By Sam Parsons

The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors held their final regular meeting of 2023 this morning and approved a resolution relating to the financing of proposed projects to be undertaken by Mahaska County. The resolution established compliance with reimbursement bond regulations under the Internal Revenue Code. Board Chair Mark Groenendyk said that the board recently approved a resolution allowing the county to borrow money from their secondary roads fund to pay bills that are beginning to accrue in connection with the Southeast Connector Project until those funds are reimbursed. The city of Oskaloosa has pledged to eventually reimburse half of the funding for the project.

The board also discussed their authority as it pertains to carbon capture pipelines. Groenendyk said that the supervisors heard input on the issue during a recent insurance meeting earlier this month and that legal experts have said that the county does not have the authority to regulate such pipelines. County attorney Andrew Ritland said that such a murky legal landscape means that it would be ill-advised for the board to attempt to pass regulations for the time being.

The board will hold its next regular meeting on January 2nd, 2024.