The Greene County Board of Supervisors met Thursday.

The Board narrowly approved the Compensation Board’s recommended three-percent salary increase for county-elected officials. The vote was 3 to 2 in favor, with Chair John Muir and Supervisor Tom Contner being the “no” votes. The increase will go into effect at the start of the next fiscal year on July 1st.

The Board then discussed Tax Increment Financing (TIF) with Nathan Overberg from the Ahlers and Cooney law firm and Jeff Heil with Northland Securities. The Board is considering establishing an Urban Renewal Plan in order to utilize TIF. Within the plan must be an area outlining projects the Board wants to do, and any specific projects must be in full detail. The funds from the property taxes generated by the new wind turbines from MidAmerican Energy will steadily increase, over seven years, maxing out at 30-percent. In order to capture the first installment of five-percent, the Board would need to establish the Urban Renewal Plan by December 1st. Following the discussion, no action was taken by the Board.

The Board then approved the County Treasurer’s investment report for December of $5,638,461 and issuing 232 driver’s licenses last month, along with the semi-annual report. The Board then heard 2019 fiscal year budget proposals from the County Treasurer, Indigent Caretaker and the Environmental Health Administrator. The Board took no action on the budget proposals.

During open forum, Assistant Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn asked the Board to consider forming a courthouse security committee. He proposed it would be an ongoing committee, but that he would like to see three issues addressed to start with. Those issues include: overall security, configuration of the judicial offices and courtrooms on the third floor and whether or not there needs to be an assistant county attorney position in the future. No action was taken by the Board on the request.