(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday), acted on approving Homestead & Military Disallowances, a Child Abuse Prevention Grant draw-down in the amount of $1,874.68, and to begin the process of hiring of a Sheriff’s Department employee to replace an employee who resigned. Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg read a letter to the Board from Sheriff Jeff Vandewater who was unable to appear in-person, due to a prior commitment.

The Board also received an annual report from Weed Commissioner Nathan Jensen. He said overall, he had a pretty good year.

The Board approved the report as presented. Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman reported on the Safety Program that was held Monday. He wasn’t too impressed by employee participation among the county’s staff.

The Board discussed options for making attendance mandatory. Supervisor John Twombly.

Kauffman also reported on Secondary Roads Dept. maintenance and activities. He provided the Board with updated photos on bridge and box culvert projects. One of the bridge projects involves beams being delivered and set on the Sec. 32 Washington bridge.

Sec. 32 Washington bridge (Screen capture from Adair Co. Engineer’s Office Facebook page)

Each beam is cast in a factory and reinforced with pre-tensioned steel wires to provide strength against tension forces experienced during loading. After the beams are set they will be bolted together with steel diaphragms and the crew will begin decking the bridge. He said also, his department is advertising for two positions within the Secondary Roads.

And, Environmental Health Director Jotham Arber presented his quarterly departmental update to the Supervisors. He said there is about a two-week wait on percolation tests right now. They’ve also been busy testing water.

He said also they started septic system drawings, beginning with Beacon, in Cass County.

The State of Iowa, he said, is backed-up two-years on grants for septic systems, but there may be additional monies coming down the pike from leftover ARPA funds, and, there are other options. Arber said also, they’ve developed a new septic system manual.

He says they’re printing 1,000 copies of the manual which should answer many new or existing homeowner questions about septic systems, inspections and repairs.