22-04-2025
County seeks to continue 28E for engineer
OTTUMWA — With budget season now over, the Wapello County Board of Supervisors will return to more regular business.
The board is expected to renew a 28E agreement Tuesday with Appanoose County for shared use of engineer Brad Skinner, who will be paid 60% of a $172,411 salary by Wapello County starting July 1.
The counties first entered into a 28E for the position last year after the resignation of Jeff Skalberg, and the county's subsequent inability to hire an engineer on its own. It's a difficult position to fill, leading to more counties entering into such an agreement across the state as graduating engineers tend to veer toward the private sector.
Both counties will also be responsible for Skinner's benefits, including FICA, IPERS and workers' compensation. Part of Skinner's role also is to find a successor for Wapello County.
Also during the meeting, the county will approve the five-year secondary roads program, which includes building a new road (172nd Avenue) as Canadian Pacific Kansas City railroad closed the crossing at 87th Street. There also are various bridge and culvert replacement projects on the docket in fiscal year 2026.
The county also is expected to conclude the second reading of an EMS ordinance that will eventually create an advisory committee to assess the needs of the service in Wapello County.
Also, there will be continued discussion about the county possibly taking over the utility costs on the Wabash pedestrian bridge, which the county owns.
The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. in the third-floor courtroom/board room of the courthouse.
