“Our cash count and our balances are in good order.”

Marshall County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Dave Thompson had good things to say about a recently-completed cash count at Tuesday’s regular board meeting.

One example he used was the county’s employee health fund, which is “up considerably over a few years ago,” adding “We’ve got more than adequate reserves there.”

Also mentioned by Thompson was the $3.39 million in the solid waste irrevocable trust, which contains the funds set aside to close the county landfill. That trust, he added, does not belong to the county but to a commission.

In total, the cash count completed on June 30 shows just more than $20.4 million for the county treasurer’s, sheriff’s, veteran’s affairs and auditor/recorder’s offices, and was accepted by the supervisors.

DOT agreements

Meanwhile, road work is coming to a section of Iowa Highway 14 in northern Marshall County, and County Engineer Paul Geilenfeldt said there will be benefits from the Iowa Department of Transportation pre-construction agreement.

“They (the DOT) give us the opportunity for them to make improvements on the run-outs adjacent to the highway, and it definitely is an asset to the safety of the traveling public in Marshall County,” said Geilenfeldt said of an approved agreement between the county and the DOT.

The extension of the run-outs, all three of which are located along the northern section of Highway 14, will make it easier for his department to do work on secondary roads that meet with the state road.

“When these run-outs are extended out to around 50 feet, our motor grader never has to travel in the way of the primary highway,” Geilenfeldt said. “Our operators have expressed that they really appreciate it.”

The project will be on the stretch of highway 14 between County Highway E18 to the west junction of Iowa Highway 175. It will involve widening and resurfacing, and will cost the county an estimated $29,400. Portland Cement Concrete will do the pre-construction work.

Another agreement with the DOT was approved Tuesday, this time for the closure of Iowa Highway 146 from 290th Street to U.S. Highway 30 near Le Grand. The agreement also involved using County Highway E63 as a detour to Highway 14.

“This is for an upcoming project in 2018, the DOT is going to build that grade separation at Le Grand … (highway) 146 is going to go over the UP (Union Pacific) Railroad,” Geilenfeldt said of the bridge planned to over the railroad southwest of Le Grand.

The project is set for April 1-Dec.1, 2018.

“This agreement basically says that the DOT and I will inspect the roadway prior to using it as a detour and … when the detour is completed, if there are any noticeable damages, they’ll bring the roadway back up to its condition prior to the detour being in place,” Geilenfeldt said.

A software update agreement with Johnson Controls also got board approval. The update will be for building automation through the county Buildings and Grounds Department.

“This service agreement is just a software update,” said Buildings and Grounds Director Lucas Baedke, adding the update won’t bring major change. “It probably won’t change the actual internals of it much more than just (making it) user friendly, and security aspects.”

He also said the update would make the software more mobile-friendly. The agreement also includes proper maintenance and repair services for one year. The agreement cost for the first year is set at $7,995.

In other business

A request to replace one of two trees on Marshall County Courthouse grounds was approved Tuesday. The request was submitted by county residents Sherrie and Mike Nelson, who have captained the Iowa 99 County Bible Reading Marathon in recent years.

Two trees on the grounds were damaged in storms this year, and Baedke said he planned on replacing one of them through his department.

“We would furnish the tree, so there will be no expense to the county,” said Sherrie Nelson, adding she would like for city leaders in other small towns in the county, who participated in the Bible Reading Marathon, to come bring a small amount of soil when the tree is planted.

Thompson, along with Board Chairman Bill Patten and member Steve Salasek, approved the request, but noted the supervisors should be cautious with the precedent being set.

“I’d like us to be very careful here, in setting a precedent,” Thompson said. “I have no problem with this because it would be a replacement.”

Because the tree would not be an addition to the grounds, he said he would be fine with the move.

“We have really not accepted trees from people, but it just happens to be you came along the same time Lucas had a tree down,” Patten said.

The placement of Submarine Veterans Memorial Highway signs running through the county, beginning at the John J. Marino Memorial Library at the Iowa Veterans Home, was approved as well.

The county will pick up the cost of the signs, set to be placed 5 miles apart on a path from Summit Street, to Valley View Road, to Main Street and to U.S. Highway 330 and through to the county line.

Project leaders hope to have the memorial signs run through other counties to the State Capitol Building in Des Moines, and are working with the DOT on the project.

The next Marshall County Board of Supervisors meeting is set for 9 a.m. July 25 in meeting room no. 2 on the third floor of the Marshall County Courthouse.

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Contact Adam Sodders at (641) 753-6611 or asodders@timesrepublican.com