Supervisors Disagree On Mental Health Region Plans

Julie Bak, who oversees the current mental health region for Marion and Mahaska Counties, said that there is no further information available in regards to the State mandate that the two counties join other existing regions.

Mahaska and Marion Counties were previously granted a waiver to have a two county region, but the state now says they must join with another already established region.

Mahaska County Supervisor Mike Vander Molen said that the state gave the two counties until August 1st to develop a plan, “so we’ve got to figure out what our plan’s going to be”. Vander Molen said that if the county was going to join another region, a plan needed to be submitted.

“It looks like something needs to be done,” said Mahaska County Supervisor Willie Van Weelden.

Bak said the plan was to ask for a reconsideration from the state.

“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” said Van Weelden.

If the county doesn’t have a plan to join a region already in place, the state will place the county in a region of their choosing.

Vander Molen explained that he has reached out to the 10 county region that both Jasper and Poweshiek are a part of to see if the possibility of Mahaska County joining would be possible. The indication Vander Molen received was that it would be possible and there are no hard feelings from those two counties. Jasper and Poweshiek had previously been in talks with Marion and Mahaska Counties to be a 4 county region, but Jasper and Poweshiek left the early agreement to join the now 10 county region.

Supervisor Mark Doland disagrees saying that, “my preference is to continue to do business as we have been doing.”

Vander Molen said that something needs to be submitted to Director Palmer by August 1st so the county has its choice into which region it would join.

Doland said that the plan could state they plan to work as a two county region.

“Well there’s a distinct possibility that’s not going to be allowed,” responded Vander Molen.

“Allowed by who?” questioned Doland.

“Palmer”, responded both Van Weelden and Vander Molen.

“To me that’s pretty plain,” said Van Weelden.

“Well the question is, does the State have the authority that they dictate we go into a region?” Asked Doland.

“I think they do,” said Van Weelden.

“Ok. Then how are these regions held together?” Doland asked. Doland said that 28E agreements are voluntary in nature and that the State can’t force other counties and Mahaska county into a voluntary agreement.

“I think it’s a moot point, because I’m interested in a voluntary agreement with that region,” Vander Molen responded to Doland.

“That’s a moot point for you, but it’s not for me,” responded Doland.

Van Weelden expressed his opinion that two and three counties weren’t large enough to be a region. He said that he believes, according to the letter the county received from the state, things aren’t working currently for Mahaska County. “I would seriously look at joining up there [the 10 county region].

Vander Molen said that causing a “lot of kicking and screaming is really not what we want to do here”, that it wouldn’t serve the population.

Doland said he believes the two county region would continue to serve the population, “we serve well.” He said that “to scrap that now, I think, is foolish.”

Vander Molen called for a special meeting to figure out what was needed to wind down the current two county region and to present the plan to the state for Mahaska County joining another region. A special meeting is called for Wednesday to further discuss and potentially consider joining the 10 county region to the north of Mahaska County.

Doland said that Marion County would be informed of Mahaska’s decision. “Well, we’ll have to let them [Marion] know that we’re going to allow the State to dictate wherever we go as a region and…”

“Well we’re not obviously letting them dictate, we’re joining a region,” responded Vander Molen.

“Yeah, the State dictated we can’t go forward as a two county region,” Doland said in response.

With that decided, the Supervisors moved on to the next item on the agenda.

Kathleen Hennings, from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources financial and business assistance section, visited with the board in regards to a collection center for household hazardous materials. Mahaska County is currently one of 6 counties in the state that doesn’t have the service. The service allows residents of a county to safely dispose of hazardous materials at designated locations.

Items that most commonly are found underneath a kitchen sink are those associated with the program. One item mentioned was hand sanitizer, which may contain 62 percent Ethyl Alcohol, an Ethanol blend, versus the 10 percent blend at the gas pump.

No decision on what type of facility or location or even if the county will offer the service was decided by the board.

The board also heard reports from Mahaska County Conservation, and the discussion turned towards the proposed nature center at Caldwell Park. Discussion on bonding and a potential use of local option sales tax for funding took place.

The board approved a LRTF Agreement for the purchase of a spading machine. This would be used for the reseeding of right-of-ways. The Iowa DOT will help fund 90 percent of the cost, and the county will fund the remaining 10 percent.

The board approved the dissolution of the Lynndana Sanitary Sewer District and entered into a 28E agreement with Mahaska Rural Water for the service.

The board accepted the 4th quarter reports and annual reports for; Veterans Affairs, Mahaska County Recorder, Mahaska County Treasurer and approved a payroll change for the Mahaska County Sheriff.

The board approved cancellation of outstanding disbursements for fiscal year 2013-14 and the third reading of the Northwest Urban Renewal Plan.

The board discussed joining the Cedar Creek Watershed agreement. Van Weelden made a motion for the county to join the 28E agreement, but the motion died for the lack of a second.

The board discussed the consideration of searching for a party or entity that may be interested in developing the former county care facility and outbuildings. The potential agreement is being sent to the county attorney for review and will be on the next board agenda.

The board refused to waive the deadline for negotiation stipulation with Local 199 union for labor contract discussion.