County says it can?t be proactive on Mt. Union?s unincorporation

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

Henry County Auditor Shelly Barber told county supervisors Thursday that her office continues to be bombarded by calls from Mt. Union residents regarding the ramifications of the unincorporation process.

Mt. Union?s City Council was presented with a petition from citizens during its May 30 meeting, asking to proceed with the unincorporation process, which the council concurred with.

Barber said during the department heads meeting with the supervisors that she has the same answer for all callers ? she has no further information.

?The county has no position on Mt. Union?s unincorporating,? Barber began. ?We have nothing to say until after action by the State of Iowa City Development Board.

?I know through speaking with someone at the Iowa League of Cities that the state does not take this lightly,? Barber continued. ?There have only been two unincorporations (Mt. Sterling was the last one a couple of years ago) in recent history. Just because Mt. Union wants to unincorporate doesn?t mean they will be allowed to. The county has no comment pending action by the city development board.?

Supervisor Chairman Gary See agreed with Barber, saying, ?When the time comes, we will react.? See added that it is impossible to be proactive because the city development board has to act first.

Barber also reported absentee voting has been light for the Tuesday, June 7, Iowa primary election. The auditor said just 86 ballots had been cast as of Wednesday. During the last presidential election (2012), some 846 residents voted early, she noted. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on June 7.

?I?m really surprised more people haven?t voted,? she said. She noted that in 2012, there were six candidates running in the Republican primary and also a contested race for county sheriff, which may have had a significant influence on the turnout.

County Sheriff Rich McNamee told supervisors that daily jail population has recently been on the light side. McNamee said the jail had just 11 inmates Thursday morning and the count has varied between nine and 12 the last several weeks. Seven county inmates had been sent to prison in the past several weeks, McNamee added, and the county has arrest warrants out for over 200 people.

Continuing, the sheriff said that several new dispatchers have either ended or are about to end their training. He also had one jailer retired and a part-time jailer had been moved into a full-time position. The department also lost a reserve deputy who accepted a full-time position with the Lee County Sheriff?s Department.

Sarah Berndt, county coordinator of disability services/general services director as well as director of the jail transition program, said 41 applicants were received for the vacant jail transition coordinator position. Berndt said she will pare the applications to a dozen and then forward the inquiries to the respective county sheriffs and have them choose the final six to interview.

County Treasurer Ana Lair said there are 320 parcels of property on this year?s delinquent tax list, which was published in several county newspapers June 2 and the tax sale will be at 10 a.m., Monday, June 20.

Joe Buffington, county zoning director, said building permits are up about 10 percent over last year.

Registrations for boats and boat renewals also have increased, said Shirley Wandling, county recorder.

Supervisors will meet again in regular session Tuesday, June 7, at 9 a.m., in the courthouse.