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Black Hawk County approves claims, equipment purchases and bridge materials; ARPA spending noted
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Summary
The board authorized $1.26 million in payments (including ARPA-funded projects), approved a bridge steel bid for Oxley Road, granted several tax-related resolutions and approved equipment purchases and travel.
Black Hawk County supervisors approved multiple routine and contract items on Oct. 21, including claims totaling $1,257,782.07 and a string of procurement and tax-related resolutions. Several items cited ARPA funding earmarked for courthouse, Pinecrest and jail HVAC improvements.
The county auditor reported total bill payments of $1,257,782.07 and said that $870,990.57 of that total covered ARPA projects. “Our total bill payment today is $1,257,782.07... and it also includes a total of... $870,990.57 in ARPA projects, primarily improvements at the courthouse and Pinecrest and also the jail HVAC,” the auditor reported.
On procurement and capital items, the board: - Awarded the lowest responsible bid for steel materials for the Oxley Road bridge project (project L-3011) to Oden Enterprises of Wahoo, Nebraska, for $20,815.60, directing the county engineer to sign the contract and accept bonds and insurance. County engineering staff said the bid exceeded the engineer’s older estimate; staff plans to return with additional contracts for abutment/abutment-related steel once design details are complete. - Authorized the county engineer to seek purchase of a used diesel hammer and leads using purchasing procedures, not to exceed $90,000. - Approved the county auditor’s request to purchase a copier/printer (Nik0 model cited in the agenda) for $4,926, under the five-year capital plan and below the budgeted amount of $6,500. - Approved a travel request of $1,275 for Gavin Wood, marketing coordinator, to attend a Certified Public Communicator winter session at Texas Christian University in January 2026.
The board also approved several tax-related resolutions on consent: suspensions of taxes owed for specific parcels, assignment of a tax-sale certificate and a $500 compromise offer. Records in the meeting referenced provisions of the Code of Iowa (transcript cites subsections in discussion of tax suspensions and tax-sale certificate assignment).
Public comment: a resident, Roger White of Cedar Falls, thanked the board for ARPA and other funds allocated to Black Hawk County Conservation for projects on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, including “replacing or repairing 3 additional bridges, paving the remaining unpaved portion of the trail, and applying an asphalt overlay on some of the original segments of the trail.” He cited an economic impact estimate of $25,000,000 for the Cedar Valley Trail network mentioned in new economic analysis.
Why it matters: the actions authorize near-term spending and small capital purchases, advance a planned bridge replacement (Oxley Road), and reflect the county’s use of ARPA funds for infrastructure and facility upgrades.
Votes at a glance (selected items from transcript): - Claims/Payments: total $1,257,782.07 (includes $870,990.57 ARPA). Motion passed (roll call recorded: Brent — yes; Schwartz — yes; Redenbach — yes; Leila — yes; Paul — yes). - Resolution: tax-suspension for Judy Langum (parcel referenced) — approved (roll call: recorded yes votes). - Resolution: tax-suspension for Jason McGee (parcel referenced) — approved (roll call: recorded yes votes). - Assignment of tax-sales certificate (parcel / certificate 2007001239) to Gloria Borean — approved (roll call: recorded yes votes). - Compromise resolution: $500 offered by Gloria Roy for taxes on parcel (same parcel referenced) — approved (roll call: recorded yes votes). - Purchase: copier/printer for $4,926 (auditor) — approved. - Bid award: Oxley Road (project L-3011) steel materials to Oden Enterprises — approved (total bid $20,815.60). - Purchase authorization: used diesel hammer and leads, not to exceed $90,000 — approved. - Travel: Gavin Wood, $1,275 to attend training in Fort Worth, Texas (Jan. 2026) — approved.
Next steps: the county engineer will execute the steel-materials contract and return as needed with further contract requests for bridge abutment design and additional steel. Staff said additional design work and further bids will follow before full bridge construction begins next summer.
