The Greene County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday.

During open forum, the Board discussed the county’s mental health advocate. The Board decided to make a change and look into having an advocate that only serves the Central Iowa Community Services (CICS) region, instead of sharing with the Heart of Iowa Community Services (HICS) region.

Also during open forum, the County Drainage Clerk Michelle Fields suggested having an informational meeting with landowners of the new Drainage District 191. The meeting is tentatively planned for March 7th during a regular Supervisor meeting. They also heard from Ambulance Service Transitional Director Lacy Brubaker. She told the Supervisors that the Iowa Department of Public Health will be doing an on-site visit and that the County will be ready to fully take over the ambulance service by March 1st.

Next, the Board heard a presentation on the county applying to be part of Iowa Great Places through the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Greene County Development Corporation Executive Director Ken Paxton said it is a joint venture with Jefferson Matters: Main Street, Greene County Chamber and Tourism, Thomas Jefferson Gardens, Bell Tower Community Foundation and Region XII Council of Governments. He said if they get the designation, they can apply for state grant funds and would like to use those funds for the three-block project from the Vision 2020 program. He asked the Board for a resolution letter of support to add with their application that is due May 1st. The Board agreed to give them a letter of support.

The Board then set March 11th at 9:30am as the public hearing date for the 2020 fiscal year budget. The overall proposed tax levy is $10.09 per $1,000 of valuation. County Auditor Jane Heun said it is about $.94 increase compared to the current fiscal year. While the rural levy is estimated to increase by $0.05, the bulk of the increase is in the countywide levy due to hiring seven new employees with one jailer and six ambulance employees.