County reduces speed limit north of town

Jefferson County Board of Supervisors approved speed limits of 45 mph on 170th Street between Juniper and Iris avenues and on Jasmine Avenue between 170th and 180th streets.

?I did a study that shows the area has the character of a suburban area and the 55 mph speed limit can be lowered to 45 mph,? said Jefferson County Engineer Scott Cline Monday at the regular board meeting.

?Next summer the Department of Transportation is doing a traffic count in the county, and to lower the speed lower than 45 mph, the streets need a traffic count,? said Cline. ?I also consulted with Maharishi Vedic City officials.?

New 45 mph speed limit signs will be installed on these stretches of county roads in and along Maharishi Vedic City.

?We would like to see people slow down driving these areas,? said Cline.

Jefferson County Sheriff?s Office and Iowa State Patrol will enforce the speed limits.

The supervisors selected Farm and Home Real Estate in Fairfield, drawing from a hat containing names of local real estate firms, to list the former office of the county attorney, at 117 W. Broadway Ave., for sale.

?It will go on the multiple listing, so any agent can show it and sell it,? said Supervisor Dick Reed.

The office building east of the Orpheum Theater has been vacant since this summer. The county attorney office moved into the renovated former jail/Department of Human Services building north of the courthouse.

Supervisor chairman Lee Dimmitt said the county has provided space on the top floor of that building, above the county attorney?s office, to a nonprofit, Lutheran Services Decategorization.

?When Southern Iowa Economic Development Association lost the contract, it had to move materials for Parents as Teachers stored at SIEDA,? said Supervisor Becky Schmitz. ?Four part-time people are supposed to have their office at home and just store the materials above the county attorney?s office.

?But there?s been in-and-out traffic; no clients, just the staff.?

Reed said it involves security issues.

?The fire escape [from the second story] goes through the county attorney?s office,? he said.

County Attorney Tim Dille said all doors to offices are locked during nonbusiness hours.

The top floor has a restroom, but there are indications that a restroom on the ground level in the county attorney?s office has been accessed during nonbusiness hours.

?I don?t know that we want additional people up there,? said Reed. ?It wasn?t the purpose of renovating the building.?

Lutheran Services provides services in a three-county area ? Jefferson, Keokuk and Iowa counties.

?The issue isn?t the number of people in the space,? said Assistant County Attorney Pat McAvan. ?The people have been there with board approval and if they approve expanding with another administration, they?re offering space like a sublet.

?It?s your building. Are they allowed to sublet and have a separate entity there? If a government-owned building begins charging rent, it will put the building on the tax rolls and owe property taxes.?

Dimmitt said Monday was only a discussion and recommended putting the issue on next week?s agenda for action.

In other business, the supervisors:

? Approved a one-step wage increase, to $18.23, for a Secondary Roads employee who has completed a year of employment.

? Approved a resolution for a consulting contract for preliminary and final design services for Bridge No. 201130 on Mahogany Boulevard, scheduled for work in summer 2015.

? Appointed Adam Stafford, a former jailer and emergency medical technician to the Civil Service Commission.

? Heard preliminary plans from Paul Winer about separating a parcel of his property to sell at 1681 Highway 1.