(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman, today (Tuesday), updated the Board of Supervisors on reimbursement for damages sustained to County infrastructure stemming from the May 21st tornado. He reported on damage to the Conservation Department/Hacklebarney Woods County Park near Villisca, and Communications equipment (More specifically, the tower that was destroyed near Villisca).

Beginning with the Conservation Department damage report, Hamman said Hacklebarney sustained roughly $304,000 worth of damages from the tornado.

Hamman wanted to point out and send a “Thank you” to all those who volunteered to clean-up the park after the tornado tore through the area. He specifically mentioned Team Rubicon.

Brian Hamman said the loss to the Communications infrastructure amounted to over $1.2-million dollars, the majority of which was related to the Communications Tower.

Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman address the BOS 9-10-24

The Board approved a bid from Motorola in the amount of $1,082, 980, for replacement of the communication tower. A Resolution establishing a County Compensation Board failed to pass after there was no second and discussion on parliamentary procedure. The Board set Tuesday, Oct. 1st, at 8:45-a.m., as the date and time for a public hearing on the Vacating of all of the unimproved Walnut Street as described in the Amended plat of the unincorporated Town of Hawthorne.

They also discussed establishing a policy with regard to Public Comments during Board meetings. There currently is no, written policy in-place for the placement of comments on the agenda. Those comments presently follow the reading of previous meeting minutes, and are limited to two-minutes for any item not already on the agenda. The Board agreed to put the matter on next week’s agenda for discussion and possible approval.