Howard County sharing with adjoining counties

Howard County - Everybody has budgets—families, businesses, government agencies.  For most Americans, there are consequences for frivolous spending, such as repossession of items or eviction. 

The federal government is now in debt $21 trillion! Perhaps legislators should take a page out of the book from Howard County, by spending smarter.

Last fall, Howard, Winneshiek and Chickasaw Counties together purchased a vibratory pile driver to be used in bridge work. The total cost for the piece of equipment that attaches to their own excavators was $116,690. Divided three ways, the cost to each county was less than $40,000. 

In the past, Howard County had to hire a crane to drive the pilings. For many years, Howard County owned its own crane, but Engineer Nick Rissman said it became old and unsafe, and new ones are really expensive. Since then, they were hiring out to have the work completed.

“We attend different annual meetings,” explained Rissman. “We had one in August that was introducing the equipment. I happened to be sitting near the engineers from Chickasaw and Winneshiek Counties, and we thought we could share it.”

All three went back the following week to their boards, who were in agreement to share.

So far, Howard County used it on a bridge last fall and Winneshiek used it on a pedestrian bridge. Howard is going to use it again in a couple weeks, and then Chickasaw will use it.

“We’ve already started an e-mail system for when we need the pile driver.  It isn’t needed long on each project, maybe as little as a week.  We’re always looking to save the county money.”  For Howard County’s portion, it is estimated that it will pay for itself after four bridge projects.

 

Collaborating on another project

Howard and Winneshiek are working together on a  major project . . . A-46.

Howard County plans to put a six-inch concrete overlay on A-46 from Highway 63 east to the Winneshiek County line, an 11-mile stretch of road that passes just south of Schley.

Separately from Howard County’s project, Winneshiek County has plans to replace a bridge about a half-mile into that county on A-46. Rissman got together with Lee Bjerke.  

“When we let bids on the two projects, we tied them together and requested they be done concurrently to minimize the impact to the traveling public,” Rissman said. “We can’t force the contractor to work on them at the same time, but hope they do.”

So many times each state, county or municipality wants to keep everything close to the vest and not share ideas. Leaders need to start thinking outside the confines of their own borders and work with others. It can save money, as well as hardship to others.