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Cass Supervisors table decision (again) on support for CAT grant application

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March 23rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have once again tabled action on approving funds  in support of an Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department application to Vision Iowa for a Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant. The grant application is for $360,000 from Vision Iowa, for improvements and further development of the campground at the Schildberg Recreation Area, and the Pellet Wildlife Refuge Park.

The Board, after much discussion, decided it wanted Atlantic Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring to come up with some figures with regard to how proposed improvements to the campground at the Schildberg Recreation Area, would benefit the county as a whole, and not just Atlantic. Prior to their decision to table the matter until next week, most of the Board made it clear they were not in support of the County vowing to contribute $40,000 to help secure the Vision Iowa grant.

Supervisor Frank Waters was the first to say he was not for the County chipping in to secure the grant.  He says the people he’s spoken with in his district opposes the funds using tax dollars. Using the Local Option Sales Tax monies was brought up as a possible means of committing to the requested funds, but the Supervisors say they intended to use much of those funds to pay down existing debt, especially with regard to improvements for the ethanol site. Supervisor Mark Wedemeyer, who attended last week’s meeting of the Cass County Conservation Board, said that Board didn’t want to upgrade the Pellet Wildlife Refuge – an area tentatively included in the grant application – because it tends to flood, and because they don’t have the funds necessary to maintain it.

Supervisor Chuck Rieken said roads and bridges are the county’s prime focus right now, along with reducing the debt, so that other projects can be funded in the future. Frank Waters agreed. The City of Atlantic earlier this month committed $100,000 in support of the grant application, which requires a 50-percent local match in order for it to be considered. Parks and Rec Dept. Director Roger Herring has said other funds and donations of time, labor and resources would meet the 40-percent requirement for the in-kind portion of the local match. The grant application needs to be submitted by April 10th.

In other business, the Supervisors approved the hiring of a temporary, full-time employee in the Treasurer’s Office during a time an employee there will be on medical leave. The Board however DENIED a proposal from the Cass County Secondary Roads Employee Group (CCSREG) for personnel to work four, 10-hour days from May 30th through September 2nd. They would then return to their regular 8-hour per day shift effective Sept. 5th.  Chuck Rieken was one of the Supervisors who opposed the request, because it hasn’t worked before, and because that’s not what the public wants.