County delays hearing on Argyle shed sale

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

MONTROSE - County officials have delayed the sale of county shed and a parcel of land in Argyle while county officials compile more information on the property.

At Tuesday's Lee County Board of Supervisor's meeting, a move to set a public hearing to sell the shed owned by the county, and a parcel of land that is actually owned by the Argyle Sanitary District.

The board of supervisors serves as trustees of the sanitary district.

Ron Burchett, a resident of Argyle has been pushing the county to sell the property to him. Burchett contends he has been mowing and keeping up the property for the past 12 years, allegedly without the knowledge or authorization of the county.

The county's maintenance shed in Argyle has been a source of contention recently and supervisors are prepared to sell the property, but delayed a public hearing while additional information on assessments and E911 signage was obtained. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

Burchett said the county has been moving forward as selling the property as one bid, and now they want two sealed bids.

"I don't know....who's responsible here if I have a heart attack. I'm serious, I mean, I know it's all politics, but...," Burchett said. "The thing of it is, I'm not getting paid to come up with these questions. I'm just trying to, let's just say again, beautify America a little bit and help me out, and trying to get the horse out of your pen. And again, I don't know if you knew it even existed."

Supervisor Rich Harlow told Burchett to hang in there because county government moves slowly.

"Hang in there just a little bit longer, better days are coming," Harlow said.

Board chair Gary Folluo said it was important that the county do things correctly.

"After further investigation, as I stated, the county attorney was still working on it and it has to be sold separately," he said.

"We're administrators for the water district, the water district owns the property and the county owns the shed, so it has to be disposed of by both entities."

The property will be sold by sealed bid at a future meeting. Folluo said they were waiting on additional information from the county assessor's office on what the property is worth, and he preferred to have that in hand before setting a date for the hearing.

Lee County Auditor Denise Fraise provided an assessment figure on Wednesday. The assessment shows the land is worth $2,310 and the structure is valued at $3,210 for the first property located at 1808 294th Street. The second property is located at 1806 294th Street and has been assessed at $920.

There will also be a public showing of the properties on Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Those with questions are encouraged to contact the auditor at 319-372-3705 or the Lee County Engineer Ben Hull at 319-372-2541.

Hull also told the board there is no E911 signs on the property and Folluo said that, too, had to be addressed before the property is sold.

Folluo said he wanted the assessment out to the public before the hearing was set.

"Once again let's get all the stuff together that we need," Folluo said to Fraise before discussion moved.

In other action the council:

• approved contracts with Secondary Roads, the Administrative Union and the Sheriff's Union

• approved changes to the personnel policy pay grid

• approved the health insurance premium chart for the next fiscal year.

• approved several pay increases in the health department and secondary road.

Argyle, iowa, lee county, Pen City Current, property sale

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