Supervisors rule Horn Hollow Road vacated, Festina Wastewater Project finances finalized

By Kate Klimesh,

The Winneshiek County Supervisors’ Meeting held two public hearings during the Monday, Sept. 25, meeting, which included a hearing on the issue of possible vacation of Horn Hollow Road, as well as the proposal to enter into a Sewer Revenue Loan and Disbursement Agreement for the Festina Wastewater improvement project.

The public hearing on Horn Hollow Road heard comments from Lucy Shemp, adjacent landowner in favor of vacation of the road and her legal representation, and Jim Wicka, adjacent landowner in favor of waiting to get the opinion of the Iowa Attorney General in the matter.

Nancy Lerdahl spoke to encourage the county to maintain forested areas of the county for public access, and Kevin Lee encouraged the board to explore reverse possession implications for the property, as well.

After hearing comments, the hearing was closed. After discussion by the board, including verifying the fact that documentation of deed or easement was non-existent to verify the role of the county to the property, and verifying public use of the road had not been documented for at least three quarters of a century, the supervisors concluded there was no public benefit or interest in the road.

Following the advice of County Attorney Andy Van Der Maaten, the board voted unanimously to vacate Horn Hollow Road.

Wastewater project

No public comment was heard during the public hearing regarding the county’s proposal to enter into an agreement for a loan of the revenues received for the Festina Wastewater Improvement Project and any funds required above and beyond those totals, as well as the agreement with the community of Festina for repayment of up to $600,000 in principle in borrowed funds to the county following the completion of the construction of the project. The proposed resolution was passed unanimously. Taxable Sewer Revenue Note funding totaling $348,000 for the project had been approved in 2019 by the Board of Supervisors.

For the Festina Wastewater Project, SEH was approved for a contract for $52,700, the original amount budgeted in the project in 2019, to oversee and supervise the project through completion of the new processing facility.

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