Government : Benton County Board of Supervisor Minutes January 14, 2025

January 14, 2025

The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in regular session with Supervisors Seeman and Tippet present. Volz attended by phone. Supervisor Seeman called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. at the Benton County Service Center. Members of the public are invited to join in during open session or watch the livestream at https://www.youtube.com/bentoncountyiowa. Summarized Resolutions will be available in the Auditor's office and at: www.bentoncountyia.gov

Tippett moved/Volz seconded: To approve agenda. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

Tippett moved/Volz seconded: To approve the minutes of January 7, 2025. Seeman, Tippett and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To appoint Mike Barron, term ending July 1, 2028 and Steve Williams with term ending July 1, 2026 as the Supervisor's appointees to the Benton County Compensation Board. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

Tippett moved/Volz seconded: To acknowledge the following elected officials appointed representatives to the Compensation Board. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

County Attorney-John Ketchen, with term ending July 1, 2026

County Auditor-Michele Schoonover with term ending July 1, 2028

County Recorder-John Yundt with term ending July 1, 2026

County Sheriff-Charlie Garwood with term ending July 1, 2028

County Treasurer-Tressa Walton with term ending July 1, 2026

There was talk of hopefully having a compensation board meeting as early as next week. Melinda Schoettmer is working on getting this set up.

Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To approve the Treasurer's Semi-Annual Report ending December 31, 2024. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

Tippett moved/Volz seconded: To approve the Recorder's Quarterly Report ending December 31, 2024. Seeman, Tippett and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To approve the Veteran's Affairs Quarterly Report ending December 31, 2024. Seeman, Tippett and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To approve the General Assistance Quarterly Report ending December 31, 2024. Seeman, Tippett and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

Ben Turnis, County IT Director shared the need to make some upgrades and changes to the Sheriff's office IT structure. The gentleman who was currently providing their IT Support has passed away unexpectedly. Turnis would like to get some assistance through the ICIT Tech Team. They would come in and do an assessment on the Sheriff's infrastructure, find problems, survey equipment and look at misconfigurations and then would come back and present their findings to the Board. This would help Turnis in prioritizing the needs as to what needs to be done first. There might be some costs in the near future after they present their findings.

Volz moved/Tippett seconded:To approve having the Iowa Counties Information Technologies (ICIT) Tech Team come in and do a full assessment of the sheriff's office IT needs and authorize the chairman to sign the hold harmless agreement and agree to pay the $4,000 for this service. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

Auditor Rippel explained the need to amend the budget hearing that had previously been set for FY 25 amendment #2. There had been some recent needs brought to her attention along with the IT work at the Sheriff's office. She would need additional time to get those implemented into this upcoming amendment along with meeting the newspaper publication requirements.

Tippett moved/Volz seconded: To Amend FY 25 Budget Amendment Hearing date from January 21, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. to February 4, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

FY 26 Budget conversations continued. Supervisor Tippett proposed sending a letter to the department heads with guidance where their budgets should be. Rippel agreed that would be a good idea. A big factor is most definitely working with the insurance amounts decided last week, and wages. Hopefully that can take place in the upcoming week or two. The individual departments could then get her a more accurate budget by the end of the month so that she can start compiling it as a whole. There are so many unknowns such as the Mental Health Changes that will be taking place, landfill fees and non departmental costs to factor in as well.

Auditor Rippel informed the Board of some recent resignations to Union Township along with Van Horne Benefitted Fire District. The Board would need to find some replacements in the near future. Supervisor Seeman reported on his recent Conservation meeting where the County Weed Commissioner also provided an update along with the IRVM committee.

Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To adjourn at 9:45 a.m. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.

_____________________________ Tracy Seeman, Chairman ATTEST:

_________________________________ Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor