County joins Eastern Iowa Airport?s foreign trade zone

The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors voted this morning to join Eastern Iowa Airport?s foreign trade zone.

?What this allows is our manufacturers and businesses, both existing businesses and new businesses, to participate in this. It will not cost the county or the taxpayers any money whatsoever,? supervisor Lee Dimmitt said.

?This is a great economic development tool that we will be able to offer to not only our existing industries, but also those we?re hoping to attract,? said Fairfield Economic Development Association Executive Director Tracy Vance.

He explained companies that choose to participate will pay a $10,000 annual administrative fee. It will be up to each company to weight the cost benefits.

?Companies that import raw materials, they would avoid duties and excise taxes ? altogether if it was then exported back out,? Vance said. If the company?s product is sold domestically, the duties and taxes will be paid at that time, he explained.

In order for companies to participate in the Foreign Trade Zone, the county must join. Vance said participating counties must be within a 90-minute drive from the airport, but materials do not have to pass through that airport.

The airport will facilitate workshops to educate local businesses about the foreign trade zone.

Also this morning, the board announced closure of 178th Street, from Thad Martin?s property to Gantz Cemetery, will not move forward next week.

Supervisor Steve Burgmeier said the petition requesting the road be gated must be signed by 100 percent of the adjacent property owners.

?At this point, there?s no proper petition,? he said. One of the landowners has not signed.

Three individuals, including one representing of the Locust Grove Township trustees, also spoke against gating the roadway.

The board voted down amendments removing specific fee amounts from ordinances governing the inspection and installation of disposal systems and governing wells and water supply systems.

County sanitarian Dan Miller explained the amendments would allow the board of health to change fees without having to go through a public hearing process overseen by the board of supervisors.

?To me, this takes away opportunity to have input,? Dimmitt said. ?It seems to me we should be part of this conversation.?

?Whenever there?s any substantive change, it has to come before us,? Burgmeier said. Fees are set by the board of health, and there?s a cost to taxpayers anytime action requires a legal notice, he said.

?Our other ordinances have changed to language similar to this,? Burgmeier said.

He voted in favor of the amendments, stating the board had directed the ordinances be rewritten in this manner. Supervisors Dick Reed and Dimmitt voted down his motion.

The board also voted to purchase a $160,000 Caterpillar digger.

County engineer Tom Goff recommended the purchase of a John Deere digger at $13,000 less. However, the equipment is in use elsewhere and only comes with a 230-day warranty.

Burgmeier felt the 5,000-hour warranty offered by Caterpillar would be of more value to the county.

Reed?s motion to purchase the John Deere digger was voted down by Burgmeier and Dimmitt.