[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_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":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6160404,"mediaKeyId","5450498-7503f000e1184ef2d5b38fb0f53be1be","parentId",5450498,"title","Board approves minutes; auditors present waste authority and watershed assessments for payment","audioSeconds",139,"startMs",1610160,"endMs",1749570,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450498-7503f000e1184ef2d5b38fb0f53be1be&start=1610&end=1749","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450498-7503f000e1184ef2d5b38fb0f53be1be/thumbnail_1610160.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6160404/Jackson-County/Iowa/Board-approves-minutes-auditors-present-waste-authority-and-watershed-assessments-for-payment","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160404-faae247812a9e8c663079794db612d26/orig.mp4?Expires=1773573227&Signature=T3YRd-YkUZUkWZ0Lrk0C7IY9JHe9ciaMxYbEZjHRMpWX4MW5xIQA0410XTuxPqJ5rMSIHwlhOCJScsKIeBN8-OtWSFAgXVOn1F-sVoZDs20~dxOmjBXEmYWk20vOLwkUQC-9J9tdxl~7qNv1-cPAXiWXrxj6ahBPSzQaEZ7dOAEf69~tK5ZFQdgDg6NnzzjKJrE--kL7zls7LPFL-x7Nw4wP7wqLDevVslrOrwTQJ1ykT-Ch0OHaVkfqF4wjgvw5PXin46T-6iHR-cbsrE87fTF6PTSKTEgpVeYBgoXOvH0H1qJiABH~IGpnT8A~HCMAP9iTkvaDHqPn5LsXEz5UnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Jackson County, Iowa","date","2025-07-22T14:51:38Z","article","Lisa, deputy auditor, asked the Jackson County Board of Supervisors to approve the board proceedings and work session minutes from July 15 and to authorize publication in the official newspapers. The board approved the minutes by voice vote.

The vote matters as the official minutes establish the record of board actions and authorize publication required by county procedures.

Lisa moved to approve the July 15, 2025, board proceedings and work session minutes as written by Deputy Auditor Decker and to authorize publication in the official newspapers; a second was recorded and the motion passed on a voice vote. “All in favor, say aye,” the chair said; the clerk recorded, “The motion carries.”

Lisa also distributed two invoices for discussion. The first was an assessment from the Waste Authority of Jackson County for $25,855.87; she said it was the county’s assessment and recommended payment. She told the board she had spoken to Frank at the waste authority and that the authority was moving forward and settling claims.

The second was a bill from the Coconut River Watershed Management Authority for $11,345. Lisa asked whether the board wished to pay the full amount and whether the county should continue covering the small communities or water-testing work.

Board members discussed historical practice of paying similar watershed assessments and indicated support for payment. Lisa said she would process the payments. No formal roll-call vote on the invoices is recorded in the transcript; the auditor stated she would move the items into processing.

There were no further motions. The meeting adjourned after brief calendar announcements.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Jackson County Iowa Board of Supervisors Meeting 7-22-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved its July 15 minutes by voice vote. The county auditor presented assessments from the Waste Authority of Jackson County and the Coconut River Watershed Management Authority and sought direction to process payment.","taxTitle","taxId",38127,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6160409,"Veterans affairs reports spike in claim decisions and seeks volunteer drivers for transport pilot",338,1256245,1594945,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450498-7503f000e1184ef2d5b38fb0f53be1be&start=1256&end=1594","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450498-7503f000e1184ef2d5b38fb0f53be1be/thumbnail_1256245.jpg","/articles/6160409/Jackson-County/Iowa/Veterans-affairs-reports-spike-in-claim-decisions-and-seeks-volunteer-drivers-for-transport-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160409-73611c4f83c549eca0f7a983a14845ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1773573227&Signature=HOh9Lk9V3ftuI2jbKKgygZnTLtoXK7tZxqp5RTFzmPeI702KppF3LowZkaJiY3DXfIV7-Uz~izCszTjSU2NZ92MZFutTSMSqJq~AbtxWwZuVGBlFOwRUuxuhPtscfQ7yEdzqt6YRKgXAvESx4nRsfiEGrpb3HMCOafSzFEg9AwQ-XHeIUriST~5xlFmTNBFJdvVS34J86hIl0AGk-cAsGNZpgVEqFwsQYg48TWQakMvD1bBMgsJ~D3Cw8O0nR3fASaS2m77QOMNPfN-P1Olx-JEjwq9YgGRBNq4x6zwiS0ZmQ~1PuNplSYRC2cejV7at22BESSTK9daieKtBbR6YVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ruth, veteran affairs staff, told the Jackson County Board of Supervisors that her office handled an above-average number of VA claim decisions and is recruiting volunteer drivers for a transportation pilot.

The update matters because county veterans’ services affect access to federal benefits and local assistance for veterans and their families.

Ruth said the office recorded 33 in-person visits and 77 phone calls in June. She reported filing two intent-to-file forms, six disability claims, two higher-level reviews and one burial-benefits form. “26 decisions were made in June,” she said, noting that number was higher than typical for the office.

Ruth also said the office has 73 open claims and that staff filed 79% of them. She reported benefits paid to 416 veterans or eligible family members totaled $801,586 for May in Jackson County, a county-level figure she read aloud.

On outreach, Ruth said she has posted a volunteer-driver application on the county website and on the office Facebook page and that five people have expressed interest so far. She said completed applications will be sent to Iowa City as part of the pilot program process.

Ruth and staff also attended a regional Veterans Experience Action Center at Blackhawk College; she said compensation and pension examiners and other VA staff were present and some claim decisions were made on the spot. The office completed national training through NACBSO for continuing-education credits and is working through an additional four credits from the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, which uses a different fiscal calendar.

Ruth encouraged veterans to consider filing claims even later in life. “It’s never too late to come in,” she said.

Supervisors did not take any board action on the report; Ruth said staff would continue recruiting volunteer drivers and coordinating regional outreach opportunities.","The county’s veterans affairs staff reported increased VA claim decisions, ongoing claims workload and outreach efforts including a volunteer-driver pilot and regional events.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6160413,"County conservation reports disc-golf installation, storm damage and unresolved state review at Prairie and Spruce Creek parks",1226,26455,1253340,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450498-7503f000e1184ef2d5b38fb0f53be1be&start=26&end=1253","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450498-7503f000e1184ef2d5b38fb0f53be1be/thumbnail_26455.jpg","/articles/6160413/Jackson-County/Iowa/County-conservation-reports-disc-golf-installation-storm-damage-and-unresolved-state-review-at-Prairie-and-Spruce-Creek-parks","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160413-8f124967f50cadb072d6b237ecc4fbad/orig.mp4?Expires=1773573227&Signature=PCdshZHTaOdfQrjiP2vmWw0AfcKHGPjoISCeX0Bxzh5~i9BUcY32BrD1tHgb47uTCeWqp2qQR2gJhCpD~C-iMXd7DqN8M6aHbsXqNE8eTcwt1JBV~BJjj9bSxI0dEQ~O9bEDYob90yf-6X22uNS5BS8BbSE3IrrXxG8-90gY9WGULttpC4gnrDzh2rFZyOe6z75GgF5O9mnHh6gJUfbbAFoSZU9sKcDTZ-8PpSL3-Mb7~S-uw20i-M1UPSzpLvXQT0yx1n5z6yVewBZCEbKT2lOct8xp5gjryEvvF3LKXmTTemmnBtwxgOtWi~efjQxMGuCxROuvVRUi7g-rZlZ7lA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Nate, county conservation staff, told the Jackson County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that crews are still cleaning storm damage at Spruce Creek and that construction has begun on a disc-golf course at Prairie Creek.

The report matters because the parks need repairs, new maintenance plans and state approvals for a water-quality project before managers consider the sites fully stabilized and open for expanded use.

Nate said last weekend’s storms “we lost multiple trees” at Spruce Creek and that crews have closed some sites while they wait for a bucket truck to finish debris removal. “Our goal is to get the roads open and safety first for everybody in the park,” he said, adding that staff had discussed complaints from one camper and felt they had been fair in their response.

At Prairie Creek, Nate said excavation and installation of baskets and pads for a disc-golf course have started. He said the current contractor arrangement includes Trader Construction with “Alvalia” as a subcontractor and expected a bridge placement “sometime next month,” with most work possibly complete by October. He advised against scheduling a ribbon-cutting before mid-October to allow for potential delays.

Supervisors and staff discussed how to handle recurring mowing and maintenance once the course opens. Nate said the county is considering dedicating a seasonal employee to Prairie Creek mowing and exploring whether some lesser-used trails can be left as fire breaks to reduce routine mowing. He also raised the prospect of fundraising or vendor contracts to cover course maintenance and suggested checking insurance coverage before volunteers operate powered equipment: “I don't think our county insurance is gonna let somebody just hop on a mower,” Nate said, and recommended consulting the county’s insurance agent about waivers and training.

Nate said the county is still negotiating with the state Department of Natural Resources over leaving water crossings in place for maintenance access. He described the state’s request for engineers to run hydrologic models to prove the crossings will not affect upstream flows and called that requirement costly. “They want the engineers to run models and everything that costs tons of money,” he said, adding that engineers were continuing talks with the state.

He also reported that the water-quality contractor had largely demobilized and that one tractor remained on site; staff will assess how the banks and crossings hold up when stream levels fall. Nate said the project has occupied much of the conservation staff’s recent time.

Other construction details Nate raised included possible alternatives to planned railroad-tie steps to reduce long-term maintenance costs, and questions about the size of a proposed pad for a small shelter. He said In Line (the design/contracting firm) indicated flexibility on some items if the county pursues changes: “So there might be some wiggle room here and there on cost if plans [are] willing to work with us,” he said.

The board posed operational questions about emergency access and how maintenance needs will be managed once the course is in use. Nate also said the county is exploring whether elements of the project might qualify for FEMA funding, noting that a latrine that is a concrete building might meet eligibility for some reimbursement.

Board Chair Don Swanker and Supervisor Mike Steinas interjected at several points with logistical and timing questions. The board and Nate agreed staff should follow up on insurance, volunteer waivers, maintenance staffing and state DNR model requirements.

Looking ahead, Nate recommended the county finalize trail grading and seating in the fall and to coordinate with contractors on bridge placement and site stabilization. Supervisors did not take a formal vote on any policy changes during the update; the discussion concluded with staff-directed follow-ups on insurance, contractor coordination and state approvals.","County conservation staff updated supervisors on storm damage at Spruce Creek, progress and timeline for a new disc-golf course and ongoing disagreement with the state over water-crossing models for a water-quality project at Prairie Creek.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves minutes; auditors present waste authority and watershed assessments for payment

Veterans affairs reports spike in claim decisions and seeks volunteer drivers for transport pilot

County conservation reports disc-golf installation, storm damage and unresolved state review at Prairie and Spruce Creek parks