By Jim Magdefrau

VINTON – The Benton County Board of Supervisors had a quick meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, at the Benton County Service Center, Vinton, focusing on housing and budget information mailing.

Tracy Achenbach met with the board on the East Central Iowa Housing Trust Fund for fiscal year 2025. She is requesting dollars for the trust fund. A 25-percent local match is required when they apply for funds. ECI is the only entity available to apply for housing trust funds. In this group are Benton, Iowa, Washington and Jones Counties. The amount had not been increased for this year. They hope to apply for the same amount that they did last year. This program started in 2011. Since then the trust fund has received $1 million. Up to Nov. 30, the program has provided $272,447 in Benton County, which helped 29 households. Everyone they assist has to be low to moderate income, with one third of the state dollars required to be spent on extremely low income. This is 30 percent of area median income. Applications are always due Oct. 1. They are awarded in December. The total budget is $503,793. The amount awarded is $403,034. They are requesting $5,387 from Benton County. “It’s a bargain,” observed Supervisor Richard Primmer. Supervisor Chairman Tracy Seeman and Benton Development Group Director Kate Robertson serve on the board.

An agreement was approved for budget and tax mailing requirements, per HF 718. Benton County Auditor Hayley Rippel received estimates from mailing services. The cheapest service is Master’s Touch. They will mail 17,000 parcels with budget information.

Supervisor Chairman Tracy Seeman gave a report on the county landfill. He said the demolition of the Herring Hotel, Belle Plaine, created 652 tons of debris for the landfill.

In public comments, Doug Cook, Vinton, asked the board about dogs and progress on a gravel road.