~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
The Greene County board of supervisors heard about a windfall of funds available through the American Rescue Plan at their meeting on May 24. County auditor Jane Heun reported she has applied for the funds designated to Greene County.
According to a government website, the federal government has allocated nearly $1 billion to county and city governments in Iowa to help with the loss of tax revenue when businesses closed due to the pandemic. The money can be used for public health, infrastructure, and other economic problems.
The amount available to Greene County is listed on the federal website as $1,726,390.
“The first half will be coming soon,” said Heun. “We have four years to spend it.”
Heun advised the board to set up a committee for the proper use of the money.
During open forum, the board informally discussed a variety of topics, coming to no conclusions and taking no action but identifying areas of interest. These included the possibility of lighting on the courthouse for the upcoming Memorial weekend; the possible effects on roads of allowing the building of a proposed solar energy farm; and the need for a new communications tower at the new law enforcement center east of town near the municipal cemetery.
Acting as drainage trustees, the board unanimously approved Resolution 2021-22 which identifies 17 drainage districts having negative balances and approves assessments on these districts to pay for procedures and repairs listed as part of the resolution.
Drainage clerk Michelle Fields presented the drainage assessment schedule to the supervisors. Assessment percentages ranged from 1 percent to 2815 percent and covered spraying, outlet repair, replacing shallow tiles, cleaning out ditches and replacing bulkheads, and beaver dam problems.
The entire resolution, districts involved, and schedule of assessments can be found on GCNO under the Calendar tab in the minutes of the May 24 supervisors meeting.
The board presided at a public hearing for a proposed second amendment to the county’s FY2021 budget. Auditor Heun explained the changes in revenue and expenditures. There were no written or oral objections from the public and the board unanimously approved the budget amendment. The board also appropriated funds for the amendment.
A motion was made to approve claims for payment and to allow the county auditor to sign E911 checks. The motion passed, with one nay vote from supervisor Tom Contner. There was no discussion of Contner’s objection to the motion.
