IOWA CITY

Johnson County has about $1.1 million remaining from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation of $29.5 million, and the Board of Supervisors, previously promising that every dollar will be spent, is expected to make decisions on those remaining funds by the end of the year.

Leftover money was originally targeted by the supervisors to be used for the county’s new Workday computer programming system or the Historic Poor Farm kitchen project, but other needs are being considered. The Poor Farm kitchen project is mostly closed out.

Including about $2.8 million in interest, the county has used more than $32 million for more than 60 projects that included social services needs, work at the Poor Farm, financial help to immigrants and other projects.

“With the benefit of hindsight, I think we would have done 5 or 10 projects instead of the 63, I think, is where we ended up,” Board Chair Jon Green said during the Board’s work session Sept. 30. “It was tremendously taxing on county infrastructure and I recognize that.”

Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass said the ARPA projects “did a lot of good. I think we need to toot our own horn. I think we need to shout from a mountaintop, this was great.”

Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz hopes that some of the extra money can be spent on projects benefiting social services programs for residents.

“I am deeply concerned that this (federal) administration doesn’t care about poor people, it does not care about people having food or shelter, or dignity in either of those,” Fixmer-Oraiz said.

Green said the $1.1 million in funds can be included as a part of the Fiscal Year 2028 budgeting process.

CommUnity Crisis

The Board, by a 4-1 vote at a special meeting Oct. 2, approved providing a subordination request for CommUnity Crisis Services for mortgages on the Healing Prairie Farm property on Highway 6 SE in rural Iowa City.

Hills Bank is the primary financer.

The request, which arose in a 24-hour period last week, was opposed by Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass amid questions about the emergency nature of the procedure and Johnson County’s liability.

The total debit is assessed at $3.6 million, Johnson County Assistant Attorney Ryan Moss said, and the county would face covering $540,000 in a default.

Supervisor Mandi Remington reminded the Board that a subordination agreement involves no funds.

If there was a loan default, Moss said, “We wouldn’t have the ability to obtain repayment of that, assuming they were in a distress situation triggering Hills Bank’s foreclosure in the first place. … We’re being asked to essentially step into a wholly unsecured position regarding this debt.”

Asked by Green-Douglass about the expediency of the request, Sarah Nelson, CommUnity Crisis Chief Executive Officer, responded: “Because we’re operating in a reckless, chaotic federal funding environment that doesn’t give us appropriate timelines.”

CommUnity Crisis, Nelson said, has served more than Johnson County residents. It is a large nonprofit that has been supported by county government to the tune of more than $1 million, and includes a large number of counselors and a food bank. It has landed $20 million in expanded programming services and hired more than 200 staffers in the last 30 days. Healing Prairie Farm is a 20-acre facility that serves young people in crisis.

Still, the discussion grew heated before the final vote was taken.

“I find it wild this conversation is taking place,” Nelson said. “You’re not putting people’s hands behind their back at other nonprofits in this community. Why are you doing it to us? Why are you refusing to take a second subordinate position or acting like we’ve been naughty because we waited so long? This is the environment that we have to operate in.”

“We need to take care of this,” Fixmer-Oraiz said. “It’s a very minimal risk. It’s a very minimal risk and it’s insulting to even suggest otherwise.”

When Board Chair Jon Green called for a vote, the measure passed by a 4-1 majority.

Football & Voting

An expansion of voting for the mid-terms in Johnson County will include a high school football game in Solon.

In an initiative being called “Voting After Dark” by the Johnson County Auditor’s Office, expanded hours and locations for the upcoming election include early evening hours at the Auditor’s Office in Iowa City and Iowa City Public Library, plus Solon’s home football game Oct. 23.

“Many people work the same hours we are open during the day and are busy with family activities on the weekends,” Johnson County Auditor Julie Persons said in a statement. “These evenings will give people the option to vote when it’s convenient for them.”

Voting will be open at Solon High School from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23. Public Library voting will be open until 6 p.m. Oct. 17, 26, 27 and 28. Evening voting at the Auditor’s Office on South Dubuque Street in Iowa City will be open until 6 p.m. Oct. 26, 27 and 28.

Early voting begins Oct. 14. Voting hours on Election Day, Nov. 3, are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Board Action

The Board approved designating Johnson County’s Secondary Roads Department on Melrose Avenue as an optional location for Johnson County elections officials in case of emergency.

The Board approved a $43,125 juvenile pre-charge diversion renewal agreement with United Action for Youth.

The Board approved a $4,800 professional services agreement with Eide Bailly, an accounting firm, for preparation of the Johnson County Ambulance Service Medicaid ground emergency medical transportation cost report for FY26.

The Board issued proclamations in honor of 4-H Week (Oct. 4-10) and Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Next Meeting

The Board’s next formal session is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 8. This is the monthly evening session for rezoning and platting applications, and public hearings.