~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnlline
Art as free speech and the use of the courthouse grounds will be the topic of a meeting between members of Jefferson Matters: Main Street’s Tower View Team (TVT) and some county elected officials.
County attorney Thomas Laehn offered at the May 20 supervisors’ meeting to facilitate such a discussion. Earlier this month Laehn advised the supervisors not to allow public art on county grounds because that would mean no group could be denied use of the grounds for any event or display involving free speech.
The Tower View Team’s juried “Ring Out for Art” contest, now in its fourth year, places sculptures on the courthouse grounds. The TVT requested a meeting with the board of supervisors after Laehn’s earlier comments.
Laehn became county attorney in January. This is his first opportunity to weigh in on public art on county property.
Laehn said a possible solution would be for the board to “maintain editorial control” over the art displayed so the messages of the art would represent what the county wants to present and support. The art then would not be exercise of free speech but would be messages the county wants to express. Laehn said there would need to be a policy regarding appeal for art the supervisors might reject for display.
There was concern from the gallery regarding the basis supervisors might use for rejecting art. “Art is for eliciting emotion,” TVT member Angie Gingery said.
The board discussed art being displayed on private property around the square and Laehn said the only concern of the county would be groups or persons being given a venue for free speech on county property.
Board chair John Muir said he was concerned about “taking control away (in choosing art) from Tower View.”
A meeting was tentatively scheduled on May 23 for TVT members, Laehn, and supervisors Peter Bardole and Dawn Rudolph to discuss the issue.
Moving to the Amazing Race event scheduled for Sept. 7, Main Street representative Gingery said The Bushmen have volunteered to play during the after-party at noon. The group has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Pillar grand opening is also that day.
The board supports plans by Main Street to use the courthouse grounds for that event, with a band, even amid discussion of art as free speech.
Dan Towers reported the FEMA application for funds to repair the bridge on the Raccoon River Valley Trail requires a fraud policy be in place that covers reporting violations of expenditures of grant money. Violations would be reported to the county auditor. The board approved the fraud policy unanimously.
Supervisor Rudolph described a video she had seen of someone traversing the bridge even though it has been blocked off as unusable. She asked about county liability.
Laehn described the bridge as “an attractive nuisance” and said additional signage and barricades would be advisable. Engineer Wade Weiss suggested a concrete barrier. The board was in support of additional means to prevent people from trying to cross the bridge.
The board approved a one-year contract with Boone County Probation as a pilot project providing supervision to the next 20 Greene County residents placed on informal probation. The cost would be approximately $8,500 for the first year, paid in quarterly installments. Off-duty officers would serve as probation officers.
According to sheriff Jack Williams, “This will make informal probation worthwhile in helping people get off addiction and become productive.”
Williams clarified that judges determine who is placed on informal or formal probation as part of a court sentence. Formal probation is supervised by the Iowa Department of Corrections; informal probation is not.
The board unanimously approved the contract.
The board also unanimously approved a service agreement between UnityPoint Hospice and Greene County Ambulance. Muir signed the contract and described it as being good coordination of community services.
Engineer Weiss reported the gravel roads are “firming up somewhat” and 100,000 tons of material will be needed to “gravel every mile this summer.” There are 750 miles of gravel road in the county. Weiss also reported the bell tower roofing is now complete and the skylight work continues.
The board unanimously approved the hiring of Stacy Myers as fulltime jailer at a $34,000 annual salary. Myers has been part-time for the past year.
Treasurer Katlynn Mechaelsen presented the treasurer’s investment and driver’s license report for April and discussed investment strategies. The board unanimously accepted the report.
A motion for a letter in support of Genesis Development’s application to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Land Quality Bureau for a Solid Waste Alternatives Program grant was presented to the board. The board unanimously approved.
