Lancaster with the Linn County Health Department gave an update on her department and noted that their Walk for Heart event started that day.

Linn County Public Works Field Administrator Shaun West reported he is working with Linn County Economic Development Director Jessica Hightower on a grant opportunity.

West then presented bids for striping on Ungeheuer Road, noting only one of the bids received was for paint only as was requested. He added that bids ranged from $9,400 to $60,000-plus.

Commissioners opted to go with the bid for paint only at $9,405 from Straight Line Striping, Inc.

West then told commissioners the south shop mechanic’s truck was repaired at $1,000 less than planned for but now is in need of a new exhaust at a cost of $2,500 and requested an additional $1,500 to be put toward those repairs. Commissioners approved the request on a 2-0 vote.

West then stated he needed a 20 minute executive session with five minutes for personnel and 15 for legal matters and that Jeremy Willard had requested 10 for legal matters.

Commissioners then entered into a 40 minute executive session with 15 for personnel; 10 minutes for Hegwald and five for West; and 25 minutes for legal matters with 15 for West and 10 for Jeremy Willard.

When the regular session resumed Johnson noted there would be no action taken.

Chris Martin reported on the 911 equipment noting they are working on a circuit and hope to have it done soon.

Martin then added that moving dispatch out of the old jail is still delayed and there is a generator that has to be moved prior to demolition. Gas line locations will help determine where to locate it once moved. Additionally, there is an electric line that runs from the basement of the courthouse to the old jail that was done because the jail had a generator. That electric line runs the server, etc., so an electrician will be needed to move that.

Commissioners then entered into a second executive session for legal matters for 20 minutes. That session was extended 15 minutes, no action taken.