Bugtoberfest car show to be in courthouse parking lot

Jefferson County Supervisors approved a request to allow use of the courthouse parking lot for an Oktoberfest Car Show.

Oktoberfest, October?s Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk on Oct. 5, will include Bugtoberfest from 5-10 p.m. featuring a club of Volkswagen enthusiasts bringing vehicles for the parade and a display.

Cars will be registered at a different location, then after close of business at the courthouse, the German cars will move to the parking lot. The club also is making T-shirts for the event, featuring Jefferson County Courthouse, Fairfield?s Central Park bandstand and Volkswagen vehicles.

County engineer Scott Cline reported Umber Avenue is being graded, thistles along Velvet Leaf Avenue in Lockridge have been sprayed and contractors have begun patching Salina Road.

?They?ll do the crack sealing this week, then chip and seal,? he said. ?The end date for the project [on Salina Road] is Aug. 23, but it could depend on the weather.?

Supervisor chairman Steve Burgmeier reported from Wednesday?s Regional Utility Services System meeting the board has hired a law firm to represent it and guide RUSS on how to settle issues with the 28E agreements it has with various communities.

?We?ll be going to arbitration with Wapello County,? said Burgmeier. ?They haven?t paid dues in two years.

?We?ve asked what legal options we have dealing with unpaid fees and we can add them to property tax bills.?

Burgmeier also reported residents of Lakewood will be working with RUSS differently than any other community.

?Property owners will pay for sewer installation and RUSS will manage and test the sewers, but the property owners will own the system,? he said. ?RUSS will negotiate the price of the system. The 11-13 residences will pay the true costs, determined by the number of pipes for each residence, for installation.?

Burgmeier also represents Jefferson County in the Empowerment Area and reported he will attend a meeting Aug. 21 to discuss merging with Iowa County.

?There are good reasons to merge with Iowa County, it?s a very rural county ? Williamsburg is it?s largest community,? he said. ?The down side is you do lose some identity for services provided through the county.?

Supervisors also approved a salary increase for a county treasurer?s employee who had not been included in the previous 2 percent increase.