Conservation Board Minutes – June 2025

Allamakee County Conservation Board Minutes June 2025

The Allamakee County Conservation Board met in regular session June 3, 2025 beginning at 1 p.m. at the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center in Lansing, Iowa.  Board members who were present were: Jesse Delaney, Marilyn Clark, Steve Weymiller Dennis Koenig, and Jeanie Carroll.  Attending from the Allamakee County Conservation Board staff was Ross Geerdes, Erin Cubbon, Becca Hefflefinger and Brody Vanderkolk.  Attending from the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors was Tom Clark and the public was Mari Delaney.  The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m.    A motion was made by Weymiller and a second by Carroll to approve the minutes of the May 2025 meeting.  All in favor.

In public comment time Mari Delaney, the 2025 Allamakee County Conservation Foundation scholarship recipient thanked the board for awarding her one of the 2 scholarships awarded and informed the board of her future plans.

The board reviewed and approved the claims with a motion by Koenig and second by Clark.  All in favor.

A discussion was had with members of the board on the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center rental agreement.  Geerdes presented a draft of the rental agreement for the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center.  The draft included changes in times available for rent as well as a new rental fee structure.  The amount of deposit was discussed.  A motion was made by Clark and a second to approve changes to the rental agreement for the Driftless Area Education and Visitor including establishing an early set up fee and a change to the rate, deposit, and time schedule.  All in favor.

An update on the expected and unexpected budget expenditures as the end of the Fiscal Year 2025 approaches.  Geerdes said as the Fiscal Year comes to an end staff will be working together and with businesses to make any necessary end of year purchases.

An update on the Supply Well for the geothermal system for the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center was given to the board.  Geerdes explained the cast iron pipe from the well to the building had developed a crack near the threaded portion of the pipe and had been leaking.  The geothermal system was shut down for 6 days in order for the ground around it to sufficiently dry allowing for Shawver Well Company to dig in the area.  The section of pipe was replaced and the area was filled with soil and seeded down.  Geerdes has been in contact Emily Naylor with Bolton and Menk Engineering to explore possibilities of retrofitting the existing system.

Informational items presented to the board included a date for the upcoming District VI meeting in Benton County on June 18, the Iowa County Conservation System dues are due by August 1 and the July 4 Holiday hours.

The time and date for the next meeting was set for July 1, 2025 at 1 p.m.

With no additional business the meeting was concluded at 1:37 p.m. with a motion by Koenig and seconded by Weymiller to adjourn.  All in favor.