Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

Good morning everybody. It's Tuesday, March 24th, 2026. My name is Don Swanker. I'm going to call the Jackson County Board of Supervisors meeting to order. To my left is Mike Steiner. To my right is Nin Flegel. Bejorn from IT. Shelley, stand in for the auditor today. Um, we got Britney in the back of the press box. And first up at 9:00 am is we have a public hearing on proposed ordinance 322, the Egan House reszoning. So we'll go ahead and open the public hearing. Um, how we doing? Good morning. Good morning. All right. Have we You want to give a brief overview real quick?

I can. On February 16th, 2026, the Jackson County Zoning Commission conducted a properly noticed public hearing on case ZC26-01. A request to reszone parcel ID 440236427061000000 from A1 Agricultural District to C1 Highway commercial district. The zoning commission unanimously approved recommended approval of the request subjects to conditions pursuant to Iowa code subsection 3357. The conditional resoning framework would limit the property to enclose storage within the existing structure and one unintended accessory vending machine with the conditions to run with the land. Staff recommended the conditions be agre agreed to in writing by the property owner prior to the board public hearing. The attached materials are provided for voice consideration and the memorandum of agreement and exhibit A will be signed and recorded along with the ordinance. I have not received any calls from residents up there or public uh concerning. I assume that proper procedures were taken when far as neighbors and whatnot and

they were and I received uh five calls and once everything was explained they were had no objections. Okay. I have not received any calls or emails or anything. I have not. Is the do did we receive any in the courthouse on the No. Okay. Um I'll make a motion to close the public hearing. I would second that. Got a motion by Mike, second by N to close the public hearing on ordinance number 322. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I.

I. Motion carries. All right. Next up is possible action on proposed ordinance 322, an ordinance to amend local zoning map of the Jackson County zoning ordinance to reclassify a parcel of land on teachors township from A1 agricultural district to C1 highway commercial district. Move to approve. Second. Motion by Mike, second by N to approve proposed ordinance 322, the Egan House resoning. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I

I opposed. Motion carries. Now we have on here the possibility to wave this to wave Robert's rules of orders and proceed with the second and third readings if we so choose. I would make that motion to wave Robert's rules of order and wave the proceed with the second second and yeah to proceed with the second reading and third. Can we do them together? You can you can wave the rules to do them both, but then you have to do the second reading separate and the third reading separate. So the second and third. So to wave Robert's rules of orders, proceed with the second and third reading. Is that your motion? Yes. One second.

Got a motion by N. Second by Mike to wave Robert's rules of orders to proceed with the second and third readings. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? Motion carries. Now, do we need to wave the second? No, we just need a motion to proceed with the second reading. Second reading. I would make just a second. Just a second. Motion to proceed with the second reading of presented. Second that. Got a motion by Mike, second by N to approve the second reading of ordinance number 322, the Egan House resoning. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I opposed. Motion carries. I'd make a motion proceed with the third reading.

Proceed with the third reading and the final reading of the Egan house. I would second. Got a motion by Nin, second by Mike to proceed with the third and final reading of the ordinance number 322, the Egan House resoning. Any other discussion and keep it off show? So far, all those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. So approved. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Thank you. All right. While you're here, got any updates? Yes. Actually, you were gonna leave. I was Well, I didn't know if I was next. You're You're on the good.

Um, yes. A zoning department update. Um, as questions have been coming in from the public, contractors, surveyors, and applicants. I've been looking through those and identifying the areas where clear guidance under the new zoning zoning ordinance would be helpful. One of the main things I've started focusing on is creating public handouts for common zoning topics which will then be added to the county website to have handouts and frequently asked questions. My goal with that is to help people come in better prepared from the start. Um we've also working on updating the online permit system so it's more user friendly and consistent with the new ordinance. Um, some adjustments have already been made and the conditional use permit now has a template drafted and is currently being reviewed before it goes live. And then after that, the zoning commission permit will need to be updated. Um, along with that, just been handling the regular day-to-day zoning work including permit reviews, back and land questions, parcel split, and subdivision questions. and the um with the board of adjustment, they've been working through imple implementation of the new ordinance, including changes to the member terms and the zoning commission has been continuing to work on the data processing ordinance.

Okay. Along with these online permits and templates that we're talking about, is this the jail thing that we're working and we're gaining ground? Yeah, we're looking at everybody here. So, Got to look at people that use permits. Yeah. Yeah, that's what I am. Um, we had a meeting with Staca and uh the February meeting. Um, she was going to send updates for the March meeting. Um, but the regular online just the zoning permit seems to be working. There's a few updates of course we don't need what we don't know what needs to be updated until we run into a situation. Okay. So, public health is in on this, I assume.

Okay. We're working on trying to make it work. Okay. We appreciate it. Well, yeah. Again, we we talked about it that if we if we're paying for something, we expect it to work and hopefully it works out. All right. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Thank you. Good night. Have a good day. Next up is vis visitors and citizens. Is there anybody here any here online that wish to address the board today? I see Michael. I don't Is there is there more just him? I can't normally I can see how many people are on. There you go. Okay. All right. Good morning, Michael.

There you go. Reply. We'll proceed with Don Nelson, director communities grant program coordinator. Good morning. How are you guys all doing? Good. All right. Good deal. As usual, I come in here clearing packets of goodies. You know how that goes. Always. Here we go. Thank you.

So, I am Don Nelson and here um give you an update on the Jackson County Prevention Coalition and things that we're doing along there. Um for a lot of things are all the action plans. So, what I'm hitting on here to start with all in one way or another falls in under the action plan in different categories. So, the first one I'd like to talk about is compliance checks and had two cancelled uh that I've tried to put together, but currently I have two male and two female students willing to do these. It's just finding the dates. So, I'll say work in progress always. Last check was 100% compliant and prior to that was 87 to 88 from what I look back at and combine. So, hopefully we're going to keep that in positive mode. There's been two tips trainings which falls under our responsible beverage training, responsible beverage seller training and they've already done two with 11 and 15 attendees each and she has another one scheduled for April and these are all re reertification at this point. Nothing we haven't got any done the compliance checks to have any problems. So everything is all reertification which is a really good good thing. And the coalition purchased another updated ID scanner and several events have already rushed they had to. This makes a third one and it um scans the IDs real quickly as they're trying to get them through the entrances. So they've already have those being reserved and checked out. Uh the first thing I handed to you was a pie chart and it's just for information. thought maybe you guys would just like to see uh the pie chart and the number of businesses and types of alcohol licenses in the county uh as of January 26. So, it just kind of breaks it down. Uh there's the next uh pages are the lists of who has those types of licenses and it's just anformational thing. I thought it might be interesting to you and if

you want to know what those types of licenses are the description or under is the last page for you to kind of take a look at. It's just kind of interesting that I thought it was fun to see, you know, what how does that break down and what's what's goes on throughout the county and what we have. Next group uh that they have is emergency emerging trends and the medication takeback is the big priority on that right now. Currently, there's eight med boxes in the county. Two are pharmacies and the rest are at PDS. Uh there was a medication takeback event in October sponsored by DEA and they collected 144 pounds of medication and uh the next event is going to be this coming month in April. We doing another one and sheriff's department takes care of doing that and the coalition has several lock boxes on hand and coalition members will discuss getting some of these into the school nurses hands. So they they have leftover medication at the end of the year, you know, getting them into the lock boxes and and proper disposable need to uh marijuana tobacco vaping work group. More products have been seen around. Two stores in the county have been purchased by out of state companies and carrying the paraphernalia as well as the vape products for tobacco THC and delta 8 gummies. So that's kind of becoming a concern. And with the president signing the order, he's changing the marijuana to a schedule three, which uh makes it more accessible and from a prevention standpoint, it's going to make it a little harder because it is more accessible. And so those those are things looking at trying to figure out how we're going to address that. SAG group in Belleview is hosting what's called more than a moment. And this is a really cool thing I think that they have come up with putting the schools against each other. They are it's a media campaign. They're going to come up with uh prevention uh

PSAs and they're going to buy video by uh radio or um poster. So it could be billboards and then different classes, different age groups, different schools and all competing together. So that's pretty neat thing to get everybody involved to get the students really rolling on. It goes from sixth grade up and they are have put it out there now to start in March. They're giving them all of April to work on. Has to be submitted end of April. In the beginning of May, they will be the judging. And there's three people on the judging panel that's going to judge that. And then we'll use the winners. So whether we can get another billboard up again um the radio, you know, um drivein runs a little video. So we'll be able to utilize their work. So I think that's pretty good.

So are we talking about all the schools in Jackson County or Yeah. Uh well those that are th those that are part participating not all schools participate. Okay.

Um PRI is prime for life. So initiative that has come through is instead of suspending students that get caught with um substances and you know sending them home and they're doing nothing they are coming up with this PRI 420 which is called prime for life. and um the JCP member and ASAC employee works with the schools and it's an alternative to that suspension where the students go in and they're held at the community college and spends the day in class with her and it's all about substance and substance use prevention. Um the next thing that I brought to you is last time I came I brought you the form measure survey that showed what the numbers were in in the results of students in Jackson County. this DFC uh puts out and it is a cumulative uh over the inception so since 2018 and it shows the work that coalition has been doing and the community's been doing and everything towards prevention and what those numbers have done as far as students answers on the poor measures. So the first one was alcohol and I kind of circled those that I mean there's some pretty pretty hefty drops there especially uh in high school in 2018 was 32% that yes or no have you used uh alcohol and it's down to seven. So that's that's really a good number. And the next three you want the numbers to go up because there's a students that's at a moderate to great risk in the questions on the left and um there's the increase there. There is a little bit at the bottom the concern of perception of risk and we talked about that last time. You know how the uh middle school number was lower but the high schooler that was was a higher number that they didn't think it was any any problem. So that's still something that's being looked at and where do we

we would focus there. Uh second one was tobacco use and that went from 8% down to one and same thing perception of peer disapproval those numbers are going up. So all the stuff they're doing in in schools is working. You know, they're they're seeing that they're realizing and and hearing. So all these numbers I think reflect very good things. Again, the perception of risk when they get to high school that number that number drops. Marijuana was the biggie. I was really happy with that number over the years. As you can see with the double circles and green, you got some color going on. uh and uh the perception of risk in the middle school went up by 9%. And so that's that's huge. And even the perception of risk in high school still stayed up. That's the only one that is it's the only one of the four that the perception of risk went up. So that that's a good thing. And the last one is use of prescription drugs not prescribed to you. And everything was looking pretty steady on that one. accept the perception of risk. So these give us guide to know okay where do we need to target what needs what what are some things we've talked about to go forward. Um the general coalition monthly meetings are being held um hybrid format um and work groups are being held virtually on semionthly basis. So, generally it's the third Wednesday of the month at TWWB, but um it's changed the last couple months just due to schedules. Um work groups, they changed the work group. It used to be six. They kind of combined them. And so now, as we just went over, it's alcohol, mar um is one, marijuana, tobacco, vaping is one, emerging trends, which is your non-prescription drugs and opioid use. And um RZI, which is resilience zoning

initiative. The next one I gave you is the um inind where we're at with the inind numbers the match. So we had uh one is you know by month what are we getting in each month and uh then the second one is the total running to date to know where we're at. We still have prom to hit. So they said they're telling me the prom is the big one. So we'll have a lot of good numbers that'll come in come in for that one. Um then we also have a carryover. Last year there was a carryover and that's so that number even that increases our inline too but I don't really have any problem mashing that up 3,000. So uh the after problem should should be no problem in that one. And um just what have I been doing? So since I got in here Yeah. Oh, what have I been doing? Uh, since being approved and officially able to access DFC in December, it was January before I could get involved in any work groups or events. And so, uh, January, I did the SAPS training. February, I did the 4-day CAD CAD Academy. SAPS training was, uh, four days, too, I believe. Uh, and that's just the first three weeks. There's an AC4C one going on this week that I'm going to be hitting once I leave here. And February and March, I researched and completed the annual performance report, which is all of this, which I think probably if you guys would like to know more about that, that'll be another day, but that's what uh we did in there. And um then I've also been meeting with superintendent between my coconut and Mel View. Haven't gotten into EV yet. uh sharing the core measures data that I shared with you shared this with them and we're trying to get in another action plan item is get uh it's called talk we hear you it's a QR code to help

parents um start conversations with their their students and so far they're very open very open to that they thought was a programs that's not going to work because they don't print out programs but they've offered to put on the website um an idea was to sponsor a sporting event anything to kind of get them out there and um Then the last part I've been working on is environmental stance. Something the AC4C is recommending us do. And so I'm starting to go through that and compile data. And the next time I come in, I bet you I'm going to have more data for that. So that is me. That's the world from prevention from my standpoint. A lot of information. Uh but I'm going to ask you. Any questions? Yeah. Any questions for

Yeah. So this in kind what what's this? What's these numbers really represent here? So, these are the inind is what the county uh is putting back into. So, we did have 125,000 from the grant and we have to come back with 125% of that. So, it's 156,000 worth of time, donations, effort that shows sustainability for the grant moving forward once it ends. And so, we're showing how they're going to keep this going. Now next year it goes up to 186 because it's 150%. So that in kind is everybody who comes to meetings donating hours mileage after proms all those people who are working to put the after prom together because that's all about prevention and anything that has to do with prevention shows sustainability and we keep track of that to show that this is going to carry forward when the grant ends. This is how it's going to carry forward because we've already established that work.

Okay. I mean, that makes sense to me that we can uh if we can keep track of that. It just appears like maybe um or I assume maybe that not everything gets turned in. That's the biggest battle. That are not Yeah, they're

I can only report what get turned in. Yep. But it's the space, too. So, like these I talk about prescription med boxes. So, we get space for having those in all throughout the county. There's a dollar amount for real estate space that we get to utilize for that. um the taking med back, uh the time the officers work, doing the med takeback, doing the um fair, doing the rodeo, anything that has to do with war prevention, anything whatsoever gets to be calculated as long as it's turned into me is is calculated in

interesting because yeah, I I you know, I'm just thinking just rolling, but you know, like in the emergency medical services, these these people that are volunteers that Are they turning their time in for meetings that they're doing? And that's not emergency medical services. No. No. EMS has nothing really to turn in for it's all related around prevention and awareness and anything that has to do with working through that. So that'd be like cops night out or whatever, national night out thing when they have booths and Yes. community awareness projects, things like that.

Yes. Going out to the drive-in during um uh the their welcome back event with schools when everybody brings all that stuff out. We've got a table out there sharing awareness. um anytime we're at any type of event. Uh we've been invited into freshman night at the school um where they come in any anything like that that we are making an effort effort for prevention awareness. So do you do like parades and floats or things like that? I don't think they've done anything. Hand out handouts, you know, walking parades and stuff. That'd be interesting. I can bring that to the coalition if they think they'd like to be doing that. And that would be awareness to me. I can I

especially if you hand something out, you know, they like stuff on the hand. I like them. Yeah, that's always good. Not too much papers. You might throw them on the ground. James, any other questions for Don. Thank you very much. I just want to point out also in kind is office space for Karen because she's the project director. Um, my office cubicle space is inkind because months I believe that number is 450 bucks a month. Yeah. Yeah. Cool. Yeah. Thanks very much. We appreciate it. You bet. You're very welcome. I'll be back. Is that a promise or a threat? I don't know. Decide. See you.

Thank you. Keep going. Next up, we have Jaden Shackle with the Jackson County Engineers Office. Good morning.

Good morning. Good morning. Uh first thing on only thing on our agenda is an entrance permit for Joel Hinrich. It is on 69th Street. Um it's a it's an existing driveway. It's been there forever. It's been unpermitted, but they are just looking for a E911 address. Uh so we did our checks. It does not have a culbert, nor does it require one. Has sufficient sight distance approaching from the northeast. Um, from the southwest it has 180 feet of sight distance, but that 180 ft is from the intersection with Caves Road. So, you know, he's going 55 miles an hour. They're turning off uh the Caves Road onto 69th Street. Um, so with all that, I guess I should step back. This is in South Fork Allenship, section 10. Um, everything checks out from so we recommend approval.

Make a motion to approve. 10. Got a motion by N, second by Mike to approve the entrance permit for Joe Heinrich on Southport Township section 10 on 69th Street, a residential entrance. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. Motion carries.

An update on Channelorth. They finished all the pile last week, pile driving for the North Pier um and actually poured the concrete footing for that pier yesterday. So um after that cures we'll be setting up forms and rebar cage for the actual column of the pier and continue on with pier construction. So um yeah the first concrete has been poured as of yesterday for the substructure and our Z15 bridge uh will be starting around midappril. Um I've been working with Todd Kenny and Debuke County to borrow their we call them variable message boards. So like you see them on DOT highways where road closure beginning on such and such date. I just figure with that being a paved route and seeing 700 cars a day that that might be beneficial to at least have out there a couple weeks in advance of construction just that way the frequent users of that road are aware. And we'll put it on our Facebook page and road notification and such, but maybe not everybody use that road gets those. So just an effort to give as much notice as possible on that. So, I'm hoping to have a precon next week on that project. So,

cool. Sounds good. So, construction is really starting to ramp up here and sometime in June, our concrete overlay will be starting. So, good. Sounds good. Yeah. Reclaiming will start like May time frame, maybe April. Uh yeah, depending on how the weather looks, if it wasn't for that blizzard last week, we probably would have been starting here in the very near future, but I just kind of waiting to see. I know the frost is out of the gravel roads, and honestly, for the most part, they're holding up. So, so far, I haven't we haven't got one complaint, or at least I haven't got a complaint. That's that's got to be a record.

Yeah. I worry that once farmers start want to put in hydras and it gets closer to plant season, you know, them heavy loads if they start bumping the roads or not. But as of right now, they're uh knock on wood, it's been pretty stable. No. Yeah. What I've been driving, they seem pretty good. They're pretty solid, they seem like. And uh I assume after this last snow that things got pushed to the side a little bit, but we're bringing that back in. I seen a motor grater go past my house this morning, I think, before the shop was open. So

yeah, it's we told the greater guys to, you know, with that snowfall last week, even though it was a lot, just not try to wing that off bit there. I know it's was freezing temperatures there for a day and a half after that snowfall, but it was an effort to try to save that rock because obviously we got to the what low 80s by Saturday. So it was that snow's now gone. But yeah, trying to save our rock. Quite a transition from Monday to Friday. Better winter to middle summer in a week. Anything else for J. Thank you very much, sir. Appreciate it. No problem. Good day. Next up, we got Shelly standing in as Lisa for the auditors.

Okay. Okay, the first thing that I have is the approval for the minutes from the March 17, 2026 meeting uh board meeting as written by Auditor Smith and authorized publication in the official newspapers. So move. I'll second that. Got a motion by Mike, second by N to approve the March 17, 2026 meeting as written by Auditor Smith and authorized publication official newspapers. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed? Motion carries. Uh the last thing that I have is claims approval for the claims. Uh approve and authorize the auditor's office to issue warrants and the publication of the claims listing in the amount of $240,932.84.

So moved. I would second. Got a motion by n second by Mike to approve the auditor's office to issue warrants and the publication of the claims listing the amount of $240,932.84. Any other discussion? Note the big expense in there was just under $100,000 for a squad car. So, and in and refitting. So, that was the big item in this one. They do have Karen told me this morning uh they do have both vehicles. They did not get the the invoice for the second vehicle. Okay. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I.

I. Opposed. Motion carries. Um, moving up boards and commissions. We got anything? I had a way yesterday. Everything was going uh real good until we found out that the 60 mph wind a couple weeks ago. It's had a little effect on the new steel that was going on the road. or want to

what reports were that that that's a special steel that comes out of Nebraska and Nebraska's on fire so might get delayed and we thought well we need to check on that and see if we can't get it somewhere else or what status we got a call this morning that steel was delivered yesterday so we're in good shape yeah no their skin the roof should be completed then probably today or tomorrow and their skin in the inside they're about twothirds done So mostly electricity indoor zone and we should be ready to roll hopefully in I'm not going to say a couple weeks but hopefully by the end of April for sure. Okay. I know there's a lot of anticipation for that. A lot of people are asking. So it'll be nice when that's back up and running.

So you got anything?

Um I attended the senior center their board meeting. They had an event on St. Patrick's Day, which they had over 80ome people to their little St. Patrick's Day dance, which was a big success for them. Um, they're kind of wondering if we should maybe kind of put out an update on maybe a a news release of where we're at with the senior building as far as, you know, we're waiting on insurance to get back and and stuff like that. So, just so kind of the public knows what's going on and that yes, they're wanting to get back in there and get going and everything. But they are a little hesitant on coming back in and then having to move out when construction goes on. So, and they're very thankful for the activities of the places that are allowing them to host their activities and still keep going strong. So, um, but they're moving forward and they recommend people to look at their Facebook page and keep checking them type of things out. Um, early childhood, we met last night and they're moving forward. still kind of waiting on what the state's true plans are, but it kind of sounds like they're going to keep it not 100% as is right now, but the state might tweak and pull some things out from early childhood and take it on themselves, but still keep some things in early childhood. But again, they're waiting for all of that to pass through. Um, there is a legislation update that's going to be held here in Jackson County that will have senators, representatives

here on April 4th from at 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 at the chamber office. So, people want to hear about what's going on out at the capital, that might be a good question and answer to attend. Is that for overall or just for the childhood? you talking that's for overall? No, this was overall, but it got brought up at our childhood because childhood is part of what's out there at the legislation. So, yeah. Well, there's a lot of

Yeah, there's a lot out there, but they brought it forward that, you know, people can kind of go there and see what's going on out there. Um, for those that do do get funding from early childhood, they should be seeing their uh information coming out as far as them applying for the grants and stuff like that that they have to do to get their funding. So, be watching for that. if you've received it and they're looking for other businesses. They're sending out some RFPs or new companies if there's any out there that are wishing to receive grants from early childhood.

Good. Anything else? No, I think that does me. Did have ECIA council executive board council meeting last Wednesday too that was extensive long but uh went through the audit process and few glitches here and there but not going to import it. are I guess important but dramatic. Anyway, so no, that's on board. They're re you know their their vision for this and the and the re re uh not the renaming but rebranding

rebranding network it come along. There have been a change over in their it had a few glitches but they got that worked out. So I guess it's all working pretty good and they're they're getting involved and should be in touch with us. We had a a fullboard Iowa workforce meeting yesterday and right now the big thing with them consolidating with the South Central District in the Mississippi Valley is what's the new logo look like and do they have a tagline and they got to go through and reapprove every policy and procedure and and funding mechanism and all that stuff for the new entity that was formed and um they passed several of it yesterday in the meeting and today goes to the the Cleo meeting to uh get its final blessing and things like that. But it's just a one of those tedious processes they got to go through to get done. So, anything else for the good of the meeting today?

No further business. I make a motion we adjourn. I'll second that. Motion by Mike, second by N to adjurnn. Any other discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Motion carries. Have a great day everybody.