Government : Benton County Supervisor Notes 1/21/25

The Benton County Supervisors will be meeting with every department that seeks funds from the county. Over the next several weeks budgets will be created and tweaked to stay within the parameters of the available funds.

As the supervisors have talked amongst themselves the consensus is not see an increase in the spending. Supervisor Ron Tippett would like to see the spending lowered. 

The county heard from the Historical Preservations Board, Benton County Library Association, the Riverview Center and the Volunteer Center.

The Historical Preservation Board's, Robert Spangler and Phil Borleske,  said that most of their money goes into required training and projects for the department. There is also a need for office space. Tippett said that the supervisors might have some ideas by July 1 to help the situation. This board is also working on the courthouse clock project. 

Kelly Henkle represented the Benton County Library Association, sharing information about the library circulation and programming that is being offered through the libraries in the county. The Library Association provides library services to member libraries in Belle Plaine, Keystone, Blairstown, Norway, Atkins, Newhall, Shellsburg, Vinton, Van Horne and Garrison as well as Luzerne and those that live in the country. The association requested the same amount for next years budget. 

Melody Kosobucki, of the Riverview Center, shared with the supervisors that the agency provides immediate and long-term crisis support for people who have been affected by sexual abuse. The organization provides counseling and assists county residents to find healing. 

Riverview Center provides practical help assisting the Sheriff's Office with education on internet safety.

The Vice President of Community Impact for the East-Central United Way, Karey Chase, spoke about the volunteer center. Some of the organization's projects include their transportation program, providing coats and pillows, and their "Tree of Sharing" program as well as providing Thanksgiving food care packages. The center currently has two staff members now that work part-time out off the office in Belle Plaine. Their goal would be to see the organization serving smaller communities. They hope to be able to provide tax preparation help in the next year.

East Central Iowa Council of Governments, was represented by Karen Kurt, the executive director. ECICOG is involved in a lot of planning for transportation, and city planning, economic development and watershed plans. They use state and federal monies for the area providing the technical services needed and providing collaboration in the region. 

ECICOG works with the community during disasters to help with recovery, ECICOG has a 28E agreement with the following counties: Benton, Linn, Johnson, Jones, Washington and Iowa.

The Watershed Management Authority for the middle Cedar River, asked the board for $5,000 in funding this year. Mary Beth Stevenson and Alyssa Comer said that the department has been in existence for 10 years in response to the 2008 floods. This department helps to find solutions for water and soil conservation and they have done a lot of work in Benton County.

The group also coordinates with all of the following counties: Franklin, Hardin, Butler, Grundy, Marshall, Tama, Black Hawk, Buchanan, Benton and Linn, which includes the towns of Vinton, Traer, Grundy Center, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo and Cedar Falls are all part of the watershed management region.

There are a total of 26 cities and counties that have agreed to work with the group who is also looking for a new watershed coordinator. 

A paving project was also on the agenda. Brought to the board for consideration by Haley McNulty and Rik Haendler a request for seal coating of 32nd Ave. from Highway 30 to Petes' Hill Association and road work for the Southern View area was sought. Funding for the project was discussed. 

A petition was presented to the board by Haendler saying that he and McNutly would like to work with the county to get the project completed.  Benton County Engineer Myron Parizek, talked about the procedure that would need to be followed explaining that it takes time to work it into the schedule. Parizek also discussed which fiscal year the project could be started and the paperwork that would need to be done citing that a contractor would also have to be hired.

A public hearing was set for February 4, 2025 for an amendment to the sheriff's budget for the fiscal year. Sheriff David Upah said that the department will be short on funds for wages. The department is in need of four more people but there is no money to pay them. This would be to maintain the current staff, just to fill vacancies. He said that they will also need three vehicles for the new hires.

Benton County Auditor, Hayley Rippel suggested that perhaps L.O.S.T. (Local option Sales Tax) and Services funds could assist with the vehicle purchases. The estimated cost for all the above would be $1 million. The county will put out requests for sealed bids for three vehicles replacing the older vehicles.

This brought the supervisors into discussion about the need to increase the contract rates for towns in Benton County that rely on the Sheriff's Office for service.New rates will take effect July 1, with letters being sent out to notify towns of the increase. The current rate is $32.50.