February 5, 2019 The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in regular adjourned session with Supervisors Primmer, Bierschenk and Seeman present. Primmer called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Unless otherwise noted, all actions were approved unanimously. Scott Hansen, Benton County EMA came to go over a quick review of his FY 20 budget since the original meeting was cancelled due to weather. This year they are combining the EMA Budget Hearing with the E-911 Budget Hearing, so the supervisors don’t need to attend unless they want to. Hansen explained the amount he is asking for out of the General Supplemental fund of $47,474. Palo Nuclear Plant estimates to be totally shut down by the year 2022. Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To acknowledge the resignation of Larry Yeager effective immediately, part-time employee in the Transportation Department effective immediately. Motion carried. Dana Burmeister presented her recent estimate for a new transportation building to be located at the Benton County Service Center. Burmeister drafted a letter to express Benton County’s intent to apply for the public transit infrastructure grant. It was agreed it would also be a good idea to get other letters of support from members of the public such as the Vinton Fire Chief, City police and possibly Scott Hansen to send in along with this letter. The current Transportation building is in a flood zone, so it would be beneficial to get that moved. Benton County understands that if the grant is awarded, the ownership of the new building and the land would transfer to East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) for 30 years to satisfy the grant requirements. ECICIG in return would lease back the property to Benton County for small fee for public transit use only. Discussion then led to putting money into the budget in hopes this will be approved and they could possibly more forward with said construction as early as the Fall of 2019 or Spring of 2020 weather permitting. Bierschenk moved/Seeman seconded: To sign the letter of intent for Benton County to apply for the Public Transit Infrastructure Grant to ECICOG Board of Directors. Motion carried. Bids were opened for a new vehicle for Social Services Director, Mona Krugger. Discussions pertaining to the specs that were sent out, more specifically if the wheel based sized mattered? Krugger apologized, she didn’t realize that when she mailed the specs out, they were geared more toward the police package. With the wheel base not pertaining to her but she did follow -up with everyone regarding this. Bids that were received and listed in no particular order were as follows: Thys Automotive Group, Belle Plaine –2019 Dodge Journey AWD 3.6L V6-$25,120 Ervin Motor Company-Bid #1-2019 GMC Acadia SL AWD 3.6 L V6-$28,965 -Bid #2-2019 GMC Terrain SLE AWD 1.5L -$25,205 Van Horn Motors of Newhall-2019 Chevrolet Traverse LS AWD -$29,005 Thys Automotive Family, Blairstown-2019 Chevrolet Traverse AWD 3.6L V6-$29,945 John Grieder Motors, Belle Plaine-Bid #1-2019 Chevrolet Traverse AWD 3.6L V6-$28,926 -Bid #2-2019 Chevrolet Equinox AWD 1.5L 4-cylinder-$24,365.30 After more discussion regarding the wheel base, the Equinox and the Terrain were taken off as choices. Bierschenk moved/Seeman seconded: To award the bid to Thys Automotive Group, Belle Plaine for the 2019 Dodge Journey AWD for $25,120. Motion carried. Jane Drapeaux, Chief Executive Officer for Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP), came to justify the FY 20 Budget request increase of $10,000. The increase is to help cover the cost of the Belle Plaine senior meal program. HACAP took over operating the meals from Horizons in September of 2016. They currently fund $126,000 a year for this program. The Board thanked Drapeaux for taking the time for the update on where the funding goes and felt it was a good program to continue. After reviewing the minutes and arising questions following last week’s meeting. Clarification was needed regarding the motion made on January 29, 2019 pertaining to the non-elected wages. It has been brought to the Supervisor’s attention there were a few department heads who weren’t present for that meeting to justify why they put in the increases they did. It was clarified, that Supervisor Seeman intended for those departments who submitted for said wage increases, to accept them as they were originally presented. (Transportation, WMA and Mental Health) were the departments not discussed in last week’s meeting. The Board will have another special budget session on Friday, February 8 and may further pinpoint problem areas that may need reduced before for final approval. Bierschenk moved/Seeman seconded: To approve the minutes of January 29, 2019. Motion carried. Bierschenk moved/Seeman seconded: To approve Class B liquor license for Tara Hills Country Club. Motion carried. Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve and sign the adoption agreement for Benton County’s Health Reimbursement Account with Secure Benefits. Motion carried. The Engineer recommended that the board move forward with the funding request from the City of Van Horne for the STBG Regional project with East Central Iowa Council of Government (ECICOG). Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve the $153,600 for the federal limit funding as requested by the City of Van Horne to re-surface along the 1st Street overlay in Van Horne. Motion carried. The Board also thanked Myron Parizek, Engineer and his secondary road department for all the effort put in last week for the snow removal. January was a challenge. Ongoing discussion on amending the current credit card policy (6.9). Gina Edler, Deputy Auditor presented (8) examples from other counties to review in comparison to Benton County’s current policy per the Board’s request. It was agreed, we shouldn’t have finance or late fees, and maybe tweak some wording and get this policy changed. Per another county’s policy, their department heads were responsible for their finance charges. After all in attendance agreed to what areas needed clarification, it was advised to have Edler move forward with these changes and to get Eide Bailly’s opinion as well. It will be brought in front of the board again for approval along with possibly amending the travel reimbursement in the handbook section (2.7) and possibly adding restrictions that coincide with some of the credit card policy changes to come. The County Attorney will also look over these changes before taking formal action. Auditor Rippel went over some FY 20 budget reports, and to make sure the upcoming Friday’s budget session would cover all the final items she needs to get the publication to the newspaper on time. We can publish high and lower it at the budget hearing. Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To adjourn. Motion carried. _______________________________ Rick Primmer, Chairman ATTEST: _________________________________ Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor

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