Henry County supervisors pass RUSS exit agreement

By BRYCE KELLY

Mt. Pleasant News

Following lengthy discussion and research, Henry County has officially passed a resolution that will allow for the counties of Mahaska, Wapello and Washington to exit the current Regional Utility Service Systems (RUSS) organization.

During Tuesday?s Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Greg Moeller read the official exit agreement between RUSS and the departing counties explaining that Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa and Van Buren county all desire to continue as an ongoing entity.

?Now, therefore be it resolved that each departing county including Washington, Wapello and Mahaska agrees to pay RUSS a one-time payment of $61,425.00,? Moeller read aloud from the official exit agreement. ?These parties understand and agree that said amount reflects four and a half years of operating dues at their current level of $13,650.00 per year.?

Despite the fact that the subject was open for discussion among all three Henry County Supervisors, Supervisors Marc Lindeen and Gary See both declined to comment on the issue saying that they felt the issue had been thoroughly discussed and that nothing more was left to be said. Moeller concurred and the agreement was passed.

Although Henry County has officially signed and agreed to the proposed exit agreement, the agreement states that in order for the exit agreement to be effective, the 10 current member counties of RUSS and the RUSS commission must also show official approval of the agreement.

The agreement also provides that each departing county must pay on or before Oct. 1, 2015.

In other Henry County Board of Supervisors news, Suzi Prottsman was appointed as the New London Township Clerk.

Henry County Conservation director John Pullis and Sarah Berndt, Henry County coordinator of disability services, also gave budget presentations to the board.

The next Henry County Board of Supervisors meeting will be held on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 9 a.m., inside the Henry County Courthouse.