Government : Benton County Board of Supervisor Minutes 6/11/24

June 11, 2024

The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in regular session with Supervisors Primmer, Bierschenk and Seeman present. Supervisor Primmer called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. at the Benton County Service Center. Members of the public are invited to join in during open session or watch the livestream at https://www.youtube.com/bentoncountyiowa. Summarized Resolutions will be available in the Auditor's office and at: www.bentoncountyia.gov

Bierschenk moved/Seeman seconded: To approve the agenda. All members voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve the minutes of June 4, 2024. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To correct the title for the new hire in the HR department to be listed as part-time assistant not Director on the May 28, 2024 minutes.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To correct the spelling of the HR Assistant name from Juliea to Julia Biery in the May 29, 2024 minutes. All members voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve Payroll checks numbered 143247 through 143264, ACH Deposits 57209 through 57367, vendor check number 250062, handwrite 250063 on 5/28/24 and vendor checks 250064 through 250069 and claims numbered 250070 through 250268. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve the ARPA Claim in the amount of $5,904 to True North Consulting. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Gina Edler, Benton County Elections Deputy explained the Post Election Audit and how every county has one precinct picked by the Secretary of State after every election. Edler also handed out all the materials and went over the canvass process.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To acknowledge the successful post-election audit on the Vinton 2 precinct from the Primary Election held on June 4, 2024 All members voting aye. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To accept that Dave Upah and David Upah write in scatterings were that of the same person. All members voting aye. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve Resolution #24-55, Canvassing the 2024 Primary Election. Voting aye were: Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk. Motion carried.

RESOLUTION #24-55

WHEREAS, the PRIMARY ELECTION was held as prescribed by law on June 4, 2024, and:

WHEREAS, the Board of Supervisors and ex officio Board of Canvassers have canvassed the vote of said election in accordance with §43.49 and §50.24 of the Code of Iowa, now therefore;

BE IT RESOLVED that we, the undersigned members of the Board of Supervisors and ex officio Board of Canvassers of Benton County, Iowa, do hereby certify the following TURNOUT REPORT and RESULTS in the PRIMARY ELECTION, held on June 4th, 2024, and that no obvious clerical errors were identified during the canvass.

2,226 people voted at the polls on election day.

213 absentee ballots were accepted for counting.

One (1) provisional ballots were accepted for counting (included in absentee total).

A total of 2,440 people voted.

CANDIDATES NOMINATED FOR COUNTY OFFICES:

Board of Supervisors (District 1) :

-Ronald J. Tippett, Republican Party

Board of Supervisors (District 3):

-Bruce E. Volz, Republican Party

County Auditor:

-Hayley Rippel, Republican Party

County Sheriff:

-David Benjamin Upah, Republican Party

-Dave Upah-Write-in, Democratic Party

COUNTY OFFICES WITHOUT A PARTY NOMINEE:

Democratic Party: Board of Supervisors (District 1 and District 3), County Auditor

Libertarian Party: Board of Supervisors (District 1 and District 3), County Auditor, County Sheriff

Republican Party: None

APPROVED this 11th day of June 2024, with the vote thereon being as follows:

_____________________________________

Rick Primmer, Chairman

_____________________________________

Gary Bierschenk

______________________________________

Tracy Seeman

ATTEST:

__________________________________

Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve the excess flood coverage quote for the Law Enforcement Center from Holmes Murphy. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voting aye. Motion carried.

Bierschenk moved/Seeman seconded: To approve Utility permit for alliant Energy on 22nd Ave. in Taylor township west of Vinton. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve Utility permit for Interstate Power and Light Co

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve and authorize signatures on a Quit Claim Deed from Benton County, Iowa to Jennel Schulte for a portion of the SW ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 2-82-9. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Food pantry representatives came to discuss their concerns with the Board about storage space. With the transition of office spaces at the service center, they said their space gets smaller and smaller with each change. They were expecting delivery of a new freezer also, and that led to electrical and fire panels discussion also. The hallway area used for storage, and if that could be insulated or closed off better. Rick Wood, maintenance director also was present and brought up the fire code and how he needs unobstructed routes to areas too. The Board agreed at the end of the meeting to go take a look together in this area of the building.

Sue Wilber gave an update on the clinical care coordinator position for the public health department. A candidate has been selected to be hired with a July 1st start date.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To acknowledge the early retirement for Karen Uthoff effective December 31, 2024. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voted aye thereon. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To Approve FY 25 HIPPA Program renewal through ISAC. All members voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To approve 3% increase for Mark Erickson effective July 1, 2024. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voting aye thereon. Motion carried.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To remove Dean Vrba from the ECICOG Region 10 Passenger Transportation Advisory Committee and replace him with Mark Erickson.

Tracy Seeman reported on the recent conservation meeting along with the work getting done by the Weed department.

Rick Primmer reported on the facilities tour by Holmes Murphy, along with a recent discussion with Sheriff Tippett on the idea of a pool vehicle in the county.

The Board left the conference room and toured the food pantry space.

Seeman moved/Bierschenk seconded: To Adjourn. Primmer, Seeman and Bierschenk voting aye. Motion carried.

_____________________________

Richard Primmer, Chairman

ATTEST: _________________________________

Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor