BY TONY FURSE | May 28, 2025

Linn County commissioners plan to vote at their weekly 9 a.m. meeting next Monday, June 2, on a 99-year lease agreement with Parker and their Senior Center building.

At Tuesday's weekly Commission meeting, delayed by a day because of Monday's federal Memorial Day observance, Jesse Walton, county public works administrator, introduced Jason Webber, Parker mayor.

Webber said that his council had voted 3-0 at their May 11 monthly meeting to accept a county offer "that was brought to us" from a process that was begun last fall between Mark Hagen, former county counselor, and Geri Hartley, former Parker city attorney.

Alison Hamilton, District 2 commissioner, asked that a vote be delayed to next week. She questioned the length of the term--"I don't like the fact it's a 99-year lease."

Noting that his own council "took a lot of time to figure things out" before accepting the agreement, Webber voiced no problem waiting another week.

"We've been working on this since September," he said. "We're not going anywhere, and you're not going anywhere."

Jim Johnson, Commission chair representing District 3 that includes Parker, said that the lease would shift the building's maintenance to Parker but also confirmed that the county would continue to use the building as an election site.

Jason Hightower, District 1 commissioner, said that the lease will allow the building to remain on the county's inventory. Webber said the agreement allows for the county to run a senior meals program there, if ever reinstated.

With the senior meals program "done away with" because of low attendance, Webber said the building continues to be used for city council meetings and city court, as well as rented out.

Noting that senior meals programs remain only at Blue Mound, Centerville, Mound City and Pleasanton, Hamilton lamented the losses, including Parker's.

"As a county, we're seeing less resources going to the elderly," she said. "Maybe we have failed as a county."

Agreed Webber, "It scares me about the numbers going down."

In other business before the Commission:

--On Walton's recommendation, the Commission approved the hiring of Ben Souza for planning and zoning director at a yearly salary of $53,102.40 and the hiring of Marc Collier as an equipment operator at an hourly rate of $18.7772 that followed a single seven-minute executive session for non-elected personnel review of applications and resumes.

--On the recommendation of Randy Hegwald, county emergency management and rural fire coordinator, the Commission approved the hiring of Landon Schneider to Mound City Rural Fire Station No, 910 and Bernard Garrett to Prescott Rural Fire Station No. 960, pending the meeting of pre-employment requirements. The approvals followed a single five-minute executive session for non-elected personnel review of applications and resumes.

--Hegwald said that his proposed 2026 budget shows a $3,500 (6/10 percent) increase. Part of that increase is for insurance, he said.

--Hegwald reported eight calls during the past week, bringing the year's total to 291.

--Hightower read Sheriff James Akes' weekly report showing 53 inmates, with one farmed out for a competency evaluation and 36 farmed in from outside jurisdictions. Appearing in person later in the meeting, Akes reported a total of 7,973 calls for service so far this year.

--Hamilton read the American Medical Response report showing 117 responses with 57 transports for May 1-26.

--Hamilton reminded Hegwald of Monday's meeting with city fire chiefs that will immediately follow the Commission's business meeting.

--The Commission approved bill payments totaling $575,374.82. Johnson said $501,959.38 of that amount is for a Judicial Center debt service payment.

--No public action followed a 15-minute executive session for legal attorney/client privilege as requested by Chasity Ware, county economic development director, via telephone with Jacklyn Paletta, county counselor.