Conservation seeks additional funding for lake project

Board of Supervisors
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     County Conservation Director Brad Mormann met with the Board of Supervisors during their Jan. 17 meeting to provide an update on the funding for the Central Park lake dredging and access project.

     To date, Mormann said he has secured over $2.2 million in funding, donations and grants toward the total dredging and access improvements. A huge chunk of that stems from the DNR Lake Restoration program, $1.6 million. The engineering portion, or $250,000, will come from that figure.

     “We’ve had some pretty big contributions,” he said. “It shows the community supports this project and is willing to contribute.”

     Mormann is anticipating an April 1 letting for the entire project: dredging, shoreline stabilization, fish habitat, spillway replacement, and three access components.

     The watershed improvements have also been completed at the park, totally over $735,000. Of that, county funds (the board or supervisors and conservation) include $329,392.

     With the watershed work that has already been completed, Mormann is estimating the entire Central Park Lake project to be around $3.5 million. He is asking the county, which would include $20,000 from conservation, for $589,874 for the dredging and access improvements.

     Mormann explained of the project as a whole, this county contribution would only be about 18 percent of the funding.

     He explained typically when the DNR contributes toward a project like this, they require a 35 percent match. However, in Jones County’s favor, the DNR is willing to substitute that match for several improved access points around the lake. Mormann said they never had ADA access before.

     He is also seeking an extension in which to use the $306,485 from Parks to People. Mormann said it initially has to be spent by Dec. 15, 2017. He’s hoping to get an extension of later in the spring or summer of 2018.

     “If they see that we are going ahead on the project and that we’ve raised a tremendous amount of money,” Mormann offered, “then maybe we’ll get the extension.”

     This is the first time in 52 years the lake will be dredged.

     “That’s 52 years of sediment lowering the quality of the 23-acre lake,” Mormann said.

     Mormann encouraged the board to come out to Central Park to look at the projects that have already taken place (wetlands and ponds), as well as the work that has been done to the lake thus far.

     Sheriff Greg Graver also met with the board to discuss courthouse security.

     The committee includes employees from each office within the counthouse.

     Graver said with so many suggestions as to security measures, “the funding just is not there.”

     He said the needs expressed included panic alarms and additional cameras throughout the courthouse. The alarms could cost between $10,000 and $12,000.

     With the cameras, he said more space would be needed within the courthouse server room to store the memory. Depending on how many cameras are purchased at first, Graver said this could cost between $30,000 and $50,000.

     “More cameras equals more storage,” he said.

     Graver said some offices also expressed interested in auto-lock doors, as well as heavy doors for the safe rooms.

     “They’d have a better chance to barricade themselves,” he said of the safety measure.

     “It would be nice to get something rolling,” expressed Supervisor Joe Oswald.

     Graver said another safety measure would be to close down one of the many entrances into the courthouse. He was in favor of closing the south entrance, facing W. Main Street.

In other county business:

     • The board approved a step increase for Michele Lubben, Land Use administrator and deputy county auditor, from $46,000 to $47,242. County Auditor Janine Sulzner explained part of Lubben’s salary is for her role with Land Use.

     • The board approved a bid letting of Feb. 3 for bids to replace the shop doors at the Secondary Roads’ Anamosa shop.

     • County Engineer Derek Snead informed the board that the price for contract rock from Weber Stone Co. is jumping from $7 a ton to over $9 a ton.

     “That’s a rather substantial increase in rates,” remarked Snead. “It’s a pretty large difference.”

     Snead said he would have to adjust his proposed budget accordingly.

     He said they spend about $1.4 million between contract rock and what Secondary Roads hauls themselves.

     “There will be a noticeable difference one way or another,” he warned.

     • The board approved bids for two new 2018 tandem trucks and snow equipment for Secondary Roads. The truck cost is $119,000 each, with $86,160 each for equipment.

     The motion also reflected waiving the provisions outlined in the county’s purchasing policy.

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