Supervisors discuss compensation commission

FAIRFIELD — The Jefferson County Supervisors approved adding two members to the County Compensation Commission during their meeting Monday at the Jefferson County Courthouse.

The two new members are Ted and Kandi Diers. Ted is an auctioneer while Kandi is a Realtor, both occupations that are sought after for members of the compensation commission. The commission consists of residents who help decide the appropriate price for a condemned property. The commission requires at least one representative from four categories: homeowners, Realtors, auctioneers and appraisers.

Supervisor Daryn Hamilton said he reached out to Ted and Kandi because he knew the commission might be called upon to act in the near future, with the Navigator CO2 Ventures carbon capture pipeline planned for Iowa. Company officials released a proposed route of the pipeline, showing that it would pass through Jefferson County near the towns of Batavia and Libertyville before entering Van Buren County near Birmingham.

The pipeline company will make offers to the property owners along the route to purchase easements to use a portion of their property. Property owners who do not like the price offered, or who don’t want the easement, can go through a condemnation hearing where the commission will be called upon to give its assessment of the value of the property.

Hamilton said that process was used when the last pipeline came through the county, built by Dakota Access five years ago, and when the state built the Highway 34 bypass around Fairfield.

In other news, the supervisors unanimously agreed to hire Iowa Negotiation and Consulting Services of Ottumwa to perform human resources functions. Hamilton said the company will take on responsibilities previously done by the county attorney. He said the county’s old way of dealing with human resources was to involve the county attorney on the big issues, while little things got overlooked. He said this new arrangement will give the county better human resources services.

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com