The Henry County Board of Supervisors approved a slight increase in annual dues to Southeast Iowa Regional Planning and SEIBUS during their regular meeting this week, while also addressing a range of public concerns.
The board voted to pay a 2% increase in dues—$5,704 for regional planning services and $18,492 for SEIBUS. The planning commission supports local grant writing, mapping, and infrastructure projects, while SEIBUS provides essential transportation, especially for Medicaid and Medicare users. Henry County ranks second in regional SEIBUS usage.
Also during the meeting, Greg Moeller was appointed to the Judicial Magistrate Appointing Commission, and Kathy Schreiner announced she will not seek reappointment to the Historic Preservation Commission.
Public Comments
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A resident questioned whether the county evaluates employee performance and raised concerns about office efficiency. He also proposed surveillance cameras in public offices connected to YouTube for public oversight.
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Another resident asked about progress on relocating meetings to the upstairs room and enhancing video recording capabilities. IT Director Derek Wellington is exploring lower-cost systems similar to what Lee County uses. The board is considering systems that include automatic camera tracking of speakers, interactive capabilities, and streaming through YouTube or the county website. Video records would be stored for up to a year per legal guidelines.
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A final comment revisited the ongoing concern about scheduling appointments for driver’s license renewals. The speaker expressed frustration that signage about appointments remains unchanged despite previous discussions.
Finally, supervisors noted a ribbon-cutting for the Glenwood Resource Center in Mount Pleasant is scheduled for May 15 at 3 p.m.