IOWA CITY

Several Johnson County projects being funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money survived a third round of voting at a Johnson County Board of Supervisors meeting last week, including more than $2 million for a water project at Kent Park.

A community violence prevention program covering $875,000 also got the go-ahead from three of five supervisors, but discussion took up a majority of the three-hour meeting. A number of questions remain unresolved, including the makeup of an organizing group, agreements with non-profit organizations and whether law enforcement officers would be a part of the program.

Supervisor Royceann Porter, who lives in Iowa City, gave examples in which door-to-door prevention by police officers has helped.

“It’s working,” she said.

Other supervisors wanted to see more involvement by social workers.

“I recognize we have deep issues that have been going on for a long time,” Supervisor Jon Green of Lone Tree said. “I agree that we have a responsibility to work to rectify those issues. I do. And I want to do that.”

“I share your heartbreak. I share your frustration,” Green said to Porter during the April 3 work session. “It’s just, we have a responsibility to spend this money in a defensible way and right now I just don’t feel that I can make that case.”

Johnson County received more than $29 million in ARPA funds and more than 60 projects were trimmed down to about 50, which has become a heavy burden on county staff.

The county has set a June 30 deadline for obligating all of those project funds, which would be six months ahead of a federal deadline.

“We probably should have done eight projects,” Green said. “We were so far out the damn circle we didn’t even know that we didn’t know that we didn’t know to ask what we didn’t know.”

Among the other projects getting approval through the Board’s “third pass” were $400,000 for a childcare incentive program and $750,000 for an infant-and-toddler scholarship program.

The Board swapped $1.5 million for affordable housing from ARPA funding to general funding in its normal budget.

The county’s housing initiatives include a three-year pilot project that will be financed by $220,000 in Fiscal Year 2025 funds and will benefit between 10 and 15 low-income families.

Stumptown Shooters

The Board will vote Thursday on approving the Stumptown Shooters’ annual PGI Safety Class and fireworks display scheduled for April 27 near Lone Tree.

Following the safety class, the fireworks display is set to begin at about 7 p.m. from a location on River Junction Road SE, west of Lone Tree.

Public Hearings

The Board’s monthly evening meeting for rezoning and platting applications is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The formal session will feature a number of public hearings.

The Board will host a public hearing for the Fiscal Year 2025 budget at 5:30 p.m. April 17. The meetings are held at the Johnson County Health and Human Services Building, 855 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City.

Board Action

The Board approved the Be SMART for Kids licensing agreement.

The Board approved a change order of $36,068.71 with McComas-Lacina Construction, of Iowa City, and a proposal with Terracon Consultants, of Cedar Rapids, for work on the Administration, and Health & Human Services Building remodels.

The Board issued proclamations honoring Second Chance Month, April, and Week of the Young Child, April 6-12.

Next meeting: The Board’s next formal session is at 5:30 p.m. April 11.