Muscatine County Board of Supervisors Packet Summary — 2026-08-24
Meeting: Board of Supervisors Meeting
Scheduled time: 9:00 a.m.
The August 24 packet centers on three significant proposed actions: approving plans and bidding documents for Phase 2 repairs to the Community Services Building, assigning a county-held tax sale certificate to the City of Muscatine, and awarding a nearly $2 million pavement contract for 230th Street G28. The agenda also includes utility permits, approval of prior meeting minutes, August payroll claims, correspondence, committee reports, employee updates, and public comment.
Key Items on the Agenda
The Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposed plans, specifications, form of contract, and cost estimate for the Muscatine County Community Services Building Repairs Project Phase 2. Following the hearing, the agenda calls for possible approval of Resolution #08-24-26-01, which would approve the project documents and estimated cost and authorize the County to proceed with solicitation of sealed bids.
Horizon Architecture prepared the project documents. The work focuses primarily on exterior masonry maintenance at the Community Services Building, 315 Iowa Avenue, including:
- Masonry cleaning and repointing.
- Selective consolidation of deteriorated masonry.
- Sealant installation at exterior masonry and concrete joints.
- Installation of new steel coping at the chimney cap.
- Reattachment and sealing of existing flashing.
- Repairs to spalling concrete masonry at the loading dock.
- Repairs and sealing involving roof balusters, masonry façades, cracks, holes, and other identified exterior conditions.
The packet's Bidding Opinion of Probable Costs, dated August 20, 2026, estimates the project at $307,270.00. The largest estimated component is $209,000.00 for limestone cleaning, repointing, and water-repellent treatment.
The proposed bidding schedule includes:
- August 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.: Pre-bid conference at the Community Services Building.
- September 10, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.: Bid submission deadline and informal bid opening.
- September 14, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.: Public announcement of bids at a Board of Supervisors meeting.
- September 14, 2026: Anticipated contract award date.
- No later than September 28, 2026: Anticipated Notice to Proceed.
Bid security would be required in an amount equal to 10% of the base bid. The packet says a Fall 2026 completion is highly desired, although work could extend into Spring 2027 if necessary.
Tax Sale Certificate for Parcel #0825276025
The Board is scheduled to consider Resolution #08-24-26-02, which proposes assigning Tax Sale Certificate #CH250001 for Parcel #0825276025 to the City of Muscatine.
According to the City's August 19 memorandum, the undeveloped parcel has generated recurring nuisance-abatement work involving matters such as junk removal, weeds and grass, and snow and ice removal. The City estimates ongoing maintenance costs at approximately $1,000 annually and says it wants to pursue a tax deed, ultimately returning the property to productive, tax-paying ownership through a public auction.
The packet contains differing financial figures describing obligations associated with the parcel. The City memorandum states a grand total of unpaid charges of $6,689, while the proposed County resolution states that $9,579 in taxes is owing, including tax, interest, costs, and special assessments. The resolution also states that Muscatine County acquired the certificate at the June 16, 2025 tax sale at a cost of $1,551.
Under the proposed resolution:
- The certificate would be assigned to the City for $10.00.
- If the property is later sold, the City would remit to the County proceeds exceeding the City's nuisance-abatement costs and actual costs of acquiring title and selling the property.
- The assignment would become effective upon the City's $10 payment to the County Treasurer.
- If a tax sale deed is issued to the City, the Treasurer would be authorized to abate current and delinquent taxes outstanding on the parcel at the time of transfer.
The City says its objective is to move the parcel into responsible private ownership, end recurring public maintenance expenses, restore tax-producing use, and potentially enable construction of a new home.
$1.98 Million 230th Street G28 Pavement Contract
County Engineer Bryan Horesowsky is scheduled to present Resolution #08-24-26-03 for project FM-C070(78)--55-70, involving PCC pavement grading and replacement on 230th Street G28 from the Louisa County line to Iowa 70.
The proposed resolution would accept a bid of $1,980,629.64 from Metro Pavers, Inc. and award the associated construction contract to the company. It would also authorize the County Engineer to electronically execute the contract documents after receipt of required materials, including the contractor's bond and certificate of insurance.
The agenda separately includes possible approval of various utility permits and an opportunity for other updates from the County Engineer.
Other Agenda Business
The Board is also scheduled to consider or receive several routine administrative and public-business items:
- Possible approval of the August 17, 2026 regular meeting minutes.
- Acceptance of August 2026 payroll claims.
- Correspondence and committee reports.
- Information from County employees.
- Comments from the public.
Previously Completed Actions Included in the Packet
The packet includes minutes from the August 17, 2026 Board meeting as supporting material for the Board's proposed approval of those minutes. These records document prior actions and should not be confused with proposed August 24 actions.
Among the actions recorded for August 17, the Board:
- Approved $1,197,410.19 in claims dated August 17, 2026.
- Authorized use of the County Courthouse lawn on September 11 for a Bible Reading Marathon, with specified limits on a canopy and chairs.
- Authorized a $10,000 FY26/27 Methamphetamine Drug Hot Spots Grant Program (CAMP) agreement.
- Accepted a previously granted variance, Case #26-08-01, involving a proposed single-family dwelling in Moscow Township.
- Approved Resolution #08-17-26-01 for the combined preliminary and final plat of Brookside Addition Subdivision.
- Authorized an updated 28E agreement under which the Iowa Department of Natural Resources delegates certain private-water-well permitting authority to Muscatine County.
- Approved three utility permits.
- Authorized a $6,528 historic-preservation consulting proposal related to the Mississippi Courts NRHP Nomination HRDP Grant.
- Authorized submission of a $21,080 CLG Grant application for a survey of East Third Street as a potential historic district in West Liberty.
- Authorized personnel and labor-agreement changes involving a newly created Traffic Control Technician position.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The Community Services Building project combines a public hearing with a decision on whether to advance a roughly $307,270 exterior repair project into competitive bidding. The proposed resolution establishes a short bidding timeline, with bids due September 10 and public announcement scheduled for September 14.
The proposed tax certificate assignment presents a different type of public-finance decision. The Board will consider transferring a county-held certificate for $10 under conditions intended to allow the City to pursue title and eventually return the undeveloped property to productive ownership, while the packet documents substantial outstanding obligations and recurring public maintenance costs.
The largest proposed contract action is the $1,980,629.64 230th Street G28 pavement project. The Board is scheduled to decide whether to accept the Metro Pavers, Inc. bid and authorize the County Engineer to execute the necessary contract documents.
Civic Translator summarized publicly available meeting materials from the Muscatine County Board of Supervisors.
