Latest news with #JasperCountyBoardofSupervisors
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jasper County acquires concrete for bridge project on N. 107th Ave. W.
Jun. 4—The Jasper County Board of Supervisors approved less than $15,000 worth of concrete that will be poured onto a new bridge deck along North 107th Avenue West over Clear Creek. County Engineer Michael Frietsch said the bridge — classified as Bridge D05 — will be about 120 feet long when fully completed. Purchasing the concrete was an attempt to stay below the day labor limit of less than $15,000, Frietsch said. Only one bidder submitted an estimate for the structural concrete. The board of supervisors awarded the contract to Manatt's Inc. for $14,800.50, giving the county about 90 cubic yards of poured concrete. "Our estimate, the engineer's estimate, was $15,750, so they were underneath our estimate a little bit," Frietsch said. "Overall, that's pretty good and that will put them under contract and not count against our day labor limit so we can avoid getting hand slapped by the (Iowa Department of Transportation)." Progress of the bridge work is coming along. "Should be setting the beams here on it pretty quick here actually, so we're getting real close to pouring the deck probably next month," Frietsch said. Newton News previously reported about Bridge D05 in August 2024 and March 2025. Last year, the county paid for geotechnical services on the bridge to determine the underlying soil conditions. Allender Butzke Engineers conducted the geotechnical services to Bridge D05 for $6,000. Earlier this year, the county had to acquire permanent easements in order to move forward with the bridge replacement. Since the steel beam, single-span bridge will be raised about two feet higher, Frietsch decided to try and get a 30-foot strip of additional right-of-way on both sides of the bridge.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Subsurface exploration authorized for third phase of F-48 West project
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways May 7—Before construction crews even begin working on the third phase of F-48 West — which won't be until fiscal year 2027 at the very least — the Jasper County Board of Supervisors ordered soil borings be conducted for the twin box culverts that will be installed along the heavily traveled county highway. County Engineer Michael Frietsch said the twin box culverts would be located near the first curve east of Polk County. Currently, the plan is to replace Bridge O10 with culverts. To determine what the underlying substructure is like, soil borings must be collected. TEAM Services of Des Moines will carry out the work. Altogether, the soil borings will cost the county $4,980. According to the contract included in the supervisors agenda, the two soil borings will be drilled to a depth of about 25 feet below the existing grades. The borings cannot be drilled within the stream area with a geotechnical drilling rig. Instead, they will be drilled alongside the nearby stream. The third and final phase of the F-48 West resurfacing project extends from Colfax to Mitchellville. In addition to the road work and the bridge being replaced, a curve will also be relocated. The curve will be moved northwest, making the final product even wider. Design services have already been approved. The county will have to acquire 6.3 acres of right-of-way easement and vacate about 9.2 acres to relocate the curve. When the county vacates the old curve, Frietsch said the road surface will be taken out during the construction phase and then crews will restore the ground back to agriculture land. The concrete will likely be hauled off by the contractor to a landfill or reuse it as riprap provided there isn't any rebar.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Election workers get a pay increase from Jasper County
Mar. 26—Individuals who work as precinct election officials will now be paid a little extra for their services and the training they have to undergo every year. Prior to 2019, election workers were paid $10 per hour and precinct chairpersons were paid $10.50 per hour. Their pay was increased that year to the current rate of $12 per hour and $12.50 per hour. Jasper County Auditor Jenna Jennings proposed last week that they now be paid $15 per hour and $15.50 per hour. According to the resolution presented to the Jasper County Board of Supervisors at the March 18 meeting, election officials are asked to put in 16-hour days; Jennings said there is now increased responsibility for election workers, who also have mandated training on top of everything else they do on Election Day. "We just feel it's time that we increase them," Jennings told supervisors. "It also might encourage more folks to come out and help us." Supervisor Brandon Talsma suggested the extra boost in pay amounts to an additional $6,000 to the budget. Supervisor Doug Cupples had no problem with the pay increase, saying he is thankful for the people who dedicate their time to the job. Talsma said the regular volunteers really enjoy doing it. "They look forward to it," Jennings said. Talsma added, "I know several that actually, out of my generation, that use a day of vacation at their day jobs to do it." Those interested in participating as poll workers should visit the county's election website at: In order to be a precinct election official, individuals must be registered to vote in Jasper County and cannot be a current candidate or closely related to any opposed candidate on the ballot. They have to also accept and adhere to the election official oath and work well with others. Precinct election officials need to be able to learn, understand, follow and be able to explain election laws. They must have high attention to detail when reading, listening and observing, and they need basic proficiency with iPads or tablets. Workers have to work a full day 6 a.m.-10 p.m. without leaving the polling place. A precinct election official's job is to set up the polling place and voting equipment before polls open on Election Day. They also check that persons meet the qualifications to vote, update registrations and perform new registrations. They must also check voters in using tablets and issue ballots. On Election Day, a precinct worker should instruct voters on how to properly use voting equipment, and then pack the equipment away and tally voters that were checked in when polls close. They also report the votes after the polls close and certify the totals, complete paperwork and clean up the polling area when done.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Replacement of bridge along F-17 East to cost $1.7M
Mar. 12—Jasper County has moved forward with the replacement of a bridge along Highway F-17 East over Rock Creek, which will cost more than $1.7 million. County Engineer Michael Frietsch said the bridge — classified as Bridge A11 — was programmed for letting this current fiscal year. The bridge was constructed in 1963 and it is located 0.1 miles west of East 124th Street North in the Hickory Grove township. The estimated remaining life was six years in 2023. The current bridge is a continuous I-beam structure with a reinforced concrete deck supported by poured concrete abutments and piers with concrete pile foundations. The longest span is 49 feet, and the total span is 128 feet. Frietsch said the bridge is being replaced due to age and its inability to carry heavy loads. "So this is another one of the bridges we're having to replace because of that (State of Iowa) All Systems Permit," Frietsch said. "The new bridge will be 201 feet in total span now, and it will be 30 (feet and) 6 (inches) wide. It'll be a pretensioned prestressed concrete beam bridge with a reinforced concrete deck." Bridge A11 will still be supported by poured concrete abutments and piers but with H-pile foundations. Frietsch said the bridge was to be replaced by an outside contractor and let through the Iowa Department of Transportation. The project is funded through the Highway Bridge Program funds and state SWAP funds. "We got one bidder. That's it. Just like T06 we got one bidder. And that one bidder was Peterson Contractors. They were the lone bidder of $1,723,742.19," Frietsch said, noting the contractor has many projects in the county. "They got three bridges and the second phase of F-48 West doing dirt work." The engineer's estimate for the project was $1,715,502.40. The county programmed $2 million for the project. The Jasper County Board of Supervisors awarded the low bid to Petersen Contractors in a 3-0 vote. The late start date for the project is April 21, and there are 130 working days scheduled for the bridge. Frietsch said the contractor would start Bridge T06, then move on to Bridge A11 and then Bridge F04. Frietsch noted the detour for this particular bridge is "not great." The detour on gravel puts motorists over a bridge that is flood damaged and the county is in the process of replacing. Supervisor Thad Nearmyer hoped the weight limit doesn't get changed after the county finishes fixing all these bridge projects. "I don't even want to think about that," Frietsch said. Supervisor Brandon Talsma joked, "That's a problem 10 years from now, Thad."
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Union members say Jasper County is going to lose deputies
Feb. 28—Union members say Jasper County is going to lose some good deputies on staff after negotiations with the board of supervisors ended at an impasse. Several union employees of AFSCME attended the Feb. 25 board meeting and were displeased with the county seemingly ending labor relations. However, no further negotiations are going to take place, especially after the Jasper County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution for the fiscal year 2026 salary/hourly wages. The resolution states union employees covered under AFSCME and PPME will receive a 4 percent increase to their base wages. Hourly non-bargaining employees and non-department head salaried workers are receiving a 2 percent increase to their base wages. "If this is the best you can and will offer us, I'm just telling you guys on behalf of the sheriff's office and right now what I'm hearing around the office, you guys will lose a lot of good deputies and a lot of solid deputies," one union employee said to the board of supervisors. "And it's going to fall back on you guys." Earlier this month, AFSCME rejected the proposal from the county, which had reduced the union contracts to base wages. In press releases, union leaders called it an "aggressive and targeted attack" that stripped members of their previous contract provisions and workplace protections. Supervisors Chairman Brandon Talsma told Newton News the comments from the union were "grandiose" and "very vague." He also argued many of the workplace protections and provisions have been added — or will be added — to county policy before the start of the new fiscal year. The union disputes this. Craig Keith, president of AFSCME Local 2840, asked the board of supervisors to confirm that negotiations had concluded. Dennis Simon, director of human resources for Jasper County, said they had. Simon referenced an email sent from the county's labor attorney that mentioned this was the last and final offer. "So no counter offer was able to be given?" Keith asked. Simon said, "It was explained when we met that was our best and final (offer)." Collective bargaining rights have been limited ever since the Iowa Legislature made changes to Chapter 20. The state code was stripped down so that the only bargaining topic that can be discussed is wages. Other topics are permissive but whether or not they are negotiated is ultimately up to the individual employer. Before the Iowa Legislature made changes to Chapter 20, Simon said the board was preparing for the worst. At the time, it was thought collective bargaining rights for public employees in Iowa would be eliminated entirely. In 2016, Wisconsin eliminated the ability to have public bargaining in general. "The Iowa statehouse was looking at a very similar situation," Simon said. "They revised Chapter 20 after that. But our board at that time wanted to provide some type of protection if public bargaining was eliminated. So now everything that's in our contract is actually covered under the policy." Union members disputed this and said there are protections in the contract that are not in county policy. Talsma noted in the past seniority rights are not in policy. Simon said there are some specific rights to one area or another, but the county is in the process of drafting additional policies for approval before July 1. "That's exactly what one of the resolutions was on the agenda," Talsma said. Supervisors passed a resolution for longevity and shift differential pay, which affects both bargaining and non-bargaining hourly employees. The resolution provides supplemental pay for years of service. For five years of service, workers get an additional 50 cents per hour, up to $2 per hour for 20 years of service. Adam Swihart of AFSCME Iowa Council 61 said there was no bargaining that took place and he argued the board provided no justification for reducing the contract to base wages. Swihart said he reached out to the county about meeting for another proposal, but by then it was too late. The county's offer was final. "I inquired last week about meeting for another proposal and I was given an email by Mike Galloway, the county labor attorney, that said, 'In case our position wasn't clear, that was our last, best and final, so we have no reason to meet unless we're at an impasse,'" Swihart said. "And that's where we're at." Swihart also disagreed with the union contract being cumbersome and hard to change, saying that no one in the union has come to them to change the contract except for the sheriff's office that had issues that needed addressed. And they were fixed. But the sheriff's office could face even more challenges now. Swihart suggested the sheriff's office will suffer since it has recruitment and retention problems. He said the direction the board is going is disappointing. "But with the way politics work and the way elections work, I guess we should have seen it coming," he said "The employees are frustrated and disappointed." Other union members wanted supervisors to explain themselves and asked if the end goal was to get rid of the unions. The supervisors didn't give an answer.
