Federal government wants $140,000 for just over an acre of land in the county

By STEPH TAHTINEN

Mt. Pleasant News

If Henry County wants to keep the central waste collection site at the fenced-in area behind the Emergency Management Building on West Washington Street in Mt. Pleasant, it?s going to cost the county $140,000.

According to County Auditor Shelly Barber, that was the price given to Emergency Management Coordinator Walt Jackson by the General Service Administration (GSA) as the current market value for the little over one-acre of property the county had surveyed to potentially purchase.

The county had the land surveyed because in March the supervisors were told that the county was not in compliance with the approved use of the property, which was meant for emergency management purposes only. The county was told that they could either remove the waste collection site, return the property to the federal government or pay the fair market value for the property, which they?ve now been told by the GSA is $140,000.

?I?ve said before I hope common sense would prevail. In my opinion, common sense has not prevailed on something that they gave us to use and then threatened to take back if it was underused,? said Supervisor Chairman Kent White, who emphasized the fact that the trash collection site does not impact the emergency management activities. As part of the use agreement, underutilization of the property could also trigger the GSA taking back possession of the property.

Barber said that there is probably no room for negotiation on the price.

?I?d say it?s probably their way or the highway,? said Barber, who also wondered how much time the county would have before it would have to leave the site.

At this time, the supervisors have chosen to not take any action until they receive notice in writing, as Jackson was quoted the price over the phone. However, the supervisors expressed that they were reluctant to pay that price.

?I?m not impressed. If they want to run us out, that takes a decision out of our hands,? said White.

White mentioned that there could be many options for a new waste collection site, such as the land available by the former county care facility. White said the supervisors have not heard any offers for that property from anybody. There are also other pieces of property that could be available.

However, Barber noted, the other county-owned properties are within city limits, and she questioned whether it would be allowed on the property.

In other business, the supervisors:

- Canvassed the votes of the June 5 primary election. Voter turnout was 22 percent, with 509 democrats and 2,691 republicans voting, a total of 3,200 voters. Henry County had the highest voter turnout in southeast Iowa.

- Reviewed and approved the Victory Lane Subdivision in sections three and 10 of Jefferson township. This subdivision splits one lot into two.

- Approved a fireworks permit for Daniel Raymond.

- Heard a weekly update from County Engineer Bill Belzer and a monthly update from Conservation Director John Pullis.