MONONA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING JUNE 3, 2025 The Monona County Board of Supervisors met in regular session at 8:30 a.m. o’clock on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in the boardroom of the courthouse in Onawa, Monona County, Iowa with Vice Chairman Tom Brouillette presiding. Other Supervisors present: Vince Phillips. Supervisor Absent: Fox. Also present was Auditor Peggy A. Rolph. Motion was made by Supervisor Phillips, seconded by Supervisor Brouillette to approve the agenda. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Charlie Persinger, Monona County Economic Development, was present to update the Board what he found out about the DNR and Blue Lake. There will be a public meeting either Monday, June 23, 2025, or Thursday, June 26, 2025, at the Onawa Community Center. Charlie will inform the Board which day and time the meeting will be held. No action taken. Wray Wright was also present. Patrick Prorok, EMA Director, was present to update the Board on emergency response hazard mitigation plan that SIMPCO has prepared for Cherokee County, Ida County, Monona County, Plymouth County, and Woodbury County. Discussion followed. No action taken. Patrick also updated the Board that the blizzard from March 19, 2025, has been declared a presidential disaster and public assistance will be available to help with public utilities. There is no individual assistance available. Discussion followed. No action taken. Wray Wright was also present. Secondary Roads Engineer Charles Bechtold and Wray Wright were present for Secondary Roads business. Motion was made by Supervisor Phillips, seconded by Supervisor Brouillette to approve miscellaneous utility permit for Brandon Stout Winnebago proposing to place 1-1 1/4í conduit at a min. of 48î deep on the north side of 340/100th Street starting on the west side of Calhoun/Aspen Avenue for approximately 14,500 feet staying within 5í0î of the property line. Conduit will contain (1) 48 ct. fiber. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Discussion items were motor graders, FEMA, hauling rock, stockpiling rock, salt & fuel bids opening next week. No action taken. Motion was made by Supervisor Brouillette, seconded by Supervisor Phillips to give Peggy Rolph, Auditor, authorization to purchase election trailer from OC Trailers & RV’s Inc. for a 2025 American Hauler Trailer for $9,075. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Amy Borchardt-Sick, drainage clerk, was present for drainage business along with Caleb Rasmussen, Engineer with ISG; Luke Carpenter, Graduate Engineer with ISG and Tim Hodgson. Phillips approved the drainage claims, seconded by Brouillette. The claims are on file in the drainage office. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Oliver Lake Main and Oliver Lake Lateral 1 were discussed. No action taken. The Board of Supervisors of Monona and Harrison Counties, Iowa, as Joint Trustees of the McNeill Inter-County Drainage District of Monona and Harrison Counties, Iowa, met on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 11:00 o’clock a.m. at the Onawa Public Library, Onawa, Monona County, Iowa. Supervisors present were: Vince Phillips and Tom Brouillette, Monona County; and Brian Rife, and Rebecca Wilkerson, Harrison County. Absent: Bo Fox, Chairman and Tony Smith. Others present: Peggy Rolph, Monona County Auditor; Amy Borchardt-Sick, Drainage Clerk; Caleb Rasmussen, Engineer, Luke Carpenter, Graduate Engineer with I & S Group, and Attorney Gary Taylor. Landowners and interested parties present were: James Alexander; Beverly Alexander; Scott Phipps; Rick Stanislav; Allen Carrier; Larry Hutchinson, David Zima, and Jason Stanislav. It was moved by Brouillette, seconded by Phillips to open the hearing. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette, Phillips, Rife and Wilkerson. Nays: None. Motion carried. Supervisor Brouillette announced this is the time and place for hearing for the proposed improvement of the McNeill Main Inter-County Drainage District Phase II project. There were no written objections filed prior to the time of the hearing. Supervisor Brouillette asked if anyone else had a written objection to file before the hearing began. No additional objections were filed. Engineer Rasmussen stated the purpose of today’s public hearing is to discuss the proposed improvements for the McNeill Inter-County Drainage Ditch cleanout, Phase II, which consists of a new channel and pipe outlet on the east side of the Union Pacific Railroad just north of Blencoe. This new channel would bypass the RR. Phase I is complete from the Monona Harrison up to this first RR crossing. The idea of the two phases was to allow time to permit the project through the RR. As of date, we have made several attempts to communicate with the RR, we did reach out to Senator Feenstra, Sweeney, and Ernst for help communicating with the RR. We filed an official notice, per Iowa Code 468, with the RR to lower their two culverts. The notice was sent in late 2023, they had until 2024 to respond which they did not. The RR is adamant this is not a repair but an ìimprovementî and stated they will not lower the two culverts. Engineer Rasmussen discussed several options for repair that were all presented at the informational meeting held in December 2024 and let the landowners present know the conclusion of that meeting was to bypass the RR and construct a new channel on the East side of the RR. Plans were provided by ISG for the new proposed ditch. Rasmussen stated the district would still maintain the ditch west of the RR. When the new channel was designed, it was to avoid any wetland mitigation that is out there. Rassmussen said they would not do a design for any capacity above what is existing. That again is to avoid wetland mitigation. Engineer Rassmussen responded to additional questions presented. Landowners concerns were asking senators for additional help, expenses of the project and what that would do to the taxes, the trusses being removed and replaced with two culverts put in by Union Pacific without any knowledge of the McNeil DD, timeframe of the project, pumping, taking the RR to court for the lowering of the two culverts, reclassification, assessment, and more. Rasmussen stated if we did take the RR to court, the costs are assessed back to the successful party in the case. If the district was successful in court, the RR would pay the court costs. He feels we have sufficient documentation to present in court. The last case ISG was involved with taking Union Pacific to court settled in 2.5 years. One landowner suggested getting the news involved when the papers are served to the RR. Based on discussion, it was Rassmussen’s recommendation to not adopt the improvement bypass, direct ISG to proceed preparing plans and specifications for the repair cleanout, phase II and to prep documents to serve Union Pacific papers for lowering the pipe culverts under the two RR crossings. The remaining portion of the ditch in consideration and ongoing commitment with the RR and consideration of construction dewatering, the construction would start at the second RR crossing and continue north to Onawa. The outcome of the RR would determine if we proceed with the west loop or then proceed with the new bypass channel. Per Rasmussen, the ditch would line up if we still elected to do the bypass, and for that æ mile he anticipates that portion would take three months to complete if taking that route. They would level the spoils and Harrison County stated they would be interested if we had extra dirt that needed to be hauled off. Following lengthy discussion, it was moved by Phillips, seconded by Brouillette to close the hearing. Vote on motion: Ayes: Phillips, Brouillette, Rife and Wilkerson. Nays: None. Motion carried. It was moved by Phillips, seconded by Wilkerson to not adopt the improvement bypass, direct ISG to proceed with the plans and specifications of the repair cleanout of Phase II McNeill Inter-County Drainage Ditch, and to prep documents to serve Union Pacific RR notice for lowering the pipe culverts under the 2 RR crossing. Vote on motion: Ayes: Phillips, Brouillette, Rife and Wilkerson. Nays: None. Motion carried. The anticipated timeline for this repair for Phase II would be bid letting early Fall with construction beginning early Winter of 2025 and completion being next Spring. Rasmussen did note that they were directed to complete a reclassification of the district when this project started, they have not done that due to the proposed improvement, however now that that is not taking place, they will continue getting the reclassification completed. Motion to adjourn the Drainage meeting was made by Brouillette, seconded by Rife. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette, Phillips, Rife and Wilkerson. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Brouillette, seconded by Supervisor Phillips to recess at 11:55 p.m. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Brouillette, seconded by Supervisor Phillips to reconvene at 12:56 p.m. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Kara Minnihan was present requesting a letter of support from the Board of Supervisors for the Onawa Public Library’s Musical Sensory Garden Grant. Motion was made by Supervisor Phillips, seconded by Supervisor Brouillette to authorize the Board of Supervisor’s signatures on letter of support for the Onawa Public Library’s Musical Sensory Garden Grant. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Brouillette, seconded by Supervisor Phillips to approve the minutes of May 27, 2025, as read. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Brouillette, seconded by Supervisor Phillips to approve claims. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Phillips, seconded by Supervisor Brouillette to acknowledge receipt of resignation letter from Sharon Gries, Chief Deputy Assessor, effective May 29, 2025. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Brouillette, seconded by Supervisor Phillips to authorize the Vice-Chairman’s signature on status/payroll change form for Terri Pratt. She will be going from $54,576 per year as Deputy Assessor to $70,316 per year as Chief Deputy Assessor. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Phillips, seconded by Supervisor Brouillette to acknowledge receipt of Manure Management Annual update for Loess Hills Poultry Facility #71250. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Brouillette, seconded by Supervisor Phillips to acknowledge receipt of resignation letter from Sheri Streeter, Election Deputy effective June 30, 2025. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. Motion was made by Supervisor Phillips, seconded by Supervisor Brouillette to acknowledge receipt of resignation letter from Grant Richard Jager, Sr. as Commissioner of Veteran Affairs. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. It was moved by Supervisor Brouillette, seconded by Supervisor Phillips to hereby adjourn at the hour of 1:05 p.m. o’clock. Vote on motion: Ayes: Brouillette and Phillips. Nays: None. Motion carried. /s/Bo Fox BO FOX, CHAIRPERSON MONONA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ATTEST: /s/Peggy A. Rolph PEGGY A. ROLPH, MONONA COUNTY AUDITOR MP6-19-25
