Supervisors think REAP panel needs reorganization

By MEGAN COOPER

Mt. Pleasant News

Vice-chairman Greg Moeller feels it is time to reorganize the REAP committee, as the current one has not been as active as it should.

REAP, which stands for Resource Enhancement and Protection, is a program the state of Iowa invests in, as its name implies, for the enhancement and protection of the state?s natural and cultural resources, said Moeller.

?I?m going to be heading up a REAP committee that is scheduled to meet on Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. in the second floor meeting room of the courthouse,? said Moeller. ?It?s an organizational meeting, no voting will happen that night and the public is invited to attend. I have sent out packets to local entities like the mayor?s office, conservation and school districts to see what their interests are.

According to the REAP website, Iowa is blessed with a diverse array of natural and depending on the individual programs, REAP provides money for projects through state agency budgets or in the form of grants. Several aspects of REAP also encourage private contributions that help accomplish program objectives.

REAP is funded from the state?s Environment First Fund (Iowa gaming receipts) and from the sale of the natural resource license plate. The program is authorized to receive $20 million per year until 2021, but the state legislature sets the amount of REAP funding each year. This year REAP was appropriated $16 million, when the license plate and interest income is added, its total budget is about $16.5 million, the website said.

?The REAP funds go into eight different programs based upon a percentages that are specified by law,? explained Moeller. ?The first $350,000 each year goes to Conservation Education with 1 percent of the balance going for DNR Administration. The remaining amount goes to roadside vegetation (3 percent), historical resources (5 percent), public land management (9 percent), city parks and open space (15 percent), soil and water enhancement (20 percent), county conservation (20 percent) and state open space (28 percent).?

The Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Division of Conservation, Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society and the Department of Transportation all administer the REAP programs, stated the website.

?The main idea of REAP is to get communities and the public involved,? said Moeller. ?It?s to get these grant monies that are competitive with the 99 counties in Iowa.?

In other board news, Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss discussed with the board his weekly road department update.

?It was a good week and we got a lot done,? said Hotchkiss. ?On Monday we worked on blading the south approach of the Oasis Avenue. bridge project, we began work on the Quincy and 310th Street intersection, and we cleared brush and worked on clearing ditches.?

Tuesday saw the engineer and his crews working blading, mowing, hauling rock in the Canaan Township; ditch clearing and repairing drives on Dakota Avenue south of Highway 34.

?Wednesday we continued blading, hauling surfacing rock, began work on the crossroad pipe on Quincy and 310th Street and worked on ditching on Dakota Avenue,? said Hotchkiss. ?On Thursday we were out blading, hauling rock and working on ditching west of Rome by Old Highway 34. We opened up the Quincy Avenue Bridge Thursday as well.?

Friday saw crews working on blading operations, working on the Quincy Avenue and 310th St. project and putting seed down at the Oasis Avenue bridge project.

?In miscellaneous news, the contractor has the frame today (Tuesday) for the equipment storage shed project. They (the contractor) is on site right now,? said Hotchkiss. ?Hopefully they will be getting that structure up today. We also hope to have the intersection at Quincy Avenue and 310th Street opened up by 2:30 p.m. today (Tuesday). Everyone out there has been patient with us and we just need to put up finishing touches.

?We will be putting up a stop sign out there today as well. It?s a vital road and the guys worked really well on it and we are moving a little faster than planned, which is always good,? said Hotchkiss.

Finally, Hotchkiss informed the board that he finalized an application for the Transportation Safety Improvement Program (TSIP) in order to be able to extend the existing pavement on Winfield Avenue from 22-foot to 24-foot with 2-foot paved shoulders with rumble strips.

?If we aren?t awarded the grant, we will stick with 22-foot,? explained Hotchkiss. ?If we are allowed to do this, it will be a better improvement with the truck traffic that will be out there and maintenance on edge drop-off. I hope the process goes well and we will find out after Aug. 15, that?s when the applications were due. We are crossing our fingers.?

The engineer hopes to start the letting for the Winfield Avenue project in Jan. of 2016.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet again in regular session on Thursday, Aug. 7, at 9 a.m. in the board room at the courthouse.