~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Displaying art on the courthouse grounds was the topic of a lesson county attorney Thomas Laehn provided the county supervisors at their April 15 meeting. His lesson may mean that the 2019 Ring Out for Art sculpture contest organized by Jefferson Matters: Main Streets Tower View Team may be the last, or at least the last one on the courthouse grounds.
Laehn reported to the board on an inquiry about sculptures on the courthouse lawn.
He explained that the principle of free speech impacts any activity on county property and sets a precedent. Laehn stated, “Once you allow any sort of activity on the courthouse square, the next group that wants to (do something), you can’t say no.”
There was discussion of offensive groups possibly wanting to exercise free speech on the courthouse square if the precedent was set by allowing other groups to use the square. The board determined that they had previously set a policy for allowing sculptures until Nov. 1, 2019, and then disallowing any further use of courthouse square. The board re-affirmed this policy.
In clarification, Laehn also said the county can own art such as the Lincoln statue and that this was a different situation than allowing free speech on county property through art.
The supervisors also heard reports from Pete Russell and Doug Rieder about the upcoming Bell Tower Festival June 7-9, with “Retro with a Twist” as the theme.
The Festival planning committee is proposing an open concept for gate security and the beer garden, similar to what was used for the RAGBRAI® overnight last July. Admission to the downtown area would be through a gate with wristbands as evidence of being of legal age. The wristband would be required to purchase alcoholic beverages. There was discussion of beer permits needed and additional law enforcement or other people needed to monitor the open concept.
Russell assured the supervisors that the Festival committee would cover any additional law enforcement expense.
The board received a flyer and map of the downtown area with proposed activities for the Bell Tower Festival. Rieder described special activities planned for middle schoolers such as black-light dodge ball. The board agreed to try the open concept beer garden and was in support of the plans for Festival 2019.
Sheriff Jack Williams spoke about law enforcement communications being improved through two new cellular towers located in Ralston and Boxholm.
Michelle Fields, IT/GIS/ drainage department, submitted an engineer’s report and described a petition from a landowner concerning shallow and crumbling tile in Drainage District 14 (DD14.) Repairs were recommended as the drainage does not meet current standards. The board tentatively accepted the report on DD14 and set a public hearing for June 3, at 9 am.
The board also approved closing Parkland Ave between County Road E-53 (235th St) and 22nd Street due to ice damage to pilings on the bridge over Hardin Creek. The road will be closed until emergency repair is complete.
During the open forum, Chris Henning returned to a previous issue concerning the board writing a letter to Senator Jerry Behn and Representative Phil Thompson about reviewing the master matrix. She had visited with Behn and Thompson at a legislative forum Saturday and neither had received the letter the supervisors had approved last Monday.
Henning said both are looking for the sort of information in the letter, and that they said a summer committee on reviewing the master matrix is possible. County auditor Jane Heun said the letter had been mailed on Thursday.
