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Last Updated: Mar 31, 2009 - 2:29:20 PM |
A portion of an architect's rendering of the Amana hotel project.
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MARENGO - On Friday, August 29, 2008, the Iowa County Board of Supervisors met with Ray Garringer, Charlie Montross, Linda Yoder, and Bill Keegan present and Board Chairman, Ric Gerard, absent. Vice Chairman Garringer called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Gerard arrived at 9:12 a.m.
A motion was made by Montross and seconded by Yoder to approve the liquor license applications for Vines and Wines and for the Amana Colonies Outdoor Convention Facility. All voted yes and the motion carried.
A motion was made by Garringer and seconded by Keegan to approve and authorize the Board Chair to sign the Supported Employment Contract between REA, Inc. (Rural Employment Alternatives, Inc.) and Iowa County Social Services as well as the contract for Provider and Program Participation Agreement between Iowa County and Rural Employment Alternatives, Inc. All voted yes and the motion carried.
It was noted that a $1,500,000 Economic Adjustment Investment Grant was submitted to the EDA, (Economic Development Administration), on August 22, 2008. According to Doug Elliott, Executive Director of ECICOG, (East Central Iowa Council of Government), there is a $100,000 match secured, which includes $85,000 to come from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation and $15,000 to come from ECICOG, though both of these match amounts are contingent to the approval and securing of the grant for $1,500,000 from the EDA.
A motion was made by Garringer and seconded by Montross to open the public hearing at 9:30 a.m. for the Development Agreement with Iowa Valley Development, LLC. All voted yes and the motion carried. `The Board heard all oral comments. No written comments had been received regarding the public hearing. The motion to close the public hearing at 9:52 a.m. was made by Yoder and seconded by Keegan All voted yes and the motion carried.
A motion was made by Yoder and seconded by Garringer to approve Resolution # 2008-8-29. The motion on this resolution referred to approving the Development Agreement with Iowa Valley Development, LLC, authorizing tax increment payments and pledging certain tax increment revenues to the payment of the Agreement. The Agreement is in regards to the IVD, LLC agreeing to develop a hotel at the Amana Golf Course in the Urban Renewal Area (the Iowa Valley Development, LLC Project).
The agreement, drawn up by Dorsey & Whitney LLP., Attorneys, Des Moines, Iowa, states that the county will provide tax increment payments in a total amount not exceeding $5,300,000. The resolution also states that the Board of Supervisors of Iowa County finds that the Iowa Valley Development, LLC Project will add diversity and generate new opportunities for the Iowa County and State of Iowa economies; that the project will generate public gains and benefits, particularly in the creation of new jobs, which are warranted in comparison to the amount of the proposed property tax incentives.
The resolution also notes that “the County’s obligations under the Agreement shall be payable solely from a subfund which is herby established, into which shall be paid that portion of the income and proceeds of the Urban Renewal Tax Revenue Fund attributable to property taxes derived from the property described as follows: 2004-61 East 1/2SE1/4 Section 17, Township 81, Range 9, 5th P.M., Iowa County, Iowa. (The “Iowa Valley Development, LLC Subfund’).”
A copy of the resolution is to be filed, after it’s adoption, with the County Auditor’s Office. All Board members voted yes and the motion carried. As of yet, there is no word on which brand name will be associated with the planned hotel which, according to the agreements in place, must be valued to be worth at least $13.5 million. The hope is to break ground this fall and to have the project completed by next summer.
The motion to approve a request to close a portion of 220th Trail in Amana for the Oktoberfest parade, Saturday, October 4, 2008, was made by Yoder and was seconded by Montross. All voted yes and the motion carried.
JinYeene Neumann, County Engineer met with the board to discuss secondary road issues. Neumann also confirmed that the department would go back to eight hour days as of Tuesday, September 2, 2008.
Jon Childers, President of the Amana Merchants met with the Board to request a one-time allocation of Hotel/Motel funds for Oktoberfest. Gerard pointed out that this is separate from any monies given to the Amana Convention and Visitors Bureau which is primarily for tourist issues.
Kristie Wetjen, Executive Director of the Amana Colonies Convention and Visitors Bureau also attended to show her support for this issue, though the departments are separate. Wetjen pointed out the amount of hotel/motel tax revenue that the Amana area generates in an argument of support for the amount that Childers was asking for as a one-time allocation. Both Wetjen and Childers agreed that Oktoberfest is the largest event for the Amanas followed by Tannenbaum Forest and Prelude to Christmas, all of which were disappointments or worse last year due to inclement weather.
Gerard pointed out, statistically, that the probable benefit would be about four times greater than the allocation. The motion was made by Yoder and seconded by Montross to give Amana Merchants, Inc. a one-time $10,000 allocation from the Iowa Coutny Hotel/Motel funds for Oktoberfest. All voted yes and the motion carried.
A motion was made by Yoder and seconded by Keegan to remove the last line of the Smoke free Air Policy resolution acknowledgement that is to be signed by county employees. All voted yes and the motion carried.
A motion was made by Garringer and seconded by Montross to pledge $60,000 to the City of Williamsburg Library Fund to be spread over three fiscal years beginning in fiscal year 2010 and going through fiscal year 2012, with the money to come from the County’s portion of Hotel/Motel money. All voted yes and the motion carried.
In other business, a follow up meeting will be held on Friday, September 5, 2008 to, again discuss items in the employee handbook. In an initial meeting on Aug 27, the disposition of accumulated sick leave hours as well as issues regarding long term disability were topics of concern for some who attended.
Regarding reports of anonymous letters that were sent to the Supervisors, Gerard pointed out that it is hard to investigate that type of complaint because the facts are hard to gather with no source. “An investigation is going to be conducted, however,” added Gerard, “which will be completely impartial.”
Ray Garringer noted that there has been a recurrence of bats in the courthouse. This is an issue which had been dealt with in the past but recently at least three have been seen and it was mentioned that this would need to be dealt with.
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