Jasper County Treasurer Doug Bishop will be one of numerous county department heads present at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday. Bishop will present several items to the board.
Bishop will ask the board to consider approving the abatement of several lots in the Fountain Hills development that are owned by the City of Newton. The outstanding taxes on the 18 lots total $6,735.
Bishop is also asking the board to act on Iowa Code 427.9, which would allow for the suspension of taxes for several parcels throughout the county. The requested suspensions start as low as $6 and range upward to $3,802.02.
In his final request, Bishop will have a discussion with the board on a possible new Veteran’s Memorial for the county. Bishop is heavily involved in local veteran affairs and organized the Jasper County Freedom Flights.
Jasper County Community Services Director/Central Point Coordinator Jody Eaton will ask the board to consider a contract extension with Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames. The purpose of the extension would be for MGMC to provide substance abuse, mental health, mental retardation and or developmental disability services for the benefit of Jasper County’s individuals, according to the contract.
The extension, if it is approved, would go into effect July 1 and end on Dec. 31.
County Engineer Russ Stutt will present the board with quotes for the purchase of new road pipes. Contech Engineered Solutions, which is headquartered in West Chester, Ohio, is expected to win based on its low bid of $115,117.40.
Stutt is also asking the board to back him on a request to the Iowa Department of Transportation. His official resolution to the board is that they would recommend IDOT add an additional $2,200 to resurface several roads in the county.
The project would take place within County Road T22/Image Ave. and would consist of repaving and adding several inches to strengthen stretches of the roadway.
Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty is asking the board to consider Ian Winfield for officer training at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. The contract states the employment within the county is not guaranteed and the training costs $23,991.88. If Winfield were to quit law enforcement within four years of graduation, he would be forced to repay the county variable portions of the cost.
In other business:
• Jasper County Conservation Director Keri Van Zante will present her official resolution to the board for the Chichaqua Valley Trail project. Van Zante asked the board for $40,000 to help complete the project last Tuesday.
• Jasper County Human Resources Director Dennis Simon will present a resolution to name a new department head for the county’s IT Department.
• Sugar Grove Vineyards and Gathering Place is asking the board for approval of a liquor license.
• The Emerson Hough Chapter of Izaak Walton League is seeking approval for a cigarette/tobacco permit.
Staff writer Ty Rushing may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 426, or at trushing@newtondailynews.com.
