Winneshiek County approves $468,505 contract for Bridge 126, advances 2027 road and insurance budget priorities

Winneshiek County supervisors unanimously awarded the Bridge 126 construction contract to Brennan's for $468,505 after receiving two close bids and an engineer estimate of $482,283. County Engineer Michael Cooney presented the bid results and recommended moving forward so the county can continue stream-bed mitigation with the DNR and Army Corps of Engineers work associated with the crossing.

The board also spent the bulk of the session on the first run of the 2027 budget. Cooney and finance staff outlined priorities for the roads program, including a substantial increase in granular rock purchases and a proposed pilot program to apply base stabilization and chloride-based ice-control materials in fiscal 2028. Supervisors discussed cost and service-level tradeoffs; the engineer said the county plans to add roughly $500,000 more in rock spread for the coming period compared with prior years.

Budget discussions also covered shop and facility planning for maintenance operations at Locust, equipment replacement timelines and whether consolidating shop facilities or sharing equipment with neighboring jurisdictions would pay off without reducing the county’s service level. Cooney estimated a modest new shop could cost roughly $500,000, while noting grant or federal funds might reduce the county share.

On county finances, staff presented carryover and levy scenarios. Supervisors debated options for using an available first‑run surplus of roughly $200,000 and directed staff to add $200,000 to the employee health insurance reserve and adjust the supplemental levy accordingly in the next budget run. Board members said building that reserve reduces short‑term pressure from unpredictable health claims while maintaining fiscal flexibility.

Supervisors discussed a motion to add $8,500 in the second run to pay for one IIHR Water Quality Network monitoring station; the motion was seconded but failed on a voice vote. Supporters argued monitoring helps secure future grant funding and provides data on nitrates; opponents prioritized road and insurance needs in this budget cycle.

The board also reviewed equipment purchases, including replacing a semi and maintaining current graders and plows, and reaffirmed ongoing coordination with cities and HOAs on private-road and right‑of‑way matters. The Bridge 126 award and the health‑insurance funding decision were the session’s principal formal outcomes.

The board expects to revisit the budget in the second run and adopt the fiscal 2027 budget following a public hearing in April.