Author: Shelbi Swinscoe

The Henry County Board of Supervisors met Thursday morning, January 22, at the Henry County Courthouse to address a full agenda ranging from budget reviews to road projects and department updates.

During the consent agenda, supervisors unanimously approved the minutes from the January 15 meeting along with financial claims for payment.

Under unfinished business, supervisors continued departmental budget reviews. Several departments have already presented, with the remaining reviews scheduled to be completed at the board’s next meeting on January 27. Supervisors also received an update from Preserve Oakland Mills regarding the contract for an engineering assessment of the Oakland Mills bridge. The board is currently waiting for a signed revised contract from attorneys before moving forward.

In new business, County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss provided his weekly Secondary Roads update and presented a resolution to approve dust control dates and fees for 2026. Fees will remain the same as last year, with a $25 application fee if submitted by April 15 and a $50 fee for late applications received after that date. Hotchkiss reported crews have been clearing brush near Lexington Avenue, maintaining equipment during colder days, and blading roads throughout the county. He also announced the upcoming removal of the Fremont Avenue bridge, which will be replaced with a culvert. The road will be closed north of Graham Avenue for approximately six to eight weeks. Work continues removing existing beams from the bridge on 235th Street. Hotchkiss also noted IRVM Assistant Rob Quinn has announced his retirement, and the position will be posted.

Planning and Zoning Director Joe Buffington provided a department update, followed by a report from newly hired Information Technology Director Gunner Sloan, who outlined progress made in his first few weeks on the job. Human Resources matters were addressed through a letter presented from Paul Greufe, with the next HR meeting scheduled for February 10.

Committee updates included discussion from the Safety Committee, chaired by Walt Jackson, which is reviewing ways to consolidate Cintas expenses across county offices.

Other business included a report from WEMIGA indicating 6,962.2 pounds of cathode materials, such as television and computer monitor tubes, were disposed of in 2025. Supervisors also discussed assigning employee/building alarm code responsibilities to Tyler Freeze. Department heads raised the possibility of using key fobs instead of individual codes, with IT Director Gunner Sloan indicating the option would be explored with Freeze.

Supervisors also discussed coordination between Weed Commissioner Michael Yaley and Secondary Roads staff on treating noxious weeds along county rights-of-way. Additional reminders were issued for staff and residents to remove personal cell phone numbers from public listings, as county business will no longer be conducted through personal phones.

Also under other business, the board received a report from Henry County Veterans Affairs Director Roger Pittsenbarger, who is unable to attend the upcoming department head meeting. Pittsenbarger reported that Henry County veterans received a total of $751,948 in benefits during the past month.

Emergency Management Coordinator Walt Jackson took the opportunity to recognize Pittsenbarger for his work, noting that veterans from counties outside of Henry County regularly seek assistance through his office. Jackson stated that Pittsenbarger “helps people everywhere.”

Pittsenbarger emphasized that Henry County veterans are always given priority, adding that “no veteran walks away unattended.” The Board of Supervisors commended Pittsenbarger for his dedication and expressed appreciation for the work he continues to do on behalf of local veterans.

The board reminded the public that its next meeting will be held Tuesday, January 27, at 9 a.m., rather than the usual Thursday schedule, before adjourning the meeting

The Henry County Board of Supervisors met Thursday, January 15, to conduct regular county business, including infrastructure updates, planning and zoning items, and board appointments.

The meeting opened with approval of the agenda, which faced opposition from Supervisor Steve Detrick. Discussion followed regarding how the agenda was prepared, with questions raised about the process.

County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss provided his weekly update, beginning with bridge inspections. Supervisors approved a motion authorizing a two-year contract with Calhoun-Burns for bridge inspections. Henry County has been under contract with Calhoun-Burns since 2013. Bridges in the county are inspected on one, two, or four-year cycles depending on classification. For 2026, 25 structures will be inspected at a cost of $8,500, while 80 structures are scheduled for inspection in 2027 at a cost of $22,000.

Hotchkiss also provided a maintenance update. Crews have been removing brush and trees near Lexington with cooperation from local landowners. Culvert replacements were completed at 120th Street and Nashua, as well as on Fremont Avenue near Salem. Road crews ran dura patchers earlier in the week, and territory operators continue blading gravel roads to work rock back into place. Work on the 235th Street bridge has continued to progress; the contractor has started removing existing beams. Jake also reported that a polycarbonate guard was installed on an excavator for added safety.

Planning and Zoning Administrator Joe Buffington addressed the resolution related to construction evaluation, commonly referred to as the “Masters Matrix.” Buffington explained that the resolution applies to confinement feeding operations. Henry County is required to review confinements of more than 1,000 animal units, and the supervisors adopt the construction evaluation annually. Buffington noted the county has been reviewing these applications for more than two decades.

Buffington also discussed compensation related to the 911 board, explaining the board may receive up to $1,000 per month from the state based on the accuracy of required reports to help offset the cost of maintaining the database. Henry County has maintained a 100 percent accuracy rate for several consecutive years while managing approximately 657,000 GIS data points. Buffington noted the 911 board does not reimburse the county for the work he provides, despite the board receiving state funding for that work. Supervisors said they would like to revisit the issue at a later date to discuss it more thoroughly with their HR representative, the board of supervisors, and Buffington.

Supervisors unanimously approved the appointment of Gloria Fear to the Board of Health for a term running from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028.

Additional board appointments included Gary Ibbotson to the Conservation Board for a term effective January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2028. Another applicant requested to remain on the list for future openings. Appointments were also discussed for the Henry County Pioneer Cemetery Commission, which currently does not have defined term start or end dates. Supervisor Steve Dietrick abstained from voting on one item due to a family relationship.

Under agenda formatting, supervisors discussed how they would like the agenda to be structured moving forward. They noted they have reached out to contacts to gain clarification on separating new and old business items.

The meeting concluded with discussion on the Freedom of Information Act and its impact on personal devices. County Supervisor Chad White reiterated that public records requests can extend to personal phones and laptops if used for county business. As a result, both Chad White & Steve Detrick stated they would no longer answer calls on their personal phone related to county matters.

The meeting adjourned following discussion.

The Mount Pleasant City Council met Wednesday night for its regular session at City Hall, with several ordinance updates, procedural actions, and infrastructure items on the agenda.

Under old business, council members conducted second readings on two ordinance amendments. One updates the city’s animals and nuisances codes restricting outdoor food placement except for birds, squirrels, and properly restrained pets. Another ordinance addresses noise regulations, setting lower allowable noise levels during nighttime hours and authorizing the purchase of a decibel reader for enforcement.

The council also approved routine procedural motions tied to the seating of the new council, including confirming meeting times, adopting Robert’s Rules of Order, appointing a Mayor Pro Tem, designating the city’s official newspaper, and assigning council members to standing committees. Alcohol license renewals for Walmart and Dollar General on North Grand Avenue were also considered.

During new business, the Mount Pleasant City Council approved the hiring of Nicholas I. Edge as a Public Works Maintenance Worker and authorized Change Order Number Three for the airport T hangar and taxilane project. The change order increases the project cost by just over $12,000 to address additional drainage improvements.

Council also approved a new fixed base operator and airport manager agreement with Air Advantage Inc. During discussion, Cliff Baker addressed the council, noting he had worked with former City Administrator Brent Schleisman on the agreement prior to Schleisman’s passing. Baker explained that one of the updates to the agreement includes an increase in the rent Air Advantage pays to the city, reflecting the growth in the number of hangars at the airport.

Several mayoral reappointments were approved for the Board of Adjustment, Historic Preservation Commission, and Human Rights Commission.

The council also authorized submission of a Surface Transportation Program grant application for the reconstruction of West Washington Street. The city will apply for up to 80 percent funding toward the project, which is currently estimated at $2 million. City Engineer Jim Warner spoke on the application, noting the city applied for the same grant last year and finished second in the selection process.

The meeting concluded with the public forum. The next regular city council meeting will be held January 28 at 5:30 p.m.

Mt. Pleasant Utilities Water Department issued an alert about a planned water shut off for Monday, January 12^th, from 9am-3 pm in Northeast Mt. Pleasant.  Residents in an area including Winfield Avenue, N. Main Street, Harlan Street, North Lincoln Street, N. Palm Street, and the surrounding area may be affected.  Pleasant call MPMU with questions at 319-385-2121, option #2.

The Winfield Mt. Union School District is promoting career exploration for 9^th and 10^th grade students on March 25, 2026 from 8:30am – 3pm.  Local businesses interested in hosting students for a visit gives them the opportunity to learn about the different industries and career paths in the Mt. Pleasant area.  The goal is for students to walk away with an understanding of the business and opportunities for a career in this community.  Contact the WMU school district for more information and to get your business involved.  Melissa.anderson@wmucsd.org, jill.blake@wmucsd.org, gaige.gill@wmucsd.org, sierra.wyse@wmucsd.org

The Winfield Mt. Union School District 3^rd annual Career Fair is scheduled for March 27^th in the gym with all middle and high school students in the area invited as well as any businesses who would be interested in participating.

The Mt. Pleasant Community School Board Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for 2pm this afternoon at the district office, 1010 E. Washington Street. Items on the agenda include Financial Reports from December 2025, Modified Supplemental amount and plan for at-risk/dropout prevention, and Iowa School finance comprehensive financial projections model.  This meeting is open to the public.