(Shane Walter - Community First Broadcasting Staff Photo)Sioux County, Iowa (Sioux County Radio) — Sioux County supervisors are expected to consider an agreement on September 29th that would allow flood-related home buyouts in unincorporated areas of the county to move forward.
Zoning Director Shane Walter says a September 16th meeting provided preliminary information about the next steps, but additional paperwork must be approved before the county can proceed.
Walter says he is already completing preparatory work, including requesting property abstracts, while awaiting board action.
He says another meeting with Homeland Security officials is needed to clarify how the county should proceed. That discussion had not yet taken place at the time of the interview.
Although a firm closing schedule has not been established, Walter says there may be options to expedite the purchases. Once the necessary agreements and procedural details are settled, he believes closings could potentially occur within 30 days.
Walter says that timeline is an expectation rather than a confirmed deadline. The timing depends on board approval and clarification of the remaining requirements.
During the September 15th supervisors’ meeting, Walter also explained that property acquisition must occur before demolition can begin and that the demolition portion of the project will require a separate agreement.
