Board Appointment Waits For Further Review
Ken Rozenboom talks with Jamey Robinson over Emergency Management funding issues
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Supervisors met in regular session with what appeared to be only one major talking point on the agenda, but the appointment of a member to the regional airport board changed that.
Application deadline for the board was on May 1st. Supervisor Greg Gordy made a motion to appoint Margret Radcliff to the new Regional Airport Board, which would be a four year term. Gordy cited concerns about meeting requirements for the gender balancing rules that have been mandated to local governments in order to make such types of boards and commissions equal among the sexes.
“It’s your intention to appoint this today?” was Supervisor Ken Rozenboom’s comment to Gordy. “We haven’t even seen the applications until 30 seconds ago.”
Gordy responded to Rozenboom pointing to a past deadline to appoint the position.
“It doesn’t make any difference when the deadline was, I haven’t seen these either,” Supervisor Willie VanWeelden stated to Gordy when it came time to vote on the appointment.
“I’m not prepared to make a decision on it, something I haven’t even looked at,” Roozenboom said.
With more discussion, the supervisors tabled the item to allow a review of the applicants, one male and one female. The above mentioned Margret Radcliff and also Joe Warrick have both applied for the position.
Also discussed was the slow payment from FEMA to Mahaska County Emergency Management in reimbursement of funds expended during recent floods. Nearly thirty thousand dollars is still outstanding, including in that amount is six thousand dollars FEMA has been rejecting for the purchase of the boat that was used to rescue residents trapped during flash flooding.
Robinson and the Emergency Management Commission is seeking relief in having Mahaska County allocate the funds to the Emergency Management fund. When the remaining funds are finally received, those funds will then be put back into the county’s General Fund.
A special meeting will be held to pass an amended budget facilitating the funding request.
The Supervisors will meet once again in regular session on May 21 at 9:00 am in the 3rd floor conference room at the Mahaska County Courthouse.
