By JACKIE TAYLOR | June 22, 2022

The commissioners opened their regular meeting and paid bills in the amount of $839,302.20.

They next approved a resolution that allowed beer sales on Sunday outside of city limits. Res. 2022-22 was approved 3-0. If someone wishes to change the resolution in the future, they would have to do it by charter resolution as rights would be taken away.

AMR Operations Manager Galen Anderson reported 102 calls in May with 63 transports; there were eight helicopter transports due to respiratory distress, motor vehicle accidents, heart attack and strokes.

Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Randy Hegwald reported seven incidents week-to-date and 256 year-to-date. He said he is also working on standardized helicopter landing procedures.

IT Director Chris Martin presented his 2023 budget and stated his department supports 25 county departments including the Election Office, Fire Department, Courts and more.

He said his budget went up by $3,000 due to fuel costs, a new laptop to replace a six year old one used by his IT Deputy Director and $1,000 vehicle insurance on the vehicle they acquired from the Sheriff’s Department. The budget of $158,450 was tentatively approved.

Road Foreman Harry Wisdom reported that the Mined Land Reclamation Department pulled a culvert that took water from one side of Stateline Road to the east and water is now running over the county’s road.

County Counselor Gary Thompson said that since they are dealing with Mined Land Reclamation the county will have to reach out to that department for assistance in replacing the culvert.

Economic Development Director Jessica Hightower reported that Harmony Towers LLC has not paid the fee to put in a culvert when they installed a new tower. Hightower said the Public Works Administrator Shaun West said they could pull the culvert if the license fee was not paid.

She said that BG Consultants was not getting the proper permits from the railroad to continue work on Hell’s Bend north of La Cygne. Thompson said that was not unusual when dealing with a railroad.

Dust control was in the works with 2,210 feet more of road left to do. A miscalculation of road sizes by the contractor shorted the county dust control chemical; but more is on the way.

KwiKom presented a contract to the county for the $580,000 grant awarded in the American Rescue Plan Act. The commissioners decided they wanted to hold back 20 percent of the amount to make sure work was completed by 2024 as stated. Hightower is checking with the grant administrator to make sure the county can hold back funds from the grant.

She told the commissioners that the request for proposal for Phase I Environmental Study for the industrial parks is due by Tuesday. She’d already received one notice on intent to respond.

Hightower presented the airport budget of $65,700 and the Elderly budget of $245,161; both were tentatively approved.

GIS Mapping Manager Pam Cannon presented her 2023 budget of $152,300, the same as last year, and was tentatively approved.

Linn County Appraiser Kathy Bridges asked for 10-minutes of executive session for non-elected personnel, it was extended by 10 minutes. Following that, Rachel Jackson received a raise from $14.97 to $15.09; Jason Parker $16.47 to $16.60; Suzanne Purvis from $18.66 to $18.81; Lisa Kellstadt from $20.58 to $22.41 and was appointed Deputy County Appraiser. Dustin Schuler went from $20.58 to $22.41 and was named Appraiser Supervisor.

Bridges stated that each employee had completed 100-plus hours of appraisal training over the last one to three years and were able to get raises based on continuing education.

Her County Appraiser’s 2022 budget went from $397,500 decreasing to $389,500 for 2023.

Other budgets tentatively approved were the Tri-Ko budget of $82,499 – same as last year; SEK Mental Health that increased by $1,667 to $118,459; and the Courthouse budget of $392,500.

County Clerk David Lamb presented the General Fund Contingency Fund that decreased by $400,000 to $2 million. The General Fund Windfall Fund was decreased by $1.5 million leaving $1.25 million in the budget.

Last, he presented the Linn County Fair budget that increased by $62,000 in 2023; the fair board stated they need $130,000, Lamb said the Fair Board is authorized to levy one-half mill , but the amount may not be the whole half mill.

Deputy Clerk Morgan Northcutt was approved to hire April Powell as part-time marina clerk at $10.60 per hour.

SEK Mental Health CFO Joe Springer asked the commissioners for $270,500 from the ARPA grant to pay for $93,700 for Netsmart electronic health records system, $46,875 for SAGE Entech financial software, $15,000 to make the Linn County office ADA compliant, and pay for $13,125 to cover costs for new ARNP provider Christy Lickteig.

Also in the grant request was $15,000 for a substance abuse counselor.

The commissioners held off approving the request as they have several other requests coming in the future.

The commissioners approved a four-way stop at the 1250 and Andrews Road intersection. David Fisher and Kevin Whitcomb said stop signs located on 1250 Road stopped less traffic than stop signs on Andrews would.

Traffic Coordinator Kevin Amer explained that he looked at hill slope, brush and housing density to determine signs on Andrews. After discussion, the commissioners approved making the intersection a four-way stop and to cut back brush on the county right-of-way.