[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6611392,"mediaKeyId","2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456","parentId",2896758,"title","County hears report that contractor hit fiber, knocking out four cell towers and affecting roughly 4,000 customers","audioSeconds",74,"startMs",70000,"endMs",144000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456&start=70&end=144","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456/thumbnail_70000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6611392/Kossuth-County/Iowa/County-hears-report-that-contractor-hit-fiber-knocking-out-four-cell-towers-and-affecting-roughly-4000-customers","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611392-afe3c9c6b3b3aeb5ed1843f638f20edb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770889352&Signature=DKRlXzLULHYSsPLm57W0TWi3X6moxL4SujjjxyS947ABkhYuHbyVdvG~PA-sufSFiYnGEucojDd3bFLZs9JJXzhUoFLQ7~CuofLz4z6S-~-VmjBvuFg5qxP7hMGhx6aoeYP0z2nmNiGXs-dhaNBHPfWJ72v-II1XKkqgmF1brOIMznk087xrCYialHhQHHaNJx-qPvv8VNIvoHgr7efON6IvwkLkhe4UADrhZqsdb1k5B5bb11fXAwN1PhRu1wY3olGvhvBUHULkQPn-Ee7ns07Wnt7Qq1W7YF145hlhWQ9uaJSCFetWWz5c6PWVxdCeiRt2MQKNvygM41RRJXXniw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kossuth County","date","2025-04-08T15:26:35.267Z","article","During public discussion at the start of the meeting, a county official reported that a contractor working in the county's right‑of‑way struck a Lumen (formerly CenturyLink) fiber circuit, temporarily taking down four cell service towers and disrupting service to about 4,000 customers.

The speaker said Lumen had seven repair trucks on site and restored service early Friday; Verizon experienced a related outage the following day and returned service to the area about 9 a.m. Central time the next night. \"A little over 4,000 customers were impacted,\" the speaker said; he added that \"about 4 to 300 people have no service for any of those\" (quoted as stated in the meeting). The board recorded the report as an informational update; no board action was taken.

Ending: Supervisors acknowledged the update and moved on to the rest of the agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kossuth County Board of Supervisors Meeting 4/8/2025 Part 1 of 1","oneSentenceSummary","A public commenter reported a contractor struck a Lumen fiber line, taking down four towers and disrupting service for an estimated 4,000 customers; Verizon experienced related outages the following day.","taxTitle","Kossuth County, Iowa","taxId",69823,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6611398,"Supervisors approve engagement letter with Ahlers & Cooney to draft county solar ordinance",417,2050000,2467000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456&start=2050&end=2467","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456/thumbnail_2050000.jpg","/articles/6611398/Kossuth-County/Iowa/Supervisors-approve-engagement-letter-with-Ahlers-Cooney-to-draft-county-solar-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611398-8a75ed2d56fbb19dd957292e732b190b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770889352&Signature=fZFGmycUBBBjdSCMQJ684O-t8FqWDdKGx~acJsntXDJx67nCNFi1-6PzE8HzMGrF6yAI1hhZS4l6kyD--ZOSa2WWdliKoFwI7gODfH6LoQZWe1HFJqiL36meVdo0g6ZbracgE8Cd1B3YIVkp4zyRUxaZbOvSJ05lIHuueRYnYfBi5JO1vIX3UK5y7pqDFTGM1kLMlDMYc4b2k8t-Qpdff6gUo-76aBsmAfmjzdnBRR1voHeabPbi1tqhdEg1A4BK2qdbts5~64bPBOEHRMgysL3Pe8zozCzOtJ~E1PGjPq-v38pbSskz6bXlFXhMBVmvJwuEntIrKKWs7jDm699g7w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kossuth County supervisors unanimously approved an engagement letter with the law firm Ahlers & Cooney to draft a county ordinance addressing large photovoltaic projects.

The county auditor said she had been in contact with a lawyer at Ahlers & Cooney and forwarded requested materials — current zoning ordinance language, any draft ordinance language, the county comprehensive plan and the board’s objectives — so the firm could begin work. \"She asked for current zoning ordinance applicable to solar array projects, photovoltaic power stations, any current draft of new proposed ordinance linked to the current zoning code, current comprehensive plan, and board's primary goals and objectives for the new ordinance,\" the auditor reported.

Why it matters: A county-level solar ordinance would define how large solar arrays (photovoltaic power stations) are sited and regulated within the county’s zoning framework. Supervisors said they wanted planning and zoning staff to be involved and asked that department heads be kept informed as the firm develops questions and draft language.

Board action and vote: Supervisor Stecker moved to approve the engagement letter; Wachter seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Details and next steps: The auditor said Ahlers & Cooney will contact county staff to schedule a time to discuss the draft ordinance and any follow-up questions. The engagement letter contains standard lawyer-client language that the firm retains the work product, the auditor said; supervisors indicated they expected the firm to draw on prior county experience but noted the engagement letter’s standard ownership language. The county will work with planning and zoning (Doug and Corey were copied on related emails) to supply supplemental materials and participate in follow-up meetings with firm attorneys.

Ending: With the engagement letter approved, the county expects the firm to begin outreach and data collection and to return with a timeline and draft ordinance language for board consideration.","The board approved an engagement letter with law firm Ahlers & Cooney to draft a solar (photovoltaic power station) ordinance; staff will forward relevant zoning and comprehensive plan documents to the firm and schedule follow-up.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6611403,"County engineer previews DOT five‑year road program; supervisors approve right‑of‑way construction after fiber strike",3936,185000,4121000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456&start=185&end=4121","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456/thumbnail_185000.jpg","/articles/6611403/Kossuth-County/Iowa/County-engineer-previews-DOT-fiveyear-road-program-supervisors-approve-rightofway-construction-after-fiber-strike","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611403-3d357f1e68d63d776bb91855392b5fd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770889352&Signature=j1G9mDVfUs1AvRKDl0RbCpZLJfWDfKW2cLyi101UlF9FDFKor-bkvyHiHD02Jv~BrmMdrlJAK1kTbeloPLdHtbTrSRC-KcR6w5m35RhJDrTlR334TqSUKn99vtgFieBplQEt0~-F34cU1M~fzNvit5PEUifP3nfELuFARUFQMw3qG2MRrhCgjdnerQ9Sh2YjYOvPfvAozTf4kCrvi5w9wAncMmDMBps6VDGE-hmAiS1crDTMuiEVMCAhVJKWW~IP2~fW-znaoxozQ0XkFnalD8t5Omp~-~DNG4PlI1msvdZ8qav9--BHq6uL5L2t384LYDYlpsw-m9t8qRN3C1ZubA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kossuth County Board of Supervisors heard a preview of the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) five‑year secondary roads program and budget and approved a construction right‑of‑way agreement memorializing work already completed after a contractor hit a fiber‑optic line.

County Engineer Doug presented a draft five‑year program that the DOT will review before the board takes formal action. He told supervisors that federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) projects, Farm-to-Market (FM) projects and locally funded projects are listed in the draft and that DOT review (required before the board’s approval) focuses on correct project numbers, descriptions and funding categories. \"Once the DOT approves of everything, we'll come back to the board of supervisors and get their approval,\" Doug said.

Why it matters: The five‑year program and funding mix determine which roads and bridges will be resurfaced or reconstructed, and in which years; engineer testimony noted constrained Farm-to‑Market and local funds could force prioritization. Doug told supervisors his current estimate of available Farm-to‑Market funding for the year was about $2.2 million and local construction budgets appear more limited than planned projects, meaning not all planned local projects will be constructed this year.

Right‑of‑way construction approval: Supervisors approved a construction right‑of‑way application tied to a completed tile repair and contractor work on 200th Street near McGregor after a contractor struck fiber optics during the project. The engineer said the approval documents the county's verbal authorization and protects the county by recording that the installer accepted responsibility for the work. The motion to approve the construction right‑of‑way carried unanimously.

Other notes from the engineer's report: The engineer described current contract projects (bridge north of Sexton, resurfacing work with Mathy Construction) and advised that only two gravel‑road bridge projects are listed in the draft program. He also briefed supervisors on FEMA claims moving through review, potential changes being discussed to the way secondary‑road funding is shown on property tax statements (discussion of a possible separate secondary‑road levy to increase transparency), and equipment and transfer‑station staffing updates.

Transfers acknowledged: The auditor reported two transfers to the secondary roads fund \"made on April 2\" — $94,295.16 from General Basic and $652,538.64 from Rural Basic — which the board acknowledged during the meeting.

Ending: The DOT must complete its program review prior to board approval; when that review concludes, the engineer said he will return with a presentation and recommendation. The county will also file the right‑of‑way paperwork for the completed repair.","Kossuth County’s engineer presented a draft DOT five‑year program and funding preview; supervisors acknowledged two transfers to the secondary roads fund and approved a post‑work construction right‑of‑way agreement after a contractor struck fiber optics.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6611406,"Kossuth County approves EMS promotions and authorizes ventilator maintenance training with retention condition",1503,506000,2009000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456&start=506&end=2009","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2896758-365ba35334b4d6dbff76310920052456/thumbnail_506000.jpg","/articles/6611406/Kossuth-County/Iowa/Kossuth-County-approves-EMS-promotions-and-authorizes-ventilator-maintenance-training-with-retention-condition","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6611406-0076788d8254697b3c83e2f7469f186e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770889352&Signature=e1bK8VZX1Ibc24NopfoMtvhQ-tmlJYPXS9oVYERw20x0VBozXEKhE5LsrZdcKG9bd6j~Gu2fytDzDahjYz1rNHUmR9BWl9b0KfG7LICzlfbmGXao9~PNRT7SaHi00uNy2PvEzDm7EpNlCnCGs-P7ZJGeIQ7zPCzaAH6apBxPRBO1thYPFOHL6~Bto7ZM2t9fVMNzAavRu0NLXH55r198zLajLDAMyV7Y9X09tZqRnq2tOuvored6Nq~YEWKO4XWdkMEg78FLIk--BSDJxCtNB3q0nVIRjQu8JdX6rDVfy1mpsBx-nAzDHEDl1rs2rbdT4LaWEpQLoXAphnXfqtou8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kossuth County Board of Supervisors on April 8 accepted the advancement of three emergency medical services staff to Advanced EMT certification and approved sending a county employee to vendor-run ventilator preventative maintenance training, with a retention requirement tied to two maintenance cycles.

The board voted unanimously to accept certification advancements for Evan Bollinger, Helen Neeves and another staff member who completed the Advanced EMT course and related state testing; the board also acknowledged the change carries a $2 hourly wage increase under the department wage scale. \"All three of us passing the test on the first attempt,\" the EMS presenter said, naming Bollinger and Neeves among those certified.

Why it matters: The actions both acknowledge skill upgrades among EMS personnel and aim to keep ventilator maintenance in-house, which county staff said could reduce future service bills but requires an upfront training cost and a retention agreement to address turnover risk.

Board action and vote: The board approved the certification advancements by voice vote. Later, after discussion of costs and retention risk, the board approved a motion authorizing EMS to attend vendor training to perform preventative maintenance on county ventilators, contingent on a retention commitment equivalent to two maintenance cycles. The amended motion passed 4–1 in a roll-call vote (Haas: yes; Garment: no; Stecker: yes; Wachter: yes; Nance: yes).

Details from the meeting: County EMS leadership told supervisors the vendor that currently performs preventative maintenance — identified in meeting testimony as Hamilton — has stopped allowing outside contractors to do PM work, leaving counties the choice to pay the vendor roughly $3,000 per annual on-site service (plus parts) or to send a staff member to vendor training. The county estimated the total cost to send one employee to the vendor's three‑day class at about $4,200 (roughly $2,500 tuition plus airfare and lodging). \"The cost to have Hamilton come service our machines is around $3,000, plus any parts,\" the EMS presenter said. He added the training option includes initial certification from the vendor and periodic remote updates from the vendor.

Supervisor concerns and conditions: Several supervisors voiced concern that trained staff might leave soon after completing an expensive course. Supervisors suggested a retention agreement; the motion was amended during discussion to require commitment tied to two maintenance cycles (a maintenance cycle was described as roughly annual), and supervisors asked that an agreement be drafted and reviewed with county administration before final enrollment. One supervisor said they preferred to see the proposed contract and confirm employee willingness before finalizing training registration.

Implementation and next steps: The county will work with staff to identify an employee for training, draft a retention agreement (the board asked EMS and county administration to prepare the contract), and sign up for a training slot that can be canceled if the contract or employee consent is not finalized. County staff said the vendor offers training monthly and that the first PM after training would occur the following month; if no county employee attends, the county will continue to pay the vendor to perform services on-site.

Budget and labor notes: The board heard that the wage-scale increase for staff moving from EMT to Advanced EMT is $2 per hour, and supervisors noted the county may recover the upfront training fee within about a year compared with paying the vendor service calls. The motion to authorize training included the retention contingency and explicit direction to draft an agreement for future board review.

Ending: With the amended motion approved 4–1, county staff were directed to draft a retention agreement based on two maintenance cycles and to proceed with arrangements for training contingent on the employee's acceptance of the agreement. The board also requested that EMS return with the contract for review prior to final irreversible expenditures.","The Board of Supervisors accepted three EMS staff advancing to Advanced EMT and authorized sending staff to a ventilator preventative maintenance class, contingent on a retention agreement tied to two maintenance cycles; the training motion passed 4–1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County hears report that contractor hit fiber, knocking out four cell towers and affecting roughly 4,000 customers

Supervisors approve engagement letter with Ahlers & Cooney to draft county solar ordinance

County engineer previews DOT five‑year road program; supervisors approve right‑of‑way construction after fiber strike

Kossuth County approves EMS promotions and authorizes ventilator maintenance training with retention condition