By Jim Magdefrau

VINTON – Budget work continued for the Benton County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, at their meeting at the Benton County Service Center, Vinton.

Budgets for 2024-25 were reviewed for the volunteer program, veterans affairs, general assistance, mental health, DHS (Department of Human Services), treasurer, auditor/elections, IT/GIS, and conservation.

Volunteer 

Roxanne Fuller said that as of July 1 they are now the Benton County Volunteer Center with the United Way of East Central Iowa. They have volunteer centers in Belle Plaine and Vinton. They are requesting $20,000 from the county, which is the same as this year. They provide medical transportation, safety net programs with food, backpack programs for school kids, make homebound calls, visit nursing homes, and make pillows and blankets.

Veterans affairs, general assistance, mental health

Cara Martin, Mona Onken and Sarah Wagner met with the board. They asked to merge the positions of general assistance and veterans affairs. They asked for a resolution to start this Feb. 1 instead of the start of the fiscal year, which will require an amendment to this year’s budget. The supervisors asked how they will handle phone calls between the two offices. Wagner is now working part-time for veterans affairs. Adding general assistance will make her position full time. She will go from an hourly to a salary position. 

DHS

The budget is status quo for next fiscal year. The supervisors had no questions for them.

Treasurer

Treasurer Melinda Schoettmer met with the board. Wages and postage are budgeted to go up. She put wages at a 3 percent increase. 

Auditor and election 

Auditor Hayley Rippel explained the auditor’s and election budget. She also set wage increases at 3 percent. The June primary election comes out of this year’s budget. The fiscal year ends on June 30, 2024. 

IT/GIS

Ben Turnis explained the budget for IT/GIS (information technology/global information system). This is for updates, hardware and software. 

Conservation

There are plans to hire more people, with an office managerial position, and adding law enforcement coordinator duties to an existing deputy. They are also looking for a conservation technician. The total budget is going up $130,000.

Other business

A land use hearing was set for Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 9:15 a.m. for Steve and Lexa Speidel. 

A Class B Liquor License was approved for Kimm’s Mini Mart. 

A Class C Liquor License was approved for the Tipsy Traveler. 

The board discussed the Cedar Valley Ranch farm ground lease and publishing a notice for this. The bids will be opened Feb. 27 at 10 a.m.

In comments, Doug Cook asked questions about the previous meeting regarding a new bridge and maintenance of a road near Keystone. He also asked about the board of health. Supervisor Chairman Richard Primmer said he couldn’t comment on this.

Snow removal

At the end of the meeting, Supervisor Tracy Seeman recognized the county workers who have been clearing roads during the blizzard. He said, “Secondary Roads has been out there busting their butts. At 24 inches of snow in five days with 40 mph winds, I think they’re doing an outstanding job. Now just for the people out there so they can read this and understand it, there’s 975 miles of gravel road in Benton County alone.” 

He said in making a second pass, that makes 1,950 miles. On Friday and Saturday they were limited to only asphalt roads, with no gravel because of the blowing and drifting snow. The trucks could not handle the snow banks, and that’s why the maintainers were pulled off the gravel roads. So the total doesn’t even include the blacktop roads.

He added, “There were some problems that we had with some of the residents moving snow and not getting it far enough off the road that tore up a couple machines here over the weekend.” 

He continued, “I understand that people got to move snow, but at least don’t dump it on somebody else’s problem, like us — the county. Because we’ve been tearing off the pins on the wings of the maintainers when they hit the snow that’s piled up there.”

Seeman stressed, “They’re doing their best.”

Primmer added this was a hard snow to move.

Meeting video