Jasper County approves $33M budget

A nearly $33 million county budget was passed by the Jasper County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Like the past few years, the budget keeps the tax levy rate stable at $11.63.

“The board is getting redundant, they are getting non-exciting. What I mean by that is they are keeping the levy again at what it was last year, which is good news for all of us,” Jasper County Auditor Dennis Parrot said. “Historically with boards, at least since I have been in the auditor’s office, they have been able to keep the levy down.”

The budget also includes a 2.75 percent wage increase for the offices of county auditor, attorney, recorder, treasurer and sheriff and a 1.99 percent increase for the board themselves. It was the first time in eight years that the board took a wage increase, due in part to keeping the office’s wages competitive within the state when figuring the total population of the county.

Also approved was a resolution approving the Secondary Roads Fiscal Year 2018 budget and construction plan. The budget comes in at an estimated $13 million, up about $500,000 from the previous year.

“We did receive some notification on the Highway F17 bridge. Originally, we had scheduled that for a restoration but at the costs that are coming in today, it is 86 percent of the bridge, so the recommendations are that we do a new bridge,” assistant to the engineer Pam Olson said. “It was originally slated at about $750,000 but now it will be $1.5 million.”

Olson did say the change will not effect the budget due to federal funds used on the project.

Other projects slated for the next fiscal year include 17 bridge replacements, two culvert additions and a pavement resurfacing on Highway F27.

Two contract modifications were also approved, one for Elderly Nutrition and the second for the sheriff’s office. The first is a $7,500 addition to Jasper County Elderly Nutrition to be used to provide additional home-delivered meals. The additional funding covers meals served above and beyond the original contract of 50,000 meals.

Project Manager Kelli Van Manen said on the projected pace the county will use an additional 4,000 meals above what was originally planned.

The second contract amendment is for the food service contract with CBM Managed Services, the food provider for the Jasper County Jail. It serves to extend the term of the agreement for one year, spanning from April 1 to March 31, 2018.

“This is the same vendor that we have had for a number of years and they do a great job,” Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty said. “They provide more calories than what is required.”

Halferty said they do annually increase the cost per meal by a few cents which he said is standard and was budgeted for.

In other business:

• Whitney Bird was hired as a full-time jailer at the Jasper County Jail. Her pay rate is $18.43 per hour with a starting date of Tuesday.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com