Government : Benton County Supervisor Notes 12/31/24

The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in their weekly meeting on Thursday, December 31 at 9:00 A.M. With all three members present, Rick Primmer, Tracy Seeman and Gary Bierschenk it will be the last that the three will officially serve together. Newly elected Supervisors will be sworn in after the first of the year.

The agenda and minutes were approved.

A discussion was held concerning the adding of Landfill employees to Auxiant insurance as covered by 28E agreement, and approval given.

A Class B Retail Alcohol License for Kimm's Sunoco Corporation was also approved.

A resolution was presented by Josh Karston concerning the elected Sheriff Dave Upah's staffing positions. He presented a resolution for appointments in the Sheriff's Office as well as adding position changes. They include the following:

-Josh Karsten, Chief Deputy

-Kyle Lynch, Patrol Division Caption, Second Deputy

-Jail Administrator Captain, Second Deputy - to be determined following the hiring of Sheriff Deputies around February 2025

-Currently hiring Deputy Sheriff's now. In November the department began searching for more deputies. Jennifer Zahradnik explained that they have received 21 applicants so far as well as applications for reserve deputies. She explained that the department is already short staffed so there is a need to fill positions. There is also training through the academy of 16 weeks so it will be awhile. Mark Phippen explained that the time of service before qualifying to apply for Sergeant has changed from five years to two years, then you can move up to Captain. As needed the position can revert back to Sergeant.

There is also a desire to get someone hired as a SRO (School Resource Officer). Currently Vinton has one, but Benton Community has been without for the past two years. There is about 5-6 openings in the whole department.

-Under Civil Service, there will be two sergeant positions promotable through civil service

-Creation of a Mental Health liaison position because of redistricting and losing funding through Foundation 2 effective July 1, 2025.

Seeman asked how the sergeant positions would work with the budget of the Sheriff's Department. explained that it wouldn't have a large impact but only around $1-2 per hour affecting the budget by only $2-3,000 per year. He asked if two people will now be doing the job of current Chief Deputy John Lindeman. Karsten explained that he would now become the Chief Deputy, and appoint a new Jail Supervisor to take the place of Karsten'c current position and add a Second Deputy/Jail Administrator to have someone run the operations in that part of the jail.

Seeman then asked if they would stay in the building rather than patrol. Upah explained that there is a need for someone to oversee that part of the jail with federal inmates and other issues that arise. He explained "We need somebody back there. We have a lot going on back there. It's hard to run everything when you aren't even on that side of the wall." Karsten explained that the Jail Administrator would be in the building, and the Patrol Supervisor would be on the road along with the sergeants.

After discussion, the resolution was approved.

Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor presented a resolution changing the numbers of Deputies in the Auditor's Office. Her office currently has three deputies, and a clerk and would like the ability to appoint a fourth when the time is ready in the upcoming year. The resolution was approved.

A discussion was held concerning rescinding the action on Sick Leave conversion in Section 4.3 of the handbook. Rippel explained that for one employee alone, this would cost the county $32,000. The original resolution was #24-80. A representative will be there next week to discuss the insurance renewals and said that private entities do this, but rarely government departments.

These changes were presented to the board last September and offered on the advice of the previous Human Resources director, Sue Wilbur. The county has been unable to make contact with anyone who is overseeing the program.

Primmer countered that he thought the state does it, and Rippel explained that the counties also have to chip in to pay for their unfunded mandates. She also explained that if she has employees in her department that would want to retire, but she has no idea when that would be, it is not budgeted into the department. She felt that there should be more education on how this affects the county budget. The action were set to begin on January 1, 2025.

Primmer said that he wouldn't be comfortable rescinding the action as he prepares to step down. It was decided that changes concerning sick leave payouts in the County Handbook will be tabled until the new supervisors can further investigate the situation.

Under reports and committee meetings, Seeman reported that he had met with ECICOG in a brief meeting set to pay the bills. Primmer reported that they were supposed to hold a Central Iowa Juvenile Detention meeting but it was postponed until January. Bierschench had nothing. 

The meeting was adjourned.