The Greene County Board of Supervisors met Monday in regular session.

During reports, County Zoning Administrator Chuck Wenthold mentioned that the County Board of Adjustment approved two conditional use permits last week. The first one was for Hardin Hilltop Wind to replace a substation. The second permit was for NationalGrid Renewables with Grand Junction Solar to build a 100-megawatt solar panel farm. The Board of Adjustment Chair Mike Holden added that they required Grand Junction Solar to reimburse nearby property owners for the cost of vegetative screening for any dwelling within a certain radius as a condition of the permit. 

New Jefferson City Administrator Scott Peterson gave an update. He said the West Lincoln Way asphalt overlay project continues to be on track to be done before the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) when Jefferson is a pass through town on July 25th. 

The Board then approved reappointing Karla Janning to the Region XII Council of Governments Regional Housing Authority Board for October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024. They also approved the county recorder’s quarterly report and the county auditor’s quarterly passport report as presented. Additionally, they approved a seatbelt policy, which is consistent with Iowa Code and will be included in the county employee handbook, effective July 17, 2023.

The Board also approved pay raises for employees with the ambulance department. They approved a $1.50 per hour increase for patient contact time and $1 per hour on-call rates for part time employees Shelby Leitz and Rod Freeman who have dedicated themselves to a significant time commitment each month to cover shifts. Those changes would be effective July 10th. An additional change was for Allison Powell who went from full time to a part time Emergency Medical Technician and a $15.27 per hour rate.

Following a discussion with Sheriff Jack Williams, the Board will consider at a future meeting, a $12,000 annual wage increase for deputies and a $6,000 wage increase for jailers and dispatchers to be closer to the level of surrounding counties to not only entice applicants for those positions, but also to retain his current staff. 

Finally, the Board approved a temporary transfer of funds of $150,000 from the general fund to the debt service fund to pay the next installment from the $600,000 purchase of the new law enforcement center administrative building from Midland Power Cooperative.