County closes book on Dakota Access road usage

A final piece in the Dakota Access Pipeline project regarding county roads went before the Jasper County Board of Supervisors Tuesday. The board approved the damage release for secondary road haul roads damages and will receive $152,897 in reimbursement costs for repairs.

With approval, the county will receive a full and final payments and settlement for all damages, claims, causes of action alleged or could be alleged occurring as a result of equipment crossings and hauling operations related to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline on county roads and right-of-ways. Once the payment is received by the county, it has agreed to release any and all surety bond money back to Dakota Access.

“I thought it went pretty well,” county engineer Russ Stutt said. “They were really good to work with, much better than I expected. Anytime we had a request they were very quick to respond.”

Supervisor Joe Brock asked about a specific area near the Jasper County Law Center where concrete had been damaged during construction. Stutt said the area has been repaired and two additional asphalt sections will be repaired.

“They did a good job of maintaining the roads that they were using,” supervisor Denny Carpenter said.

The Dakota Access Pipeline runs 34 miles through Jasper County. Construction began on the crude oil pipeline in July 2016 and work was completed earlier this year.

The board also approved the quarterly report for the Jasper County Veterans Affairs Commission. Director Kurt Jackson said things have been busy but he was able to catch up on some work recently.

“My advertising campaign, people have started noticing it and they have started coming in based on it,” Jackson said.

Jackson said he still has a substantial amount of Vietnam Veterans books to give out to anyone who was in the war or associated with a veteran.

“It is a 50th commemorative book for the Vietnam War,” Jackson said. “It relates a lot of Iowa soldier’s stories during the Vietnam era.”

For more information about the book, contact Jackson at 641-792-7993.

In other business:

• The board approved the Newton Area Chamber of Commerce to use the southwest corner of the courthouse lawn on Nov. 11 and 12 for the Downhome Christmas Retailer Event.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com