Board of Supervisors Minutes

December 2005

December 1, 2005:

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Thursday, December 1, 2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Aistrope, Whipple and Larson present.  A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m.  Minutes of the previous board session were read and approved.  The agenda was approved as posted. 

In other business, the Board approved a comp time claim for Community Services. 

At 9:30 a.m., there being no further business, Whipple made a motion to adjourn.  Aistrope, aye; Whipple, aye; Larson, aye. 

Aistrope and Whipple plan to attend the ground breaking for Green Plains Renewable Energy in Shenandoah at 10:00 a.m.

ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                David Aistrope, Chairman

December 6, 2005:

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, December 6, 2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Aistrope, Whipple and Larson present. A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m. Minutes of the previous board session were read and approved. The agenda was approved as posted.

At 9:00 a.m. Whipple made a motion to approve the following Resolution No. 2005-62. Whipple, aye; Aistrope, aye, Larson, aye.

RESOLUTION NO. 2005-62

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Fremont County Board of Supervisors this 6th day of December 2005 that the following holidays shall be observed by the Fremont County Courthouse Offices during the 2006 year.

New Year's Day - Monday, January 2, 2006; Presidents Day - Monday, February 20, 2006; Good Friday - Friday, April 14, 2006; Memorial Day - Monday, May 29, 2006; Independence Day - Tuesday, July 4, 2006; Labor Day - Monday, September 4, 2006; Veterans Day - Friday, November 10, 2006;  Thanksgiving - (Thurs. & Fri.) November 23 & 24, 2006; Christmas (Mon. & Tues.) December 25 & 26, 2006  

Motion to approve made by Whipple.

 ATTEST:

/s/ Joan Kirk                                                                                                 /s/ David Aistrope, Chairman      aye
Fremont County Auditor                                                                              /s/ John E. Whipple                        aye
                                                                                                                       /s/ Chuck Larson                             aye  

At 9:30 a.m. Larson made a motion to approve the following Resolutions No. 2005-63 and 2005-64. Whipple, aye; Larson, aye; Aistrope, aye.

RESOLUTION NO.2005-63

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Fremont County Board of Supervisors this 6th day of December, 2005, that the following transfer of funds be approved and made: $362,974.00 from the Rural Services Basic Fund, share of Rural Services taxes, to the Secondary Road Fund and $40,000.00, property tax relief of local option taxes, from the Rural Services Basic Fund to the Secondary Road Fund.

Motion to approve transfer made by Larson.

ATTEST:

/s/ Joan Kirk                                                                                                 /s/ David Aistrope, Chairman      aye
Fremont County Auditor                                                                              /s/ John E. Whipple                        aye
                                                                                                                       /s/ Chuck Larson                             aye  

RESOLUTION NO. 2005-64

BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED by the Fremont County Board of Supervisors this 6th day of December, 2005, that the following transfer of funds be approved and made: $2,564.28 from the TIF Rebate Fund, to the LMI Assistance Fund, as stated in the Waubonsie Ridge Agreement.

Motion to approve transfer made by Larson.

 ATTEST:

/s/ Joan Kirk                                                                                                 /s/ David Aistrope, Chairman      aye
Fremont County Auditor                                                                              /s/ John E. Whipple                        aye
                                                                                                                       /s/ Chuck Larson                             aye  

Janeth Winkler stopped to visit with the Board regarding a vacancy on the Board of Health.

In other business, the County Recorder’s Monthly Report was approved.

Payroll and claims were approved for December 9, 2005.

At 10:50 a.m., there being no further business, Whipple made a motion to adjourn. Aistrope, aye; Whipple, aye; Larson, aye.

 ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                         David Aistrope, Chairman

December 8, 2005:

At 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, December 8, 2005, a department head meeting was held in the Fremont County Courthouse Boardroom. Present were David Aistrope, John E. Whipple, Chuck Larson, Karen Berry, Steve Whitehead, Joan Kirk, Margaret Henkle, Arnold Emberton and Steve MacDonald. Emberton discussed the spam filter on the courthouse email system. The spam filter is doing a good job of filtering unwanted emails. It was noted that in the last 30 days 59% of the emails were good, the remaining 41% were viruses and spam. Emberton also discussed a program for the county web site that would allow on-line auction capabilities. This product could be used in the future to sell surplus county property. MacDonald said he would be replacing a full time deputy that has taken a job elsewhere. Progress on the by-pass and traffic lights on Hwy 2 and 29 were also discussed. Whipple said a meeting was set up by the DOT regarding the traffic lights for the first part of November, and then the meeting was cancelled and to his knowledge has not been rescheduled. Whitehead gave an update on the wall project; he said they would not be able to put the caps on the wall until the temperature gets above freezing. He said he did contact Ryan Sjulin and he will push the gravel piles together to allow more parking in the parking lot.

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Thursday, December 8, 2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Aistrope, Whipple and Larson present. A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m. Minutes of the previous Board session were read and approved. The agenda was approved as posted.

At 9:00 a.m. Sandie Sillers, Fremont County CPC/Community Services Director, met with the Board regarding hiring additional staff for her office. Larson questioned whether a full time person needed to be hired or if a part time person would be enough. Sillers said she was going to make some scheduling adjustments and would like to wait a little while before hiring anyone right now.

In other business, the Sheriff’s Monthly Report was approved.

At 10:30 a.m., there being no further business, Whipple made a motion to adjourn. Aistrope, aye; Whipple, aye; Larson, aye.

ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                         David Aistrope, Chairman

December 13, 2005:

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, December 13, 2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Aistrope, Whipple and Larson present. A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m. Minutes of the previous board session were read and approved. The agenda was approved as posted.

At 9:00 a.m. the Board of Supervisors, concurring with the County Auditor, held the official canvass of votes cast in the December 6, 2005, Special Hotel/Motel Tax Election. Supervisors Aistrope, Whipple and Larson were present. County Auditor Joan Kirk and Georgene Peeler, Assistant Auditor, were also present. With 48 "yes" votes and 5 "no" votes, Larson declared the Hotel/Motel Tax passed. Whipple, aye; Larson, aye; Aistrope, aye.

At 9:30 a.m. Sandie Sillers, Fremont County CPC/Community Services Director, met with the Board to discuss a report from Iowa Medicaid Enterprise regarding FY2005 Finalized Case Management Reimbursement Rate.

In other business, longevity payroll for Road Department was approved.

At 10:15 a.m. there being no further business, Larson made a motion to adjourn. Aistrope, aye; Whipple, aye; Larson, aye. 

ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                         David Aistrope, Chairman

December 15, 2005:

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Thursday, December 15, 2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Aistrope, Whipple and Larson present. A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m. Minutes of the previous board session were read and approved. The agenda was approved as posted. Patricia Rengifo with The Hamburg Reporter was present for the entire meeting.

At 9:00 a.m. the Board received a phone call from Jim Richardson, Chairman of the Page County Board of Supervisors, asking if they could use the services of Dan Davis, Fremont County Engineer. Page County’s engineer is taking a job elsewhere so they will be without an engineer until they can find someone to fill that position. Whipple asked if there was a certain time period this would cover, but they did not know how long the process would take. Also discussed was whether a 28E Agreement would be necessary. Richardson said he would contact their county attorney and report back to the Board.

At 9:30 a.m. motion was made by Whipple to authorize Chairman Aistrope to sign a Renewal of Liquor License for Skyline Sportsman’s Club LLC. Larson, aye; Whipple, aye; Aistrope, aye.

At 9:45 a.m. Whipple made a motion to approve the following Resolution No. 2005-65. Larson, aye; Whipple, aye, Aistrope, aye.

RESOLUTION NO. 2005-65

CONSTRUCTION EVALUATION RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Iowa Code section 459.304(3) sets out the procedure if a board of supervisors wishes to adopt a "construction evaluation resolution" relating to the construction of a confinement feeding operation structure; and

WHEREAS, only counties that have adopted a construction evaluation resolution can submit to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) an adopted recommendation to approve or disapprove a construction permit application regarding a proposed confinement feeding operation structure; and

WHEREAS, only counties that have adopted a construction evaluation resolution and submitted an adopted recommendation may contest the DNR’s decision regarding a specific application; and

WHEREAS, by adopting a construction evaluation resolution the board of supervisors agrees to evaluate every construction permit application for a proposed confinement feeding operation structure received by the board of supervisors between February 1, 2006 and January 31, 2007 and submit an adopted recommendation regarding that application to the DNR; and

WHEREAS, the board of supervisors must conduct an evaluation of every construction permit application using the master matrix created in Iowa Code section 459.305, but the board’s recommendation to the DNR may be based on the final score on the master matrix or may be based on reasons other than the final score on the master matrix;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF FREMONT COUNTY that the Board of Supervisors hereby adopts this construction evaluation resolution pursuant to Iowa Code section 459.304(3).

ATTEST:

/s/ Joan Kirk                                                                                                     /s/ David Aistrope, Chairman
County Auditor                                                                                                       Board of Supervisors
Date: 12-15-2005

At 10:15 a.m. Joe Travis could not make his appointment.

At 11:00 a.m. there being no further business, Whipple made a motion to adjourn. Larson, aye; Whipple, aye; Aistrope, aye.

ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                         David Aistrope, Chairman

December 20, 2005:

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, December 20, 2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Aistrope, Whipple and Larson present. A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m. Minutes of the previous board session were read and approved. The agenda was approved as posted.

At 9:00 a.m. motion was made by Whipple to sign a letter to the State Auditor’s Office requesting a state audit for fiscal year ending June 30, 2006. Whipple, aye; Aistrope, aye; Larson, aye.

At 9:15 a.m. Tim Travis with United Health Care visited with the Board regarding changing the county’s health insurance renewal date for budgeting purposes. Travis said United Health Care needs the Board to make a request in writing if they decide to do so. Travis said co-pay and deductible would stay the same; it goes from January to January. Travis also said he would not have a list of new plans until renewal time, but he would make some phone calls and see if he could get some kind of an estimate on the new rate for the current plan.

At 9:45 a.m. Ross Silcock visited with the Board regarding Hotel/Motel Tax that was voted on and passed December 6, 2005. Silcock said his understanding is that the State will collect the tax and send it to the Auditor’s Office to be divided among entities. Whipple thought an agreement would need to be drawn up. Silcock will set up a FREDCO meeting in the near future to discuss how the funds will be distributed. Whipple said he would like to see all parties involved meet and discuss it.

Payroll and claims were approved for December 23, 2005.

At 10:55 a.m. there being no further business; Larson made a motion to adjourn. Aistrope, aye; Whipple, aye; Larson, aye.

ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                         David Asitrope, Chairman

December 22, 2005:

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Thursday,December 22,2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Aistrope, Whipple and Larson present. A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m. Minutes of the previous board session were read and approved. The agenda was approved as posted.

At 9:00 a.m. Jim Owen, Assistant to County Engineer, met with the Board. Motion was made by Larson to authorize Chairman Aistrope to sign a Universal Payment Voucher with HGM on Project FM-C036(32)—55-36. Larson, aye; Aistrope, aye; Whipple, aye.

At 9:15 a.m. Joe Travis, representing the Sidney City Council, met with the Board regarding the old county sign shop. Travis said the city has outgrown their shop and may be interested in purchasing it if the county was going to put it on the market. Aistrope said the Sheriff uses it for an impound lot, but the Board has discussed moving the impound lot to the new county shop. The Board will ask Steve MacDonald, Fremont County Sheriff, and Dan Davis, Fremont County Engineer, to meet with the Board on December 29th to discuss the matter.

At 10:00 a.m., there being no further business, Larson made a motion to adjourn. Aistrope, aye; Whipple, aye; Larson, aye.

ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                                     David Aistrope, Chairman

December 27, 2005:

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, December 27, 2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Whipple and Larson present. A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m. Minutes of the previous board session were read and approved. The agenda was approved as posted.

Let the records show Aistrope was not present for this meeting.

At 9:55 a.m., there being no further business, Larson made a motion to adjourn. Whipple, aye; Larson, aye.

ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                                   John E.  Whipple, Vice-Chairman

December 29, 2005:

The Fremont County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Thursday, December 29, 2005, in the Fremont County Courthouse, Boardroom, with Aistrope, Whipple and Larson present. A quorum was declared and the meeting officially called to order at 9:00 a.m. Minutes of the previous board session were read and approved. The agenda was approved as posted.

Patricia Rengifo with The Hamburg Reporter was present for the entire meeting.

At 9:00 a.m. Steve MacDonald, Fremont County Sheriff, Dan Davis, Fremont County Engineer, Kevin Aistrope, Fremont County Deputy, and Doug Hobbie, Mayor of Sidney, met with the Board regarding the possibility of selling the old county sign shop that is currently being used as the Sheriff’s impound lot. Becky Synacek with Valley News was also present. MacDonald said he would like to keep the impound lot as is. He said they not only use the property as an impound lot and additional storage; they also wash and clean up their patrol cars there. Also, any investigations conducted by the Highway Patrol, etc. can be done inside. The group also discussed the condition of the old Sutton Building north of town. Davis thought the property would possibly be worth more if the building were torn down. Hobbie said there are several areas the city is looking at, but he would like to walk through the Sutton property, and that was agreeable with the Board. The Board asked Davis to research the possibility of selling the Sutton property and get back to them.

Aistrope asked the Sheriff if he would need to amend his budget for the regional jail study that would cost approximately $39,000.00 to be divided among the three counties. The Sheriff said he would put some figures together.

At 9:30 a.m. Larson made a motion to approve the following Resolution No. 2005-66. Whipple, aye; Aistrope, aye; Larson, aye.

RESOLUTION No. 2005-66

A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THE FORMATION OF A LOCAL HOUSING TRUST FUND

WHEREAS, the incidence for substandard housing exists to some degree in every incorporated town and the rural areas in Fremont County as well as our partner counties in the Southwest Iowa area, and this phenomenon is witnessed particularly among homes owned and occupied by low and very low income individuals; and

WHEREAS, despite the past efforts of housing initiatives, additional funding and tools are needed to continue to address the need, and there is now an ability to form and receive funding for a local housing trust fund through the Iowa Finance Authority; and

WHEREAS, Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) has worked with counties and communities on region-wide housing initiatives for well over a decade, Fremont County is in the SWIPCO planning area and is party to the 28E agreement that governs SWIPCO, and the SWIPCO Policy Council has approved the creation of the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, Inc. (SWIHTF), a corporation dedicated specifically to the housing needs of the region; and

WHEREAS, SWIHTF is preparing to be recognized in the SWIPCO area as the designated housing trust fund, which will be staffed by SWIPCO.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Fremont County Board of Supervisors that:

It designates Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, Inc. as the official housing trust fund for the county and endorses the efforts of SWIPCO and SWIHTF to establish and operate a local housing trust fund for the region, consisting of Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie (excluding the City of Council Bluffs), and Shelby Counties in Iowa.

Adopted this 29th day of December, 2005.

ATTEST:

/s/ Joan Kirk                                                                                                 /s/ David Aistrope, Chairman

In other business, the following claim was approved for a hand-written warrant. Special Law Enforcement Fund: Fremont County Sheriff, $1500.00.

At 10:30 a.m., there being no further business, Whipple made a motion to adjourn. Aistrope, aye; Whipple, aye; Larson, aye.

 ATTEST:

Fremont County Auditor                                                                                 David Aistrope, Chairman

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