BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
WASHINGTON COUNTY, IOWA
REGULAR MEETING OF TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2024
At 9:00 a.m. Chair Richard Young called the meeting to order in regular session, Courthouse Chambers. Items on the agenda included: election of Board of Supervisors Chair for Calendar Year 2024; election of Board of Supervisors Vice-Chair for Calendar Year 2024; Washington County Mini Bus Annual report and funding request for FY25; Washington County Library Association Annual Report and funding request for FY25; appointment of various commission, board, and committee members; review/approve Supervisor assignments to various commissions, boards, and committees; approval of Washington County Bridge Inspection and Rating Program Agreement for Calendar Years 2024 & 2025; acknowledgment of Secondary Roads equipment purchase; Res. 24-01 re: Authorization for County Engineer to sign Doc Express contract documents related to Lexington Boulevard Grading Project FM-C092(118)--55-92 from Orchard Hill Pavement to Highway 92; Quarterly Report–County Engineer; discussion/action re: approval of proposed budget for costs to remodel Orchard Hill Buildings 2 & 3; discussion/action re: approval of proposed budget for costs to remodel Washington County Secondary Roads Building; personnel change request–Office of Sheriff. Supervisors Jack Seward Jr., Marcus Fedler, Richard Young, and Stan Stoops were also present.
The Board voted to approve the agenda as published.
The Board voted to appoint Young as Chair of the Board of Supervisors for calendar year 2024.
Young assumed the duties of Chair of the Washington County Board of Supervisors Chair.
The Board voted to appoint Yoder as Vice-Chair of the Board of Supervisors for calendar year 2024.
Yoder assumed the duties of Vice-Chair of the Washinton County Board of Supervisors.
Washington County Mini Bus (WCMB) Director Cris Gaughn provided the WCMB report for FY23 via Zoom and reported that during the year funding sources for WCMB were as follows: 29% from fares, 27% from East Central Iowa Council of Governments, 37% from local option sales tax, 6% from Washington County, 1% from the City of Kalona, and less than 1% from other miscellaneous sources. Gaughn requested funding from the County in the amount of $50,000 for FY25 which is equal to the level of funding for the current fiscal year. The Board took no formal action. The complete report is available in the Auditor’s office.
Trevor Sherping and Olivia Kahler with the Kalona Public Library, Cary Ann Siegfried with the Washington Public Library, and Carrie Geno with the Wellman-Scofield Public Library provided the Board with a summary of the activities and programs conducted at each of their libraries that together comprise the Washington County Public Library Association (WCPLA). Sherping shared his concern with legislation passed by the Iowa Legislature which removed the ability for cities to levy in support of libraries. For FY25 the group requested funding in the amount of $156,750.00 which is a 5% reduction in the level of funding assistance provided by Washington County for current FY24. The reduction is in response to a directive issued by the Board of Supervisors calling for County Department Heads to add the total costs of their personnel expenses, including salary and benefits increases, to the total of their current operational FY24 budget with the resulting sum reduced by 5% as a budget target for FY25. The Board took no formal action. The complete report is available in the Auditor’s office.
The Board voted to appoint Stoops to a term as the County’s representative, and Yoder as the County’s alternate representative, on the 8th Judicial District Correctional with both terms ending December 31, 2024.
The Board voted to appoint Stoops to a term as the County’s representative, and Seward as the County’s alternate representative, on the South Iowa Area Crime Commission Service Agency with both terms ending December 31, 2024.
The Board voted to appoint Yoder to a term on the ECICOG Board of Directors and to appoint Fedler to a term as alternate representative on the ECICO Board of Directors with each term ending December 31, 2026, and also to appoint Millie Youngquist to fill an unexpired term as an alternate representative on the ECICOG Board of Directors that ends December 31, 2025.
The Board voted to appoint Dennis Murray to a term on the ECICOG Region 10 Transportation Technical Advisory Committee and to appoint Kelly Farrier to a term as alternate representative on the ECICOG Region 10 Transportation Technical Advisory Committee with each term ending December 31, 2026, and also to appoint Millie Youngquist to fill an unexpired term as a representative on the ECICOG Region 10 Transportation Technical Advisory Committee that ends December 31, 2025.
The Board voted to appoint Cris Gaughn to a term on the Region 10 Passenger Transportation Policy Advisory Committee that ends December 31, 2025.
The Board voted to appoint Youngquist to a term on the Regional Planning Affiliation 10 Transportation Policy Committee that ends December 31, 2025.
The Board voted to appoint Terry Engelken to a term on the ECICOG Revolving Loan Fund Committee that ends December 31, 2024.
The Board voted to appoint Seward to a term as the County’s representative on the Mental Health Agency of Southeast Iowa Board which ends December 31, 2024.
The Board voted to approve calendar year 2024 committee assignments as discussed and published with no changes from calendar year 2023.
The Board voted to approve, and authorize the Chair to sign, a contract with Calhoun – Burns Associates, Inc. to perform bridge inspection and rating services in 2024 and 2025. Prior to the vote County Engineer Jacob Thorius explained that the firm will inspect and rate approximately 17 structures in 2024 for a lump sum fee of $5,200.00 and 103 structures in 2025 for a lump sum fee of $23,350.00
The Board voted to acknowledge the purchase of a 2008 Genie Model Z45 DGFF Articulated Boom Lift that includes a 45 ft. reach. The $29,500.00 purchase price of the machine will be shared equally by the Secondary Roads Department, Buildings and Grounds Department, and the Conservation Department with all 3 departments sharing in the use of the equipment.
The Board voted by way of roll call vote to approve Res. 24-01 and authorize the Chair to sign Res. 24-01.
Thorius provided the Board with a summary of the Secondary Roads Quarterly Report for the 3rd quarter of calendar year 2023. The Board voted to acknowledge receipt of the Secondary Roads Quarterly Report for the 3rd quarter of calendar year 2023. The complete report is available for viewing in the Auditor’s office.
The Board voted to approve moving forward with plans for remodeling Buildings 2 & 3 at Orchard Hill. The vote on the motion: Aye-Yoder, Fedler, Seward, Young; Nay-Stoops.
The Board voted to approve the budget that was presented at the Board’s work session held on December 19, 2023, related to planned construction of Secondary Road facilities with the understanding that it should be planned as a single project but also with the ability to divide the project into Phase 1 (office building) and 2 (garage building) if delay is necessary due to funding. The vote on the motion: Aye-Yoder, Fedler, Seward, Young; Nay-Stoops.
The Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chair to sign, a personnel change request from the Office of Sheriff for Kadin Jepson employment status changed from non-exempt regular PT to non-exempt regular FT effective December 28, 2023. Jepson’s rate of compensation will remain unchanged.
At 10:47 am the Board voted to adjourn.
ATTEST: s/DANIEL L. WIDMER, Washington County Auditor
Published in The News, Thursday, January 25, 2024 L-222
