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HARTINGTON — Cedar County Commissioners learned Tuesday the Cedar County Transit system is seeking to update its fleet of vehicles.
Cedar County Transit Director Nikki Pinkelman told Commissioners she is in the process of applying for grants to replace seven non-Americans with Disabilities Act vehicles.
Federal and state funds will pay for 90 percent of the cost, she said.
The Cedar County Transit System currently has a fleet of 16 transit vehicles - nine ADA compliant vans and seven non-ADA vehicles.
The newest vehicle in the fleet, a nine-passenger Ford Transit van with a large wheelchair lift, was picked up last week. That vehicle was purchased through federal Cares Act funds. Those funds have since been exhausted, though, she said.
Pinkelman said all of the non-ADA vehicles have over 200,000 miles on them and it’s about time for them to be retired. She told Commissioners she should have a pretty good indication by November if the county will receive funding for any of the vehicles.
It could take quite some time before they are actually delivered, though, she said.
Also Tuesday, Commissioners approved a Special Designated Liquor license for All Saints Church in Menominee for an Oct. 18 dinner.
Cedar County Roads Superintendent Carla Schmidt said she recently conducted a traffic count on 559 Avenue in extreme northern Cedar County. Property owners at Olsen’s Landing have asked the county to close the right of way into their subdivision. The subdivision is a private development, so the county only has control of the rightof- way, not the road itself, Schmidt said.
Schmidt said the road is a dead end road and it’s not used for access into the subdivision. She recommended going along with the landowners request to have the road closed, since a closure would not make for any hardships or inconvenience to land owners.
Commissioners again tabled any decision on closing a road that borders the Dixon- Cedar County line until attorneys have a chance to discuss the matter.
Schmidt also discussed conversations she has been having with Great Plains Communications, which has been burying fiber optic cable in northern Cedar County.
Commissioner Dick Donner said the subcontractors for the company have not been doing a very good job of putting things back in place once they are done with their boring work.
'The permits require them to put the road back to pre-work condition,' Donner said. 'That's not being done.'
Commissioners were expected to meet with company representatives to resolve the issue.
Zoning Administrator Tim Gobel presented several building permits and conditional use permits for commissioners’ review.
The following building permits were presented by Gobel: Galen Foxhoven 48x72 machine shed. Allen Kleinschmit 16,000 bushel grain bin Mitchell Sudbeck replacement building Dan Kollars 20x40 pole shed Joe Lammers 50x40 machine and hay storage building.
Raleigh Burbach moving in a 40x50 building, Terry Jueden 80x50 pole shed Troy Norman 24x56 garage. Gobel also advised Commissioners they could soon be seeing a large house being moved from Wynot into Bow Valley.
Luke Schmitz is considering moving the Sacred Heart Catholic Church rectory and wants to make sure there won't be any issues with roads or bridges. A building permit would be required before the house is moved, however.
Commissioners also decided to move their first meeting of November to Wednesday Nov. 12, so as not to interfere with Veterans Day activities.
