By Jim Magdefrau

VINTON – The Benton County Supervisors worked to commit funds from the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) fund at their meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, at the service center in Vinton.

ARPA

The board approved additional ARPA projects. This was tabled from the week before. 

Supervisor Tracy Seeman said he objected to a $5,000 camera on the tower on the sheriff’s office. He said somebody else is going to have to pay the bill since they took it down and never put it back up. Also on the list is $64,000 for a patrol truck for Benton County Conservation. Steam pipe insulation will cost $1,200 for the information technology office in the basement. 

There is a security proposal for a panic button at the courthouse and service center. This is $37,500. Another item is $35,000 for a rescue boat for the sheriff’s department. The jet boat is built for low water. Concrete work costing $23,000 to finish a driveway at the transportation building. Battery backup is also planned for the sheriff’s department for an estimated $86,500. 

The county is looking at courthouse updates, but is checking if it can do these updates since it is a historical building. This leaves Benton County with $29,000 non-committed. The total to Benton County from ARPA is $4.9 million.

The money has to be committed by the end of the 2025 fiscal year, according to Auditor Hayley Rippel.

Engineer

Approval was given to the IDOT (Iowa Department of Transportation) Pre-construction Agreement for Primary Road Project – IA Highway 8 (V-37 to US Highway 218).

The board approved the Plan Set for Project BROS-C006(129)–8J-06 (RCB Culvert Replacement-Twin Box on 52nd St in Polk Township). This is just east of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail.

The board approved the IDOT Federal Aid Agreement for Bridge Replacement on 16th Ave in Cedar Township.

The board approved the IDOT Federal Aid Agreement for Bridge Replacement on 52nd St in Polk Township.

Other business

The board approved a Special Class C Retail Alcohol License for Kacena Family Tree Farm, Inc. This is for 14 days, Oct. 18-31.

The board approved a Class C Retail Alcohol License for Traveling Tapster LLC.

A land use hearing was set for Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 9:15 a.m. for Ben Twedt, for a part of the SE 1/4 of the NE 1/4, of Section 30, T85 N, R9W.

Shelby Williams, Benton County Conservation, and Eric Schares, Integrated Roadside Management, met with the board regarding the Benton County Weed Commissioner’s Annual Report. The report looks at noxious weeds in Benton County. They spend $41,000 on chemicals. 

Williams gave an update on the bids received for the Tree Canopy Grant for the Atkins Roundhouse Area. There were seven bids. They went with Bill Miller and Sons Logging, Dubuque. This was already approved by the conservation board. The amount is $234,973.45. East Central Council of Governments is administrating the grant. Work is done during the winter. They want to be done by March.  

A public hearing was held on FY 25 Budget Amendment Public Hearing. There were no objections at the public hearing. 

Sam Berglin, mental health/disability services coordinator, and Mona Onken, Social Services, discussed the Benton County’s compliance with Memorandum of Understanding Exhibit B. They are hoping for a plan of action. It deals with documents from patient advocates. Seeman suggested getting together with the sheriff by November to resolve it. 

The board approved the loan agreement between Benton County and Fremont Township. This is to repair the township hall that was damaged in the 2019 derecho. 

The board approved an amended request from Vinton Unlimited for use of the courthouse on Nov. 21 instead of Nov. 14.