By Jim Magdefrau

VINTON – It was the first meeting of the new year for the Benton County Board of Supervisors at the service center in Vinton, on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2025.

The supervisors started the day getting sworn in for the year at a ceremony at the courthouse. In addition to the supervisors, the sheriff and auditor and their deputies were sworn in.

Tracy Seeman was appointed chairman of the supervisors. Appointed as vice chair was Ron Tippett. 

The board approved putting timed items back on the agenda. It was also suggested that when people want to speak at the meeting, they need to come forward and state their name, otherwise they are off camera and they don’t always catch their name. The board agreed with this and approved a motion on this.

The board authorized the auditor to issue warrants  per Iowa Code 331.506 and execute ACH and financial agreements for 2025. They also authorized the auditor to issue warrants per Iowa Code 331.506 and execute ACH and financial agreements for 2025. 

The board authorized the treasurer authorize the treasurer to execute ACH agreements for 2025. 

The board denied the construction evaluation resolution for 2025 regarding hog confinement operations. 

Regular meetings will be held on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. at the service center. Additional meetings are planned during budget work. 

The supervisors represent the county on various county and regional boards. Tippett was appointed to the area substance abuse council. Tippett was also named the juvenile detention board. Volz is alternate. Named to the Eastern Iowa Tourism Board was Volz. HACAP and North Benton Family Resource will be Tippett. Tippett is also on the mental health board. Tippett is on the emergency management board. Seeman is alternate. Volz is on Heartland Insurance Group. Volz is on Iowa Workforce Development. Tippett is on the Sixth Judicial Department of Corrections. Seeman continues on the solid waste commission. Volz and Tippett are alternates. Seeman will be on conservation and the Eastern Iowa Housing Trust Fund. Shelby Williams is on the REAP board.  

Seeman signed a new Statement Of Non-Issuance Of Certificate Of Occupancy (2025).

They appointed as ADA Coordinators for 2025 Auditor Hayley Rippel and Engineer Myron Parizek. They make sure buildings are ADA compliant. They were also named to the safety committee. Attorney Ray Lough was also appointed ADA coordinator. 

Jean Ohlen and Lori Mott were appointed to the Board of Health. 

County representatives were listed for the Benton Development Group Board. They are currently Greg Walston, Jay Herman, Marlyn Jorgensen, Janelle Jack and Heather NAME. 

Benton County Land Use Adjustment Board members appointed Dave Redlinger.

Dan Hill was appointed to the conservation board. 

Kate Robertson, Bruce Visser and Seeman were appointed as members to the ECICOG (East Central Iowa Council of Governments) Boards and Committees. Volz and Tippett are alternates. 

Eminent Domain Commission appointments for 2025 will remain the same. 

Members were appointed to the Benefited Fire Districts.

Allison Hicks and Phil Borleske were appointed to the Benton County Historic Preservation Commission.

Shelby Williams was named to the vacant Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Committee spot. The other members will remain the same. 

Solid Waste Commission members representing the county were reappointed. They are Nancy Jensen, Mike Seeck, Jon Kaestner, Amy Boddicker, Terry Hertle, Jennifer Zahradnik and Seeman. 

Zoning Commission members were reappointed. They include Mark Happel, Elaine Harrington, Mark Katouc, Connie Barnes and Deb Christensen. These are three-year terms. Myron Parizek was appointed to Airport Eastern Iowa Zoning Board. 

Gary Marlow was appointed to the Airport Vinton Zoning Board. 

Appoint Civil Rights Coordinator for 2025 was John Lindeman. 

Official newspapers for 2025 are Cedar Valley Times and the Vinton Eagle, as well as the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Trustee and Alternate to Heartland Insurance Risk Group are Volz and Rippel. 

Heartland Safety Coordinator for 2025 is Doug Kearns of secondary roads.

Myron Parizek was appointed county engineer pursuant to Iowa Code 309.17 

The board worked on clerks and trustees for Monroe, Cedar, Fremont, Homer, Monroe, Kane and Union Townships. Appointments included: Steve Runyan and Paul Zander as Cedar Township Trustees. Appoint Carl Gerhold, Mike Rathje as Fremont Township Trustees for a four-year term. Appoint Dale Seeck and Lindsay Staton as Homer Township Trustees. Appoint Mike Knupp and Mark Kotouc as Homer Township Trustees. Appoint Paula Denison and Matt Garbers as Union Township Trustees.

Budget

The meeting closed talking about the approach to the budget for the next year fiscal year. Tippett said he’d like a different approach on the budget. He wants to see the approach that was used when he was police chief in Belle Plaine. He was given a dollar amount as the bottom line. He could not cut wages, personnel or benefits. “You plug in the numbers and make them work,” Tippett said. 

Tippett said the county does not have a lot of extra money. Rippel agreed that the county has to stop using its reserves. Rippel said she was told the recommended reserves is 30 percent which could keep the county going for a year if there is ever a budget freeze. 

They also looked at the impact of health insurance, and the importance of increasing employee participation in physicals.

They also talked about the 3-percent cap on tax valuations, budget amendments, spending authority, the Iowa State Association of Counties and reserves. 

Rippel said she would print a three-year look at the county budget for the supervisors. 

Meeting video