Supervisors approve Alliant’s request for three easements

     Three easement requests from Alliant Energy, across three properties owned by Jones County, were approved by the Jones County Board of Supervisors during the board’s regular meeting Tuesday morning, Dec. 11.

     The properties include an easement across the easterly 10 feet of the northerly 85 feet of the Broadway Place Annex in Anamosa, across the southeasterly 10 feet of Parcel 98-80 on Old Military Road in Monticello, and on the northerly 10 feet of Lots 1-30 of the courthouse property in Anamosa.

     Joshua Moore of JCG Land Services and Scott Pierce, project field engineer for Alliant, were at the meeting to discuss the easements.

     They come with a catch; board member Joe Oswald asked who would be responsible if the county needed to do improvements in those areas, and whether the electrical lines would be buried deep enough.

     Manternach said he would only be comfortable approving the easements if the lines were buried six feet into the ground, rather than the proposed four feet, in the event the county needs to do work in the area.

     All three projects are scheduled to take place in 2019.

In other county business

     • The board passed action to file tax liens for delinquent bills for the Center Junction sanitary sewer and/or water systems five properties in Center Junction, including two on Main Street, one on Prospect Street, one on Midland Street and one on St. Paul Street.

     • The board approved the development and maintenance of Phase 2 of the Wapsipinicon Trail Project.

     Phase 2 involves the extension of the trail further along Shaw Road in Anamosa. The ultimate goal is to extend the trail into Wapsipinicon State Park.

     The resolution will be included in a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant application.

     • The board heard a report and a funding request from Lori Scovel, executive director of Limestone Bluffs RC&D.

     Scovel presented slides showing Limestone Bluffs’ involvement with various organizations and projects, including Project AWARE, the event in which 397 participants pulled a total of 41,550 pounds of debris from the Maquoketa River last summer.

     Limestone Bluffs, now in its 26^th year, is also involved with the Maquoketa River Water Management Authority, the Regional Cultural Council, the area Restaurant Trail, farmers markets, and the River Bend Local Foods organization (formerly Buy Fresh, Buy Local).

     Scovel requested funding totaling $7,000, up $2,000 from last year, from the board for Limestone Bluffs, which covers six counties in Eastern Iowa including Jones. No action was taken.

     • Regarding a nuisance complaint, the board approved sending an official notice to the owner of property described as Lot 5, Block 2, Amber, in Section 23 of Wayne Township. Michelle Lubben, land use administrator, said she had sent two letters to the owner, with no improvement shown.

     • The board approved a new drug and alcohol policy for the JETS Department, so that board policy reflects a new law increasing random testing from 25 percent of those in the JETS consortium to 50 percent. The law becomes effective Jan. 1.