IOWA CITY

For the second consecutive year, pending legislation in Iowa would change the way that the five members of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors would be elected into office, and specifically where they live.

A state bill co-sponsored by Dawn Driscoll (R-District 46) would require Johnson County to be split into five geographical districts with one supervisor representing each district. Currently, the five supervisors are all elected on an at-large basis.

“Her (Driscoll) argument is that the Board of Supervisors should only be comprised of members that have been endorsed by the Iowa Farm Bureau,” Board Chair Jon Green said during the Feb. 26 work session. “I had an opportunity to ask her why she thought that 150 legislators knew better than over 150,000 Johnson County residents. It was the usual BS and squid ink.”

At a legislative forum held Feb. 20 in Washington, Driscoll, who represents Washington, Iowa and portions of Johnson counties, said, “We hear it all the time that the rural voices do matter and that people want to be heard.”

Green, who attended the forum, countered that he is himself a rural resident, living on the Johnson County side of the Iowa River between Lone Tree and Riverside.

Two of the five Johnson County Supervisors live in rural settings: Green and Lisa Green-Douglass, who lives in rural North Liberty.

A subcommittee has recommended the bill’s passage.

A similar bill fell short of passage last year.

If the bill was to pass this year, it would affect the November 2026 election. Currently, two at-large seats, including Green’s, would be up for election.

Medicaid Cuts

Longtime Supervisor Rod Sullivan spoke against cuts to Medicaid, which is being considered at the federal level.

“It’s a lifeline for many, many people,” Sullivan said during the Feb. 27 formal session. “Literally keeping people alive. Cuts to this program are pretty much the worse possible thing we could think to do.”

Budget Talk

Supervisors will take a third run Wednesday at the Fiscal Year 2026 budget following its work session. The budget meeting, which will take place at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday and is open to the public, was delayed from last week.

A second round of cutdowns came in a vote two weeks ago. A public hearing on the budget is still to be scheduled.

The new fiscal year begins July 1.

Housing Study

CommunityScale, a Massachusetts-based urban planning company, emerged as the leader among 10 applicants for a housing assessment study of small cities and unincorporated areas in Johnson County.

Lone Tree and Hills are among the targeted areas in the study, along with unincorporated areas that include Frytown and Joetown.

CommunityScale’s bid of $145,340 came in under the estimated $150,000 cost, and was recommended to the Board of Supervisors by Josh Busard, Director of Planning, Development and Sustainability, and Lynette Jacoby, Director of Social Services.

The study is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

Board Action

The Board approved a $423,000 contract with Swanson Construction, of Bettendorf, for work on the Johnson County Courthouse’s third level renovation project.

The Board approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Secondary Roads budget and five-year construction program.

The Board approved a memorandum of agreement that changes the name of the county’s Veterans Affairs office to Veterans Services.

The Board approved a master services agreement of $518,746 with EagleView for aerial photography projects.

The Board issued a proclamation in honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month.

Next meeting:

The Board’s next formal session is at 9 a.m. March 6.