The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met for their regularly scheduled meeting Monday morning at the Mahaska County Courthouse, and finalizing a contract for land inspection for the Baaken Oil Pipeline was among the major points of discussion.
Evan Del Val of environmental inspection firm ISG answered questions to affirm the plans for ISG to inspect the land where the Baaken Oil Pipeline will be installed in Mahaska County. The Supervisors unanimously agreed to go through with the contract. Del Val said it would be no earlier than June of this year when Dakota Access would begin work in Mahaska County to install the pipeline.
ISG has contracts lined up with 13 of the 18 counties the pipeline will pass through, including nearby Jasper, Keokuk, and Wapello counties. The pipeline will have the longest stretch in Mahaska County, with over 30 miles needing to be installed from the northwest corner to the southeast corner.
The Board also authorized a signature on a Haul Road Damages agreement involving the project as well. This was set up by Dave Shanahan, who is in charge of Mahaska County Secondary Roads.
The Board also heard from Jamey Robinson from Emergency Services regarding the current phone system in use by his department. He said the system was antiquated, and he has looked into some upgrade options with Mahaska County IT Coordinator Darin Hite, who joined Robinson at the meeting.
The two agreed that a new system should be in place soon, and they just wanted to get the ball rolling. The system would be set up for the courthouse and the law enforcement center. A rough estimate for the new system would be around $60,000. There would also be an option to lease equipment for around $15,000 per year.
The Supervisors looked at the information presented, and said they would look at adding the system into their next fiscal year budget and discuss it at a later time.
In other business:
- The Board renewed the Mahaska County Health Plan for county employees
- The Board approved a liquor license for Eddyville Raceway Park
The next scheduled meeting of the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors is set for Monday, May 2nd, at 9 AM in the Mahaska County Courthouse in Oskaloosa.
