MINUTES OF THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS:
JANUARY 24, 2008
CountyAttorney Janet Lyness: Souper Bowl Supper
United Action for Youth Director Jim Swaim: Letter of Support for United Action for Youth Grant
Reports and Inquiries from the Board of Supervisors
Chairperson Sullivan called the Johnson County Board of Supervisors to order in the Johnson County Administration Building at 9:20 a.m. Members present were: Pat Harney, Larry Meyers, Terrence Neuzil, and Rod Sullivan; absent was Sally Stutsman.
Planning and Zoning Administrator Rick Dvorak said the primary building code fees are going to stay the same and the staff has created flat fees for common things. Senior Building Inspector Ruben Arsate said that these are fees that all other jurisdictions charge, and they are proposing flat fees to keep the cost at a minimum. R. Sullivan asked how the fees compare to Iowa City and other jurisdictions. Arsate said the fees are fairly similar. Dvorak said that the approval of this would be done through resolution, and if the Board chooses to move it to the next formal meeting, there would only need to be one hearing on it.
Harney asked if those starting construction without a permit would need to pay the fee or would there be any other consequences. Arsate said that Planning and Zoning imposes a $100 fee on early start, and this fee is meant to cover anything that might have to be beyond that. Arsate said that the fee would cover the cost of staff going out to investigate.
Neuzil asked if there are any fees that might be controversial. Dvorak said they thought there would be some such items. Neuzil said that the fees are in line with the standard. Arsate said that is true. Dvorak said the flat fees are very reasonable. Dvorak said that the only fee that would be controversial is installing plan review fees. Dvorak said they have not done much of that for residential construction, but have always done it for commercial. Dvorak said that Arsate could spend hours reviewing a plan when a person makes an application. The policy has been changed so that permit fees are not accepted up-front anymore. Dvorak said that these fees would recoup the costs for Arsate’s time spent in plan review.
Neuzil said this falls in line with what the Board had asked all departments to do through the strategic planning objectives to enhance revenues and diversify funding streams. Neuzil said in 2000 when the building code was put into place, the Board clearly stated that the department would be fee driven and the County would not have to subsidize the department. The proposed fees are in line with that process. Dvorak said they did a similar thing for Planning and Zoning last year. Dvorak said these fees were reviewed by the Board of Appeals. The Board agreed to place the item on a future formal agenda.
Social Services Coordinator Amy Correia said the Board has submitted an application to the Heritage Area Agency on Aging for $20,000. Correia said it was a two-year funding cycle and the Heritage Area Agency on Aging requires a renewal application for the second year of funding.
Aging Specialist Lori Buzynski said the Aging Specialist Position is grant funded. Buzynski said she is preparing an FY09 budget and program update to access the additional $20,000 for FY09, which would need to be approved by the Board. R. Sullivan said Buzynski has the application prepared and the Board would only need to review it and put it on the next week’s formal agenda. Buzynski noted the application is due to the Heritage Area Agency on Aging on February 8, 2008. Neuzil said he does not see any objection with this and believes it would bring in additional money for the County. Neuzil said they value the program and hopes the funding would be received in the years to come as well. Correia said the Heritage Area Agency on Aging is very supportive of the project. Harney said this is a community where the elderly seem to come back and retire, and feels it is a tribute to the community that services like this that are provided. Harney said that even though the Livable Community for Successful Aging Initiative is a new program, it is very reflective of the community and is money well spent for the community. The Board agreed to place the item on a future formal agenda.
Correia said this was created in May 2007 by resolution, and was offered for approximately six months. Correia said that it would be helpful for the Senior Center to have a standing membership to avoid duplication and enhance communication and strategies for services around the County. Correia said that Assistant County Attorney Andy Chappell recommended a revision to the original resolution stating that everything remains the same; however, they are adding standing membership and changing the minimum and maximum number of members on the policy board.
R. Sullivan said that in the original resolution they used some language that specified members of social services agencies, and there was some thinking whether Senior Center enters in this category. R. Sullivan said the Senior Center is not a non-profit but a governmental entity. Correia said the Senior Center is not a social service provider. R. Sullivan said that the center has its own unique standing. Correia said the Senior Center is very supportive of this proposal. Neuzil said that he was hoping to see such a partnership. Neuzil said that it would be difficult to have a Livable Community for Successful Aging without the Senior Center as a team player. The Board agreed to place the item on a future formal agenda.
Correia said there are openings on the Livable Community for Successful Aging Policy Board. She said there are resignations from at-large members as well as two from appointed members from the standing organizations. Correia said that the Board has a list of applicants as well as the name o the persons preferred by the standing organizations. Harney said that it is helpful that Correia included the proposed terms for each position. R. Sullivan said the Board would have a couple of decisions to make because there are some members of the public that applied who do not have recommendations. Correia said there are two openings for at-large positions and one of those needs to be filled by a person that resides in the non-urbanized area of Iowa City, Coralville or North Liberty. The Board agreed to place the item on a future formal agenda.
County Attorney Janet Lyness said that next Thursday, January 31, 2008 from 5:30-7:30 is the Domestic Violence Intervention Program Souper Bowl Supper at the Quality Inn Suites on North Dodge Street. Last night 11 employees from the Attorney’s Office painted bowls to be donated to the event.
United Action for Youth Director Jim Swaim said they have a request to get a letter a support from the Board that also indicates their willingness to provide local matching funds for a federal grant. Swaim said the grant is from the Basic Center for Runaway and Homeless Youth. He said this is a project that has been federally funded since 1983. Every three years they need to compete for the grant, and 2008 is the year for that competition. He said the grant is due on February 19, 2008, and is in final draft format. Swaim said that this is one of four grants that the Board provides direct support and match to the Family Youth Service Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Swaim said the other three grants are a five year $1,000,000 grant from the Transitional Living Program, a three year $300,000 grant from the National Demonstration Project, and a one year $100,000 grant from Positive Youth Development.
Swaim said they are competing for the Basic Center grant for $120,000. He said that in the scoring criteria they get additional review consideration if they have a letter of commitment that indicates that the Board has secured a local match. Swaim said that in the narrative of the application, he indicated that the Board does not certify the budget until after the grant deadline. R. Sullivan said that Swaim is taking some money that the County already offers to United Action for Youth and applying it towards the local match. Swain said that is true. Swaim said the United Action for Youth generally gets around $100,000 and a lot of those funds are applied as match funds for a variety of grants. Swaim said the match for these grants is generating about $2,000,000. Harney asked if the match amount had changed in the past years. Swaim said the match amount was changed a few years ago from 10% of the federal amount to 10% of the total amount applying for. Swain said the other match source used for the grant comes from the City using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. R. Sullivan said the Board would get the letter ready and signed in a week.
Harney attended the Chamber Annual Banquet, the Johnson County Council of Governments (JCCOG) Combined Communications Subcommittee Meeting, the Sixth Judicial District Board of Directors Meeting, the MH/DD Planning Council Meeting, and the Emergency Management Board of Directors Meeting.
Neuzil attended the Iowa Association of Counties (ISAC) Leadership Program, the Chamber Youth Leadership Program, and the Chamber Board of Directors Meeting. He will hold a listening post on January 30, 2008 at 12:30 at the Senior Center.
Sullivan said he is serving on the JCCOG Nominating Committee, the County Parking Committee, and the ISAC Scholarship Committee. He attended the MH/DD Planning Council Meeting, the Iowa City Federation of Labor Chili Supper, and the Consultation of Religious Communities Martin Luther King Day Service. He said the Housing Trust Fund will hold a housing summit on January 25, 2008.
______________________________________________________________________
By:
On the _______ day of _____________________, 2008
By John Deeth, Recording Secretary
Sent to the Board of Supervisors on February 11, 2008 at 10:20 a.m.