March 29, 2024

Supervisors discuss annex building repairs

Jasper County Board of Supervisors discussed but took no action on plans Tuesday to move forward with the repair of the annex basement.

With chair Joe Brock absent from the meeting, the supervisors discussed approving Shive-Hattery recommendations for extensive excavation work and waterproofing of the 88 year-old building.

Supervisor Doug Cupples said the board has been “working as hard as ever” when looking at the space of the annex building and considering what to do.

“My personal opinion is this, I think that we should start the process of repairing the annex building,” Cupples said. “When we start that we have to take the people that are in the basement out and put them somewhere temporarily.”

Cupples said the removal of employees from the basement was also recommended by the mold company, Midwest Indoor Air Quality, who did the air quality inspection in April.

“I want to do this incrementally and where we aren’t spending a million bucks up front,” Cupples said. “Being able to do things by thinking it out, and when we do start tearing walls out, we need to have the mold remediation worker go in there to see what’s actually going on and take the right steps.”

Cupples said he believes the board of supervisors need a plan of action, which requires steps. He said once they start digging into the building, and if it’s really too bad to fix, then they will look at other building options.

“We can’t spend money foolishly so I have no desire to do that, and I vote to do this incrementally,” Cupples said. “I believe with a proper remodel, we could acquire more space that’s down there and at the same time not cost the county millions of dollars.”

Supervisor Denny Carpenter said he has been in contact with Adam Sparks, the county’s maintenance director, and they have worked out what they are going to do at the annex building. Carpenter also said he has looked at four different buildings in the community to buy and the price “just wasn’t there.”

“Now it’s a matter of Shive-Hattery drawing up the plans and take bids on getting this work done … we are down to that point,” Carpenter said. “It’s going to make the most sense for the least amount of money and make the building more waterproof in the end.”

Cupples said according to the engineering firm Shive-Hattery, the annex building’s foundation “is in good condition.”

The supervisors said they don’t have any locations in mind of where to move the employees who are in the basement. They didn’t vote on any items concerning the annex building during Tuesday’s meeting.

The findings of the investigation by Shive-Hattery presented in June recommended extensive excavation work and waterproofing to the building foundation. To complete the excavation work, the east stairwell would need to be removed.

The report also recommends removing the south dock area and adding a new entryway and ADA-accessible ramp. The project estimate is more than $600,000.

Other business:

• Kurt Jackson director of the Jasper County Veterans Affairs board presented a new guideline to the board of supervisors concerning the way it selects who serves on the commission. Currently the board of supervisors appoint the commissioners.

Jackson said he would like to advertise for the members and then have the commission go through the applicants and pick who would most closely fit the board’s needs.

From those selections, Jackson said he’d like the board of supervisors to then approve who to bring on.

Supervisor Doug Cupples asked Jackson what the benefit would be for him to make the selections.

“I’m going to make sure that what we are looking for are qualified veterans to fill the position, and to make sure they fit the needs we are looking for,” Jackson said. “I would just be the facilitator, and I wouldn’t do the interview.”

Jackson said the last commissioner who was appointed he didn’t know he was appointed until after the fact. He said he also would like the ability to suggest not re-appointing commissioners.

“We are on the same page, our veterans are super important and I don’t want to be cutting corners with these guys,” Cupples said. “I think this board will get more volunteers than other boards might.”

Jasper County Auditor Dennis Parrot made the suggestion that if the board of supervisors liked the process Jackson was describing, then they could table it and implement it when doing all of the county’s board appointments.

“Let’s table it this week and let’s hone it in,” Cupples said. “I want to do this right and I don’t want to just throw something out there — I love the concept of having this in order.”

The supervisors voted to table the discussion.

• Supervisors approved Elderly Nutrition to apply for funding from FY19 Aging Resources of Central Iowa. Kelli Van Manen said they apply every two years and this year they will be requesting $120,000.

• Supervisors approved the hire of a PRN to replace a home health care aide with the Jasper County Health Department at an hourly rate of $15.73. The position was approved to be effective Nov. 15.

• Becky Pryor Jasper County Public Health Director made plans with the supervisors to further educate them on the responsibilities of public health and how counties run their health departments. Three opportunities have been made available to visit neighboring departments and sit down and talk with a Iowa Department of Public Health representative. Tours of the Marion County Public Health Department, the Poweshiek County Health Department and an informative meeting with Heather Bombei, Regional Community Health Consultant for the IDPH are in order.

Contact Kayla Singletary at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or ksingletary@newtondailynews.com