IOWA CITY

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors will vote Thursday on a Fiscal Year 2025 spending budget of $169.8 million, a record amount that is $22.9 million more than this year’s budget.

The budget includes more than $66 million for staff salaries and benefits, $36.3 million for capital expenditure projects and $9.8 million for road projects and maintenance.

The Board settled on pay increases of 8% for county attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith, 7% for county sheriff Brad Kunkel, and 5.5% for five supervisors, and the county auditor and county recorder. Supervisors will now earn $3,818.95 in biweekly salary payments. Zimmermann Smith is the highest paid, at $7,546.79 per biweekly paycheck, with Kunkel just behind at $7,432.97.

Among the road projects is a $2.4 million improvement on 540th Street SW, just north of Kalona.

The proposed budget includes more than 19 new hires, a budget increase that Supervisor Jon Green voted against.

Projected revenue in property taxes will increase more than $10 million to $113 million. The county’s rural property levy is going down 7 cents to $3.61 per $1,000 of assessed property, but the county-wide levy rate is increasing 37 cents to $6.43.

Dana Aschenbrenner, Johnson County Director of Finance, said Johnson County ranks 66th out of 99 Iowa counties in property tax levy rates.

A public hearing was held April 17, but the actual board vote is Thursday, April 25.

The FY25 budget year begins July 1.

The proposed budget can be viewed at: johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

Naples Ave. Bridge

Peterson Contractors of Reinbeck was awarded a contract to construct a bridge replacement over Crooked Creek on Naples Avenue SW. The Board approved the contract at its April 18 formal session.

Peterson Contractors was the low bidder, at $325,790, for a project estimated at $400,000.

Sharon Center Culvert

A portion of Sharon Center Road SW might come under a weight restriction, or even a closing, while a culvert replacement is worked on over the summer.

As a part of that project, the Board will vote Thursday on approving a $4,580 right-of-way agreement with Edward and Katherine Ruppenkamp.

Once the bidding process is completed, county staff expects construction to begin in July.

Growing Food

Grow: Johnson County reported to the Board at its April 17 work session that more than 40,000 pounds of food was distributed in the past year. The program, which is a part of Iowa Valley Resource Conservation & Development, partners with a number of nonprofits and school districts.

Volunteer hours in 2023 topped 600 hours.

“Any time we’ve got an organization that produces upward of 40,000 pounds of food a year for charitable distribution, I’m behind it,” Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass said. “It’s getting there, and it’s getting into the right places and the right tummies.”

Board Action

The Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the county, Johnson County Historical Society and eSjay Creative Works for the Lulu Merle Johnson eponym exhibit project.

The Board set May 9 as the monthly evening formal session to consider a number of zoning and platting applications. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m.

The Board issued proclamations honoring Earth Week, April 21-27, and Fair Housing Month.

Next meeting: The Board’s next formal session is at 9 a.m. April 25.