The Henry County Supervisors held their regular weekly meeting this morning. The department head meeting included the following:
Katie Reuter of Henry County Public Health gave an update on federal funding cutting access to previously helpful cancer research resources. the state of Iowa has rising cancer rates with Iowa ranking second in the nation for cancer cases. Henry County is considered average in our number of cases with neighboring counties Des Moines and Lee ranking as high. Reuter also gave an update on vaccinations. There were parties in Henry County in contact with a measles case in Johnson county this past month, but all parties have completed their protocols and quarantines. Reuter stressed the importance for farmers of not only poultry but also swine and cattle to receive the flu shot. The worry is that a farmer infected with the regular flu strain may come in contact with an animal infected with avian influenza which may cause the virus to mutate. Reuter also mentioned the monthly contribution of $500/month to the Fellowship Cup should be increased as 50% of our population is in poverty and this contribution is expected to cover the entire county. Supervisor Steve Detrick asked Public Health to distribute more information on the dangers of Lyme Disease as we are in prime outdoor recreation season here in Southeast Iowa. Add to your calendar the Back to School Fair which will be held August 11th in the former Howe Center as they have outgrown Manning Hall.
Moving from Public Health to County Conservation, Caleb Waters shared the dump station at Oakland Mills will be open as early as this weekend with a few changes. “We have installed a gate, so in order to utilize that facility you have to be a registered camper. We’re not totally discouraging, you know, outsiders from dumping, but they’re going to have to pay $25 to dump.”
He also wants to stress the importance of not using fireworks on county properties. “Fireworks are not allowed in any of the county parks.”
Henry County Conservation, the Iowa DNR, and the Iowa State Extension Office held an informational program for area conservation entities as well as the public on Chronic Wasting Disease. CWD has been confirmed as close to our area as north of Burlington. If you come across a deer that looks to have lost a substantial amount of weight as well as walking in circles, contact your local conservation department immediately. The animal will most likely need to be euthanized and the lymph nodes will then be sent to a lab for testing. CWD is passed through bodily fluids and a real threat to deer populations. Waters also mentioned partnering with Rachel Lindeen of Henry County Tourism and Economic Development to discuss the possibility of a Destination Fee. This fee would be used for park improvements and would be charged on cabin rentals as well as on campsites. The current nightly rate for cabin rentals at Oakland Mills are $125/night for the larger cabins and $75/night for the smaller cabins. In the past month conservation staff have received many calls for service ranging from missing persons to dumped items and garbage. Littering is a crime, and the public should be reminded there are security cameras in county parks.
If you own or maintain a pond, pull out your calendar. “July 8th from 4 to 6 in regards to pond maintenance. There’s a lot of farm ponds here in Southeast Iowa. Chad Dolan, he’s a DNR fisheries biologist, he is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to pond management and maintenance. He will be giving a presentation for us. It is open to the public at the nature center.”
Blake Vierra of the County Attorney’s Office updated Shawn Showers has been appointed as the new Chief Judge of Iowa’s Eighth Judicial District, succeeding retiring Chief Judge Myron Gookin. Vierra also wanted to point out a couple of laws he felt important to mention that went into effect July 1st. The first law highlighted was the new hands-free driving law. It is now against the law to touch your phone while driving. All use of electronic devices must be voice controlled. The second law highlighted was the possession age of a firearm being decreased from 21 to 18. Vierra explained that an 18-year-old cannot purchase the firearm, but may be in possession, for example if the gun was purchased as a gift.
Joe Buffington, Director of Planning and Zoning, also covered a change as of July 1st. According to the state two dwellings are now allowed on one parcel of land. Previous Henry County guidelines required 10 or more acres, and the dwelling had to be for a family member. According to the new law, it now does not matter whether the size of the parcel or if the other tenant is a family member. Buffington is updating county policies to reflect this change and expects changes to be brought to the Planning and Zoning Board in August. Buffington also informed the board that the county lost 400 phone lines last month, with 30 being an average. This brings the number of phone lines to 3800 in Henry County down from 10,000 30 years ago with many of the remaining phone lines being businesses. This could impact one of the avenues for funding our county dispatch utilizes. Buffington also wanted to inform the public that if your cabin is damaged by 50% or improved by 50% and located in a flood zone, you will need to ensure the cabin is a foot above the flood line to obey the DNR regulations. Campers also located in flood zones also must be able to be moved at a moment’s notice meaning it must have functioning wheels and no permanent lines, decks, or structures. In the event of a flood, campers must be moved out of the flood zone, not left behind.
Jake Hotchkiss, Henry County Engineer, gave his weekly update including Graham Avenue should be open by the end of day today, pavement markings are being freshened up around the county beginning with yellow before transitioning to white, and Goodyear Road north from 235th Street up to the bridge will be changed from an earth shoulder to a granular shoulder due to the amount of truck traffic the road experiences. Hotchkiss also informed the supervisors that it is their responsibility to set the signage and speed limits for J20 and W55 through Salem as the town is less than 500 people. Hotchkiss is using studies as well as close communication with the city council of Salem to ensure all parties are happy with possible future changes.
Henry County Auditor Robin Detrick updated the property tax process has begun.
Supervisor Steve Detrick asked that IT Director Derek Wellington be present at future department head meetings to report on his department.
Roger Pittsenbarger Veterans Affairs Director was not able to attend the meeting but sent in his report for review. Supervisor Marc Lindeen stated Pittsenbarger, and his department have brought in $8,206,752 to the county for our veterans.
After the department heads completed their updates, the supervisors approved a resolution to apply for an 80/20 grant with 18 other projects in the state. This will be a 1.5-million-dollar bridge project located on Iowa Avenue. The supervisors also approved a motion to extend the contract with Elliot Oil, which sets the margin Elliot Oil makes from the sale of fuel to the county.
The next Henry County Supervisor’s meeting will be held Thursday, July 10th at 9 am in the Henry County Courthouse.