County easement to remain with county

     County Engineer Derek Snead visited with the Jones County Supervisors during their Oct. 3 meeting regarding county property located on Old Dubuque Road in Anamosa.

     Jones County owns 66 feet of easement between Old Dubuque Road, off Highway 151, and Circle Drive, heading north from Anamosa.

     This property runs along the west side of Jeff Hinz’s property on Old Dubuque Road. In the past, Old Dubuque Road used to run through that portion of county property.

     “It no longer uses that alignment that was purchased for this use,” explained Snead.

     He said at some point in the future, he expects to see the Old Dubuque Road and Highway 151 intersection closed to traffic.

     “They will likely continue Old Dubuque Road toward Circle Drive,” Snead explained.

     He said due to the number of major accidents and incidents at that intersection, he wouldn’t be surprised if the DOT decided to close it off. Snead said with the new Anamosa Middle School built near the intersection, it also adds to the traffic count.

     Hinz expressed interest in purchasing the county’s easement off Old Dubuque Road, though Snead said it would be in the county’s best interest not to vacate or sell the property.

     “There could be a chance we’ll need those easement in the future,” he told the board.

     The board asked whether the easement could be transferred to the City of Anamosa. Snead said if the county needed it in the future, the county could pay twice as much to buy it back.

In other county business:

     • County IT Coordinator Lisa Mootz shared two cost proposals she received from Radio Communications to purchase a sound system for both the Board Room and Community Room within the courthouse. One proposal was $1,276 plus an additional $600 for a wireless microphone. The other proposal was $6,221 for a complete wireless system, which would also include two speakers hard-wired into each room, and a portable receiver/microphone.

     Mootz also inquired about applying for a grant through the Jones County Community Foundation for the sound system. The deadline is Oct. 15. She asked the supervisors to write letters of support, as well as members of the public.

     The grant winners will be announced in December.

     • County GOS Coordinator Kristi Aitchison met with the board to request access to $1,000 reserved for GIS projects. The funds will be used licensing fees for new GIS software.

     • Snead shared the results of a mussel survey that was conducted as part of the Shaw Road Bridge replacement project. He said the survey, which was conducted last Wednesday, reported that there were no living mussels within that section of the Wapsipinicon River.

     “They did find some shells,” he said, “but no mussels.”

     Snead said the survey report will be submitted to the DNR and they can proceed with the bridge removal soon.

     Supervisor Joe Oswald inquired about the river gauge that is affixed to the current bridge structure. Snead said the gauge would need to be removed and placed on the north abutment.

     “The (river) channel is mostly on the north end,” Snead said.

     • The board accepted former Economic Development Director Dusty Embree’s resignation on the ECICOG Board of Directors, and approved moving retiring Anamosa City Administrator Al Johnson to finish out Embree’s year/term.