Government : Benton County Board of Supervisor Minutes 4/4/23

April 4, 2023

The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in regular session with Supervisors Seeman, Primmer and Bierschenk 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)

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve Resolution #23-19, Proclamation for April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve the minutes of March 27, 2023. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve farm exemption application for Otto Nobis, in the SW ¼ of the NE ¼ of section 21-85-9. Motion carried.

Bierschenk moved/Primmer seconded: To acknowledge Kirsten Nelson's resignation as Human Resource Director effective April 14, 2023. Motion carried.

Primmer recommended that we keep the department going and that the director also have an assistant. Auditor Rippel said this wasn't on as an agenda item for discussion at this time, but added her two cents. She would like to see it go back to how it previously was adding that she originally suggested outsourcing things on an as-needed basis but keeping the day-to-day activities and paperwork in her office and save taxpayers money.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve utility permit for USA Communications along 23rd Ave. Drive in St. Clair Township. Motion carried.

Bierschenk moved/Primmer seconded: To approve resolution #23-20, Wage and Classification Change for Cody Mattison who carries a labor class IVB and his hourly base wage be at $25.30 an hour effective April 10, 2023. Motion carried.

Primmer moved/Seeman seconded: To approve Resolution #23-21, Benton County supporting keeping Local Option Sales Tax revenue at the local level. This was in reference to the recent 2023 legislation introduction of SF 550 which proposes to convert the local tax to a statewide sales tax. Motion carried.

Engineer Myron Parizek also provided an update on the Urbana roundabout so the Department of Transportation can finish the construction that wasn't complete. The work starts April 17th and with hopes to be done in two weeks. Parizek is also getting the dust control program stuff finalized and will have it on April 11th agenda along with the DOT's five-year plan.

Committee Reports were had including Seeman's update on the communications tower. They are currently working with the Federal Communications Commission to obtain a private channel name for Benton County.

Primmer moved/Bierschenk seconded: To recess until the Grand Jury arrives. Motion carried.

The County Attorney Ray Lough was leading a tour of county facilities to the Grand Jury which included a brief meeting with the supervisors who then provided an overview of county activities. There was also time for other questions and discussions that arose.

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

_______________________________

Tracy Seeman, Chairman

ATTEST: _________________________________

Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor