Supervisors decide not to vacate portion of M Avenue

MARENGO — After hearing from Iowa County residents during a public hearing Friday, Iowa County Supervisors decided not to vacate a portion of M Avenue.

Steve Pohlman had asked the county to vacate part of M Avenue in northern Iowa County, south of 107th Street. He said during Friday’s public hearing that he has already been talking care of the dirt road beyond the sign that says “road ends in 700 feet” near Tina Tuttle’s farm.

“I would like to personally take are of the road,” said Pohlman.

Several other residents who use the road to access their properties said they didn’t trust Pohlman to take care of the road and asked supervisors to deny Pohlman’s request.

Lida Timm said she owns land on 107th St. Vacating M Avenue where Pohlman proses would block Timm’s access to the back end of their farm, she said.

“We are against this, of course.”

Timm said her family has taken care of the dirt road when they can and that Pohlman has driven on their land to get to his own land, leaving large ruts for them to deal with.

“I don’t totally trust Steve to maintain the road,” said Tina Tuttle-Sherman. “I need to make sure that M Avenue is solid footing to get transportation in and out.”

“If this change were made, it would deny me access to that property,” said Jerry Kennon. He doesn’t trust Pohlman to take care of the road, he said. “He’s broken the rules before. I’m asking you to keep this a public road.”

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Access to Kennon’s property from MM is a mile away, Kennon said, and he can’t get his equipment through that way.

“That dirt road has already been abandoned,” Ken Tuttle said. It belongs to Fred Timm.

County Engineer Nick Amelon confirmed that Fred Timm would have half the road and Pohlman would have the other half of that 700 feet. No one at the public hearing saw the benefit of having half a road.

“I’m just here to make sure we have that access,” said Ron Timm, Fred and Lida Timm’s son. He asked the county to continue maintaining M Avenue.

“When it was first presented, it didn’t seem like a big deal,” said County Supervisor Abigail Maas. “I’m very glad you all came and talked to us,” she told the residents who spoke during the public hearing.

“If the neighborhood isn’t in agreement with it, I don’t think it should be approved,” said Degen.

Amelon told Supervisors that he always meets with the neighbors when people ask that a road be vacated. He sends out letters to inform them of the request, but he also likes to meet with them in person, he said.

Amelon said he can’t know how the neighbors feel about it until he asks.

Voted 5-0 not to vacate the road.