Board of Supervisors discusses its ‘State of Johnson County’ annual report.
By Madeleine Neal
The Johnson County Board of Supervisors cited a list of awards, accomplishments, and plans for fiscal 2017 in a meeting Thursday evening.
In the mission statement, the supervisors pledged to “enhance the quality of life for the people of Johnson County by providing exceptional public services in a collaborative, responsive, and fiscally accountable manner.”
Of its accomplishments, Supervisor Janelle Rettig said the county has focused on sustainability efforts by implementing solar projects in the area. She noted that the county holds an energy-rebate fund to reinvest savings into other projects.
These projects include solar arrays installed on the county Health and Human Services Building and the Administration Building on South Dubuque Street.
Supervisor Lisa Green-Douglass read the county’s goal of conservation through a presentation that was summarized in six words: “Protect, restore, connect, water quality, partnerships, and sustainability.”
Supervisor Mike Carberry briefly discussed the gardening project called “Grow: Johnson County,” which according to its website can be summarized as an effort “to combat food insecurity and promote health through charitable food production and education.”
Carberry said there is a focus on buying and eating foods locally, which the supervisors are happy about. “We are very proud,” he said.
Additionally, he said, the project has contributed two tons of food for locals experiencing food insecurity.
The financial department also added to the list of accomplishments for the county; Green-Douglass discussed the county Financial Department and its distinct honors.
She said the Finance Department won the “Government Finance Officers Award” for its “distinguished” budget presentation.
Dana Aschenbrenner, Johnson County’s finance administrator, said the county has lowered its outstanding debt.
He listed property taxes as the county’s largest revenue source, followed by intergovernmental revenues and debt proceeds.
“[The county] aggressively retire debts annually,” he said.
Kim Painter, the county recorder, said the Johnson County Poor Farm and Asylum — a historical society — records were stabilized by the University of Iowa conservators. She said the documents are being prepared for public access in 2017.
Research on the records, she said, surround single-parent adoption and births in Iowa, which provides clues to sealed and open information in “vital records.”
“I’m both a recorder and a preservationist,” she said.
Other county accomplishments came from the Human Resources Department, Rettig said.
She said the county’s human resources ranks third in Iowa Municipal Workers’ compensation association, which is significant in generating insurance savings for the county.
Green-Douglass briefly discussed social services.
She said 552 families received emergency rent, utility, or prescription education assistance that help homelessness and increase the community’s overall well-being. In addition, there was a general assistance program initiated outreach efforts to provide support services,
She said she was happy to speak about social services.
“Sometimes the general public might not be aware [of all social services does for the county],” she said.
