(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday) took no action on a Resolution that would have resulted in the vacating of 500-feet of 570^th Street under Interstate 80, in the State of Iowa Right-Of-Way. The matter essentially died, but could be brought up for discussion in the future if needed. The Iowa DOT requested the road vacation and provided the County with a financial incentive to do so.

During a public hearing late last month, the DOT’s Scott Suhr explained that about six years ago the Department conducted a study of Interstate 80 from the Nebraska border to the Illinois border in advance of widening the road to six lanes – three in each direction instead of the current two lanes. As part of that study, they looked for a low volume of traffic on those roaddways both over and under the Interstate that could be closed, rather than constructing a new bridge.

During today’s (Tuesday’s) meeting, Supervisor Steve Green said he and County Engineer Trent Wolken met with three real estate agents to discuss what impact closing the road would have on property values.

Green said he met with the three affected property owners this (Tuesday) morning, one of whom made it clear they would pursue legal action if the Board agreed to close 570^th.

Green said no one in his district supports the measure, even though the County could use the bridge money. The Supervisors also acted to set compensation for precinct election officials at $15 per hour, effective Jan. 1^st, 2022. Those officials currently earn $9 per hour. And, they acted to pay any additional Medical Examiner’s expenses, sThe ME’s Office is currently paid a flat fee of $200 per call to fatal incidents and/or questionable deaths and to reimburse for expenses incurred, such as as travel, room and boarding, when it comes to training and conferences, as they come in, and within reasonable expectation. The Board will revisit the matter in the next couple of months.

In other business, the Board approved a contract with Motorola for Chair Steve Baier to sign, with regard to ISICS (The Statewide Interoperability Communications System), and establishing a Debt Service Fund for the ISICS Project. The contract carries a price tag of $1,757,514. The Supervisors also agreed to set-up (separately), a Cass County Economic Development Fund for reducing unemployment in Cass County, as part of the disillusionment of CABEDA and the former I-80/Valley Business Park development project. The land near I-80 and Highway 71 was put up for sale in mid-October. Cass and Audubon Counties had been working to try and develop the business park, which contains 156 acres of property.

The Supervisors also approved the use of American Rescue Plan funding for the Cass County Community Building, because it served as a site for COVID vaccinations, recent jury selection and the Food Pantry. The Cass County Ag/Education Association requested $23,205 to help recover the costs of past and current other pandemic-related service expenses, which are also covered under ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) rules. (Dale Sunderman)

The County has so far received about half of the funds it is expecting from the Government, as part of pandemic relief.