Kossuth County supervisors approve utility access across county right-of-way; discuss bridge grants, equipment and staffing

Kossuth County Board of Supervisors members during a regular meeting approved a request to allow utility installation for an overhead light across county right-of-way and heard updates from county engineering staff on ongoing road work, bridge grant prospects and equipment and personnel plans.

The board voted unanimously to approve a request described as coming from Hancock County to run electrical service for an overhead light at an intersection near Corwith. County staff said Midland Power Cooperative would run about a mile of electric line between sections 25 and 24 of Lu Verne Township and across county right-of-way along a road identified in the record as County Road 100. The motion passed with a mover and second recorded as Haas and Garman and was announced as carried unanimously.

The vote opens the way for county staff and the utility to finalize required contracts and signatures. County staff said they would date and complete the necessary documents and return them for signature.

County engineering staff reported on several road and bridge projects. They said Matthew Construction completed pavement scarification and plans to begin resurfacing next week on B55 in Lu Verne Township. Work was also described on a bridge north of Sexton where the structure has been removed and contractor crews have begun preparation of the south pier pile. Slurry-leveling work was reported around an area identified in the transcript as "Tiktokka," and crack-filling and other routine repairs were described on several county roads including P30 and B63.

Staff also briefed the board on a competitive federal-state grant opportunity, the Competitive Highway Bridge Program (CHPP). County staff said the state made $32,500,000 available and that the program seeks approximately 80% federal and 20% local matching funds. Kossuth County identified seven candidate bridges and submitted three for preliminary consideration; staff reported two of those three advanced to the state's final list. The two projects named by staff are a structure east of Lehigh built in 1951 and a P16 bridge north of A42 over the East Fork of the Des Moines River, originally built in 1973 and showing age in abutments and piling. Engineering staff estimated about $1,500,000 per project as a working figure and said both projects were already in the county's five-year program.

Separately, county staff said they had completed and signed a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) application on behalf of Kossuth County to pursue federal funding for safety studies; the application cost was described in the record as a minimal fee of about $500 for initial evaluation work. Staff said signing the application allowed the county to pursue potential federal dollars for safety projects.

On personnel and equipment, staff said the office has a licensed engineer who started with the engineer's office in 2017 and that the office plans to move that employee to a Transportation Engineer 2 classification this fiscal year, consistent with the board's approved budget. The office is advertising for a technician/engineering aide and for a drainage clerk. Staff also requested quotes for heavy equipment including a 950 loader and Cat 140 motor grader(s); the quotes will be reviewed with the board for possible approval.

Staff reported ongoing code-enforcement work at a roadside property west of Sibley on Highway 9 and P16 described in the transcript as a longtime junk accumulation near a corner; the property owner has been served and has retained an attorney, and staff said some cleanup activity has begun.

The board did not take further formal votes on bridge grant submissions, equipment purchases or personnel classification at the meeting; staff said they would follow up with details and bring purchase approvals to the board in the coming week as needed.

Less-critical items and next steps: staff said construction season would keep the office busy for four to six weeks and that the board's agenda next week would include reviews of equipment quotes and further grant and project follow-up.