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August 5, 2025  
The Benton County Board of Supervisors met in regular session with Supervisors Seeman, Tippett and  Volz present. Chairman 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.  Full Resolutions will be available in the Auditor ¢â‚¬â„¢s office and  at:  www.bentoncountyia.gov

Volz moved/Tippett seconded:  To approve the agenda with a correction to change listing Historical  Society to be Historic Preservation. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.  
Tippett moved/Volz seconded:  To approve minutes from July 29, 2025. All members voting aye. Motion  carried.    
Volz moved/Tippett seconded:  To approve farm exemption application for Dan and Megan Diehm in  part of the SE ¼ of the NW ¼ of 24-84-9. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.  
Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To approve the change for Historic Preservation Commission to move  from the conference room into the Mental Health Office space. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye.  Motion carried.  
Tippett moved/Volz seconded: To approve Resolution #25-64, LOSST Gift to Blairstown Fire  Department in the amount of $4,500.00 for purchasing a new truck. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye.  Motion carried.  
Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To approve continued intern hours for Priyal Patel in the County  Attorney ¢â‚¬â„¢s office for up to 6 hours per week. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.  
Seeman moved/Volz seconded: To appoint Ronald Tippett to the Iowa Decategorization (DECAT)  Board. Seeman, Volz and Tippett voting aye. Motion carried.  
The time of 9:15 a.m. having arrived, and this being the time and date set for a land use hearing for  Jeremy and Stacy Koopman in part of the NE ¼ of the NW ¼ Section 33-85-9.  Jeremy Koopman was  present.  Matt Even presented the technical information with the Benton County Agricultural Land Use  Preservation Ordinance.  Koopmans would like to change the use of approximately two acres to allow for  a single-family dwelling and shop. This site has a CSR of an average of 42. There is an existing driveway  for this site that was approved and reviewed by secondary roads to be compliant with county policies.  
A private sewage disposal system and private well will need to be installed. The applicant ¢â‚¬â„¢s existing  dwelling is located west of this site and another dwelling owned by the applicant ¢â‚¬â„¢s is located northwest of  this site also one south of this site. There are row crops located north and east of this site. Three notices  were sent out to adjacent property owners and legal notices were published. No comments were heard  regarding this request prior to today ¢â‚¬â„¢s hearing. This proposal should not have any negative impacts on  surrounding farm operations. Hearing no other further comments, the public hearing was closed.  
Tippett moved/Volz seconded:  To approve the land use change for Jeremy and Stacy Koopman in part  of the NE ¼ of the NW ¼ Section 33-85-9.  Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye.  Motion carried.  
Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To approve Resolution #25-65, hiring Shelby Dodson as afull-time  communications specialist at an hourly rate of $22.80 effective August 20, 2025. Tippett, Seeman and  Volz voting aye. Motion carried.  
Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To approve hiring Cassie Riha, part-time cook/custodian in sheriff ¢â‚¬â„¢s  office at an hourly rate of $20.10 effective August 13, 2025. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion  carried.  
Volz moved/Tippett seconded:  To approve Resolution #25-66, FY 26 Budget Amendment. Tippett,  Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.  
RESOLUTION #25-66  

BE IT REMEMBERED  on this, the 5th day of August, 2025, the Board of Supervisors of Benton  County, Iowa, met in session for the purpose of hearing on an amendment to the current operating  budget adopted onApril 29, 2025.  There was a quorum present as required by law.  Thereupon, the  Board found that the notice of time and place of the hearing had been published.  Thereafter, and on said  date the amendment was taken up and considered.  Thereafter, the Board took up the amendment to the  budget for final consideration and determined that said budget be amended as follows:  

Expenditures      Amendment  

Public Safety    $ 135,000  
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Physical Health & Social Services $ 0  
Mental Health    $ 0  
County Environment & Education $ 10,430  
Roads & Transportation   $ 159,971  
Government Services to Residents $ 0  
Administration    $ 245,890  
Non-Program    $ 0  
Debt Service    $ 0  
Capital Projects    $ 0  
Operating Transfers Out   $ 0  

REVENUES      Amount  

Intergovernmental   $ 90,890  
Licenses & Permits   $ 0  
Charges for Services   $ 0  
Use of Money & Property  $ 0  
Miscellaneous    $ 0  
General Long-Term Debt Proceeds $ 0  
Operating Transfers — In  $ 0  
Proceeds of Fixed Assets  $ 0  
Operating Transfers In   $ 0  

Dated this 5th day of August, 2025.  
_____________________________________  
Tracy Seeman, Chairman  

_____________________________________  
Ronald Tippett  

______________________________________  
Bruce Volz  
ATTEST:  
_____________________________________  
Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor

Jill Marlow, former county auditor came to re-address issues she asked about during the FY 26 budget  hearing. She had asked about where they were cutting spending, and what measurers were implemented  to reduce? She also made a public records request on the collections department and wanted to be sure  the county wasn ¢â‚¬â„¢t subsidizing other counties ¢â‚¬â„¢ collections. Supervisor Volz stressed to Marlow that they  can ¢â‚¬â„¢t discuss any department or individual specifically. He cautioned that this should have been listed  under public comments. Marlow  told him that is why she got put on the agenda, so that it wasn ¢â‚¬â„¢t just a  public comment. Volz explained that the Board did cut 2.5% spending from the budget and warned  departments to be ready to have more cuts next year. Supervisor Tippett stressed that the county is  service-oriented, and their biggest expense is employees. Tippett also said that they have asked  department heads to conserve. Marlow warned them about the DOGE committee at the state level, and if  Benton County doesn ¢â‚¬â„¢t get ahead, they will lose.  
Volz moved/Tippett seconded:  To approve Resolution #25-67, Wage and Classification change for  Jakob Long in Secondary Roads to an hourly wage of $29.91 effective August 7, 2025. Tippett, Seeman  and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.  
Tippett moved/Volz seconded: To approve and authorize signature on commercial lease agreement  between Squiers Storage Rentals, Belle Plaine and Benton County, Iowa for the transportation  department. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried.  
Mark Erickson requested his employee evaluation be done in closed session.  
Tippett moved/Volz seconded: To enter closed session pursuant to Iowa Code 21.5(1)i: to evaluate the  professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance, or discharge is being  considered when necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual ¢â‚¬â„¢s reputation and  
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the individual requests a closed session. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye. Motion carried at 10:06  a.m.  
Volz moved/Tippett seconded: To exit closed session at 10:23 a.m. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting  aye. Motion carried.  
No action was taken after closed session.  
The Board also discussed some of their committee meetings such as Volz meeting with the wellness  committee. Stressing the importance of getting the employees to do the online assessment ¢â‚¬â„¢s and get their  physicals. The county can qualify for savings off the health insurance premiums if we meet a certain  threshold. He would like a department head meeting scheduled for the following week.  Supervisor  Tippett had a mental health regional meeting, things will be separating there soon. Tippett also attended  the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention meeting in Eldora, IA.  
Volz moved/Tippett seconded:  To adjourn meeting at 10:37 a.m. Tippett, Seeman and Volz voting aye.  Motion carried.  

       
      _____________________________  

       Tracy Seeman, Chairman  
ATTEST: _________________________________  
   Hayley Rippel, Benton County Auditor