IOWA CITY

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors will vote Thursday on adopting its Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which includes $166.45 million in expenditures.

A public hearing was held April 17, during which Finance Director Dana Aschenbrenner provided highlights of the budget.

The budget includes $121.4 million in expected revenues.

Proposed spending includes $34.2 million in capital expenditures, $70.9 million in county staffing and salaries, and $3.4 million for repairs at the county jail and sheriff’s offices.

More than $13 million in road work includes $6.5 million for a resurfacing project on 540th Street SW, stretching from Highway 1 north of Kalona to Hillcrest Academy.

Spending is more than $3 million down from the FY25 budget as supervisors held down approval of expenses. For just the second time in 14 years, Aschenbrenner said, the county’s debt will go up, from $6.6 million this coming July to $8.3 million in July 2026.

The rural tax levy is remaining at $3.61169 per $1,000 of valuation, but the countywide tax is increasing to $6.73092.

County Salaries

Johnson County Attorney Rachel Zimmermann Smith’s salary will go up 7.35% to a biweekly salary of $8,255.33 per the new budget and a recommendation from the county’s Compensation Board.

Sheriff Brad Kunkel’s new biweekly salary will be $8,001.11, an increase of 6.35%. The biweekly salaries for county auditor Julie Persons, recorder Kim Painter and treasurer Scott Finlayson will go up 4.85% to $5,527.41.

The salaries for five county supervisors are also going up by 4.85%, to $3,935.94.

Supervisor Elections

State legislation will result in all five Johnson County supervisor seats going up for election in November 2026.

A bill that was co-sponsored by Dawn Driscoll (R-District 46) of Williamsburg, and signed into law by Gov. Kim Reynolds on April 10, will require county supervisors, currently in five at-large seats, to be voted as in district supervisors with only those residing in a geographical district voting for one supervisor seat every four years instead of voting on five at-large seats spread over elections held every two years.

Black Hawk (Waterloo/Cedar Falls) and Story (Ames) counties will also be affected. They are all home to state universities.

“It’s just not fair to Johnson County and Black Hawk and Story County voters to have something hoisted on them that’s not hoisted on everybody else,” said longtime Supervisor Rod Sullivan, who was one of three supervisors who won four-year terms this past November.

The election in 2026 will select three supervisors for four-year terms and two supervisors for two-year terms. The re-districting process is expected to be completed by December 2025 by the Legislative Services Agency with lots drawn for the five seats during a public meeting next January.

In the meantime, the current Board will appoint residents to a committee that will help oversee the process.

Board Action

The Board appointed Paul Wittau as county engineer.

The Board approved a $53,406 proposal from the University of Iowa Center for Social Science Innovation (CSSI) to conduct a public survey regarding a new county jail and sheriff’s office.

The Board approved a fireworks permit for Andy Neuzil to conduct a fireworks safety class and display on April 26 on River Junction Road SE in Lone Tree.

The Board set public hearings for 5:30 p.m. May 8 for the FY25 spring budget amendment, and 9 a.m. May 1 and 5:30 p.m. May 8 for proposed amendments to the county’s Human Rights Ordinance.

The Board issued proclamations honoring Earth Week (April 20-26) and offering Support for Progressive Taxation, a subject that drew more than half an hour of discussion from Johnson County residents and board members.

Next meeting:

The Board’s next formal session is at 9 a.m. April 24.