Supervisors approve downtown event for Thursday
By John Jennings Daily News Staff
The city of Newton is getting ready for the Iowa Corn Indy 250 race at the Iowa Speedway this weekend, and officials hope to bring some of those race fans downtown. In that regard, Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce Director Annette West and Newton Mayor Chaz Allen appeared before the Jasper County Board of Supervisors Tuesday to ask for use of the courthouse lawn for a celebration Thursday evening.
The event, billed as the Weekend Pit Stop, West said, will feature eight food vendors around the courthouse square, with face painting and a bounce house for the children, a dunk tank, and a Hauler’s Parade at 6 p.m. down First Avenue featuring 35 race cars.
“The hope is that businesses downtown will plan more activities around the parade,” Allen said.
County Maintenance Director Doug McClun expressed some concern for newly-seeded grass areas in the courthouse lawn, and said those areas may be cordoned off on Thursday.
The supervisors approved the use of the lawn for the event, as well as use of the courthouse square for activities on July 4, and for the Lighted Christmas Parade on Nov. 27.
In other action Tuesday, the supervisors:
• Approved the job description and pay scale for a permanent part-time maintenance worker. The supervisors have been discussing the need for a part-time employee to assist with the mowing duties on the county’s properties, particularly the Law Enforcement Center.
Human Resources Director Dennis Simon said he used the maintenance worker job description information for the part-time position, with a requirement for basic building trades knowledge.
Board chairman Rick Tiedje said the supervisors have not addressed the issue of whether step increases are mandatory or granted only for satisfactory performance, but approved the starting salary for the part-time maintenance position at $11 per hour, with guaranteed pay increases of about 4 percent annually, pending union approval by AFSCME.
• Approved an agreement between Jasper County Elderly Nutrition Program and Skiff Medical Center for home-delivered meals to participants. The cost will be $6 per meal, which provides a hot lunch during the day as well as a sack supper.
The supervisors also approved an agreement with the Coffee Cup Cafe in Sully for Congregate Meals at a cost to the county of $5.35 per meal.
• Approved a resolution to add the project of reconfigurartion of the curve on Liberty Avenue and South 28th Avenue East, south of the Jasper County Animal Rescue League. Cost of the project is estimated at $319,000, with funds coming from the Farm-to-Market High Risk Rural Roads Program, through the Iowa Department of Transportation. County Engineer Jim Christensen said the work could begin next spring, or perhaps even late this fall.
• Approved the purchase of miscellaneous pipes for use by the Secondary Roads Department . Midwestern Culvert of Ankeny submitted the low bid of $15,476.10. The purchase will be paid locally and reimbursed through the Traffic Safety Fund of the Iowa DOT.
• Approved the hiring of Josh Britton as a deputy in the Sheriff’s Office, at a pay rate of $21.06 per hour, effective June 22.
