The County Engineer is a licensed professional civil engineer appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Their primary responsibility is to work closely with the Board of Supervisors in planning and overseeing the construction and maintenance of all secondary roads within the county. They ensure strict compliance with engineering standards and regulations.
Duties of the County Engineer:
- Collaboration with the Board of Supervisors: The County Engineer collaborates closely with the Board of Supervisors to plan and supervise the construction and maintenance of secondary roads. They provide technical expertise and guidance to ensure that projects meet safety and quality standards.
- Certification of Payrolls and Claims: It is the duty of the County Engineer to certify all labor payrolls and claims for materials, equipment, and supplies before they are presented for final approval. This ensures accountability and accuracy in financial transactions related to road projects.
- Supervision of Personnel: The County Engineer oversees a team of 39 employees within the Engineer's Office and the Road Department. They provide leadership, direction, and support to ensure efficient operations and effective implementation of road maintenance and construction activities.
The Engineer's Office has 5 staff members in addition to the County Engineer. All surveys, plans and estimates for road, bridge and culvert construction work are prepared or coordinated in this office. Inspection of all construction projects, as well as material testing are also the responsibility of this office.
The Engineer's Office issues all permits pertaining to the Winneshiek County Roads, such as entrance, oversize/overweight, utility, dust control, etc. The Engineer's Office also issues addresses under the County 911 system, creates and installs the signs and maintains the maps.
The Winneshiek County Road Department maintains the secondary roads as well as bridges, culverts and signs. Winneshiek County has 1056 miles of road consisting of concrete, asphalt, gravel or dirt. Of these, there are 804 miles of gravel.
The County has one Maintenance Superintendent who oversees all of the maintenance districts. The County is divided into 12 blading maintenance districts with a total of 33 road employees. We have 9 shops which are located in Ossian, Castalia, Fort Atkinson, Ridgeway, Kendallville, Locust, and Freeport. In addition, the County employs 3 mechanics who perform the majority of the equipment repairs at the Main Shop in Freeport.
