IOWA CITY

Former Lone Tree mayor Jon Green was appointed as Chair of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors during its organizational meeting last week and ran his first meeting the same day.

Green will serve a one-year term as Board Chair, following a year in which he was Vice Chair to longtime Supervisor Rod Sullivan.

“It’s early days yet, but things have gone smoothly,” Green told The News. “Of course the real test will be when things aren’t going well. Will I have the tools and disposition to maintain order through difficult discussions? I hope and intend to, and working through some of the changes I’m implementing should provide the foundation.”

New Supervisor Mandi Remington made the motion for Green’s rotational promotion to the chair, and it passed with a 5-0 vote.

V Fixmer Oraiz was appointed as Vice Chair by a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass voting against the appointment.

Remington is the only new addition to the five-member board. She defeated former Supervisor Royceann Porter in a Democratic primary last June, and ran unopposed in November’s general election. Sullivan and Green-Douglass also won new four-year terms in the election.

“Extremely happy to be here,” Remington said during the Jan. 2 session. “I appreciate how much everybody has been helping me feel welcome and find my way around.”

Green, a Lone Tree High School alum and rural Lone Tree resident, first joined the Board in June 2021, when he won a special election. He won a four-year term in the 2022 general election.

He played an active role in the county’s Direct Assistance Program following the Covid-19 pandemic and is also helping to lead efforts in affordable housing initiatives. In addition to serving as Board Chair in 2025, he is the Board’s liaison to the City of Lone Tree.

News: Official Newspaper

The News was one of three newspapers named as “Official Newspapers of Johnson County.”

Per state code, three newspapers must be selected by the Board for the publication of county notices, agenda and legal notices.

Also selected were the Solon Economist and The Gazette of Cedar Rapids, which won a contest for the third spot against the Iowa City Press-Citizen based on the number of Johnson County resident subscribers. The Gazette claimed 4,280 Johnson County subscribers, nearly double that of the Press-Citizen.

Budget Season

Budget season kicked into high gear with Fiscal Year 2026 budget sessions in front of the Board Monday and Tuesday.

The final FY26 budget is set to be approved in April, following two or three work sessions in which the Board will cut down proposed expenses and another session in which the FY26 tax ask is presented.

The next budget session is scheduled for 9 a.m. January 13. All sessions are open to the public.

The original FY25 budget included $169.8 million in expenditures.

Board Action

The Board appointed Ashley Platz and Adam Hahn, both of Iowa City, to the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Next meeting:

The Board’s next formal session is at 5:30 p.m. January 9. This is the monthly evening meeting that includes rezoning and platting applications, and public hearings.