The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Tuesday), gave County Engineer Charles Bechtold the authority to send a letter to the Chairperson of the Iowa Department of Transportation. In the letter, the Board states that it is unanimously opposed to the DOT’s proposal to move the District 4 Construction Office in Atlantic, to Council Bluffs. The proposed change would require legislative approval, and even then, wouldn’t result in the consolidation of offices until mid-2020, according to a DOT official. Bechtold said the letter, along with those from Regional Planning Authority 13, which covers Cass, Fremont, Montgomery and Page Counties, and ATURA Transportation Planning Affiliation (Covering Adair-Taylor-Union-Ringgold and Adams Counties, will be sent to DOT Chairperson Kathy Fehrman, in Des Moines. The current draft of the letter states, in-part:

“We (The Board of Supervisors) do not believe that such a move is truly in the best interests of the people in District 4 or the State of Iowa.” It also emphasized their “Serious concerns regarding the potential negative impacts of this change long before the legislature is asked to make an appropriation to accomplish this very expensive consolidation.”

The Board wants to point out also, that “Consolidating the current Atlantic offices with the Council Bluffs offices could make sense, if the new location were centrally located within the region it serves. However, Council Bluffs is on the most western edge of the District 4 region which includes a total of 17 counties in southwestern Iowa.” Atlantic is the central point for all those counties. Moving the office to Council Bluffs, officials say, would result in longer driving times and increased costs for those counties that utilize the services, and who are farther away. It would also have a negative economic impact in the Atlantic area.

Bechtold said about 40 families would be impacted by the move if it comes to fruition, and his office would face additional costs. Supervisors Steve Green and Steve Baier were in support of letting other State government officials know of the County’s displeasure in the potential move. Green said “I say send it, but c.c. The Governor and lets get that conversation started, because that’s where the power is ultimately gonna lie.” Baier agreed, and said the letter should also be sent to any state senators or representatives who reside in the District 4 region. He said he’s spoke with Representative Tom Moore, of Griswold, and Senator Tom Shipley, of Nodaway, both of whom are opposed to the move and understand the impact it would have.

Green pointed out that four of the DOT’s District Engineers are living in Nebraska now, and working in Council Bluffs. He says those engineers don’t have to pay Iowa taxes, and decision maker is living in Omaha. He said “He doesn’t mind building a multi-million dollar building for an office space, because his taxes aren’t paying for it.” And, Green said the Engineers, should be centrally located. The DOT, Bechtold said, would be renting the Omni-Center for $50,000 per year until a permanent building can be built.