Mills County supervisors hear public input on road closure tied to DOT bridge removal, approve several road maintenance contracts

The Mills County Board of Supervisors opened a public hearing on a proposed closure of a county road in the southern part of the county after learning that the Iowa Department of Transportation plans to remove an aging bridge there.

Chair (speaker 1) told the board the hearing concerned a bridge the DOT intends to remove. County staff described the structure as damaged and said they had relayed landowner concerns to the DOT; staff reported no outstanding negative feedback from the few residents contacted. During public comment, residents and board members questioned how property access and future haul routes would be handled once the bridge is removed.

Agency official (speaker 5), reporting on staff discussions with DOT and landowners, described the removal plan and said the state will take responsibility for dismantling the bridge. Residents pressed staff about how the loss of the crossing would affect farm access and whether the DOT would compensate landowners; the meeting record shows discussion of compensation but the meeting audio and minutes were inconsistent on any dollar amount, so the board did not record a specific payment in the motion.

After hearing public input and staff responses, the board closed the public hearing by motion and vote.

The supervisors then considered several maintenance and construction contracts. Committee member (speaker 2) moved to approve a 2026 FM rock quote to supply 12,872 tons for about 32 miles of roadwork; the motion recorded a total cost of $364,277 and the board approved the motion by voice vote. The board also approved a slurry‑leveling treatment to fill wheel ruts on Ferris Road (approximately 2.8 miles) at a quoted price of $92,842.69, with work planned after July 1 and the cost included in the next budget planning cycle.

Separately, the board authorized engineering work to reestablish section corners and draft easement exhibits for a box culvert replacement on Devore Avenue. The engineering task was approved with a not‑to‑exceed cost recorded in the packet as $2,210; the work is to be folded into the culvert project budget so permanent easements can be recorded for future maintenance.

The board also denied a driveway variance request for a property on Kitt Road after staff determined the proposed location fell short of the county’s stopping‑sight‑distance standard by about 50 feet for a 45 mph zone; the denial carried on a voice vote.

What’s next: the board will include the approved slurry work and FM rock expense in upcoming budget documents and will return any DOT coordination or property‑specific agreements to the board if further action is required.