Supervisors meet January 2 to discuss organizational matters for new calendar year

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met Thursday, January 2 to address a variety of organizational matters for the 2020 calendar year. County Auditor Denise Beyer called the meeting to order with the Supervisors approving Larry Schellhammer as Chairperson and Dennis Koenig as Chairperson Pro-Tem.

During Public Comment, Executive Director Val Reinke with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED) provided an overview of several recent and upcoming events within the county. Reinke discussed Allamakee County locations that have been mentioned by travel blogger Jay the Iowa Gallivant.

The Supervisors moved into setting Board Days, Start Time and Public Comment Time, opting to continue with Monday meetings, a 9:30 a.m. start time with ten minutes allotted for public comment.

Supervisor Dan Byrnes, Koenig and Schellhammer discussed the various Boards, Committees and Commissions that each has been appointed to serve on, approving that list as presented.

The Supervisors approved to keep claim due dates as the second and fourth Monday of each month and pay dates as every other Friday.

The Standard Newspaper, Waukon and the Postville Herald were named as official newspapers.

The Supervisors set the mileage rate reimbursement at 40 cents per mile, the same as the 2019 mileage rate. Bounty amounts were approved to continue at $5 per coyote and 50 cents per pair of gopher paws with 10 pair per bag being requested.

The Supervisors moved into the consideration of appointments to County Boards and Commission as needed. Appointments approved include Kristin Kopperud-Stinn to a three-year term on the Historic Preservation Commission, Mary Koopman to the Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC), Conservation Director Jim Janett, Executive Director Andy Kelleher of Main Street Lansing and Reinke to the UERPC Transportation Policy Enhancement Committee and Kelleher and Reinke to Eastern Iowa Tourism.

Wages for 2020 Precinct Election Officials were discussed by Beyer and the Supervisors. Beyer provided a recommendation of a $30 payment for training per election, $160 per day for precinct election officials plus mileage and $200 per day for the chairperson precinct election official plus mileage. The Supervisors approved the precinct election official wages, training payment and mileage as discussed.

The Resolution Authorizing the County Engineer to Execute the Certification of Final Completion of Work for all Farm-to-Market and Federal or State Aid Construction Projects was approved.

The adoption of the Construction Evaluation (Master Matrix) Resolution was approved.

The Supervisors approved to sign vehicle titles over to County Social Services (CSS) per Resolution 19.396. Beyer provided an overview of the matter, explaining that with the new calendar year, a vote to sign over vehicle titles would be a necessary step involved with the transition of CSS as employer of record for social services employees.

Under Department Head Updates, Environmental Health Director Laurie Moody indicated that a shared administrative assistant position between Environmental Health and Zoning would need to be advertised due to an upcoming retirement.
Beyer discussed several matters relating to budget work and upcoming budget meetings.