By Sam Parsons

The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met this morning and discussed the potential annexation of a property by the city of Oskaloosa for an airport. Board chair Mark Groenendyk said that the city is working with the Iowa DOT, and that the DOT wanted to hear input from the board. Groenendyk raised the question of whether or not the board had the authority to legally oppose the annexation, and county attorney Andrew Ritland said that while he hadn’t looked into the issue himself, the city likely wouldn’t need the approval of the board anyway.

Supervisor Chuck Webb said that the county shouldn’t get involved in negotiations that he said should stay “between the city and the landowner”.

Oskaloosa Mayor Dave Krutzfeldt was present and said that the city would be meeting with the DOT soon, and that both the DOT and the city of Oskaloosa simply wanted to know whether the county would directly oppose the annexation. Ultimately, the supervisors agreed to table the matter and schedule a special meeting later this week to make a decision, pending further review from the county attorney.

The next regular meeting with the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors will take place on May 15.