Board of Supervisors - Regular Meeting

It is 4 o'clock. It is Tuesday, May 19th. We are in the Warren County Boardroom for our second regular meeting of the month. Can I get a roll call for attendance, please?

Here. Here.

Here.

Here.

Here. We do have a quorum if we would kindly rise for a Pledge of Allegiance.

of the United States of America and into the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay, agenda deletions. Okay, good, we are good in that department. Gotcha. Item number one this evening is our consent agenda. All items listed under the consent agenda will be enacted by one motion. We have claims in the amount of $3,496,723.34. That is a very large number, and I would just advise that we have our bond payments coming out of claims this year. So we have the bond payments for the courthouse, the new secondary roads facility, and I believe also our communication towers. they're all due at once, so that's a really large payment, but that's what that's for. All of our bonding is done for this month. That was item A. Item B, minutes to approve. April 28th, 2026, special meeting closed session. April 28th, 2026, special meeting. April 28th, 2026, work session. May 5th, 2026, board meeting. And May 12th, 2026, work session. Item C, receive and file employment changes approved by the Warren County Conservation Board. A, payroll removal for Matthew Sheets. Seasonal hire for Linus Larson. And seasonal hire, Brady Myers. Item D, approve payroll removal for Allison Jensen in the Sheriff's Office. Item E, approve payroll removal, Douglass Jensen. Jarks, service worker, secondary roads. Approve wage change for Jolene Gehringer in the sheriff's office. Approve six month increase for Colton Springer at the IT help desk. Approve step increase for Cameron Glover, equipment operator one, secondary roads. Approve step increase for Reagan Kingree, dispatcher. Approve job reclassification for Nathan Jones, bridge and culvert foreman, secondary roads. Approve job reclassification, Andrew Butler, ROW foreman for right-of-way, secondary roads. Approve new hire Craig Douglas, jailer, sheriff's office. Approve abatement of taxes in the amount of $45 plus all accrued interest pursuant to Iowa code 445.62. Approve abatement of property taxes in the amount of $10 plus all accrued interest pursuant to Iowa code 427.1. Approve Class E Retail Alcohol License Renewal for Maverick Gas Station located at 1453 County Highway G76, New Virginia. Approve Class B Retail Alcohol License Renewal for Dollar General at 1035 County Road G50 in St. Charles. approve five-day Class C retail alcohol license for the prelude at 20632 35th Avenue, New Virginia, and approve our new space customization policy. That's all we got. That was a long one.

I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda.

I'll second that, but I do have one question on it. Yes. Back up in the sheriff's office, I did notice, and it's not just the sheriff's office, there's been other departments, but Jolene, I think it's her, is that her step raise? But it's back dated to January 18th, I believe, 2026. So would you have to back pay that, Lene? And should we be striving to have those more around like anniversary dates or... Longevity, okay. Okay, back paid. Okay, all right, thank you. Okay, thank you.

Okay, roll call. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Item number two. Consider application to use Warren County Justice Center grounds for the Declaration of Independence reading by the all Iowa Republican women with possible action. And we have here someone to speak on this today, I think. Good. Thank you. Good afternoon.

I am Heather Baustad. And I'm Patty Alexander. And we're both members of the All Iowa Republican Women. We are a virtual club, so we have members from all across Iowa. So one of the things that we do is to promote patriotism, we look for different projects. And what a year we have. With the 250th anniversary of our nation's independence, we are excited to read the Declaration of Independence. So we've already procured sites at five other counties, so our ask for you is on June 19th at 4.45 p.m. about till 6.15. We would like to use some space. on your courthouse area, your lawn, to read the declaration. This actual document only takes about 30 minutes to read, so we're just wanting a little bit of buffer time in case it's raining sideways. Mother Nature doesn't always agree with our plans, but we will be coming from Winterset to Indianola, and then from Indianola we'll go to the state capitol. So we're not here to like loiter. We're here to read and make sure people understand the significance of the document and then we'll be moving on. So we would like you to entertain our request. And everyone is invited to attend so it would be open to the public.

Thank you. That sounds fantastic. Appreciate you doing that. You have a speed reader or how long does it take you to get through the entire document?

It's really not that long.

Okay, good. It's really not, it's not like we're reading the Constitution. Some of us read slow.

The Constitution will take you an hour.

Okay, good.

So we don't have any set up, so that's what makes us kind of, you know, we just get there, we assemble, and then we'll read, and then we'll answer some questions from people, and then we'll move on.

Well, I know Patty's a promoter here at Warren County, so I'm guessing there's gonna be some promotion and something. Great. Thank you. Any other questions? I don't think so.

I'll go ahead and make a motion to approve the application for the use of the Warren County Justice Center grounds for the Declaration of Independence reading by the all Iowa Republican women with waiving the fee for their rental.

Second.

Roll call.

McIntyre?

Aye. Aronson?

Aye. Aye. Aye, great, fantastic.

Thank you, thank you very much.

Look forward to seeing you on the 19th.

We'll be there.

Item number three, consider resolution for Warren County to provide partial matching funds for phase three rehabilitation on the Great Western Trail with possible action.

Well, come on up, Kelly. Zach is gone, and so he just said, hey, do I need to be there? And I said, no, if you're not there, I'll step up. This is basically a resolution that he needs to make application for further grant monies for the trail, and this is the documentation these grant funding people need.

And this was already approved by the board. It's just putting it into a resolution. Yep.

Yep. We talked about this at the work session. Yep.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I'll make a motion to have the county provide a resolution to our conservation department as described in the work session and budgeted.

Second.

Roll call. McIntyre.

Aye. Erickson. Aye. McCrory. Aye.

DeWayne. Aye. Marlowe. Aye. Item number four. is a public hearing for road vacation of Clark Street east of 228th. We have Tim, our engineer here.

I'll make a motion to go into public hearing. Second.

McIntyre?

Aye. Harris? Second. Aye. McCook? Aye. DeWitt? Aye. Marple? Aye. We are now in public hearing. Tell us about it, Tim.

We were contacted by the landowner that owns property on both sides of this road. And keep in mind, this is only 180 foot stretch of roadway up northeast of Hartford. She's concerned that it being a public roadway, people are driving beyond where the road technically ends. And if we close the road and take it off the maps, people aren't going to want to turn down her road. I think people are going to turn wherever they want. But if she wants to vacate the road, I'll oblige. So that's 180. It's 180 foot less road. It's just a private driveway, basically. Especially during hunting season. That's a lot of public hunting over in that area.

Is she the only one that the road is servicing currently?

Yeah. She owns north of the road and south of the road. So it can just be her private driveway. And outside of the rideway, she can put up a gate if she wants, or signs, or whatever she desires. I told her we'd bring it to the board, and I don't think anybody would have any objections to it. It only serves her. But technically, we have to do a public hearing. So if you guys have any other questions.

None here, Tim. Thank you. Thank you.

And I would ask that you wave the second and third. And as part of the resolution, the actual resolution to vacate was included in.

Thank you. I'll make a motion to exit public hearing.

Maybe there's someone here. Okay, okay. Or online.

Anyone here that wishes to speak on the road vacation of Clark Street east of 220?

Amy might take the reporter hat off and object. I don't know. You could. All right.

Fair enough. Anyone? Okay. Seeing none.

Now we're good. Now I'll make a motion to exit public hearing. Thank you. Second. Roll call.

McIntyre.

Aye. Arison. Aye. McCrory. Aye. DeWayne.

Aye. Arnold. Aye. I'll make a motion to vacate the described road east of 228th Avenue, waiving second and third reading.

Second. McIntyre. Aye. Arison. Aye. McCrory.

Aye.

DeWayne.

Aye. Aye. Item number five, consider inter-fund operating transfer for nutrition with possible action.

Hello. This is the remainder of the original budgeted transfer plus the amount that we amended for. So this will just be so I can actually go through and process the transfer. And then that should give us a decent balance to start off fiscal year 27 in the nutrition fund. And it's $262,500. OK.

What was the original budget and how much was the amendment?

The original budget, let's see, I think it was $175, I want to say. I think it's how much the original was.

What was that again? I'm sorry, the transfer number.

I don't have that part in my packet up.

The amount? What was it? I'm sorry, what was the transfer number? I'm scrolling down in my packet still again.

262,500. 262,500.

Yes. So I know that down on our agenda, it might be coming down a few items. We have the purchase of the county vehicle with that new nutrition had that grant.

Was that grant possible to use for any of this overage? It wasn't a grant. It was basically an award or a...

I think it was from Central Iowa Aging Resources, maybe.

I think the biggest portion of what causes us to need a larger transfer is the jail part. So I don't think that would.

Hmm.

So is this, $262,000, this is gonna be, is it just covering the offering for the third year or this will go into their fund?

It will go, right now their fund is in the hole about $17,000. But with there being just over a month left to the year, it should help so that, it should help next year. They it doesn't look like you'll spend quite as much as they thought in this fiscal year But I don't recommend reducing the transfer just because we don't want to get in this spot again Okay, I remember talking a little bit about the specifics of this during the work session and the reason I Can't remember the details of it Some of it is timing. Some of it's a timing issue of when they pay for things and when they get funds back. Some of it, I think, is just the difference between something being in the budget and then if your fund balance isn't there, but it's in the budget, that doesn't mean it's in the fund, like if you're not having the things paid to you. in the time that you're expecting.

I'm thinking back to the budget session. I think it was the case of it really wasn't She talked about increasing the donation amount, I believe. Right.

Yes. It's a projected revenue shortfall. So she's projecting X dollars are going to come into nutrition, and that number is not getting hit. So I said pretty openly in the work sessions and budget, this is my... this is probably going to be the last um you know significant amendment and overage on nutrition that i'm i'm in for like it needs to it needs to pair with the budget and my patience for that is waning but i will i will approve this and then on the the notes that i have on the bonus was it was a

$20,000 bonus, which ended up being a little bit more, but it was from Aging Resources.

So it... Oh, the green. I'm sorry. It was a bonus, but... Yeah.

Sorry. It was from Aging Resources. So it has to go into like the Meals and Wheels program or something like that.

But it was technically $28,000, right? Is that what it ended up being? $28,000? I mean, I'm just wondering if it could offset food costs and... We've made decisions. I'm not, I'm not, we have decisions to make. I'm not going to, you know, change what we've discussed from work sessions. I certainly am. Yeah. I, I agree with Aaron. I think it's, it's unfortunate. It's not something required by the state. And, um, I, I would make a motion to approve the inner fund operation, operating transfer for nutrition.

Second.

McIntyre?

Aye.

Erickson?

Aye. DeGroote?

Aye. DeWitt?

Aye.

Arnault? Aye.

Item number six, consider cost advisory services in contract to provide professional consulting services to Warren County, Iowa,

So CASI, we've used them since at least 2007. They help us remain in compliance for federal grants under the uniform guidance. So they're calculating indirect costs for things like DHHS, public health, and nutrition. And then they supply us with reports that then they also supply to those departments that they need for the grants that they receive. And I think in their letter they put 92 out of the 99 counties in Iowa use their services so that it's to be in compliance for those federal grants.

What we do can't be done without the federal grants. It's important.

In the last years, I think the contract said the maximum was 6,580, but they said this contract was the same as the prior contract for three years, and those years we spent 6,100 each year. So the contract is up to 6,580.

Just chatting with Megan. I don't kind of sidetrack here. I'm not sure if she said or not that we've been using them for several years.

Yep.

And it seems to be almost 20 for the county on everything. I'll go ahead and make a motion to approve the cost advisory services contract to provide professional consulting services to Warren County.

Second.

Second, Sire. Nay.

Erickson. Aye. McCook.

Aye. DeWitt. Aye.

Arnold.

Aye. Item number seven. Consider resolution for the following items. For a county vehicle in the nutrition department with possible action, item number one, bullet point one, considering allowing powered by the Yarman logo on the nutrition vehicle, which we've had some discussion about. So I'll run with this one.

So I was working with Marty and DeArmond Ford on trying to find a vehicle that would fit her budget. And I happened to talk to Paul DeArmond who is a very big supporter of the community throughout Warren County, and he's got a couple, he had a couple suggestions. One was when we do Warren County nutrition or similar on the side so that the vehicle can be identified instead of just pulling up into people's driveways unidentified, if we would put powered by DeArmond, somewhere around our logo, that he would help us out on the price, more or less of a community sponsorship. And then in speaking with Marty on the purchase agreement, she's found a vehicle out there that fits the bill pretty well for her. It's a 2022 Ford Edge with 12,000 miles. It's pretty plain Jane, nothing real crazy about it. The actual bonus was for $34,000 and it was to be spent exclusively for the senior meal program.

34?

34,000, yes.

And what's the price of the vehicle?

So they presented it to her to begin with for about, with tax title and license, which I later found out that we don't pay the tax title and license after speaking with Andrea. They were right around the 32 number. It is now down.

Oh, I thought we were under 30,000. It's at 28 now.

Okay.

They had worked with trying to use some other vehicles from other departments that were kind of handed down, and that process, which we asked her to try first, really didn't work because one vehicle broke down and one is cost prohibitive. to fix because it's well beyond the price of what that vehicle would work. So when we had this in work session for budgets, we didn't ask her to try the alternate route first, and that hasn't produced a reliable vehicle. So she's now going this route. I guess I would say to the logo, The sponsorship, that's something new that's a little unusual for county government, but I do, outside of being a supervisor, I work for GovTech, and it's becoming a lot more prevalent as budgets are being crunched down. We have a lot of counties allowing actually advertising on their county websites and other items, so it is something we're kind of naturally in a trend of kind of partnering with private entities for ways to drive down costs on county expenses.

Well, and I did call Doug and chatted with him to make sure that he didn't see any issues with it. But I guess we better ask Kelly. Do you see any issues with having a powered by DR man on a county vehicle to help out with the cost of the vehicle? I want to research that.

Thank you.

I guess looking at, like, the city of Indianola, they've got the wellness center with the Arm and Ford sponsorship on that. I guess I didn't know how it would differ from that, and that's kind of... It does give you the clarity on the research.

I have no information right now.

Okay, okay.

Does anybody else on the board have an issue with it? Do we need to wait for Kelly to research that? I mean, I guess we can't add anything to tomorrow.

I think I understand the concept. I just don't know where it would end. So just my opinion.

I think dealing with the meal, because of the Meal on Wheels, I think that probably would project more of a positive sponsorship for the, I think, other departments that maybe I don't see a son advertising on a sheriff car or something else. And we love our sheriffs, but I'm just saying the thing with perception. So I think it's a little different that maybe our sheriff or our assessor office, maybe people wouldn't want their name on that vehicle like that.

And that's kind of the same thing. viewpoint I took on it is more of a community vehicle and the arm and being a large part of our community.

Well, I can see that and Stephanie brought up the fact that it's not in code that we have to provide meals. So I guess getting the helping hand would be productive but again, I would caution where does it stop and Someday we may see advertisements on the share of vehicles. So just saying it's anything at this point. We're opening the door My only take is as long as our legal team is fine with it if our County Attorney said there's not a legal

YOU KNOW, ISSUE WITH IT, THEN I'M OKAY WITH IT. I'D RATHER SAY $4,000. BUT IT'S NOT MY, I DON'T THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIG EXPANSION INTO BILLBOARDS ON THE JUSTICE CENTER AND OTHER THINGS. BUT, YOU KNOW, $4,000 IS $4,000.

CAN WE APPROVE IT?

I'D BE AGREEABLE TO THAT. THAT WOULD BE FINE.

STEPHANIE?

YEAH, I'M GOOD WITH THAT.

would how would we word such a such a resolution kaylee this pending legal pending legal yeah so and maybe doug did it i don't know maybe maybe he looked through um you know things and did some research already before he said that he thought it was i just don't know what he did do but yeah i think Just button it up and make sure it's fine. If it is, then I'll approve it.

There you go.

So how about I'll make a motion to approve the resolution for the following items for county vehicle in the nutrition department, allowing powered by the Armin logo, as well as approving the purchase agreement pending Warren County legal approval of both. Does that work?

Second.

Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Motion carries.

Item eight.

Make a motion to receive and file the reports. Second.

Aye.

Aye. Aye.

Aye.

I'll just make a quick mention that

early voting has started, it's primary season. I think I was already here on the opening day, and I was maybe number eight or nine, so some early risers beat me. But that's downstairs, there's satellite offices, and just for the public's benefit, again, broken record, who you pick for a primary is going to be on your ballot in November. So lots of times I'll hear people say, Both these people are terrible. I have to hold my nose and pick whoever I dislike the least. Well, here's your shot to maybe find someone that you like the most in a primary. So do your civic duty, do some research and get out and vote. Otherwise, like you're going to get what you get. And it doesn't seem like that's working out so hot for lots of folks.

So anyways, please vote. And I voted today, and if you don't like lines, that's the place to be, because it's super easy, super quick.

Yeah. I voted in Norwalk yesterday. We had satellite location, which was, I don't know if we've done that in Norwalk before, but I took advantage of that.

So we had early voting available in Norwalk yesterday that was there for anybody.

It was open to anybody, but it was anybody.

Kim has really cool new stickers this year, too, because it's 250. So you get a better sticker than just the I voted one.

There's a variety.

There you go.

I have one thing I spoke with city manager today with Indianola and we would like to get a joint meeting with the City Council scheduled here and It wouldn't be in regards to the city purchasing back their library That they're currently occupying that is in our that we did with the land deal. So I guess my question is is how soon you guys want to do that i i assume sooner rather than later um yes okay so yeah great we'll i'll work with him and get some dates um floated around and work with michaela on that the only thing i have i had meeting last week on the north middle river water reclamation

but they have a new water management plan that is going to, is available to the public. You can get it on their website. It's going to the state. approval, and it's just managing our north and middle rivers. A lot of inclusion with the Norwalk annex and putting the sewer along one of the rivers, but it has a renewed focus on both flood mitigation and clean water, so it's just an updated I'll just add that Friday we were out, we got our footings dug for the Palmyra flagpole

at the cemetery, and we were supposed to set them yesterday, but didn't think that was a real good idea with the rain and lightning and soft ground in a graveyard. So we will hopefully get them put up this Friday. We'll let it dry out a little bit out there. So if anybody's interested, we should be there fairly early Friday morning, start standing them up.

Thank you, Supervisor DeWitt. And just to remind everybody, they're flagged. That's what he's talking about, replacing the black hole. Someone actually cut it down and took it away from them, so. Any others to provide the report? Any none? Item number 10 is public input. Comments will be limited to three minutes per individual. The board will not take any action on the comments due to the requirements of the open meetings law, but may do so in the future. No public input will be allowed for any of today's agenda items. Anyone in the public that wishes to speak at this time, please come forward and state your name and address. Going once, twice, three times, saying none. Next meeting date will be June, Thursday, June. Is that right? It's a Thursday, June 4th?

We moved it because of the election.

That's right, that's right. Thank you for reminding me. I would have showed up on Tuesday.

I also would like to add that, sorry, Saturday, the 30th, May 30th, we are open Saturday here from 7 to 3, taking absentee.

So just in case nobody heard that online, Saturday, May 30th, the Warren County Auditor will be open for in-person voting, absentee voting. Seven to three. Seven to three.

Thank you.

I'll make a motion to adjourn. Second.

Second. Second.

Aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye. Aye. Good night. My mic was off.