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Woodbury County approves $150,000 to cap LEC well and budgets for interim morgue services
Summary
Supervisors approved a $150,000 increase to Building Services to cap an old well at the Law Enforcement Center and added budget lines for temporary morgue needs while staff pursue grants and agreements with funeral homes.
The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors approved a $150,000 transfer to Building Services to pay for capping a well at the county’s Law Enforcement Center (LEC) and discussed next steps for demolition preparations and interim mortuary services.
Why it matters: County staff said capping the well now will avoid long‑term monitoring fees that could add up to several times the one‑time cap cost. Building Services staff and the board said the cap could clear a regulatory requirement and reduce future monitoring obligations that would otherwise continue to accumulate costs.
Kenny, a county staff member overseeing the LEC demolition work, explained to supervisors that DNR monitoring requirements would remain until a nearby well is terminated. He said the one‑time cap cost of $150,000 is likely to be less expensive than ongoing monitoring fees; per the presentation to the board, 10 years of monitoring alone could cost about $250,000 and 15 years about $375,000 if the wells remain active. Supervisors voted to add $150,000 to the Building Services budget with details of the exact general ledger (GL) line to be assigned by staff.
The board also discussed demolition planning and three outstanding items that affect the removal schedule: capping the LEC well, removal of a diesel fuel tank subject to DNR oversight, and abatement of window glazing that tested slightly above 1% asbestos and therefore needs separate abatement bids.
Morgue services: County staff told supervisors that the county’s current option for body storage will end on Dec. 31 and the county must arrange alternatives. The board included two line items in the FY26 budget to cover interim costs: $100,000 for medical services and transportation (for autopsies at Ankeny or other facilities) and $75,000 for rental of space to hold decedents pending funeral home transfer. Staff said they are pursuing potential grants for a cooler and equipment, and exploring 28E‑style agreements with local funeral homes as a lower‑cost alternative to running a county morgue.
Kenny told the board that, if the county caps the identified well, the DNR may allow the county to terminate annual monitoring and remove other wells from the LEC site as part of demolition. "Ten years of the monitoring fee is $250,000; 15 years out, it's $375,000 just to monitor that well," he said.
Next steps: Building Services will identify the GL line for the $150,000 allocation and report back to the board with vendor and timing details. County staff will continue to pursue grants and funeral‑home agreements for temporary morgue services and return to the board with cost estimates and options.
Ending: The board approved the $150,000 increase for the well cap and directed staff to finalize the GL assignment and keep the board informed of grant progress and demolition timing.
