Tell GCDC board they will not participate in housing incentives
~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
In a quiet ending to months of energetic debate over the utility level solar energy zoning ordinance, the Greene County supervisors approved the first reading of the entire Ordinance Adopting a New Code of Ordinances for Greene County, Iowa at their meeting on Oct. 10.
Before the approval of the first reading, county attorney Thomas Laehn presented new language to repair a loophole brought to the attention of the board by Howard and Mary Ellen Holz at the meeting on Oct.3.
Laehn said the new language in Section 16.6 of the zoning ordinance makes the board’s intention clear that there must be two miles between solar energy projects.
“This will close the loophole,” he said. “The Code of Ordinances is unchanged from last week, aside from this.”
Laehn also explained a section that prevents the “unintentional resurrection of old ordinances.”
Board chair John Muir said, “This was new to us, so we wanted to get it as close to right as possible.”
A short public hearing was held by the board prior to the vote of approval for the first reading of the recodification of ordinances.
No written comments had been received from the public, but Bill Radebaugh spoke in favor of the recodified code. Radebaugh said, “Don’t add more muddy water to the project.”
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph called the recodification “quite an experience.”
“For never having done this, we’ve done as much as we can do,” Muir said. “I hope this will help other counties.”
The board vote on the first reading was aye by Mick Burkett, Tom Contner, John Muir, and Dawn Rudolph. Supervisor Pete Bardole abstained because he has property that could be affected by a possible solar energy project.
Auditor Jane Heun said the second reading of the entire recodified Code of Ordinances will be done at the board meeting on Oct. 17. At that time, a third reading could be waived and the board could vote final approval of the new Code.
Copies of the proposed new Code are available at the auditor’s office.
In other business, the board heard from Sid Jones, president of Greene County Development Corporation, with an update of the Diversity Project and Nueva Vida en Greene County (New Life in Greene County.)
Jones said the project was designed to bring Latino workers and families to Greene County to fill manufacturing and other jobs.
“This is a long-term, visionary project,” Jones said. “Finding employees to move here is the goal.”
Jones said early retirement and students moving away from the county after graduation has created 200 currently unfilled jobs.
“Greene County needs young families to stop the declining population,” he said. “Housing is a need along with community education.”
Carlos Arguello, owner of Latin IQ, an agency based in Grimes that helps communities in recruiting Latino families and workers, attended the board meeting by Zoom and presented an overview of the current status of Nueva Vida en Greene County.
“We’ve been putting pieces in place over the last 12 months,” he said.
Arguello spoke about the promotional and advertising used, the play, dining, and shopping possibilities identified, and working with employers to be successful in attracting and keeping new employees.
“Employer readiness involves (talking about) diverse labor force, onboarding, training, and retention,” Arguello said.
Arguello described a Latino business tour held in August in the county. He said there were 18 business owners on the tour, with five of them indicating “serious interest” in bringing their businesses to Greene County.
“I’ve had serious conversations with Latino business owners,” he said. “Nothing like this (the tour) has happened in the state.”
Arguello said the business owners came from nearby counties and as far away as Council Bluffs. He said Latinos are the focus for recruitment because they are the fastest growing group in Iowa now, but other groups are also welcome.
Arguello emphasized the need for community education about diversity.
He said a transportation route (busing) for employees will begin in January and job fairs will be held this fall and winter.
Mary Nieto, director of human resources at Greene County Medical Center since 2019 and resident of Grimes, said, “Our goal is to fill open positions with the best talent we can find, entry level through skilled workers.”
Nieto said the medical center currently employs six Latino workers.
“People (job applicants) love what they see here, but housing is the reason applicants decline job offers,” she said. “People are looking to buy single-family homes. Building (a new home) is not cost-effective now.”
Jim Ober, vice-president of operations at Scranton Manufacturing, spoke about similar challenges in hiring applicants for positions.
Ken Paxton, GCDC director, told the board he has talked with many housing developers, and they all asked what incentives they would be given to build in Greene County.
This board has participated as much as we will on housing. This board can’t fix housing,” board chair Muir said.
Muir spoke about a “natural evolution of diversity” and “speed gets people uneasy sometimes.”
Arguello said, “Latino businesses are looking to serve your needs.”
In other business, Chris Durlam invited the supervisors to see new exterior lighting on the north face of Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower on Thursday evening at 7:30. Durlam has been working with engineer Wade Weiss on replacement lighting that would be efficient.
We want to make the full tower pop,” Weiss said.
Durlam said white LED lighting would give the best illumination of the entire tower. He said a color-changing option would give less light and cost double. Durlam estimated white lighting would cost $15,000.
Supervisor Pete Bardole said the Bell Tower Foundaion wants lighting. Both supervisors Bardole and Rudolph said the Public Art Policy would have to be taken into consideration.
Attorney Thomas Laehn reported 64 criminal cases pending in the county. He said he has been appointed special prosecutor for a criminal case in Boone County.
Chuck Wenthold, environmental department, presented information from a document given him by Snyder and Associates titled “Summit Carbon Docket Report of IUB Activity.”
He said this document contains information on “the number of electronic filings in September, the names of groups or individuals filing interventions, and orders entered in the Summit Carbon Solutions docket.”
The board unanimously approved a job classification change for secondary roads’ employee Greg Geisler to Maintenance II with a wage rate of $25.26 per hour and longevity pay of $210 per month.
The board also unanimously approved the Recorder’s Quarterly Report of Fees, the Auditor’s Quarterly Passport Report, and the Treasurer’s Quarterly Investment Report. All reports were July through September of this year.
