BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
WASHINGTON COUNTY, IOWA
REGULAR MEETING OF TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2024
At 9:00 am Chair Richard Young called the meeting to order in regular session, Courthouse Chambers. Items on the agenda included: designation of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) as an Essential Service in Washington County; personnel change requests–Geographic Information System (GIS); establish time, date, and location for a public hearing related to proposed Ord. 24-01 related to Washington County Ambulance Services billing practices; establish time, date, and location for a public hearing related to proposed amendments to the existing Washington County Subdivision and Platting Ordinance; Washington County Ambulance 4th quarter report for FY24; Washington County Ambulance FY24 annual report; approval of amendment to FY25 Secondary Roads Five-Year Road Program; discussion/possible action re: closing of May 16, 2024, public hearing. Supervisors Bob Yoder, Jack Seward Jr., Stan Stoops, and Marcus Fedler were also in attendance.
All motions were passed unanimously unless noted otherwise.
The Board voted to approve the agenda as published.
The Supervisors took up discussion re: the necessary steps in the process of designating Emergency Medical Service (EMS) as an essential service in Washington County. Fedler reported that he had reached out for input and guidance from various counties in Iowa that have established EMS as an essential service or that are in the process of doing so. He shared that approval of EMS as an Essential Service in Washington County would ultimately be determined by voters in Washington County where a minimum majority of 60% plus one vote would be required for approval. If approved, the County would be allowed to establish a maximum levy rate of 75 cents per $1,000.00 of assessed value. The Washington County EMS Advisory Council, whose purpose is to provide assistance in researching and assessing the service needs of the county and guiding implementation of services in the county within a council structure, has established a budget based on a 50-cent levy rate which would raise approximately $750,000.00 according to Fedler. Voter approval of the levy would result in 50% of the funds going to municipal volunteer quick response groups, 35% going to the Washington County Ambulance, and 15% going to Washington County Emergency Communications. Young expressed frustration with what he described as the EMS Advisory Council’s overall lack of communication and more specifically with the fact that the Supervisors have yet to receive a copy of a proposed budget. Fedler, who is a member of the EMS Advisory Board, responded that such a budget is still being finalized. Seward opined that the Supervisors can proceed with the required steps leading to an election in the absence of a budget although such a budget will be required at some point. Auditor Dan Widmer expressed doubt that there was sufficient time to include the matter on the November 5, 2024, General Election ballot due to the many steps in the process that still need to be taken when ballots must be ordered from the printer in the very near future. Discussion continued with regard to the amount of the maximum levy with Seward stating that while at the present time 50 cents per $1,000.00 of assessed value may be adequate, he did not want to be limited to that rate. Instead, he asked his fellow Supervisors to consider establishing 75 cents as the maximum so as to have it available if deemed needed in the future. Discussion followed but the Board took no formal action.
The Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chair to sign, a personnel change request from GIS for Megan Anhalt final day of employment occurred on August 15, 2024.
The Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chair to sign, a personnel change request from GIS for the hiring of Laurie Amos as a non-exempt temporary GIS Intern at the rate of $15.50 per hour eff. August 27, 2024.
The Board voted to establish 9:00 am on September 3, 2024, in the Washington County Courthouse as the time, date, and location for a public hearing related to proposed Ord. 24-01 related to Washington County Ambulance Services Billing Practices.
The Board voted to establish 9:30 am on September 3, 2024, in the Washington County Courthouse as the time, date, and location for a public hearing related to proposed amendments to the Washington County Subdivision Ordinance.
The Board voted to acknowledge the receipt of the Washington County Ambulance Service report for the 4th quarter of FY24. The complete report is available in the office of the Washington County Auditor.
The Board voted to acknowledge the receipt of the Washington County Ambulance Service annual report for FY24. The complete report is available in the office of the Washington County Auditor.
There was no discussion and the Board took no action regarding approval of an amendment to the FY25 Secondary Roads Five-Year Road Program.
The Board voted to adjourn a public hearing that was called to order on May 16, 2024 at 7:00 pm. The hearing was related to the possible establishment of a Secondary Road Assessment for a portion of 140th Street. During the time for discussion prior to the vote being taken Young stated that he was absent from the meeting. The vote on the motion: Aye-Yoder, Seward, Stoops, Fedler; Abstain-Young.
At 10:30 am the Board voted to adjourn.
ATTEST: s/DANIEL L. WIDMER, Washington County Auditor
Published in The News, Thursday, October 17, 2024 L-156
