OTTUMWA — The Wapello County Board of Supervisors hope they get an audience for next week’s board meeting, and they hope people come armed with ideas for infrastructure projects.

President-elect Barack Obama has said infrastructure is a priority for his efforts to create jobs and get the country’s economy moving. County officials think the announcement offers an opportunity to gain assistance with projects that need to be done but don’t have financing in place.

“We know that there are some infrastructure projects that are going to be approved by the Obama administration as part of trying to put people to work,” Board Chairman Jerry Parker said during Tuesday’s meeting.

The best information available now is that the federal initiative will seek projects in two broad categories. The first involves projects that are ready to go now, that only lack funding to begin. The second category includes projects that can begin within two years.

“What I’d like to see us do today is brainstorm some ideas,” Supervisor Steve Siegel said. The hope is that people will attend next week’s meeting with additional ideas, allowing the county to begin prioritizing the options.

Supervisors listed several projects as obvious contenders, including the construction of a new road to get from the proposed Wapello County ethanol plant to the new bypass. Siegel said the project fits several priorities for the incoming administration, including the push for alternative energy sources.

The county may also revise some projects if it gains federal assistance. The Chillicothe bridge construction involves planning around the railroad lines that run nearby, and the original plan called for working around the rails to keep them open. But such steps are costly, and the county went to another option that requires temporary closure of the rail line to save money.

If federal funding comes through, the county could go back to the original plan. It means less disruption, and could help keep everything moving while construction takes place.

Sewer work is also a priority for the county, which wants to get lines out to the bypass to spur development. The county has held some initial talks with Ottumwa’s engineering department and the project will be cooperative if it goes through.

Of course, the talks about any projects are preliminary until the federal government releases details about the program.

“We haven’t received any real detail on how any of this is going to be done,” Parker said.

Tuesday’s meeting was also the last for outgoing Auditor Phyllis Dean. Kelly Spurgeon takes over the office with the new year, and the board took a few minutes to praise Dean for her work. They said the loss of Dean’s memories of what happened and how will require everyone to be more attentive to the details.

Matt Milner can be reached at (641) 683-5359 or via e-mail at mwmilner@mchsi.com