Crowded Agenda Drives Supervisor Meeting
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The board also approved a fiscal year 2017 budget amendment. These amendments included updates to mental health and secondary roads’ DOT budgets.
The 28E agreement between the Mahaska County Sheriff’s department and University Park for law enforcement protection was agreed. Nothing was changed from the previous year.
The board also approved the fiscal Year 2018 heath care rates for county employees.
Dave Sedivec, Director of Mahaska County Conservation, updated the board about the progress of the new environmental learning center. The bid opening date has been moved back one week and will be on June 27, 2017.
Sedivec says that the new structure is slated to be fully enclosed by the fall of 2017.
Adding law enforcement certification to park staff is a priority for next year, after several incidents have caused some concern; which included a drugs bust, and an incident where shots were fired.
Deann DeGroot with MCARD spoke about Educators in the Workplace that will include three weeks of classes during the month of June. It will include 30 teachers, and will involve tours of area businesses.
Danny Sirius, workforce development veteran representative briefly presented information to the board about Homebase Iowa. The Homebase Iowa program is designed to attract veterans to Iowa for employment.
As part of this program, incentive packages to attract individuals to the area are typically part of the program, and the county would need to sign a resolution signifying their desire to be a part of it.
The board heard updated information on tax increment financing (TIF) from Jeff Heil of Northland Securities.
The board is exploring options available to finance projects like road construction from TIF funds generated by the wind turbines being constructed in the county.
Evan Del Val from ISG Group updated the board about the current status of the Dakota Access Pipeline project. Del Val said that oil is currently flowing in the pipeline. Nearly 120 restoration items are left to be finished, but work on those was delayed due to damage at valve sites in the county.
Darin Hite, IT Coordinator for Mahaska County was seeking approval and authorization signature for the updated phone system to be installed in the next fiscal year beginning in July. The new system will cost $67,000.
Also approved was IT training for county employees on cyber security. After recent cyber attacks around the workld, Hite considered this a prudent step to help prevent potential damage to the county data.
A request from the local media to have access to documents before meetings was approved by the board.
Members of the area media requested access in order to better research upcoming agenda items, and to help provide more information to area citizens before meetings about agenda items that may interest or impact them.
The board that overlooks the maintenance of the law center will be exploring bids for updating the exterior of the current law enforcement center, and the roof of the structure as well. Water has been penetrating the facility. A brick exterior is being explored.
