By Jim Magdefrau
VINTON – The Benton County Board of Supervisors is sending a letter in opposition to the Morgan Valley Energy Plant. It will be sent to the City of Atkins, Alliant Energy, and Iowa Utilities Commission. The draft was approved at the April 21 meeting of the supervisors at the service center in Vinton.
The letter reads:
April 21, 2026
RE: Letter of Opposition (docket number GCU-2026-0002)
TO: Alliant Energy-Proposed Morgan Valley Energy Plant
Dear whom it concerns,
We are writing to express our concerns regarding the proposed Alliant Energy gas power plant to be located in the adjoining Linn County, particularly given its proximity to Benton County and the City of Atkins. While we understand the importance of energy infrastructure and regional development, this project raises several significant issues that directly impact our county and its residents.
One of our primary concerns is the location of the facility along one of our county roads. The Corn Suitable Rating of the proposed ground is an average of 90, which is one of the highest producing crop ground to maintain in Iowa. The anticipated increase in heavy construction traffic will place considerable strain on our road infrastructure leading to increased maintenance costs and potential safety risks for local travelers. Additionally, we note that Linn County has established a 2.25 mile setback requirement for developments within its ordinance. Given that this proposed facility is less than two miles from the City of Atkins, we question why a comparable standard is not being applied in this case. Consistency in land use policies is critical to ensuring fairness and protecting neighboring communities from disproportionate impacts.
We are also concerned about the capacity this will have on local emergency services to adequately respond to incidents on this scale. A facility of this magnitude introduces potential risks that require coordinated planning, resources and communication across county lines. At this time, it is unclear whether sufficient consideration has been given to emergency response capabilities and inter-jurisdictional coordination.
Finally, we regret the lack of communication and collaboration throughout this process. As neighboring officials, we strive to support and inform our residents, particularly those directly affected by projects of this nature. However, the limited engagement to date has made it difficult to fully understand the project scope and address the concerns being raised by Benton County citizens.
We respectfully request that these concerns be given serious consideration and that additional dialogue occur with Benton County officials and residents. Improved communication, consistency in ordinance application, and a thorough evaluation of infrastructure and public safety impacts are essential before moving forward.
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter.
Signed this 21st day of April 2026.
Tracy Seeman, Chairman
Ronald Tippett
Bruce Volz
ATTEST: Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor
Cc: Mayor Brian Cruise & Members of the Atkins City Council
Linn County Board of Supervisors
Alliant Energy
Iowa Utilities Commission
Land use
Ellis Tomlin met with the board on a subdivision variance request. The variance was approved. It involved redrawing lot lines.
Kyle Helland met with the board about a subdivision ordinance for David Crees. This adjusts a boundary line for a pond. There is no change in the usage.
A land use hearing was set for 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, for Nathaniel and Grace Holub, for land in Section 2, Homer Township.
Another land use change hearing was set for 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, for Nick and Kaylee McQuilkin, for land in Section 3, Bruce Township.
Budget
A hearing was held for the 2027 budget. Former County Auditor Jill Marlow talked with the board about the budget, levies, reserves and unspent balances. She also discussed the number of employees. She didn’t want the county to balance the budget on the backs of employees. She and Deputy Josh Karsten talked about the sheriff’s budget. Karsten stressed the office works to generate more revenue. She also asked about IT (Information Technology) and had concerns about the state coming in to take over the counties. The budget was then approved.
Engineer
A resolution was approved to remove the bridge embargo for a new structure on 69th Street in Fremont Township.
A utility permit was approved for the City of Blairstown for land in Leroy Township. This is for a culvert on the north side of Blairstown.
A utility permit was approved for Century Link QC for land in Taylor Township. This is for a tower north of Vinton.
A utility permit was approved for USA Communications in Taylor and Benton Townships. This is for a fiber project.
Terry Reicks met with the board regarding the condition and maintenance of secondary roads. He talked about training, reactive and proactive maintenance. The board urged him to communicate with the engineer’s office. Supervisors Chairman Tracy Seeman urged Reicks to contact him.
Other business
A resolution was approved on wages for precinct election officials.
The board approved hiring two sheriff’s deputies, Timothy Locke and Richard Dvorsky, with an hourly wage of $37.59. An update was also given on federal inmates in the Benton County Jail.
Allison Hicks met with the board regarding the National Historic Preservation Conference. It is in Minneapolis in July. Hicks of Benton County Historic Preservation is planning to attend. The travel was approved.
The board approved use of the courthouse grounds for Vinton Parks and Recreation for Party in the Park and Halloween Carnival.
Jim Magdefrau 