Government : Benton County Supervisor Notes 6/17/25

The Benton County Board of Supervisors met on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. with all Supervisors present. 

The meeting began promptly at 9:00 a.m. and can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/bentoncountyiowa

Following the Call to Order, the agenda was approved and approval of the minutes was tabled until next week at the request of the Assistant County Attorney, Derek Marsh.

Approval was given for an amendment to the Class C Retail Alcohol License for Kacena Family Tree Farm, Inc. The Special Class C Retail Alcohol License for Watkins Community Athletic Association was also approved. 

A L.O.S.S.T. gift for the Belle Plaine Area Ambulance was granted in the amount of $15,755.30.

Service Area Amendments were discussed next. County Auditor Hayley Rippel, addressed the council. Some of the line items in Service Area 1 were adjusted as proposed costs in certain departments changed over the last year. Service Area 6 will receive money from the dues and membership cushion for animal care, because there isn't any idea what the cost will be. Service Area 8, the Recorder's office a training line item was changed. Service Area 9, the Auditor needed more funds for postage, so money will come out of the former HR budget, and then three more line items were for unemployment. The Supervisors approved. 

Fireworks Permits were granted in the Vinton Area pending approval from the Vinton Fire Chief. July 12, 2025, and August 22, 2025 for testing and August 23, 2025 for Boomtown.If there is a burn ban, the event will not take place.

The resignation of Julia Biery, with the closing of the Human Resources Department was accepted.

At 9:15 a.m. the MHDS-ECR (Mental Health/Disability Services of the East Central Region) came to discuss paying an employee as a Benton County Employee but they will be working out of Buchanan County. The Memorandum of Understanding for the Disability Access Port and Asset Transfer for District 7 was discussed. The County Attorney'f office feels a bit uneasy with the agreement citing paragraph 12 in the agreement. It says, "The agreement shall be effective and any extension or amendment is boung by the governing board." He explained that as a legal agreement, if we aren't part of it anymore, how can we get out of the agreement? He said there's really no out. 

Marsh said that the way he reads the 28E agreement, sent ot all of the counties, it says that termination is limited to 2/3 vote of the governing board. He said that the agreement only sets the amount of funds going out without covering the services that the county would be receiving. He said the focus in the talks with other attorneys is that it is very vague. He said the agreement sounds like we are paying for services to someone who is not providing services in our county. Marsh said that there were a couple of other sentences they felt needed to be added or changed. The County Attorney's office suggested not to sign it. 

Tippett said that some counties are signing it as is, but other counties are rewriting it. Marsh suggested rewriting it. A representative from MHDS-ECR said that Johnson County is rewriting it and suggested talking with their county attorneys about it. The Board decided to table it until next week. 

Benton County Engineer, Myron Parizek, discussed safety measures at the V66/HWY 30 intersection. He said Benton County joined 96 other counties with a federal grant to review accidents and come up with a safety action plan. Benton County passed a pledge to try to improve safety in accident areas and find ways to incorporate safety meaasures in future plans.

One of the areas included was the Highway 30 intersection south of Van Horne and north of Blairstown. The IDOT put in rumble strips at all of the Highway 30 intersections. One set was near a resident and was bothersome. Parizek said that there are now "mumble strips" which are quieter (they are cut with waves rather than grooves cutting down the sound while keeping the vibration.) He asked if the county would like to put the expense into changing it. The balancing act is between safety and noise.He asked what changes they would like to make. He suggested is that they might be able to partially fill the current rumble strips to dampen the sound while keeping the function. The county will attempt this solution.

As a formality, the FY26 Salary Certifications for deputies in the Auditor's, Recorder's, Treasurer's, Sheriff's and Assistant County Attorney's office was approved.

Reports

Tippett: had a meeting for budget information for the mental health region and talked with Grace Schmidt concerning Public Health. 

Seeman: had a Safety meeting last week, the sidewalk was discussed at the Service Center, they are breaking down. He attended an ECICOG meeting on Monday. Seeman was in touch with an inspector out of Des Moines concerning the Pipeline going through Iowa. He believes we only have about 2 miles. It's a pass through cost for the budget. Mid America plans to start in June or July and that could destroy crops that are planted.  

Volz: Had a Heartland meeting Zoom on Wednesday, an ECIWDC Zoom last Friday for a roundtable discussion

Public Interest Comments:

A resident thanked them for their veto of the turbine plant. Asked what will happen with the Governor's veto and eminent domain. David Sires, State Senator District 38 spoke about eminent domain and how it should be used only for public benefit and not private business. He discussed the battle that went into passing the eminent domain bills in Des Moines. 

The meeting was adjourned.