By Jim Magdefrau

VINTON – The Benton County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, at the Benton County Service Center, Vinton.

The board approved a law enforcement contract with the City of Garrison. It is for $5,070 for the year. This is three hours a week.  

A land use hearing was held for Morgan and Matthew Ollinger, for land in Section 9, Big Grove Township. This is for a resident about two miles south or Garrison. It was approved. It will not have any negative impact on surrounding farm operations, according to Matt Even, land use administrator. The change was approved.

There was discussion at the close of the meeting about putting signs on the right of way of rural properties. 

ARPA

ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) Claims were approved. These were:

• Ralston Construction-$59,240 for Wildcat Bluff Improvements
• Arca Search- $85,980.56, $16,094 and $1,129.63 for the scanning projects for the Auditor and Recorder
• New Century FS-$200 for Wildcat Bluff Improvements
• Schminke Excavating-$24,850-Wildcat sand filter
• True North Consulting Group-$2,952 -Radio Project 

Lighting

In reports, Supervisor Gary Bierschenk said he has been working on lighting at the Blairstown corner on Highway 30.  He said there is only one light there and the Department of Transportation had lost funding to add more lights. “There are a lot of people that are missing that corner,” Bierschenk said. There’s also a problem with trucks coming from the east looking to make a left-hand turn, because of the amount of traffic. There’s a also problem for people coming from Van Horne,  turning left onto Highway 30, as well as flashing lights.

Bierschenk added any new lights need approval by the DOT,  but money has to come from the county. He felt the corner needs six lights. The Benton County Engineer Myron Parizek is working on this.