IOWA CITY

While millions of dollars have yet to be actually spent, Johnson County has appropriated, or directed, $27.8 million of the $29.3 million it was allocated in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The federal bill, which was passed in 2021 and opposed by Republicans, provided $1.9 trillion in stimulus funds nationwide following the Covid-19 pandemic. Communities were given until 2025 to allocate funds and another two years to fully spend the money.

Allison Wells, Johnson County Grants Manager, told the Board of Supervisors during its November 13 work session that sponge (or fill-in) amounts for unappropriated funds will be recommended during a Fiscal Year 2026 budget session in January.

Among the expected increases is $5.28 million, instead of $5.21 million, for the Administration and Human and Health Services building remodel.

ARPA funds in Johnson County have financed a number of high-profile projects, including the General Assistance program.

Bohannan Recount

Monday morning, the Board approved an order authorizing the auditor’s office to conduct a recount of the votes cast for U.S. Representative, District 1, in all Johnson County precincts.

The request was made by Christina Bohannan, a Democrat from Iowa City who lost her bid for the U.S. House by less than 1,000 votes to incumbent and Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks. The Bohannan campaign began its recount requests last week in all of District 1. The district includes Johnson and Washington counties, the cities of Iowa City, Davenport and Burlington, and spreads from just south of Dubuque to just south of Des Moines.

In Johnson County, Bohannan won easily, 59,999 to 24,773.

Johnson County auditor officials said a machine recount would take about one week.

DEI Shift

A discussion on the possibility of moving the county’s DEI Coordinator position from the Board of Supervisors Department to the Human Resources Department drew a passionate response from Supervisor V Fixmer-Oraiz.

“What we fail to look at as a board is process and it blows my mind sometimes,” Fixmer-Oraiz said. “How we just say, we’re going to do this thing, we’re going to do this thing.”

Supervisor Royceann Porter said the landing spot for the DEI position was talked about as far back as 2018.

Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass, who initiated the discussion with an agenda item, suggested moving the DEI job to HR would help an already challenged BOS staff.

“Our department is huge,” Green-Douglass said. “It’s kind of like, it doesn’t really seem to all fit together.”

Fixmer-Oraiz said the decision might just better involve the executive director of the Board staff, a position that is currently open.

“Emotions are getting high here,” Supervisor Chair Rod Sullivan said at one point. “I don’t think there’s necessarily anyone acting in malice here.”

All About Timing

The Board approved a plan for non-bargaining (non-union and non-elected) county employees that would line up annual evaluations and merit pay increases at the same time of year.

Currently, evaluations and pay raises outside of the annual cost-of-living raises are determined based on an employee’s anniversary date of employment.

Under the new plan, employees would do self reviews every October, followed by formal evaluations and merit pay increases in January. Cost-of-living pay increases are initiated each July at the beginning of a new fiscal year.

Two weeks ago, the Board determined that the starting point for cost-of-living increases for FY26 will be 3.4%. Depending on how the budgeting process goes, that percent could still increase or decrease, pending Supervisors’ approval.

Board Action

The Board approved several appointments to the SEATS Paratransit Advisory Committee, including Jerri MacConnell and Marc Rahe of Iowa City.

The Board issued two proclamations, honoring Apprenticeship Week, and Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

Next meeting:

The Board’s next formal session is at 9 a.m. November 21.