~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
Tax valuations and tax levies were on the agenda at the Feb. 27 meeting of the Greene County board of supervisors.
Pam Olerich, real estate and tax coordinator, told the board valuations of property are being corrected in all Iowa counties because the State used a 56.49 percent rollback to calculate property valuation instead of the correct 54.65 percent rollback for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023.
Olerich gave the board new taxable valuation figures to use in calculating various levies.
Using the correct rollback, total taxable valuation for General Services in the county is $832,231,412 and $640,846,210 for Rural Services. The preliminary work done by the auditor’s office on the FY24 budget used $839,571,263 and $643,330,240, respectively, as the values for computing tax rates.
She said the county budget deadline has been extended to Apr. 30.
Later in the meeting, the board reviewed the revision of the maximum property tax dollars to be generated for FY2024, based on the lower valuation figures Olerich gave them. Auditor Jane Heun said these lower figures should be used to adjust general and rural levy rates so the same amount of money will be generated as before the adjustment for the State’s error.
Heun said two public hearings are required for the passage of the FY2024 Greene County budget. The first hearing was scheduled at the previous supervisor meeting and will be March 13 at 9 am.
At that hearing the supervisors will receive comments about the county’s proposed maximum property tax dollars for general and rural county services. Any increase over 2 percent requires board approval by a super majority.
A proposed increase of 2.25 percent ($110,018) above FY23 for general county services brings that category to a total of $5,010,033 for FY24.
A proposed increase of 6.04 percent ($114,993) above FY23 for rural county services brings that category to a total of $2,018,666 for FY24.
The Notice of Public Hearing for the March 13 hearing shows an estimated tax rate for general services (total) of $6.02 (per $1,000 of taxable valuation), and a tax rate for rural services (total) of $3.15. The tax rates do not include county voted levies, levies for mental health and disabilities services, debt service levies and the rates of other jurisdictions.
The second hearing will set the county budget for FY2024.
In other business, engineer Wade Weiss told the board the audio and speaker system around the courthouse square needs to be updated at an estimated cost of $22,460. The board discussed being unsure whether the city of Jefferson has agreed to share the cost.
Weiss spoke about music being played over the current audio system “without subscription,” which refers to possible copyright infringement issues.
Weiss said the front door of the Mahanay tower needs to be replaced and Carroll Glass is preparing a quote to also make the door accessible to handicapped visitors.
Supervisor Pete Bardole told the board KCCI used to have a camera at the top of the bell tower but had problems with internet connection not reaching the tower from the courthouse. He said KCCI would like to get a camera back in Jefferson but needs a location.
County attorney Thomas Laehn told the board he plans to meet with representatives from the Bell Tower Foundation and their attorney “for the purpose of collaboration” in working out a 28E agreement.
Laehn said 6 non-profits have already drafted agreements. Laehn has previously said these agreements between the county and non-profits requesting county funding from the board of supervisors are required by law.
The board, with supervisor Dawn Rudolph absent, approved a resolution (2023-08) to place sculptures on the courthouse grounds in celebration of the Mahanay Carillon Tower. The resolution states the board of supervisors wishes to recognize the gift of the Tower given to the people of Greene County in 1966 by Floyd and Dora Mahanay and to follow the Public Art Policy in allowing sculptures to be placed on courthouse grounds that “convey a message of pride.”
Photographs of four sculptures chosen by Jefferson Matters from 36 entries by artists in six states were shown to the supervisors. The supervisors found all met the requirements of the Art Policy.
One of the four sculptures will be chosen by Jefferson Matters to remain on the courthouse grounds from May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024. The other three sculptures will be displayed on the grounds from May 1 to Nov. 1 of this year.
The entire resolution can be found under GCNO Agendas and Minutes.
The supervisors also approved two resolutions proposing the sales of property and setting public hearings for the sales.
Treasurer Katlynn Mechaelsen described the properties to the board. Two adjoining parcels are located in Paton at 520 South Park Street and another in Jefferson at 305 South Georgia Street.
In the resolution, the board proposed to sell the Paton properties to the City of Paton for $600 and unpaid taxes and assessments. A public hearing will be held Monday, March 13 at 9:15 am on that proposed sale.
A second resolution involving the sale of the Jefferson property proposes to sell it to Joe and Janet Cummings for $500 and unpaid taxes and assessments. A public hearing will be held at the same time as the hearing for the Paton properties.
Engineer Weiss discussed five properties owned by the county that have farm leases. He said four of the properties are located at county gravel pits. Weiss described the properties as “farmable” and presented maps of the properties.
The properties are “65 acres located on the curve south of Jefferson (pit not opened); 18 acres at the Clause (Black) pit on Highway 30 west of Jefferson; 7.8 acres of pasture in Section 32 of Bristol Township; 58 acres at the Subbert Pit; and 2.3 acres in the Adaza area.”
Weiss said the county uses 90,000 to 100,000 tons of gravel a year and gravel costs $4 a ton.
Chuck Wenthold reported the Iowa Utilities Board has scheduled a technical conference on March 15 to review a procedural schedule for Summit Carbon Solutions. SCS is the company proposing the construction of a CO2 capturing pipeline through 10 miles of northern Greene County.
Sheriff Jack Williams asked the board to appoint an alternate representative to the Emergency Management Commission.
