The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, May 2, 2023 with Rick Mongan, Bryan Petersen, Duane Mummert, Cheryl Ellis and Dave Skou present. Erin Rydgren, Chronicle Times, represented the press. Kenny Schlenger, Sarah Tracy, Kelly Puhrmann and Stu Hogg were also in attendance. Unless otherwise indicated, all votes were offered as follows: Ayes – Ellis, Skou, Mummert, Petersen, Mongan; Nayes – none; Abstentions – none.
Chairman Mongan called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Ellis to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mummert to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. Motion carried.
There were no comments from the public.
Kenny Schlenger, Roads Superintendent, presented documents drafted by the county attorney for leasing tillable acres owned by the county.
Motion by Mummert, seconded by Petersen to approve #2023-13 Resolution of Desire to Lease Real Property “WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors for Cherokee County, Iowa, desire to enter into a one (1) year farm lease for the following described real property:
A parcel of land described as being a part of the Southeast Quarter of the Northwest Quarter (SE ¼ NW ¼) and a part of the Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter (NE ¼ SW ¼) both in Section thirty (30), Township Ninety-three (93) North, Range Thirty-nine (39) West of the 5th P.M., Cherokee County, Iowa, further described as follows:
Beginning at the Northeast corner of the Southeast ¼ of the Northwest ¼ of said Section 30; thence South 00°08’20” West on the East line of the Southeast ¼ of the Northwest ¼ of said Section 30, a distance of 1321.55 feet to the Southeast corner of the Northwest ¼ of said Section 30, also being a point on the Centerline of a Local County Road; thence South 35°03’54” West on said Centerline, a distance of 379.63 feet to the point of curvature of tangent curve, concave to the Northwest, having a radius of 2399.50 feet and a central angle of 11°28’34”; thence Southwesterly along said curve and said Centerline, a distance of 480.61 feet; thence North 00°08’20” East, a distance 2001.36 feet to a point on the North line of the Southeast ¼ of the Northwest ¼ of said Section 30; thence South 89°21”53” East on said North line, a distance of 530.02 feet to the Point of Beginning; said described Parcel A contains a total of 20.51 acres, inclusive of a Public Roadway Easement of 0.66 acres. Said Parcel A is also subject to any and all other Easements of Record.
For the purpose of this Survey, the East line of the Southeast ¼ of the Northwest ¼ of said Section 30 is assumed to bear South 00°08”20” West.
Said real estate has 18.91 tillable acres.
WHEREAS, Cherokee County Board of Supervisors intends to lease the property to the highest bidder and reserve the right to reject any and all bids, and
WHEREAS, Cherokee County Board of Supervisors believes said lease to be in the best interest of the public.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Board of Supervisors for Cherokee County, Iowa, hereby resolves to lease the above-described real estate to the highest bidder retaining the right to reject any and all bids.
Further, the Board of Supervisors for Cherokee County resolve that said lease should occur following published notice as provided in Iowa Code Section 331.305.”
Roll call vote: Ellis-aye, Skou-aye, Petersen-aye, Mummert-aye, Mongan-aye. Motion carried and resolution adopted.
Motion by Petersen, seconded by Mummert to set a Public Hearing for Lease of Real Estate on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at 9:15 a.m. with sealed bids accepted until 8:30 a.m. that morning. Motion carried.
There were no right of way permits to consider.
Sarah Tracy, County Engineer, requested permission to sell a shed in Washta currently used for storage. Consensus of the board was to authorize the engineer to contact the county attorney and begin the process to sell county owned property. Tracy reported on current construction projects including a culvert replacement in Amherst Township and rehabilitation of the Cherokee 18 bridge east of Cherokee City limits. Vogel has begun spraying pavement markings on the southern half of the county, Demco will be doing maintenance including crack fill and sealing on C60 and a stretch of C16. Tracy provided a progress update on the F Avenue project: Design Plans are nearly 100% complete; Beck Engineering is working with utility companies for relocation costs and a timeline of completion; engineering staff will soon begin contacting property owners about land acquisitions.
Riley Gibson and Isaac Risseeuw, Summit Carbon Solutions, provided a detailed update on a proposed carbon capture pipeline through Cherokee County. Gibson reported that 74.73% of easements have been acquired in Cherokee County and over 7 million dollars have been paid to land owners in Cherokee County for the voluntary pipeline easements.
Motion by Mummert, seconded by Skou to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2024 county funding of covered services provided the Cherokee Library for the benefit of Cherokee County citizens and individuals. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Skou to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2024 county funding of covered services provided by the Cherokee Skate Park Project for the benefit of Cherokee County citizens and individuals. Motion carried.
Motion by Mummert, seconded by Petersen to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2024 county funding of covered services provided by the Cherokee Trails Project for the benefit of Cherokee County citizens and individuals. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Petersen to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2024 county funding of covered services provided by the Larrabee Fire Department for the benefit of Cherokee County citizens and individuals. Motion carried.
Motion by Mummert, seconded by Ellis to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2024 county funding of covered services provided by the Cherokee Depot Association for the benefit of Cherokee County citizens and individuals. Motion carried.
There were no cost proposals from L&L Builders to consider.
The supervisors provided committee reports and reviewed meeting schedules.
There being no further business, Chairman Mongan called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion by Petersen, seconded by Skou to adjourn the meeting at 9:46 a.m.
All board agendas and minutes are available online at www.cherokeecountyiowa.com .
Attest: Kris Glienke, County Auditor
Rick Mongan, Chairman
Published in the Marcus News on May 18, 2023