The Greene County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Monday.

The Board discussed an issue about the increased amount of dog feces that has been found on the Greene County Courthouse grounds. The current policy is that the pet owner is responsible for removing their pet’s feces from the grounds, and if an individual is identified and they were warned but continue to not follow the policy, that person can be charged with trespassing. County Attorney Thomas Laehn suggested making a creditable threat to take away the public’s ability to let their pets on the courthouse grounds if the feces is not picked up. 

Next, County Engineer Wade Weiss reported that County Road P-29 project is estimated to be completed this week and then crews are set to go to the County Road E-18 and P-46 projects to install the drainage tile and pavement markings.

The Board then heard a presentation about the “School Boy Soldiers of Old Rippey.” Several people spoke to the board from a committee that is researching each of the 32 members from the Rippey school that enlisted in the Civil War. An initial monument design was also presented to the Board and a request was also made about placing a monument either on the courthouse grounds or inside the building, while another monument will be in the Pioneer Cemetery where the original RIppey School building stood. The total cost of the project was $90,000, which also included Civil War uniforms for 32 people to wear in celebration of the US turning 250 years old next year. The Board agreed to look into the request, as well as possibly being a financial supporter. Later, Laehn reminded the Board that the monument would qualify for the public art policy for the courthouse and grounds to consider.

Next, the Board heard an update from Heidi Kuhl with Northland Securities for the Urban Renewal road project and the financing for the courthouse HVAC project, as presented. They also approved a resolution to transfer funds from general basic to the bike trail fund of $100,000 and $30,000 to the conservation reserve fund. The money for both funds were already approved for the current fiscal year. It was mentioned that the $100,000 was for design fees for the potential re-paving project on the Raccoon River Valley Trail and the $30,000 was for a match for a Greene County Community Foundation grant that the Conservation Board has received. 

Supervisor Dan Benitz raised concerns about transferring $100,000 to the bike trail and he felt that there were more economical options for resurfacing the bike trail, other than the Cadillac choice of high-end concrete. 

The Board also approved another resolution to transfer $500 from the tax increment financing special revenue fund to the debt service fund as presented and they tabled a decision on an amendment to the professional services agreement with ISG for architectural fees for the county jail project. It was mentioned that since the company is set to receive 8.5 percent of the total project cost would be higher because the original estimate was based on a $9 million project and not a $10 million project, 

Then, acting as the Drainage District Board of Trustees, the Board accepted a recommendation of an engineering firm to do a tile improvement project in drainage ditch 20 and set a public hearing on the proposed project for December 8th.