Government : Benton County Board of Supervisor Minutes 3/29/22

March 29, 2022

The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in regular session with Supervisors Seeman, Bierschenk and Primmer present, The meeting was called to order at 9:00 a.m. at the conference room at the Benton County Service Center. Members of the public were provided the zoom access capability to join in during open session and livestream at https://www.youtube.com/bentoncountyiowa. Unless otherwise noted, all actions were approved unanimously. Summarized Resolutions will be available in the Auditor's office and at: www.bentoncountyia.gov ( https://www.youtube.com/bentoncountyiowa)

Bierschenk moved/Primmer seconded: To approve Class B Liquor license for Watkins Community Athletic Association. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve the minutes of March 22, 2022. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To set public hearing date for FY 22 Budget Amendment for Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. Motion carried.

Bierschenk moved/Primmer seconded: To approve hiring of Jovis Shoemaker in the Weed Department for the Iowa Roadside Management Intern position at $17.00 an hour effective March 29, 2022. Motion carried.

Gina Edler, Elections Deputy, explained the reprecinct plan was not approved by the Secretary of State's office since the Legislative Districts split up a precinct in Benton County and a census block doesn't allow the Walford precinct to be continuous. Redistricting/Reprecincting is done every 10 years. The Redistricting committee approved a new plan that would reduce the number of precincts from 19 to 17 in Benton County. After further comments from the public and seeing how many voters one of those changes would affect, she recommended the board not approve that plan. Edler explained a different option that would only affect one census block of Florence Township to be merged into Walford precinct. The other changes affected by the legislative districting splitting up a precinct would remain the same.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve the alternate re-precincting plan suggested by Election Deputy Gina Edler to combine the census block in Florence township into Walford, and move Monroe Township into Bruce-Cedar-Mt. Auburn and move Homer Township into Kane-Keystone and move Jackson Township and City of Garrison to Eden-Harrison-Taylor. Bringing the number of precincts in Benton County from 19 to 18. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve and authorize signatures for the secondary roads Union Memorandum of Understanding to be effective July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023. Motion carried.

Bierschenk moved/Primmer seconded: To approve Resolution #22-24, Approving the ISAC Group Benefits Program 28 E agreement. Motion carried.

Bierschenk moved/Primmer seconded: To approve Resolution #22-25, Adopting Policies and Procedures regarding employees donating leave to other employees in section 4.4 of Benton County Employee Handbook. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve Resolution #22-26, Adopting policies and procedures regarding employees and paid holiday days off replaces section 4.1 of the Benton County Employee Handbook. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To deny waiving the penalty and interest on parcel #380-03900. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve and authorize signature on a lease agreement between Benton County and Benton County Agricultural Extension District d/b/a Old School Produce Partners effective April 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023. Motion carried.

David Thompson, County Attorney presented a rough draft for a loan agreement between Benton County and Benton County Fair Board. Thompson explained the wording in it, he did not like, explained how the fair board would receive $120,000 in a so-called loan, but he might change it to a grant with 1.5 % interest. The first payment for the fair board to pay the county would be October 2023. The agreement proposes forgiving $60,000 of this once they have the loan repaid to that amount remaining. No action was taken, it would be presented again next week after some changes could be made.

Bierschenk moved/Primmer seconded: To authorize payment from the ARPA fund to the True North Company in the amount of $2,952.00 for analysis and report development work on the E911 Radio project. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To authorize payment out of the ARPA fund to Mechanical Watch Supply, L.L. C. in the amount of $19,500 for clocktower repairs. Motion carried.

Bierschenk moved/Primmer seconded: To approve and authorize signatures on the Iowa DOT preconstruction agreement for Primary Road Project #NHSX-030-6(183)-3H-06 for improvements to US Hwy 30 between 11th Ave. Dr and 16th Street. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Seeman seconded: To authorize purchase of 2 John Deere motor graders from Martin Equipment in the amount of $336,650 each. Motion carried.

Engineer Myron Parizek asked for guidance in regards to the proposed 61st Street project and how serious the board is to proceed moving forward. Parizek explained how he would be willing to help with obtaining the quote and design estimates with an outside firm. Depending on the impact of the City and Schools, and asking for some reimbursement from those entities later. This step would need to be done regardless for us to understand what a project like this would cost and how to move forward to budget for it. Primmer recommended Seeman still get on an upcoming City of Vinton's council meeting agenda. No action was taken.

Bierschenk reported on the Regional Mental Health meeting and the amount of money leftover from the counties that are in the Region who have to surrender the remainder of their mental health's fund balance in June 2022.

Seeman reported on the EMA meeting held on March 28th. The Palo nuclear plant's sirens are still active.

Primmer reported on his Central Iowa Juvenile Detention, HACAP, and Heartland Insurance Risk Pool meetings he had. Cyber Security continues to be a big concern with entities such as the Landfill.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To adjourn. Motion carried.

_______________________________

Tracy Seeman, Chairman

ATTEST: _________________________________

Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor