LINN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
CEDAR RAPIDS, LINN COUNTY, IOWA
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2022 8:02 A.M.
(These are the minutes in their entirety. Archived minutes can be found at www.linncounty.org).
The Board met in session at the Linn County Jean Oxley Public Service Center. Present: Chairperson Rogers, Vice Chairperson Zumbach and Supervisor Walker. Board members voting “AYE” unless otherwise noted.
Chairperson Rogers called the meeting to order.
The Board met with Elected Officials and Department Heads to discuss County-related issues including:
Joi Alexander and Lisa Epp, presented a PowerPoint highlighting First Amendment Auditor Overview noting that photography and video recording are permitted and legal in public areas. A lengthy discussion continued regarding situations that could arise and the proper protocol.
The Board heard updates from the following Department Heads:
David Thielen, LCCS Exec. Dir. – budget update; General Assistance: working to increase the amount of burial assistance provided; Juvenile Detention Center: continue to work on the time out procedure and rights of the juveniles; working with Clinton County to establish a formal contract for Detention services with Linn County; Ryan White: case load is at an all-time high with 202 clients; Options: will be writing for a training and infrastructure grant.
Dennis Goemaat, Conservation Dir. – park improvement projects; trail projects; campground expansion; bird preserve; water was shut off to campgrounds and other facilities on October 17th, budget preparation has begun.
Pramod Dwivedi, Health Department Dir. – pre-planning for the strategic plan; health equity; continue to receive wastewater surveillance data; Public Health continues to be a pick up and drop off location for Test Iowa Covid test kits; monkeypox; working with Catherine McCauley Center on refugee/immigration; at home STI testing (working with pharmacies); four interns are working as harm reduction ambassadors; food safety; public health nuisance; working with the EPA on air quality monitoring; working on preventing violence affecting young lives implementation; Mental Health Action Team meeting held on September 21st; ARPA funding for a mobile clinic; working on a vaccine equity grant.
Dustin Peterson, Veterans Affairs Dir. – budget update; services to veterans; community outreach – Collin’s Aerospace Veteran’s Day event; Freedom Foundation meal to be served; partnered with Cedar Rapids Rough Riders for their country night honoring community veterans; guest speaker for Cedar Valley Marine Corps League’s 247th Marine Corps Birthday Ball; attended the Iowa Association of County Commissioners and Veteran Service Officers Fall School in Des Moines; five nominations received for the open seat on the Veteran’s Affairs Commission.
Phil Lowder, IT Dir. – budget update; personnel vacancies; October is National Cybersecurity Awareness month; Office365 rollout is near completion; phone issues have stabilized.
Chairperson Rogers asked Lowder if he has spoken to any municipalities that were affected by the recent ransomware attacks so the county can learn from their mistakes or strategies. Lowder will follow up.
Tamara Marcus, Sustainability Dir. – attended a number of speaking events this month about putting sustainability into action, extreme weather events and an upcoming presentation at the Trees Forever symposium; participating in a virtual Equity and Mobility Conference; working on legislative priorities related to renewable energy; year-end review with Communications team, Sustainability Resiliency Committee met; a lot of work with the sustainability plan and meeting with different departments; AmeriCorp members starting next week; no budget update as she is beginning the process.
Adjournment at 10:03 a.m.
JOEL D. MILLER, Linn County Auditor
By: Amanda Hoy, Executive Assistant
Approved by:
BEN ROGERS, Chairperson
Board of Supervisors
Published in the Sun, Nov. 3, 2022.