[1:03] Good morning. Welcome to the Monday August 31st, 2026 Muscatine County Board

[1:08] of Supervisors meeting. We'll call the meeting to order. First item is to

[1:12] review the agenda. >> Move to approve as presented.

[1:14] » Second. >> Got a motion and second. All in favor?

[1:17] » Aye. >> Opposed. Motion carries.

[1:20] » [clears throat] >> Item three, discussion possible action

[1:22] to accept claims dated August 31st, 2026 in the amount of $731,761.05.

[1:31] » So moved. >> Second.

[1:33] » Got a motion and second. All in favor? >> Aye.

[1:36] » Opposed. Motion carries. Item four with County Engineer Brian Herauky. Item

[1:42] eight, discussion possible action to approve various utility permits.

[1:46] » Good morning. Uh we have two utility permits today.

[1:50] » [clears throat] >> Excuse me.

[1:51] Uh first is Eastern Iowa Light and Power of Wilton,

[1:56] Iowa. Uh they're to replace a pole and anchor at 2978 130th Street.

[2:03] Very straightforward. Uh the second is

[2:07] also from Eastern Iowa Light and Power of Wilton, Iowa. They're requesting

[2:12] requesting to replace existing overhead electric on 235th Street from

[2:17] Independence Ave west to 1661 235th Street.

[2:24] Also pretty straightforward. >> I would move the approval.

[2:29] » [clears throat] >> You have a motion and second. All in

[2:31] favor? >> Aye.

[2:33] » Opposed? Motion carried. You got anything else, Brian?

[2:35] » Yes, just a quick project update. Down on Stewart Road,

[2:39] they're wrapping up some erosion stone. They're also doing

[2:43] uh you know, wrapping up punch list items

[2:46] kind of here, there, everywhere throughout the project.

[2:53] Uh hopefully by the end of this week the the painters are scheduled to show up

[2:57] and stripe the remaining remaining road that needs striped yet. So,

[3:02] hopefully come the end of this week we should be sitting in a good spot.

[3:05] Uh down on Ogilvie Ogilvie [clears throat] Ave, which is

[3:09] south of Wiggins going into Louisa County.

[3:14] Just to let you know, on Wednesday that's September.

[3:19] Um Wednesday the 2nd.

[3:21] They currently plan to be in to to apply a a friction seal to that pavement to

[3:27] as part of a maintenance project. Um it should just be a one-day event. So.

[3:32] Um

[3:35] Uh we last week uh we awarded the G28 paving job.

[3:41] Contractor turned around, got all their contract documents to us. All looked

[3:45] well, so we approved that. Um we have not had a precon with them

[3:49] yet. Uh but we will. Um, but uh, initial talks, they did talk like they

[3:55] want to come in yet this year and get started on it. So,

[3:59] which really wouldn't be that that bad of a deal for us.

[4:02] So, um, hopefully more news to come on that when they [clears throat] actually

[4:05] plan to start and what their game plan is. So,

[4:11] that's all I had. >> Thank you.

[4:16] Item five, discussion and possible action to approve the minutes of the

[4:19] August 24th, 2026 regular meeting. >> I would move to approve.

[4:23] » Second. >> Got a motion and second. All in favor?

[4:26] » Aye. >> Aye.

[4:27] » Opposed? Motion carries. Correspondence, uh, Scott.

[4:32] » I had a call from a resident and he was uh,

[4:37] we had quite a conversation about data centers and what have you and and how he

[4:40] was in favor of them.

[4:43] And we had, like I said, I bet we talked 15 minutes about it. And, uh,

[4:49] so, yeah, he he has a a positive outlook on them and, uh,

[4:55] would like to see some come in the county. I'm just reporting it. That's

[4:59] all That's all I had. >> Jeff?

[5:02] » I had nothing to note. >> I didn't have anything for

[5:04] correspondence. >> I received a, uh, text from a resident

[5:08] about the flashing lights on F-70 and 38. Still didn't think they were bright

[5:12] enough and I said, "Well, I think this is the third upgrade on

[5:16] those signs." [snorts] >> they they

[5:18] » At least two. >> It's the second. Um,

[5:21] they >> It's the second. They replaced the

[5:23] lights. Um, they had some issues with the initial ones that got installed. Um,

[5:28] personally, I think they're pretty darn bright. You can see them from like a

[5:30] mile away. So, I think that's bright enough in my book,

[5:33] but >> I

[5:34] I wish I'd have thought to bring that up a few minutes ago because, uh, I noticed

[5:39] [clears throat] it right away. And, uh, um,

[5:43] if >> [clears throat]

[5:44] » I I could I could see those from

[5:48] » Yeah. >> a long distance. I mean, quarter mile.

[5:51] » Yeah. >> You can see them.

[5:53] » [laughter] >> And when the sun was out, and

[5:56] I'm not I'm not being negative towards this

[5:58] gentleman, but they are a huge improvement.

[6:02] » Yeah. >> Yeah, you know, I thought so, too.

[6:04] » That was at F70, correct? The one at There's one up at Moscow and 6 that they

[6:08] still need to tweak with. >> The southbound one looks good.

[6:10] » The southbound one looks good. So, but and I don't know the status of that. I

[6:15] was up there early last week, and they still needed to mess with it. They knew

[6:19] they needed to mess with it. And uh

[6:22] but yeah, all the rest of them look good.

[6:26] » that's shining in someone's yard? >> There's always There's always that.

[6:30] » Yeah, right? >> Yep.

[6:33] » There There is actually some some not with these flashing lights, but you

[6:38] know, when it comes to signs, the reflectivity of signs, a person

[6:42] really has to be careful to not go too bright on the reflectivity, or or it

[6:47] acts as a mirror, and you know, it does stick out, but it can also blind

[6:51] someone. >> Same dude, same dude.

[6:53] » It is a balancing act.

[6:57] » Uh item seven, committee reports.

[7:00] » Yeah. Uh Wednesday the 26th, I had Bi-State.

[7:06] What Wednesday the 26th, I also had Muscon meeting.

[7:10] Thursday the 27th, We Lead. And Thursday the 27th,

[7:15] » Fair Board. >> I feel like I didn't have anything.

[7:17] » Everything in two days, yeah. >> I had Bi-State on the 26th.

[7:22] » I had nothing. >> I had nothing.

[7:25] » On the item eight with the administration office, discussion and

[7:28] possible action to approve 2027 Muscatine County holiday schedule.

[7:32] » Have we normally done the eight designated and three floating?

[7:35] » Um it it kind of just depends on where the holidays fall. Most of them are

[7:39] falling on a Monday or a Friday, so we we do anywhere from 8 to 10 depending

[7:45] on where they fall. >> I got no problem with it, yeah.

[7:48] Yeah, I don't care. Move to approve?

[7:50] » I have a question. Has the county ever considered Martin Luther King Day?

[7:56] » I think we've talked about it, but I don't

[7:58] know what the discussion has been. >> States close, federal offices are closed

[8:02] a lot of times, so it's it's a quiet day in my office because

[8:06] of >> Everything else is shut down around the

[8:10] state. >> Yeah. And I'm sorry I did not come with

[8:12] that date um on the schedule, I mean on my

[8:16] radar to

[8:18] mention when it when it is.

[8:22] » I think we're good. January like Is it February?

[8:28] » It's January 18th. >> That's President's Day you're thinking

[8:30] of. Yeah, yeah. It's like yeah, it's the third week of January now.

[8:33] » Is your thought process to add another day or you or just exchange?

[8:37] » Exchange it for a floating day. Just take it out of the two floating.

[8:40] » It would be a Monday, so that is also a board meeting day.

[8:45] Let me look at ahead if it was a holiday.

[8:52] » I don't feel strongly about it one way or the other.

[8:55] Yeah, it doesn't doesn't really matter to me.

[8:57] » I'm curious like Corey >> Yeah, there's I'm sorry. There's no

[9:01] courts, so it's a very quiet day for us and I think the jail as well.

[9:05] » Mhm. No crime?

[9:08] » [laughter] >> Wow.

[9:10] They take a holiday. Dang. Any phone calls like

[9:15] » So you want it? >> I don't know.

[9:16] » You got two floating. >> You have three.

[9:18] » I think people would rather have a floating day, wouldn't they?

[9:20] » I would agree. [clears throat] >> I would rather have a floating day

[9:23] if I were an employee. >> Right, that way you're able to maybe do

[9:27] some personal things or what have you and instead of being

[9:31] um I I think that I think that >> [cough]

[9:34] » I guess I'd rather move to you it as is. >> I would second.

[9:39] » Not a bad idea, just >> Okay, we got a motion and a second. All

[9:43] in favor? >> Aye.

[9:44] » Aye. >> Oppose? Motion carries.

[9:49] Anything else, Kayla? >> Nothing else.

[9:52] » Item nine, receive information from county employees.

[9:57] » Just briefly since the data center everything came out.

[10:00] » Okay.

[10:03] » We do have a board of adjustment case set for Friday, September 11th, um

[10:07] dealing with one existing crypto mining facility that

[10:11] we've had out in the county that is proposing some changes

[10:15] and additions, um

[10:18] due to what I'm what I believe is kind of some speculation misinformation in

[10:22] the community, I was made aware of a lot of social media discussions that I think

[10:26] is going to result in um larger attendance and so even though

[10:30] we had just published notice and sent out publication for the location,

[10:35] um we're changing the location. The time and date will remain the same. We're

[10:39] we've republished and re- and sending out surrounding property owners and I'm

[10:43] I commented on the post that we're changing location to Discovery Center,

[10:46] so we can accommodate accommodate anybody from the public that

[10:49] » Are we within the legal time frames to do that?

[10:51] » Yes. Yeah, we'll still be fine. And it's just a change of location. The hearing

[10:55] is still being held um same time and date because the developer is flying in

[11:00] and um so that'll be at 10:00 a.m. Friday,

[11:03] September 11th. >> is it? Is it the one out by Menards?

[11:06] » Yeah, correct. >> Yeah.

[11:07] » Yeah. Yeah, which is >> only the current only one operating

[11:10] within county jurisdiction. >> correct. Yeah, and it's a proposal to

[11:13] add like a cooling system, some backup generator,

[11:18] um but it because we no longer allow um

[11:21] data centers or crypto mining facilities except in the industrial zone districts,

[11:26] it's going in front of the board of adjustment as a slight expansion or

[11:29] modification to a legal non-conforming use.

[11:32] Um so it still allows, you know, adjoining property owners um and any

[11:37] interested party to weigh in because as you know, special use permits are a

[11:40] case-by-case basis. >> And that one we snuck in before we got

[11:43] everything updated, right? >> Uh well, I mean, I don't want to use the

[11:45] term like >> That's that's the term you're right.

[11:48] » snuck in. >> It was approved before we got everything

[11:50] » It was approved and you know, and just as these things were becoming hot topics

[11:54] and rapidly changing in their scope and impact. And so then we as you're aware,

[11:58] we modified our or amended our zoning ordinance and placed them in the as per

[12:02] special permitted uses in the heavy industrial district, but this one it

[12:05] does continue to operate legally as a non-conforming use. So

[12:10] » So under under our current ordinance and the request they're making for their

[12:14] upgrades, does it fall within side of our

[12:17] It doesn't fall within side of our ordinance. Does

[12:20] » Well, the Board of Adjustment would have the authority to um grant some

[12:24] modifications or slight expansion to an existing non-conforming use.

[12:30] They're not expanding uh the footprint. They're not buying any more ground from

[12:33] a neighbor. They are still Any modifications are still occurring on the

[12:36] same 3-acre site. And I don't want to get too much into the weeds, you know,

[12:40] outside of the the public hearing, but it's a proposed The facility remains

[12:44] essentially the same. They're just swapping out some equipment, adding

[12:47] battery storage and some backup, changing the cooling system, but it it

[12:51] is an operation legally. And the Board of Adjustment has the

[12:55] authority to to grant these modifications or not. If they were to

[12:59] buy any more ground or an adjoining parcel, it would be a non-starter or

[13:03] would have to propose a rezoning because we no longer allow them. But that's not

[13:07] the case here, so 10:00 a.m. at the at the Environmental

[13:10] Learning Center is the location. And like I said, notifications have have

[13:14] gone out. September 11th, Friday.

[13:18] So just wanted to make that as publicly broad or

[13:22] available as possible. So anybody that wants to attend doesn't show up down

[13:25] here. So we're trying to get that word out.

[13:29] » How about a quick update on uh engineering zoning building? I drove

[13:34] by, looked like footings are in, steel's up.

[13:38] » The uh after 40 days and 40 nights of straight rain, um the the ark has come

[13:44] to rest and we've been able to uh they finished the I mean, I think there's

[13:48] still a little bit of the foundation that has to be done at the very end

[13:50] after erection, but they got all the found rest of the foundation backfilled

[13:54] and yes, they've been making a lot of progress erecting steel. It goes pretty

[13:58] fast on those engineered pre-engineered buildings once they get the right

[14:02] weather. So, a lot of steel going up in the air. And uh yeah, and then they'll I

[14:06] think they were talking maybe in the next week starting on some skin

[14:10] on it. Um so, yep, it actually looks like that there might be a building

[14:15] coming at that location now. So. >> Yeah.

[14:19] Um and I drove down by Deep Lakes down by

[14:23] the maintenance facility. Looks like that's coming along.

[14:28] Any no hiccups? Everything going along

[14:32] pretty smoothly, looks like. >> Yeah. Well, they got the rough-in

[14:35] [clears throat] plumbing and electrical and HVAC in the office and uh utility

[14:39] room bathroom area done. Um uh

[14:42] they've got the step-down transformer installed.

[14:45] Um electrician last week was working on the replacement of the high voltage

[14:49] panel in the larger white building where the electric service comes in. Um

[14:53] they've got the fiber optics stuff or the the Cat 6 cables uh roughed in to

[14:57] the locations in what will be the office space. Um so, yeah, they're making good

[15:02] progress on that, too. So. >> Good.

[15:05] » Yep. Here it goes.

[15:08] » I think that's all I have. >> Any other county employees?

[15:13] Seeing none, we move on to receive comments from the public.

[15:17] » So, there isn't body any nobody here, so we are adjourned.

[15:23] » We are adjourned.

August 31st, 2026 Muscatine County Board Meeting

Transcript