Budget work starts for Benton County

VINTON - Budget work was part of a busy meeting for the Benton County Supervisors Tuesday, Jan. 9.

The board reviewed the land use/health department budget with Barb Greenlee and budgets for transportation and county recorder.

The recorder is budgeting for a 3%increase in salaries, following the compensation board’s recommendation.

The board reviewed the supervisors’ budget for the next fiscal year, focusing on insurance and salaries.

A land use hearing was set for Tuesday, Feb. 6, 9:15 a.m. for Michael and Kristine Rommel, in Section 17, Florence Township.

Gary Benson was appointed to the East Central Iowa Council of Governments Region 10 Transportation Policy Board.

Robert Spangler and Jimmy Wheeler were appointed to the Benton County Historic Preservation Commission.

Supervisor Gary Bierschenk was appointed to the North Benton Family Resource Center for HACAP and the Regional HACAP.

A Class B Liquor License was considered for Kimm’s Mini Mart in accordance with Iowa Code 123.30. The business needs health and fire inspections, as well as a DCI background check, according to the code.

The county is working to have something in place for applications for liquor licenses. The store is outside of the city limits, so this is done through the county.

Supervisors discussed how this affects Sauerkraut Days. The issue will be on the agenda Jan. 16. They are also getting information from the county attorney.

Sue Wilber, human resources, reviewed the holiday plan for the county for Presidents Day and Martin Luther King Day, as well as Christmas Eve, and its impact on the sheriff’s office, secondary roads, comp days and half day vacations, plus the impact of the Christmas holiday falling on a weekday and a weekend.

Action is planned later.

Supervisors approved Josh Svoboda as a maintainer operator and approved two weeks of vacation carryover for Engineer Myron Parizek, to be used by the end of May.

The board signed an agreement for Bridge Replacement Project for 16th Ave. in Cedar Township on the Bruce/Cedar township line. The bridge will be 30-feet wide.

The current bridge is 20-feet wide.

During public comments, Doug Cook had questions for the sheriff and supervisors about the animal complaint filed last month. Supervisor Chairman Richard Primmer advised there is other information coming.

Cook also asked who is on the board of health. Primmer said the board could not comment at this time.