Supervisors hear clarification of health department citations

In a response to a newspaper article that came out last week, Iowa County Supervisor Kevin Heitshusen, who is also on the Health Board, asked Iowa County's Director of Public Health Lorinda Scheeler to attend the supervisor’s Friday, May 15, meeting to clear up the issue.

The article stated that there were over 33 citations found during a survey, which was true back in November of 2022, however by the end of the year, all were corrected.

“Most of the violations were administration and documentation,” stated Scheeler, “It was on my watch. I take responsibility for what happened during the survey.” Scheeler was hired as director in 2022 and started in May of that year. The last survey had been done in 2019.

One of the citations was what she described as “major” and had to do with the education of nurses aids. Scheeler said they hired certified nurses aids and so they didn't need education after hiring. Three citations were corrected before the surveyor left, so all but three were corrected in 30 days, and those last three were corrected by Dec. 29, 2022.

“I would feel comfortable having them stop today,” Scheeler said.

Secondary Roads

In the Secondary Roads Department, Iowa County Engineer Nick Amelon told the board he had seven bridge embargoes for the supervisors to approve and sign. Of those seven, two are scheduled to be fixed in the next couple of years. Amelon told the board they had already started working on the plans.

Of those two bridges, one is down to a 10-ton restriction which means the farmer for that land won't be able to take his heavy equipment across it. Amelon proposed using a tanker car further up on his land so he can use it to get his heavy equipment across until the bridge is repaired.

Liz Kriegel, Iowa County Assessor, brought new property tax changes to the board. The veteran's credit will be going up, and there are also changes with House File 718, which is homestead tax credits for the elderly and permanently disabled.

Wind energy company

A quick discussion about the new wind energy company that requested the county's wind ordinance from the Auditor's Office took place. Both Supervisors Abby Maas and Chris Montross had heard back from the company but there was some discrepancy about what each said they were told. Maas said she was told the company would be starting this year to get landowners to sign agreements and that their turbines would be put up in the next two to five years. She also said she was told Iowa County was the top county they were looking at, and that they might buy easements from MidAmerican.

Montross didn't say anything about being the top county but did say the company would start the process in two to five years. In response to the discussion, Supervisor Jon Degen asked if they would even be able to find any places to put new ones since the Diamond Trail Wind Farm had problems had problems finding places to build theirs. Heitshusen responded he hadn't heard anything about that.

EMS Report

Adam Rabe brought his monthly EMS Report to the board. There were 140 dispatched ambulance calls in April which was down 14 from March. Rabe told the board the department was currently $76,765 over budget, however that would come down as the expense of the ambulance gets spread out month by month.

The department attended two events in April. One was an elementary career day at Iowa Valley, and the other was a kids’ safety day at Outlets Williamsburg.

Rabe also told the board his department was switching printer/copier companies which would save the county $500 annually. He also has a new full time EMT/Paramedic candidate who is taking their physical. Applications for the new Admin Assistant/EMT position were due May 19.