~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
The Greene County mental health services coordinator position was unanimously eliminated by the board of supervisors at their regular meeting on Feb 4. The duties will be transferred to other counties in the Central Iowa Community Services (CICS) region.
“The position has changed over time,” said chair John Muir.
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph recommended eliminating the position for budgetary reasons. “Boone County can help cover Greene County,” she said, “with no loss of services to residents of our county.”
Rudolph, serving on the CICS governing board, said, “There might be more re-structuring.”
Patti Treibel-Leeds, a CICS administrative team member, said a service coordinator specialist from CICS could oversee services in Greene County and have regular office hours two days per week.
Treibel-Leeds said, “We can track the services given in Greene County for six to nine months to determine the actual need.”
The services coordinator position is currently held by Ellen Ritter. Ritter is considering an offer to continue her position in general assistance, four hours per week.
The board unanimously approved a letter of support for the Greene County Early Learning Center’s grant application to Future Ready Iowa: Child Care Challenge. The letter had been requested at the supervisor meeting Feb 1.
County attorney Thomas Laehn said, “The letter is an intention to support the group through Local Option Sales and Service Tax (LOSST) for $250,000. It is not legally binding.”
Laehn recommended the board review information about how the money will be used, the benefit to the county, and a timeline before “legally binding themselves.”
“Terms and conditions should be attached (to a legally binding document) and (evidence of) insurance obtained,” Laehn said.
He also reported on continuing progress in adopting policies for music at the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower.
“The Iowa State University bell policy is that only the official carillonneur and carillon students can play,” Laehn said. “I would be uncomfortable in adopting that.”
Laehn recommended a formal process for Maestros (to be certified to play) and songs would be chosen at the discretion of the Maestros.
Mahanay Maestros are volunteer musicians who play daily noon-time concerts through the summer months and occasional special concerts.
The carillonneur at ISU is a professor in the music department and is paid a professor-level salary, according to a representative of the program contacted by GCNO. The carillonneur also has teaching responsibilities for carillon students.
According to the ISU website, the Stanton Memorial Carillon at Iowa State University is a traditional system with carillonneurs playing the bells by hitting wooden batons with their fists. The Mahanay carillon is a modern system with a simple keyboard.
“There are only so many places to investigate carillon policies,” said Chair John Muir.
Reporting on the vaccination status in the county, supervisor Rudolph said, “There is a large waiting list.”
