Engineering change may impact Pony Hollow Trail project
By Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns | Times-Register
During the FY 2027 budget workshop portion of the Clayton County Board of Supervisors meeting on March 24, County Conservation Director Jenna VanMeeteren addressed the board regarding the upcoming Pony Hollow Trail Expansion Project, which is scheduled to take place this spring and summer.
VanMeeteren informed the board that County Engineer Casey Stickfort had contacted her the previous week to say he would no longer be able to complete the construction engineering for the project as previously planned.
Stickfort said the decision came down to staffing capacity and competing priorities within his department.
“I have to look at what our workload is within our department,” said Stickfort. “If we take this on, we may have to shift staff away from other county projects.”
Stickfort also indicated his department’s resources are primarily focused on road and bridge projects, limiting capacity for additional work such as trail construction.
VanMeeteren said the county would now need to seek a private engineering firm, which would increase project costs.
“Currently, in our FY 27 budget, we have $30,000 earmarked for contributions to other governments to reimburse secondary roads for construction engineering services,” said VanMeeteren. “Private engineers already have their slate for 2026, so they’re going to drive up costs, and normally they charge 10 to 20% of the total construction costs of the project. So we’re going to be looking for an increase in our FY 27 budget request of half a million dollars, as it’s a $2.5 million trail project.”
The change comes less than a month before the project is scheduled to go to bid and could add roughly $250,000 to $500,000 in engineering costs, according to VanMeeteren.
VanMeeteren and other county officials pointed out the project’s close proximity to the county engineer’s office, noting the trail is located just outside Elkader. They criticized the potential added cost of paying mileage for a private firm to travel into the county.
The project, which is due to be let by the Iowa Department of Transportation on April 21, had planned to utilize the county engineer as the construction engineer, similar to the process used during the Motor Mill Trail project.
Supervisors discussed the impact of the change and directed Stickfort to prepare options for consideration at the March 31 board of supervisors meeting.
In other business, the board approved participation in an additional opioid settlement, which could make Clayton County eligible to receive a portion of funds depending on overall participation.
Officials noted the county has already received funding from previous settlements, which has been used to support local mental health and substance abuse efforts, including programs through Seva Health and Clayton County Substance Abuse Services, as well as the installation of a padded cell at the county jail and sending an officer to the Iowa Narcotics Officers Association Conference.
The board also heard updates from Clayton County Sheriff Brent Ostrander regarding staffing changes following the retirement of a longtime maintenance staff member. Ostrander outlined options being considered, including contracted services and potential cooperation with other departments.
Supervisors continued discussion on employee health insurance options, including the potential addition of a Health Savings Account (HSA). The topic has been under review by an insurance committee, with further consideration expected at future meetings.
The board also discussed courthouse stair repairs after receiving higher-than-expected quotes for the project and is exploring alternative options, including different materials and designs, before moving forward.
