IOWA CITY

When early voting for this fall’s mid-term elections began Oct. 14, more than 1,600 showed up in one day to vote at Johnson County’s campus in Iowa City.

“We were very busy,” Johnson County Auditor Julie Persons told the Board of Supervisors during its formal session Oct. 15.

Persons said the Day 1 total was a 72 percent increase from opening day in the 2022 mid-terms.

The voter decisions this year include a $94.5 million bond referendum on a new county jail and sheriff’s office, elections of all five Johnson County supervisor seats, and a number of state and federal positions.

Among those voting on opening day was Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass, who also noted big crowds in line, and how easy and quick the process was.

Johnson County has established a number of locations to handle early voting, including a high school football game in Solon, the Iowa City Public Library, the UIHC River Landing Clinic and the Iowa Memorial Union.

Early voting ends Nov. 2 with regular precinct in-person voting taking place Nov. 3, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Polling places on Election Day Nov. 3 include the Sharon Center United Methodist Church, Lone Tree American Legion and Hills Community Center.

Data Center Moratorium

The Board voted 5-0 to extend a moratorium on data center applications until August 8, 2027.

With the extension of a moratorium that was due to expire in November, Johnson County joins Linn County and a number of other locations nationally to place moratoriums on data centers, which has become one of the firepoints in the mid-term elections.

The Board’s vote came after a 5-0 vote by the county’s Planning & Zoning Commission to extend the moratorium while members of the Johnson County Planning, Development and Sustainability Department work through a number of requirements that will be put in place before applications for data centers are permitted.

No supervisors have expressed support for the construction of a data center in Johnson County, and the Board held a combined session in July with the county’s Planning & Zoning Commission to discuss and determine requirements, including water and power regulations.

Linn County began an 18-month moratorium on data centers July 1, while at the same time a large data center is being constructed just six miles north of Johnson County, in Cedar Rapids near the Eastern Iowa Airport. The Quality Technology Services (QTS) data center project will cover more than 600 acres with projected investments of $10 billion.

Lone Tree Library

The Lone Tree Community Library, which is located in the Lone Tree Schools complex, has received a $2,000 Fiscal Year service agreement from Johnson County.

The Lone Tree grant was among $385,830 in service agreements approved by the board Oct. 15. Others included $90,000 for Field to Family and $71,800 for the Johnson County Historical Society.

The Lone Tree Library is open school days for students in all grades, and from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and 8:30-10:30 a.m. the first Saturday of each month for the public.

Board Action

The Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding with United Way of Johnson and Washington County for $30,000 to be used for a wage enhancement program.

The Board set a public hearing date of Nov. 19 to consider vacating the preliminary and final plats of Kings Estate in southwest Johnson County, near Joetown. The vacate request is due to an amended replacement of plats that will be considered with new acreage.

The Board approved, by a 3-2 vote, an amendment of $18,500 to a professional services agreement with Shive-Hattery Architecture & Engineering for a space needs assessment study associated with the County Jail and Sheriff’s Office project. Supervisors V Fixmer Oraiz and Mandi Remington were opposed.

The Board approved a $49,268 contract with Abbe Center for a zero overdose community initiative.

The Board issued a proclamation in honor of Election Hero Day (Oct. 20).

Next Meeting

The Board’s next formal session is scheduled for 9 a.m. Oct. 22.