New Secondary Road job position assists Roadside Manager

     After much continued discussion, the Jones County Board of Supervisors approved a new Roadside Technician position within Secondary Roads.

     During the board’s Aug. 24 meeting, County Engineer Derek Snead and Assistant Engineer Todd Postel explained the need for such a position within their department.

     Snead put together a job description, with the intent of the position serving as an assistant to Roadside Manager Wes Gibbs during the summer months when it comes to roadside spraying obligations and duties, and helping with snow removal and brush cutting during the winter.

     “Wes puts out a spraying schedule, and it would be implemented by this position,” Snead said.

     “During the summer there’s also erosion control items and permit seeding and mulching,” added Postel.

     For many years, Secondary Roads contracted for roadside spraying.

     “That wasn’t working, so we transitioned away from that and Wes went out,” recalled Snead. “But he can only cover so much territory, and it depends on the weather.

     “It’s important to have someone out there doing it,” continued Snead. “Wes can’t be in two places at once with construction jobs.” (Gibbs also serves as chief inspector.)

     With this new Roadside Technician position, Snead said their department could also “attack additional spraying in the right of ways.

     “We could do more spraying if we had more help doing it.”

     When asked by Supervisor John Schlarmann how much Snead planned to pay this position, he said it would become a union job, above an MM1 pay-wise due to the additional spraying duties.

     “We want to offer more of a desire and reward for doing that type of work,” explainer Snead.

     Schlarmann also asked if Secondary Roads was short of help.

     “Would you be better served replacing an MM1 position?” he said.

     Snead said in 2018, they had three people employed in three different positions. Now, those three positions have merged into two people now performing those duties. Snead and Postel said they offered this new position to employees internally and there was no interest. Now, they want to expand the net and open the position to the general public.

     “Do you have someone in mind with these qualifications?” asked Supervisor Jeff Swisher of the specifics with this new position.

     “We don’t,” Snead said, which is why he wants to get the word out sooner rather than later and fill the position in time for winter.

     “Would you have more interest in this position, minus the plowing?” proposed Schlarmann.

     “We don’t know of the possibilities,” said Snead.

     “It’ll be more than just punching a clock every day,” added Postel.

     “We won’t know unless we put it out there,” said Supervisor Joe Oswald.

     In September, Gibbs attends an annual roadside conference. Snead said that would be ideal timing to advertise the position.

     “We can target certain demographics, and this would be a place to start,” said Snead.

In other county business:

     • The board approved an update to the Secondary Roads Fence Policy, which was last updated in 2018.

     Postel said he talked with two different vendors for price suggestions, and both are seeing a 40-percent spike in the cost of materials.

     The new county policy increases material costs by 50 percent, which is expected to cover the next couple of seasons.

     “It’s a significant increase, but it’s today’s world we live in,” said Postel.

     “It helps us out and expedites our right of way purchases and contracts,” added Snead.

     • Snead updated the board on the Stone Bridge load testing project with Origin Design.

     The scan of the bridge has been completed, which will provide a digital model of Stone Bridge. In mid-September, a consultant from Colorado will be on site to do the ground penetration work. This will then allow Origin to start their analysis and load rating of the bridge.

     “It’ll take a couple of weeks, with a final report in November,” offered Snead.

     • County Auditor Whitney Hein provided an update on the county’s American Rescue Plan Act committee. They met a couple of weeks ago, and plan to meet again on Aug. 31 after several county officials attend the ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) conference, Aug. 25-27. Part of that conference included a workshop on Rescue Plan Act spending.

     Hein said the committee will hold two public forums in both Monticello and Anamosa at dates to be determined.

     “People can voice their opinions and we’ll have forms for groups to request funds,” she offered. Those forms will be reviewed by the committee in terms of eligibility.

     • County Attorney Kristofer Lyons updated the board on the county’s involvement in litigation against distributors and manufacturers.

     Lyons said the details of the bankruptcy settlement are still being negotiated, despite an open vote between counties going on. The plan right now offers 70 percent to the state, 15 percent to the Attorney General’s Office, and 15 percent to the counties.

     “It hasn’t been finalized and agreed upon,” Lyons said. “The AG wants their say on it.”

     With voting ending Sept. 3, Lyons asked the board for permission to call an emergency meeting to authorize Lyons to cast a vote on behalf of Jones County.

     “But I want you to know what it looks like before I vote yes,” offered Lyons.

     • The board approved filing tax liens for delinquent sewer bills for two properties in Fairview.

     They also approved filing tax liens for delinquent water and sewer bills for three properties in Center Junction.

     • The board set public hearings for Sept. 14 for nuisance properties located at 23325 Washington St. and 22503 102^nd St., both located in Anamosa.

     • The board approved sending an official notice to abate for a nuisance located at 21726 County Road E-34 in Anamosa. The notice also includes 30 days to complete the clean-up efforts.

     • The board approved the final voucher for the HMA overlay project on 75^th Avenue in Cascade. This was a joint county and City of Cascade project.

     The final overall cost was $119,965.20. Postel estimated the county’s portion would be around $100,000, with the actual cost ($98,848.33) coming in under budget.

     Snead informed the supervisors that the Cascade city administrator is requesting the county place a weight limit and embargo on 75^th Avenue to reduce the heavy traffic on the roadway. Snead and Postel were against the action, as were the Jones County Supervisors. Snead offered Cascade an alternative; annexing the entire road into city limits.