IOWA CITY

Residents of Lone Tree and Hills, along with property owners in unincorporated areas of Johnson County, are eligible for up to $2,000 in benefits in a cost-sharing soil health program.

The Johnson County Soil Health Program, which is being financed with $30,000 from the Sustainable and Energy Reinvestment Fund (SERF), was summarized to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors in a presentation at its work session June 22.

The program is intended to complete soil quality restoration on a homeowners’ property. According to Kasey Hutchinson, Soil and Water Conservation Coordinator, the improvements will reduce runoff and keep chemicals out of nearby creeks and streams.

The funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The program funds up to 50% of cost sharing with a property owner and has a maximum benefit of $2,000.

The program is aimed at residents of Lone Tree, Hills, Oxford, Solon, Swisher and Shueyville, in addition to homeowners in unincorporated areas of the county. Residents of Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty already have their own city programs.

Work must be done by a contractor on an approved contractor list in order to be eligible for the benefit. For more information, go to: johnsoncountyiowa.gov/soilhealth.

Also at its work session, Donna Brooks, Johnson County Grants Manager, recommended that the county enter a $52,000 service agreement with the Johnson County Agricultural Association.

The funds, substantially reduced from a $140,000 request last week, would be used primarily for the Johnson County Fair, which is scheduled to be held July 24-27.

Considering a state grant of more than $10,000, Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass questioned whether even the $52,000 annual agreement is too much.

“It is a very substantial decrease (from previous years),” Brooks said.

The Agricultural Association has included line items of $55,273 for payroll, $24,321 for insurance and $4,000 for parking attendants during the fair.

The funding will be determined at this week’s formal session. Supervisors Chair Royceann Porter agreed to be liaison to the Johnson County Fair board.

The board also discussed increasing the residency requirement for all employees from 20 to 25 miles, making the policy consistent with a 25-mile requirement approved last week for sheriff deputies.

“I feel that this came out in a really unusual way,” Green-Douglass said. “I am glad we’re changing it because it does open up that pool of applicants.”

“It is a policy that has not been consistent and fair,” Porter said about the current 20-mile requirement. “When I came on, you had to live in a certain area. I do want to say that we literally had interviewed someone for a position here at the county who was in a great position to take on a job here, but could not because he lived outside (the required distance). I just think it needs to be consistent and fair across the board.”

The board will vote on the new policy Thursday.

At its formal session June 23, the board set a July 7 public hearing for discussion about the plans and costs for the renovation of the Johnson County Courthouse on South Clinton Street. The public hearing will be a part of the board’s formal session July 7 at 9 a.m.

The board approved Hunger Relief grants to CommUnity Crisis Services for $57,000, Table to Table for $10,000, and Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development for $23,000.

The board will hold its next formal meeting at 9 a.m. June 30.