Jessie Hansen, KIDS Program/1st Five Project Director attended the April 11 O’Brien County Supervisors meeting. She had provided a sample proclamation requesting the board pass the proclamation denouncing child abuse and supporting efforts for awareness and proclaiming April as Child Abuse Prevention month. Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. spearheads these programs.
Hansen explained several awareness projects around northwest Iowa. Among those activities is the display of pinwheels in strategic places throughout the area.
Drainage Districts
Finally the board gave approval to levy for Drainage District 5 repairs. DD5 repairs began in 2014 or 2015. Settlement was slow to be made due to unsatisfactory work on the ditch. The discussions were ongoing when back-to-back 2017 and 2018 flooding occurred. Much of those repairs received FEMA and other outside funding assistance. The remaining balance, $172,444.30 is the total amount to be levied to all O’Brien County parcels within the district. The amount will vary based on the new benefit classification. The assessments will be completed by May 31. Parcel owners can choose a 10-year installment plan for amounts over $500 or pay cash when they receive the assessment notice.
As DD5 is finishing, Joint Drainage District 38 is completing some organizational updating. The former DD 38 is combined with DD12 that now no longer exists. Some parcels annexed into DD38 are in O’Brien County. The original DD38 was established in 1917.
A public hearing for the new classifications (how much benefit from draining water to each parcel) is scheduled for Wednesday May 24 at 1:00pm at the Melvin Legion. Each parcel owner will be notified and a public hearing notice will be published in “The Sanborn Pioneer” on April 27. A new schedule of assessments for each individual parcels will be made available to the public at that time. The Osceola County Auditor may have more details.
Travel Reimbursement
A discussion of travel reimbursements came up again. Meal per diem has not been changed is nearly 30 years. The board approved increasing meal reimbursement from $30 per day to $50 per day. The also considered the increase in mileage. One point returns to the discussion and that being there is never a request to reduce that reimbursement when fuel prices are low. Board members considered increases to other car care needs such as oil changes and tires in good condition. They ended up approving mileage reimbursement from 50 cents per mile to 55 cents per mile with Nancy McDowell opposing.
The board also discussed and approved a resolution in support of the continuation of the Local Option Sales Tax.
Local Control
The state legislature is considering legislation to repeal a locally approved tax that provides voter approved funding for locally chosen projects. Services such as debt service, day care centers, libraries and more are funded with this sales tax. The state is considering repealing the local option sales tax and re-imposing a state 1 percent sales tax with thee-eights of each cent going to Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The remainder of the collected sales tax will be distributed back to the entire state, not just the municipalities who have chose it.