Supervisors Approve Budget For Upcoming Fiscal Year
March 28th, 2022
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Mahaska County Board of Supervisors met at 9 am Monday to hold a public hearing on the 2022/2023 Fiscal Year Budget.
Supervisors Mark Groendyk and Steve Wanders were present, while Chuck Webb wasn’t in attendance.
The Supervisors then made the call for public comment on the proposed budget.
Former Mahaska County Supervisor Joe Warrick came forward and asked questions. Those included topics concerning conservation and staffing for the new environmental learning center.
Warrick also expressed concerns over secondary roads and Sheriff’s office compensation.
Supervisor Steve Wanders addressed the environmental learning center, saying that the Supervisors had allocated the money to keep the building open, “and they gave it all in raises.”
“To their current personnel”, added Groenendyk.
“We’ve given the money to keep it open; they just did something else with it,” explained Wanders.
Groendyk said their budget is “pinched,” and “we can only do what we’re allowed to do when it comes to secondary roads.”
Regarding compensation for the Sheriff and the deputies, the supervisors referenced the population difference between Marion and Mahaska counties as one difference.
After discussing those concerns, the Supervisors made a motion to close the public hearing and then approved the published budget for the Fiscal year of 2022/2023.
Mahaska County Sheriff Russ Van Renterghem spoke with the Supervisors about his desire to fill the upcoming jail administrator position with a sworn officer versus it being a civil position as it currently is.
Having a certified peace officer as the jail administrator would benefit streamlining processes like filing charges for crimes committed in the jail, such as when drugs are snuck into the facility. Also, things like criminal mischief, no contact orders, and many other instances could prove beneficial.
The Board then authorized Sheriff Russ Van Renterghem to add an additional deputy to fill the jail administrator role.
The Board then approved the contract for asphalt overlay on G71 and T39.
The Board then considered a continuation of sharing an engineer with Keokuk County and removing advertising for a full-time county engineer.
