EMS Association looks to help fund EMT training

Oct. 15 was the deadline to apply for the Jones County Community Foundation (JCCF) grant. 

During the Jones County Supervisor meeting that morning, the board approved a JCCF grant application from Jones County EMS Association, using the county as its fiscal agent. 

The grant would help cover the cost of EMT training across the county. 

Emergency Management Director Brenda Leonard said they are applying for $17,600. The EMS Association would cover the 25 percent cash match. 

The average cost for the EMT training is around $2,200. Leonard said if successful, the grant and cash match should make it possible for 10 people to take part in the training, with the first class in January. Those who pass the training must work for an ambulance service in Jones County for at least two years. 

“I didn’t have any idea how much it costs for training and schooling,” said Supervisor Ned Rohwedder. 

In other county business: 

• The board approved a GIS data agreement with Jackson County to share GIS data related at the Jones County ATV/ UTV routes. This agreement comes at no charge to Jackson County. 

• Land Use Administrator Michele Lubben discussed an upcoming Board of Adjustment meeting. The BOA planned to hear a variance request from landowners on County Road D-61 in Washington Township. It appears one of the landowners is currently occupying a third of an acre from an adjacent landowner. They simply want to purchase that third of an acre to correct the property lines. 

However, Lubben said a legal farmland split amounts to two acres. 

“There’s no guarantee with this,” she said of the BOA’s decision. 

If the request is denied, Lubben said the owners could appeal to the BOA’s decision to District Court. 

• The board approved the 2019 Weed Commissioner’s Report. 

County Engineer Derek Snead said Weed Commissioner Wes Gibbs did all of the spraying throughout the county himself versus hiring out the job. Typically the county spends $60,000 to $70,000 on contract weed spraying. This year, only $11,000 was spent on the herbicide with Gibbs doing the work. 

“Wes does an amazing job,” praised Snead. “He puts a lot of time and effort into it. He’s conscientious about his speed and the wind direction. It’s an extremely difficult task.” 

In the near future, Snead said Secondary Roads would like to look for grant opportunities to purchase equipment to retrofit an ATV with a weed-spraying apparatus. 

“We could us it for dormant spraying in the winter months,” he said. 

• Chris Nelson from Shive-Hattery met with the board regarding the courthouse steps project. 

Affordable Concrete is the contractor of the project. While removing the stone steps, contractor Adam Intlekofer found out that there was nothing but sand and dirt underneath. There is no base to re-set the steps on, like originally planned. 

“The sand/salt treatment over the years took out the mortar and concrete base,” explained Nelson. “There’s nothing for them to build off.” 

The board took a few minutes to view the project outside to see the situation for themselves. Nelson and Intlekofer said the base would have to be rebuilt, which was not on the project specs. 

“We’ll tuck-point so no more water gets in,” suggested Intlekofer. 

The board said they would adjust the project working days to allow more time for the project. They asked Intlekofer to provide a new quote as well.