County stands to save nearly $300k on flood control, bridge projects

Thanks to the ingenuity of Washington County Engineer Jacob Thorius, the county stands to save $292,522 while completing a flood control project and replacing a bridge in the county. Those projects were among the items discussed at the regular meeting of the Washington County Board of Supervisors held Tuesday, January 14 at the Washington County Courthouse.

The Supervisors approved a recommendation from Thorius to apply for a grant from the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department (HSEMD) for assistance in a $293,517 project to reduce potential flooding on Dogwood Avenue north of Lake Darling by raising the road two feet. Under the grant application, the county would pay up to $80,000 with HSEMD paying $213,517.

The supervisors also approved a request by Thorius to reconsider bids to replace a bridge 1.5 miles south of highway 22 when he learned that the Department of Transportation (DOT) would pick up $79,005 of the $619,974 cost. The supervisors reconsidered the bids and approved the contract to Iowa Bridge and Culvert.

Ambulance Service

Supervisors Richard Young and Abe Miller said the Ambulance Committee has been reviewing the 17 applications for Ambulance Services Director. The committee has narrowed the field to a group of finalists and interviews will begin the week of January 20.

The supervisors also adopted a resolution to adjust the fiscal year 2020 budget to appropriate $72,339 for the new Ambulance Service Department while reducing the budget by the same amount for what the county had budgeted to purchase a new ambulance.

Communications Building

Matthew Miller, Project Manager from Carl A. Nelson and Company, contractor of the new Washington County Communications and Emergency Operations Center project, told the supervisors that the building structure is now up and the roof is on the building. He said that within a few days the structure will be weatherproof and that it 'is pretty close to being on schedule.”

Miller presented two change orders to the supervisors which were approved. The first was for $4,186 from Delong Construction, but because of a $4,375 credit due to the fact that no soil condition were found that required over excavation and backfill, the net change order was a credit of $189.

The second change order was $17287.95 from Peak Construction but because of a $15,000 credit due to an allowance of over excavation and backfill, the net change was $2,287.95.

To date, the bid total for the project is $3,609,628. Total changes of $2098.95 bring the current total estimated cost to $3,611.726.95

Other Business

In other business, the supervisors:

' Heard a $34,914 funding request from Paws and More animal shelter;

' Approved renewal of a Class C Native Wine Liquor License for Wooden Wheel Vineyards in Keota;

' Acknowledged the resignation of Lynn Fisher from the Public Health Department;

' Acknowledged a scheduled 50 cent pay increase for Brandon Hamilton of the Outreach Department and

' Acknowledged the resignations of Angela Edwards and Brady Bales of the Sheriff's Department.