Iowa County continues dust discussion

MARENGO — An Iowa County resident and former county supervisor said Friday that the county needs to consider safety on heavily traveled county roads before changing its dust control policy.

Alan Schumacher told the Iowa County Board of Supervisors that residents are concerned about changes to Iowa County’s dust control policy proposed by County Engineer Nick Amelon in December. The changes would increase fees for dust control and set a definite date for grading roads to prepare the roads for winter.

Schumacher told supervisors that F15 has a traffic county of more than 200 a day and is a farm-to-markert road. Several residents on the route have dust control, which Schumacher called “expensive proposition year after year.”

As heavy ag traffic increases, dust increases, said Schumacher. “It’s a safety concern, guys.”

Residents are particularly concerned about an Oct. 1 date for grading roads, Schumacher said. He suggested that supervisors give intense thought to that issue before making a decision.

Supervisor Abby Maas said she was more concerned about an increase in fees.

Fees will go up, said Schumacher, but to raise the fees and close the window for application of dust control is too much.

Supervisor Kevin Heitshusen said the county has been using the Oct. 1 cutoff date.

Residents seem to want the cutoff day to be the end of October instead, said Supervisor Jon Degen.

Maas said the county is the last to receive dust control application, but that’s something the dust control company decides.

Residents need to be able to coordinate that with the county, said Schumacher, to make sure the application is done more than a few days before the county begins grading roads for winter.

“We need some help. We need some cooperation,” said Schumacher. “We’re not asking for the sun and the moon.” It’s a safety issue, he said.

Supervisors estimated that about 200 homes in the county have dust control. Permits allow the county to know which roads will be treated so they can grade it before application, Heitshusen said.

The county also knows which roads not to grade during the dust control process, said Supervisor Jon Degen.

Application of 800 feet takes about five minutes, according to Supervisor Chris Montross.

Amelon proposed during the Dec. 19 meeting of the Board of Supervisors that the county charge according to length of the dust control rather than $10 for a permit for any length.

“We’ve had some issues with people coming in, paying for … them, and their neighbor, and the other neighbor and trying to get around the system,” Amelon said in December.

Also have people who like to go miles upon miles, “so we’re going to up that fee to about $100,” Amelon said.

Amelon also requested that the supervisors choose a definite date that the secondary roads crew can grade the roads. Many counties specify that after Oct. 1 or Oct. 15, the county may go through dust control without consulting the landowner, said Amelon.

“I’m not saying that they’re all going to do that, but just plan on it,” Amelon said. “I think we should just have it in [the policy] that you just plan on it being graded through.”

“I think the concern was they’re still harvesting Oct. 1,” said Supervisor Jon Degen during the December meeting. “And that’s probably the dustiest time. But they’re still harvesting Oct. 15, and they’re still harvesting Oct. 30 too.”

Gravel roads have a lot more truck traffic hauling grain in the fall after harvest as well, said Degen, but a date has to be set, said Amelon, so the county can prep the roads for winter.

Supervisors took no action Jan. 2. The board meets at 9 a.m. every Friday in the East Annex, 970 Court Ave. in Marengo