Muscatine County Board of Supervisors
Monday, July 23, 2012
The Muscatine County Board of Supervisors met in regular session at 7:00 P.M. with
Furlong, Howard, Kelly, Watkins and Sorensen present. Chairperson Kelly presiding.
On a motion by Furlong, second by Sorensen, the agenda was approved as written. Ayes:
All.
On a motion by Watkins, second by Howard, the Board approved Resolution #07-23-12-
01 Renaming the Iowa Highway 61 Bypass to Douglas King Memorial Expressway. Roll
call vote: Ayes: All. Howard stated that he had an abnormally high amount of contacts
regarding this matter and all but a couple were in support of the renaming of the Highway
61 Bypass. Furlong stated he also received overwhelming support for this because of
Doug King’s heroism. Watkins, Sorensen and Kelly also received a lot of calls and felt a
lot of pride in being able to be a part of honoring Doug King.
On a motion by Watkins, second by Furlong, the Board approved Resolution #07-23-12-
02 Approving Vacation of a Utility Easement of Lot 1, Lake View Estates in Muscatine
County, Iowa. Roll call vote: Ayes: All.
On a motion by Furlong, second by Sorensen, the Board approved a preliminary plat of
the proposed re-plat of Lot 1, Lake View Estates, containing approximately 5.74 acres in
Bloomington Township. Ayes: All.
On a motion by Furlong, second by Sorensen, the Board approved Resolution #07-23-12-
03 Approval of Final Plat of the Replat of Lot 1, Lake View Estates. Roll call vote:
Ayes: All.
The Board reviewed a variance granted by the Muscatine County Board of Adjustment
on July 6, 2012 for the Greiner Subdivision. Jerry D. Murphy, Record Owner, and Claude
Greiner, Proposed Buyer, requested approval of the preliminary and final plat of the
proposed one lot agricultural subdivision, Greiner Subdivision. The petitioners also asked
for a Variance from the minimum standards in an A-1 Agricultural District. They are
asking to have a 50’ lot width to the back of the property, instead of the required 150’ and
also and ingress/egress to 277
th
Street, since they do not own the property up to the road.
This property is located in Orono Township, North of 277
th
Street, the SW¼ of Section
31-T76N-R4W, containing approximately 19.51 acres, and is zoned A-1 Agricultural
District. Furlong stated that he thinks the County needs to look at what Johnson County
did to control people who just buy acreage to put up a livestock confinement, but have no
responsibility outside of that acreage. Board consensus was that Zoning Administrator
Jodee Stepleton should start doing some research and hold some public meetings with the
Board of Adjustment to discuss options. On a motion by Howard, second by Watkins, the
Board accepted a Variance for Greiner Subdivision as approved by the Board of
Adjustment. Ayes: All. Furlong stated that although he disagrees, he is voting for the
variance because it was filed for within the current rules of Muscatine County.
Muscatine County Board of Supervisors
Monday, July 23, 2012
Page 2
On a motion by Watkins, second by Sorensen, the Board approved a preliminary plat of
the proposed one lot agricultural subdivision, Greiner Subdivision, containing
approximately 19.51 acres in Orono Township. Ayes: All.
On a motion by Howard, second by Sorensen, the Board approved Resolution #07-23-12-
04 Approval of Final Plat of Greiner Subdivision. Roll call vote: Ayes: All.
The Board reviewed a variance granted by the Muscatine County Board of Adjustment
on July 6, 2012. Case #12-07-02 is an application filed by Chad D. Eichelberger, Record
Owner. This property is located in Lake Township, Parcel D, 1824 205
th
Street, West of
205
th
Street, in the NW¼ of Section 28-T77N-R3W, containing approximately 5.62
acres, and is zoned A-1 Agricultural District. This request, if approved, would allow the
Zoning Administrator to issue a Variance in order for Mr. Eichelberger to build an
outbuilding in front of the dwelling and right on the front property line, instead of being
50 feet back from the front property line. The Board of Adjustment felt that this was the
only location for the outbuilding due to the rear of the property being located in the flood
plain, the steep ravine and the existing location of the house. On a motion by Watkins,
second by Howard, the Board accepted a Variance for Case #12-07-02 as approved by
the Board of Adjustment. Ayes: All.
The Board reviewed a variance denied by the Muscatine County Board of Adjustment on
July 6, 2012. Case #12-07-01 is an application filed by Gary A. Hafner, Record Owner.
This property is located in Cedar Township, Parcel C, 2678 Echo Avenue, West of Echo
Avenue in the SE¼ of Section 27-T76N-R4W, containing approximately 7.44 acres, and
is zoned A-1 Agricultural District. This request, if approved, would allow the Zoning
Administrator to issue a Variance in order for Mr. Hafner to build an outbuilding in front
of his dwelling and be 25 feet from the front lot line, instead of the required 50 feet. The
Board of Adjustment denied the Variance because they felt that Mr. Hafner had several
other options to locate the structure behind the house or north of the house.
On a motion by Howard, second by Sorensen, minutes of the Monday, July 16, 2012
regular meeting and the Wednesday, July 18, 2012 special meeting were approved as
written. Ayes: All.
A motion was made by Sorensen, seconded by Watkins, to approve claims dated July 23,
2012 in the amount of $283,737.41. County Auditor Leslie Soule questioned public
purpose on a Bancard claim that included a gas receipt in the amount of $36.76 for an
employee to attend another employee’s parent’s funeral. Furlong stated they have had a
number of employee family deaths in the past few years and the County has never paid
expenses to attend a funeral. The Board agreed this should be a personal expense. On a
motion by Watkins, second by Furlong, the motion was amended to remove $36.76 from
the Claims Register. Ayes: All. Howard asked for additional information to be provided
after the meeting regarding a large purchase of toilet paper, but he did not want the claim
removed from the Claims Register. The claims dated July 23, 2012 were approved as
amended in the amount of $283,700.65. Ayes: All. The Board directed Soule to contact
Muscatine County Board of Supervisors
Monday, July 23, 2012
Page 3
Sheriff White to obtain a personal check to be included with the claim to pay the
outstanding balance on the County’s charge card.
Correspondence:
Howard was contacted regarding road grading on west end of Bayfield.
All Supervisors received numerous contacts regarding the possible renaming of
the Hwy 61 Bypass to Douglas King Memorial Expressway.
Committee Reports:
Sorensen attended a Wilton Development Corporation meeting July 18
th
.
Howard and Kelly attended the ISU Extension 100 Year Celebration July 18
th
. On July
23
rd
, all Supervisors attended a presentation and tour given by Grain Processing
Corporation highlighting progress on their efforts to clean air through the construction of
a new dryer house.
On a motion by Furlong, second by Howard, the Chair was authorized to execute the
Iowa/Byrne – Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program/ARRA FFY10 Recovery Act
Contract in the amount of $79,878 which consists of $59,909 in federal funds with a
$19,969 local match. Ayes: All.
On a motion by Watkins, second by Howard, the Chair was authorized to execute a
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Planning application and related documents
including Resolution #07-23-12-05 Local Match for the Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program in the amount of $55,000 which consists of $41,250 in federal funds, $5,500 in
state funds and a $8,250 local match. Roll call vote: Ayes: All.
The Board reviewed the health/dental fund balance as of June 30, 2012.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:44 P.M.
ATTEST:
______________________________
___________________________
Julie Holliday
Kas Kelly, Chairperson
Election/Real Estate Administrator
Board of Supervisors