With winter in the rearview mirror, Monroe County Engineer Aaron Metzger is eager to begin at least one project this year.

During Monday’s meeting of the Monroe County Board, Metzger requested approval to begin preliminary surveys of a property south of Waterloo which will eventually be used by several county departments.

In May 2024, the county commissioners approved a land purchase agreement between the county and Monroe County Electric Cooperative for an 8.63 acre tract near the intersection of Old Red Bud and Quarry roads south of Waterloo. 

The land will be a “dual use” property shared between the Monroe County Highway Department and Monroe County Health Department.

Monroe County Health Department Administrator John Wagner told the Republic-Times there are also plans to relocate the county recycling center to this new property.

Wagner added that, as with much of the project, timing of the relocation will be based on when the move would be most financially advantageous.

Commissioners approved a topography study not to exceed $20,000.

Metzger said the study will establish existing conditions of the property, and a site plan will be developed once the physical characteristics of the land are documented.

A surveyor has not yet been selected for the project.

During Monday’s meeting, commissioners also approved an addendum to an existing agreement for a shared project with the City of Waterloo to extend Rogers Street north to Rose Lane.

Metzger said this project will be done in two phases, with the first phase expected to begin next spring. 

He also noted the first phase will likely be more expensive than first anticipated. The second will result in a signaled intersection of Rose Lane at Route 3.

On Monday, Metzger estimated the project would cost about $6.9 million, with Waterloo and Monroe County each responsible for 50 percent of expenses.

Monroe County Sheriff Neil Rohlfing and Maintenance Director Joe Lewis were also on hand Monday to discuss completed and upcoming projects.

A project to install interior and exterior security cameras at the Monroe County Annex building in Waterloo was recently completed.

An upcoming project which will temporarily relocate the county assessor’s office to the currently vacant county-owned property on West Mill Street in Waterloo will begin when Monroe County Supervisor of Assessments Dawn Goff reports she is ready, Lewis said.

The relocation will allow a remodeling of the assessor’s office in the courthouse. 

Once the project is completed, Goff and staff will return to the courthouse office, and commissioners will explore possible tenants for the West Mill Street building.

In other business, county officials reached a resolution for the use of county credit cards and credit applications. 

Monroe County Clerk Jonathan McLean brought the topic before the board in February in light of recent news of misuse of credit issued to local governing bodies. There are currently 18 credit cards issued to Monroe County.

Any employee using a credit card will be expected to use it in the same manner as a check, meaning the expectation is to make purchases using available funds rather than creating a debt. 

While the credit cards generally have a limit lower than $5,000, no purchases over $10,000 may be made using a county card.

Also, creation of any new credit accounts will now require commissioner approval.

Frequent meeting attendee Pat Kelly spoke during the public comment portion of Monday’s meeting to express concern about the intersection of EE Road at Route 3.

Kelly said motorists are in danger when leaving the Monroe County YMCA, citing difficulty entering and exiting Route 3.

In June 2022, Metzger had applied for a state traffic safety grant  to restrict crossing access on Route 3 at EE Road at the entrance to the YMCA by building a “restricted crossing U-turn” near the intersection.

Monroe County was not selected for grant funding.

In other business, Monroe County Board Chairman George Green told the Republic-Times that commissioners signed and returned the final version of the new Oak Hill collective bargaining agreement last week.

The contract is now in the hands of the United Steelworkers, which is the labor union representing Oak Hill employees.

The tentative agreement had been approved in early March.

The next meeting of the Monroe County Board will begin at 8:15 a.m. April 21 at the Monroe County Courthouse.