PROCEEDINGS OF THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2024
At 9:00 a.m. Chairperson Richard Young called to order in regular session a meeting of the Washington County Board of Supervisors which took place in the Washington County Courthouse. Items on the agenda included the following: Pledge of Allegiance; approval of agenda; public comment related to agenda items; personnel change request – Outreach; Quarterly Report – Outreach; personnel change request – County Attorney; discussion and possible action regarding change orders for Orchard Hill renovations; discussion and possible action regarding design fees for a planned Secondary Roads building; discussion and action regarding FY26 compensation for Washington County elected officials; Washington County Human Resources – Mike Galloway, Ahlers & Cooney, P.C.; department head comment; closed session pursuant to Iowa Code Section 20.17(3) as a strategy meeting of a public employer; 2nd tier Canvass of November 5, 2024, General Election, adjourn.
Other individuals in attendance included Mike Galloway with Ahlers & Cooney P.C. and Kalen McCain with the SE Iowa Union along with Chief Deputy Sheriff Shawn Ellingson, Sheriff Jared Schneider, Outreach Director Brandon Hamilton, Deputy Auditor Tammy Stewart, Conservation Director Zach Rozmus and County Engineer Jacob Thorius. Various other individuals listened and/or watched remotely by way of electronic means.
Yoder led the individuals assembled in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
All motions were passed unanimously unless noted otherwise.
On motion by Yoder, seconded by Fedler, the Board voted to approve the agenda as published.
There was no public comment.
On motion by Fedler, seconded by Yoder, the Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chairperson to sign, a personnel change request from Outreach for Outreach Director Brandon Hamilton whose final day of employment will occur December 31, 2024.
Hamilton presented the Quarterly Washington County Outreach Report which listed a total of 120 Probationers for the month of November 2024 along with various types of offenses and types of charges. The Board took no formal action. The complete report is available by contacting the Auditor’s office.
On motion by Seward, seconded by Fedler, the Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chairperson to sign, a personnel change request from the Office of County Attorney for full-time non-exempt Victim Witness Coordinator Nora Reaves whose rate of pay will increase to $23.59 per hour effective November 14, 2024. The change is related to Reaves’s one-year employment anniversary.
On motion by Fedler, seconded by Yoder, the Board voted to acknowledge, and authorize the Chairperson to sign, a personnel change request from Secondary Roads for full-time non-exempt Equipment Operator Jackson Hesseltine who will begin duties as an equipment operator at the rate of $26.98 per hour beginning November 21, 2024. On May 21, 2025 Hesseltine’s rate of compensation will increase to $27.18 per hour.
On motion by Fedler, seconded by Seward, the Board voted to accept change orders totaling a net of $127,270.00 related to the Orchard Hill remodeling project and to authorize the Chairperson to sign the relevant change order document on behalf of the Board. The three changes, which Fedler described as minor, included the removal of armor panels from Supervisor meeting desks, the elimination of flooring and wall bases in four rooms, and the elimination of new flooring work in various vestibules.
County Engineer Jacob Thorius addressed the Board seeking clarification as to why payment for the cost of design fees related to a planned building construction project at Secondary Roads were coming from the Secondary Roads budget and not from ARPA funds. Thorius continued by stating that he had recently learned that approximately $19,000.00 in design expenses had come from the Secondary Roads budget and that another $14,000.00 was scheduled to be paid in the very near future again with ARPA funds. In response to a question from Young as to the cost of future design costs Thorius estimated the amount to be approximately $60,000.00. Thorius emphasized that such expenses were not included in his annual budget. Fedler admitted that he had errored in his understanding that as much of the ARPA funds as possible would be used for expenses related to Buildings 2 and 3 at Orchard Hill and Courthouse remodeling expenses with any remaining ARPA funds being spent at the discretion of the Board. Finally, Thorius explained that if any ARPA funds still remained a Board decision would be called for. Young expressed concern with the $19,000.00 that was spent and which came from the Secondary Roads budget. On motion by Seward, seconded by Fedler, the Board voted to use ARPA funds to cover the costs of design fees and related construction costs for a planned Secondary Roads construction project.
On motion by Seward, seconded by Stoops, the Board voted by way of roll call vote to approve Resolution 24-34 as follows and to authorize the Chairperson to sign Resolution 24-34 on behalf of the Board.
RESOLUTION 24-34
A RESOLUTION ORDERING A RECOUNT OF VOTES IN THE PRECINCTS LOCATED IN WASHINGTON COUNTY WHICH ARE IN THE UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE DISCTRICT 1
WHEREAS, the Washington County Auditor’s office administered the November 5, 2024, General Election which included various Washington County precincts located in the United States House of Representatives District 1; and
WHEREAS, the Washington County Boad of Supervisors on November 13, 2024, canvassed and certified the results of said election per the Code of Iowa; and
WHEREAS Christina Bohannan, candidate for membership in the United States House of Representative from Iowa District 1, properly filed a request for a recount of votes cast in the United States House of Representatives District 1 precincts in Washington County as prescribed by Code of Iowa Section 50.48; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Washington County Board of Supervisors that a recount of said precincts be ordered and that the Washington County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections be authorized to conduct said recount as prescribed by the Code of Iowa.
The Board held no discussion and took no formal action regarding FY26 employee compensation.
Attorney Mike Galloway with Ahlers & Cooney P.C. of Des Moines introduced himself and provided a brief summary of the various services that his law firm is able to provide which includes training on such topics as sexual harassment, policies, job descriptions, handbook revisions, public meetings, and union negotiations among other things. The Board took no formal action.
There was no department head comment.
At 10:04 a.m. on motion by Seward, seconded by Fedler, the Board voted to go into closed session pursuant to Iowa Code Section 20.17(3) as a strategy meeting of a public employer
At 11:25 p.m. the Board returned to open session.
Canvass
On motion by Seward, seconded by Stoops, the Board voted to accept as official the results of the 2nd tier canvass of the November 5, 2024, Washington County General Election.
At 11:45 a.m. on motion by Stoops, seconded by Yoder, the Board voted to adjourn.
ATTEST:s/DANIEL L. WIDMER, County Auditor
Published in The News, Thursday, January 9, 2025 L-223
