Board also hears department heads want face-to-face meeting on proposed salary freeze
By Jim Magdefrau
VINTON – The Benton County Board of Supervisors had a variety of work on their agenda at the Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, meeting at the Benton County Service Center.
HACAP budget request
HACAP (Hawkeye Area Community Action Program) presented its budget request for 2027. Jean Drapeaux of HACAP said their request covers the same things they requested previously. They have requested a 3-percent increase. She said $10,300 goes to support the Belle Plaine senior dining program. There is also a senior dining program in Vinton. Another $22,300 is being requested for the housing program in Belle Plaine. They have three apartments in Belle Plaine and a single family dwelling in Vinton. The North Benton Family Research Center has a request for the senior meals in Vinton. They service congregate and home-delivered meals in Belle Plaine and Vinton. They are requesting $28,499. The Vinton site also has Head Start and disaster programs.
In the last fiscal year, HACAP has served over 1,000 households. Households received over $800,000 in direct assistance for an average of $777 per household. Services included repairs, food assistance, mortgage and rent assistance, and utility and energy assistance.
The Safe and Affordable Housing Initiative has 506 households. They have received $200,000 in utility assistance. They also had assistance for houses in the non-moratorium period, facing a shut-off of utilities. They worked with families and utilities to get the shutoff eliminated and get them reconnected. Other areas were weatherization, assistance for veterans and food security. They also helped with food pantries and they work with schools on pantries. HACAP helped with medical equipment loans. WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) also is helped through HACAP.
No action was taken.
Engineer
Engineer Myron Parizek gave an update on snow removal over the past two weekends. Supervisor Ron Tippett said he’s received a lot of compliments on what the road crew does. Parizek said a stretch of warmer weather will be well received.
A resolution was approved for a new hire, Charles Betterton, as a maintainer operator for the Bruce Center Shed. His starting hourly wage is $28.68. There were 10 applicants.
The board also approved a resolution to remove the bridge embargo on 52nd Street, Polk Township.
Other business
A farm exemption was approved for Malinda Riley, for land in Section 27, Florence Township.
A new unemployment fund was created through Iowa Work Force Development. It is fund 85-02, according to Auditor Hayley Rippel. This will be covered more when the county acts on its budget for next year.
The board acknowledged the retirement of Les Wood, reserve deputy at the sheriff’s office.
Resolution
The board had budget discussion. Rippel said there has been feedback back and forth with department heads. Instead of getting a letter from the supervisors regarding freezing wages, they would like a meeting in person, Rippel said. She suggested setting something up after the start of the new year. The resolution reads:
WHEREAS, the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) will be terminating the ISAC Group Unemployment Pool;
WHEREAS, Benton County, Iowa will need to set up an individual account with Iowa Workforce Development:
WHEREAS, Benton County needs to create a secure manner in which to track all revenues and expenditures associated with the unemployment;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Auditor shall create a proprietary fund to record the internal funds relating to unemployment transactions. Said fund shall be called the Benton County Unemployment Fund- 8502. All interest accrued by this fund shall be attributed back to the fund. Activities of said fund shall be included in all financial reports of Benton County. The balance in the fund shall be held as restricted fund balance pursuant to the county’s Fund Classification Policy.
Jim Magdefrau 