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Last Updated: Aug 22, 2008 - 12:10:50 AM |
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Iowa County Supervisor Bill Keegan (Mitch Traphagen File Photo)
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MARENGO - On August 8, 2008 the Iowa County Board of Supervisors met with Charlie Montross, Ray Garringer, Linda Yoder, Bill Keegan and Ric Gerard present.
Gerard, as Board Chair, noted that the Board has received the July Levee report for Drainage Districts ten and twelve, approved claims paid with warrant numbers 15947-16045, and payroll warrants 10646-16179. Gerard also noted that a Manure Management Plan had been received from Hocker Swine LLC.
Tammy Wetjen-Kesterson updated the Board on Benton/Iowa County Decat, (Decategorization) and Iowa County Empowerment. Kesterson said she met with Rick and Marilyn Austin on Monday morning regarding an $8 million federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant opportunity for mental health services geared toward children. “Iowa County has been invited to participate in this federal grant opportunity,” said Kesterson, “along with Linn, Johnson, Jones and Benton Counties.”
Kesterson said she has been participating in planning group meetings in Cedar Rapids since April. “In May the State of Iowa awarded the planning group $75,000,” said Kesterson. “$25,000 is to be used in administrative costs related to writing the grant, the other $50,000 is to be split up by child population to begin services for children in those counties.”
According to Kesterson, Iowa County’s potential share of the proposed funds is $2,000 which is to be used for children’s mental health services. “This money can be put with the Decat funds to start an SED (Severely Emotionally Disturbed) Wraparound Program for children,” she said. She further explained that the term is slightly misleading, as “it can actually includes any child with a mental health or a behavioral diagnosis such as autism spectrum, ADHD, depression or other behavioral issues.” Kesterson gave examples of how the money might help area children, stating, “If a counselor reaches out to parents regarding issues noticed in the classroom for a child’s behavioral issues and parents agree that they see the same problems at home but insurance will not cover the evaluation or assessment, this money could be used to pay for the needed evaluation or assessment. Through that assessment it could then be found that the child may benefit from some therapy services or from some medication. If the family has a high deductible these funds could slide in to pay up to the deductible and then let the family’s insurance kick in. It could do the same with the cost of medications, could pay a copay or pay for a child’s transportation needs,” Kesterson explained. She added that the group plans to partner with schools to make the project work.
Regarding Iowa County Empowerment news, Kesterson said that in order to apply for certain grants, the group will need to put together an early childhood infrastructure building scheme. She asked for participation from one of the Supervisors, requesting Bill Keegan in particular, to join the group in looking at the county’s infrastructure and in helping toward the planning process. Keegan agreed to join Kesterson in this effort.
Tom Crosby, Veteran Affairs Director, informed the Board that a $10,000 grant had been awarded from the state. This money was not previously included in the budget.
Brad Hahn requested a property tax abatement, explaining that the Amana Land Use and Historic Preservation Committees did not want Mr. Hahn to tear down a structure he owns despite it being damaged by a fire in June of last year. Mr. Hahn is, apparently, in a situation in which he is not allowed to remove the structure and cannot afford to repair it. He explained that he believes the property is not only useless in its current condition but also a detriment.
Yoder asked if a portion of the building holds some historical value regarding it’s use when some of the first Amana settlers moved in. Hahn implied that was true to his knowledge but that not all of the additions are a part of that history.
Hahn said he has not only offered to sell the buildings to several Amana groups but has offered to give them the buildings along with $5,000 to use as seed money to start a project and to move the buildings elsewhere. He stated that no one has taken him up on this offer.
Gerard, as Board Chair, agreed to contact the County Attorney’s office concerning this issue.
Montross motioned that the Board approve Resolution number 74 which pertains to setting the official date of August 29th 2008, upon which the Board proposes to approve a Development Agreement with Iowa Valley Development, LLC, including tax increment payments in an amount not to exceed $5,300,000 (as authorized by Section 403.9 of the Code of Iowa) for the proposed hotel at the Amana Golf Course.
Essentially, the Board of Supervisors is using the Urban Renewal Plan, which it adopted for the county, to help reach an agreement and to move forward with the proposed hotel at the Amana Golf Course. The Plan allows for a division of taxes levied on taxable property within the Urban Renewal Area.
The Board is required to inform the public about this meeting and has set the date for the meeting to be August 29th,2008 at 9:30 a.m. at the Iowa County Courthouse East Annex in Marengo. At that time proceedings and actions will take place toward approving the development agreement and authorizing the incremental property tax payments.
The Resolution states that the Agreement to make the incremental property tax payments will not be a general obligation of the County, but will be payable solely and only from incremental property tax revenues generated within the Iowa County Urban Renewal Area.
At the August 29th meeting, the Board will receive oral or written objections from any resident or property owner of the County.
The motion to approve this resolution was seconded by Keegan. All voted yes and the motion carried.
Keegan made a motion, which was seconded by Garringer, to set the township trustee hourly rate at $12 per hour for fence viewing. All voted yes and the motion carried.
A motion was made by Garringer and seconded by Montross to approve the hiring of Donald Schutterle as a transportation employee at $11.23 per hour. All voted yes and the motion carried.
A motion was made by Yoder and seconded by Keegan to authorize the Board Chair to sign the 2008 Direct and Counter Cyclical Program Contract for the county farm. All voted yes and the motion carried.
A motion was made by Keegan and seconded by Gerard to approve and authorize the Board Chair to sign a contract for Targeted Case Management Services with the Iowa Department of Human Services. All voted yes and the motion carried.
In other news, the Iowa County Board of Supervisors has a new address effective immediately: Iowa County Board of Supervisors, 970 Court Ave., Marengo, IA. 52301.
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