MOUND CITY – Linn County Information Technology (IT) Director Chris Martin told the Linn County Commission on Monday, Dec. 19, that the sheriff’s office dispatchers would be moving out of the old sheriff’s office and jail building this week. The new location will be in the sheriff's office of the new Justice Center.
Martin told the commissioners that almost all the switches are installed and maintenance has been hanging the cameras with about 12 cameras left to install.
Martin said that the Public Works Department was very helpful installing the Internet for the Linn County Park cabins. He said they had pulled all of the wire to the cabins. To finish up, the county will use the bucket truck to hang the antennas, and the cabins will be on line.
County officials have said that lack of Internet access in the cabins has become a problem in renting them out to customers.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved rescheduling next week’s meeting to Tuesday, Dec. 27 for the Christmas holiday.
• Learned from Public Works Director Shaun West that someone had an accident near the railroad bridge north of Centerville and a huge section of guardrail had been taken out. Since the damage was extensive and no accident report was made, West reported it to the sheriff and Lamb so that insurance might cover the damage. If anyone has any information about the accident, West asks that they call the sheriff.
• Learned from County Counselor Gary Thompson that while dispatch was moving out of the old sheriff’s building, they would not be completely out until the end of January.
Thompson said he had the requests for proposals for demolition to submit the third week in January to ask for proposals by Feb. 6.
Lamb said that he needed to get the gas lines moved before the demolition starts.
• Heard the Linn County Health Department report from the Administrator Missy Lancaster. Six COVID tests were taken bringing the yearly total to 524. Seven COVID vaccinations were given, and one hearing test was done. Lancaster reported that the awning on the building was completed.
• Learned that the fuel tanks were delivered to Pleasanton and the tarp cover for the building at the airport was delivered.
• Were reminded that the county officials meeting is Tuesday, Dec. 20, 7 p.m. at Bunker Hill.
• Approved a conditional use permit (CUP) for Lavender Family Ranch for operating a venue, cabin rentals, horse stall rentals, RV pad rentals, and trail rides.
• Accepted the resignation of Melanie Staton from the planning and zoning board.
• Appointed Beth Staton to the planning and zoning board.
• Asked County Clerk David Lamb to prepare a resolution making the Linn County Journal an additional official news source for Linn County. The resolution would state that the Journal will publish all official notices that are currently published in the county’s legal newspaper, The Linn County News.
• Adopted a resolution to approve the Lake Region Solid Waste Authority (LRSWA) plan. West said that it was the exact same plan that the county adopts every year except for a correction on the spelling of his name.
• Asked West to get additional bids on the Parker Senior Center floor repair. West had reported that the company he had contacted about doing the flooring, Derailed Commodities, had looked over the project for laminate flooring at the senior center. The company did not believe that was the best flooring for the center because the floor was not level enough. They presented a bid of $10,274. Forty percent of this project is being funded by the East Central Area Agency on Aging (ECKAAA).
The Parker Senior Center has had a problem with glue oozing out from between the tiles, likely due to moisture. West had planned that a plastic barrier be put down first to deter the moisture but the person from Derailed Commodities said that they would be using a liquid barrier that would dry and harden to keep the moisture out.
• Learned that the refrigerator had been installed at the Centerville Senior Center and that the heating and air conditioning system will be installed soon. This project is also funded by 40 percent by the ECKAAA.
• Learned that Johnny Taylor and Carl Wieberg had both passed the pesticide applicator exam. Taylor is now looking into the cost of application equipment and chemicals to spray the county buildings.
• Hired April Powell as a full-time marina clerk at the Linn County Park for $14.85 per hour.
• Learned that the bucket truck was having mechanical trouble because of the emission filter in the catalytic converter. The cost will be $6,200, but the part will not be in until mid-February so the company is sending the truck back to the county until the part arrives.
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