IOWA CITY

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors is heading toward preliminary votes on the Fiscal Year 2025 budget.

A first vote on budget proposals was set to take place Feb. 14, followed by a second vote Feb. 21 and a final vote March 5.

The Board has been meeting on budget considerations for weeks, dating back to December, and is now at the point of revising budget requests toward its final number. The FY25 fiscal year begins July 1, 2024 and goes through June 30, 2025.

Among the budget work sessions last week was a two-hour meeting with the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Leadership Team. The county received $29.3 million in ARPA funds and all spending must be allocated by the end of 2024. Johnson County officials hope to have that finalized by the end of FY24 in June.

Among current expenditures in discussion last week were $2.1 million for the GuideLink Center, $1.5 million for affordable housing programs and possibly $1 million for a commercial kitchen at the Johnson County Historic Poor Farm.

An adjusted list of ARPA projects is expected to be updated in time for the Board’s FY25 budget vote in March.

The county’s FY24 spending budget topped $146 million.

Nonprofit Grants

The Iowa Valley Habitat for Community was awarded $150,000 in ARPA funds through the Building Nonprofit Capacity Grant Program.

The Board approved more than $500,000 in grant funds at its Feb. 8 formal session, including $300,000 for the Iowa City Free Medical Clinic. The Englert Civic Theatre in Iowa City received $50,000.

Board Action

The Board approved a new military leave policy.

The Board approved FY24 appropriation changes to the Secondary Roads Dept. and ARPA funds.

Next meeting: The Board’s next formal session is at 9 a.m. Feb. 15.