The Henry county board of supervisors met in regular session on the morning of Thursday, August 14 at the Henry County Courthouse. All three supervisors were in attendance. Promptly at 9am Chairperson Marc Lindeen called the meeting to order.

Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss gave an update on what his crew has been working on. An important item to note is the concrete patchwork on Goodyear Road (Old Highway 34). Drivers will notice traffic lights helping to direct traffic since it will be down to one lane. The crew will move along the road various times throughout the next few weeks completing the work. Hotchkiss also mentioned, if you drive through Salem often, you may notice some more speed limit signage to remind you to slow down. And lastly, county crews are mowing throughout the county for the third time this year since the amount of rainfall has kept the grass and weeds growing.

Next on the agenda was Planning and Zoning Director Joe Buffington to discuss the false allocation of a $10,000 bonus. Sitting down with a printed list of all his pay disbursements dating back to his start with the county in 2002, Buffington stated:

“This topic of $10,000 to me bonus or otherwise has been brought up multiple times over the past year or so and I just think it’s time to make it clear that I haven’t at any time received $10,000 bonus or any other payment of $10,000 in the 23 years that I’ve been here….That’s all it is, I’m here to make it clear….This is every pay disbursement I’ve had since I started in 2002…  In fact, I’ve had the lowest raises of any department head in the county. If someone has information that I’ve received $10,000, bring it out right now, I’d like to see it. If not, I’d like it put to bed.”

No one presented evidence supporting the false allocation, Chairperson Lindeen asked for the clarification to be reflected in the official meeting minutes.

Public hearings on two different matters concluded and discussion to consider a move for the Henry County Supervisors office began. Chairperson Marc Lindeen mentioned the possibility of moving the supervisor’s office and meetings to the Henry County Emergency Management Building at 900 West Washington Street in Mount Pleasant. No final decisions were made by the Supervisors regarding the move, but the motivation for moving is to better accommodate the number of people in attendance, to increase security of those in attendance, and to utilize the advanced technology set up to aid in meeting communications.

Public comments were accepted, and the meeting adjourned at 10:05 a.m. There will be no supervisors’ meeting next Thursday morning due to the ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) Conference.

The Mount Pleasant City Council covered a range of topics during its recent regular meeting, from a zoning code update prompted by a letter from the ACLU to preparations for bidding on significant infrastructure projects.

The meeting opened with routine consent agenda approvals before moving into a 5:30 p.m. public hearing on proposed changes to Appendix D, Chapter 38 of the city’s zoning code, which regulates the M-1 Limited Industrial District. City staff explained that the amendment is in response to a letter from the ACLU, which objected to part of the city’s definition or phrasing of “adult cabaret.”

In other business, the council authorized the mayor to sign an amended engineering services agreement Klinger & Associates for the Second Baptist Church property project. The agreement adjusts costs as the project moves toward the construction phase, including an increase of roughly $7,000 for additional design work and updated construction estimates.

The council also approved a resolution ordering bids for the Second Baptist Church project, with bids due September 9 at 11 a.m. The bid results will be reviewed at the September 10 council meeting before deciding whether to proceed.

Additional actions included:

• Airport land lease: Approving a resolution to terminate the current farm lease on airport property and open bidding for a new lease, following increased interest from potential renters.
• Platting review waiver: Waiving the city’s right to review a preliminary and final plat for property east of the Mount Pleasant Country Club. The land lies within two miles of city limits, giving the city review authority, but the council chose to defer to Henry County unless future subdivision occurs.

Public Works reported progress on upcoming airport improvements, with grant funding secured and pre-construction activity expected after the Old Threshers Reunion.

Henry County Health Center Foundation welcomes applicants for the 2025 Foundation Grant Program. The HCHC Foundation seeks to deploy financial resources to groups and organizations focused on a healthier future for Henry County Communities. The grant opportunities have doubled this year to $20,000, an intentional strategy to bring an increased impact to awardees.

The Foundation will fund projects in six health related priority areas: STEM, Health Education, Health Programming, Workforce Development, Workforce Recruitment, and Capacity Building. Those seeking funds should submit applications to HCHC Foundation by Friday, September 15, 2025.

Application information is available on the HCHC Foundation web page listed here: www.henrycountysoldiersandsailors.com/hchc-foundation in the “Grant Application Process” section.

After uploading your application, click submit to send electronically or print the application and mail to Henry County Health Center Foundation, 407 S. White Street, Mount Pleasant, IA 52641.

The HCHC Foundation remains a leading steward of financial resources focused on the future of healthcare and quality of life in our Henry County communities.

“Investing in Henry County is what we are here to do,” HCHC Foundation Director Savannah Collins said. “Building relationships, hearing the success stories of previous awardees, and supporting future local initiatives will continue to be a focus of our investment back into the community.”

Consideration for funding will be given to proposals which closely align with the Foundation’s mission, have the potential to achieve both the objectives of the applicant organization and program goals of the Foundation, and have the potential for long-term impact and sustainability in the community.

For additional details please contact Savannah Collins at the HCHC Foundation at 319-385-6541 or scollins@greatriverhealth.org.