T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Work continues on the Marshall County Courthouse dome replacement. On Tuesday, crews tended to it on the north-side of the courthouse square.

The Marshall County Courthouse may reopen in August depending on action by the county’s insurer, weather and when contractors are able to start work inside the historic structure.

Those were key points addressed by county auditor and recorder Nan Benson at Tuesday’s regular board of supervisors meeting.

The courthouse has been closed to the public since July 20, 2018, the day following the EF-3 tornado which caused millions of dollars in damage to private and public buildings in its nearly nine-mile path.

“This is the first delay we have had with insurance,” Benson said. “Delays generated by insurance companies has been a common concern with Main Street businesses.”

Supervisor Dave Thompson told a county resident at the meeting all inside preparation work has been done, and that the county is waiting for its insurance company to let bids on the project.

“They are paying the bill, so they are letting the bids,” he said.

Benson also said the replacement for the iconic courthouse dome destroyed in the tornado might be ready for installation in one month weather permitting.

She said her office has received a lot of questions about the dome’s status and why the project was taking a long time.

A representative of Renaissance Roofing told Benson Monday the company is taking every precaution to make sure the new dome’s waterproofing is applied correctly.

“It could be installed one month from now weather permitting,” Benson said. “That is the best case scenario. The company’s primary goal is to get all work done properly, and will be good for years to come. Weather has been good for that work in recent weeks.”

Benson said crews have begun preparing the dome’s base on top of the courthouse for installation.

In other action:

• The board approved by 3-0 vote a “construction evaluation resolution” for all animal confinement feeding operation structures in the county.

Adoption of the resolution means the supervisors agree to evaluate every construction permit application for a proposed confinement feeding operation received between Feb. 1 and Jan. 31, 2021, and submit an adopted recommendation approving or disapproving the application to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The board also agrees to use the the master matrix permitted in the Iowa Code in evaluating the applications.

However, the board’s recommendation to the IDNR may be based on the final score on the matrix or may be based on reasons other than matrix score.

“If someone wants to build a hog house or cattle feeding facility it has to go through this process,” supervisor Bill Patten said. “The IDNR looks at how far the proposed facility would be from the stream, the type of soil it would be placed upon, if there is a school or church nearby and so on. This is something we definitely need to be part of.”

Thompson said owners of animal confinement facilities must also use the master matrix when submitting their annual Manure Management Plan Update (MMPU) to the supervisors.

Earlier in the meeting the supervisors approved by consent agenda three MMPU’s submitted by Flint Finisher Farms, Edler Brothers Section 36 and Pickard Brothers.

• Citing safety concerns, county resident Patricia Nichols asked the board to replace a burned-out light at the intersection of county road E-29 and Marsh Avenue.

Nichols said she and other residents were having trouble seeing the intersection – especially during rainstorms – while successfully completing a turn.

County Engineer Paul Geilenfeldt told Nichols that Alliant Energy was responsible for the replacement.

Geilenfeldt told her she should contact Alliant’s customer service department.

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Contact Mike Donahey

at 641-753-6611 or

mdonahey@timesrepublican.com.