News

The Roadside Department/Weed Commissioner duties have recently shifted to be under the umbrella of Benton County Conservation. Benton County is now one of 16 counties in Iowa where the roadside program is under Conservation. This switch aligns more with the department’s goal of combating invasive plants while promoting native species. If you stop by the Roadside Management Department, you might see some new faces.

As Iowans celebrate Independence Day, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) reminds all drivers, No One's a Good DRUNK Driver. In 2022, a person was killed every 39 minutes in a drunk-driving crash on our nation's roads. July 3 through July 7, law enforcement across the state will be on high alert for signs of drunk driving and taking necessary steps to remove these dangers from the road.

At the end of June- Each year the north east district and Iowa FFA officers plan and facilitate Chapter Officer Leadership Training (COLT) Conferences for FFA members in the Northeast district. Hawkeye Community College welcomed FFA chapters from all over the Northeast district on Friday, June 14th.While at Hawkeye Community College on Friday June 14th, District and State officers lead four interactive workshops for FFA Chapter leaders, many of which are officers, for the annual COLT Conference.

 Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today provided an update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) state response measures, including announcing new testing requirements for dairy cattle participating in Iowa fairs and exhibitions. He also reiterated his request to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for resources for impacted farmers, and extended his appreciation to Iowa farmers for their cooperation with testing and research efforts that are increasing the broader understanding of this virus.

I am excited to announce Victoria Humiston as the winner of this year's Congressional Art Competition for Iowa's Second Congressional District! Her winning piece, One Acre, was inspired by her uncle's farm and will hang in the U.S. Capitol. Victoria is currently a senior at Vinton-Shellsburg High in Vinton, IA, and a very talented young artist. I'

Hunters will notice a few regulation changes for the upcoming 2024-2025 hunting seasons. These changes could impact deer hunters, waterfowl hunters and furharvesters.DeerDue to a recent statewide effort to combine, clarify, and simplify regulations, Iowa’s hunting regulations now clearly state that party hunting is not allowed for nonresidents.

The Benton County Fair was the place to be last week. Kids of all ages, along with their pets, and livestock were on hand to show their animals and compete for the top spot. Also on the grounds were visitors from the Lutheran Living Communities in Vinton. They had the opportunity to hold and pet several of the animals being shown at the fair.&

The Benton County Fair board would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Olivia Hanson as the 2024 Benton County Fair Queen, and Grayce McClintock as the 2024 Benton County Fair Princesses.A special thank you to Izzie Birker for serving as the 2023 Benton County Fair Queen and Kait Ballard for serving as the 2023 Benton County Fair Princess.

As the 4th of July rolls around, and fireworks are now being sold in town, I've had requests to ask residents to refrain from shooting them off in town. Vinton is home to several veterans who suffer from PTSD. Out of respect for them, please do not set them off in town. As I type this, someone just set some off in my neighborhood. Even without this request…FIREWORKS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED WITHIN THE CITY OF VINTONCity of Vinton Ordinance Chapter 41.

The Benton County Treasurer’s Office is hiring a Motor Vehicles Clerk. This position is responsible for assisting the public by accurately processing motor vehicle transactions as directed by the State of Iowa.Position Responsibilities:Provide excellent service to the public in a timely manner by assisting customers at the counter and answering telephonesAssist motor vehicle owners and dealers in processing vehicle registrations, transferring titles, issuing license plates, computing and collecting appropriate feesIssue salvage titles, junk certificates, duplicate titles, file refund claims, and perform all other record keeping consistent with State of Iowa proceduresLocate and record lien information to assist law enforcement officials, insurance companies and the Internal Revenue Service by searching recordsCollect property tax paymentsOther duties as assignedQualifications:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.