Coralville Public Library Representative Allison Galstad said that the County’s funding public library service for rural residents was about 9.2% of the libraries’ total government funding. She said the average circulation to rural patrons for all of the Johnson County libraries is about 9.9% of total circulation. She said the formulas that govern the funding have worked accurately. Thompson asked Horne about the numbers from the Iowa City Public Library, and he said he doesn’t receive that number until January.

Lehman thought the percentage of usage by rural residents has been trending upward. Iowa City Public Library Representative Susan Craig said that the percentage of use in the Iowa City Public Library has dropped in recent years, and attributed that to the other, new libraries in Johnson County, giving rural residents a choice. Galstad said that all the libraries are seeing increases in overall circulation. Thompson asked if the numbers were based on a few pennies for every book that is circulated to a rural resident. Craig said circulation is calculated on percentages. The County has a contract with Iowa City, while the other communities do not yet have a formal contract in place. The formula, she said, is similar to what Iowa City uses: calculate all of the circulation, and use the percentage that is circulated to rural residents to figure the County’s funding. Neuzil asked how the data was figured; was it anyone who held a card, or was it based on actual checking out of items that year? Craig said that the Iowa City Public Library circulates roughly a million items, and roughly, about 100,000 of those items are checked out to cards held by rural residents, those living in unincorporated Johnson County. Craig said the numbers used are averages from the last 3 years of circulation data.

Stutsman asked for clarification on the reciprocal agreement between libraries. Craig said this is a statewide agreement called Open Access. This allows a cardholder from any library that participates in Open Access to check out items from any of the other libraries. The State provides a small amount of funding for this program, which allows residents to use libraries in places other than where they live.

Horne asked why Solon’s library formula is different? Solon Public Library Representative Chris Brown said the formula isn’t different, but the Solon Public Library does have a greater percentage of rural usage than the 9.9% figure mentioned earlier. Lehman noted that the numbers used for this budget request are based on last year’s numbers; the group said they are based on the last 3 years. Neuzil noted that Solon has a new library, Coralville is thinking about expanding, and asked about North Liberty? North Liberty Public Library Representative Dee Crowner said that the North Liberty Public Library will be 15 years old in January, and they hoped to expand in 3 years.

Stutsman asked if the Oxford library is in the schools, and Oxford Public Library Representative Peter Hartford replied no, that the Oxford library is a public library in downtown Oxford. He said the Oxford Public Library hasn’t started growing nearly as fast as the others, yet. Hartford thought Tiffin is attempting to have a public library out of their school, and the group confirmed this. Crowner said Tiffin passed a City Ordinance and levy in August. Neuzil asked if they would be coming to the County, and Horne said someone from Tiffin had called him, and he instructed them to contact Galstad, but they apparently never did so. Galstad said she has tried to contact them, and wanted to bring them into the system. Stutsman said there is a Lone Tree library, as well, and Neuzil said they use their school. Crowner said that Lone Tree’s library isn’t incorporated; it doesn’t have ordinances for anything, or at least it didn’t last year. Neuzil thought that the schools library is going to be expanded within the school. Craig said that to receive State funding, a library has to be incorporated and be in operation for 3 years; thus, Tiffin would not be eligible for any State funding for 3 years from when their ordinance passed. She noted they would be eligible for State money in FY 05.

Thompson said that many years ago the County did not pay for library service, and rural residents had to pay a fee, which she thought was $25. She asked the group of librarians if a rural resident had to buy a library card? Craig said the libraries all still sell fee cards, which vary in cost according to the policies of the libraries. She thought Iowa City’s was the most expensive, costing $120 for a family card; Coralville’s card is $75. She noted that Johnson County has a number of incorporated towns without libraries: University Heights, Hills, Shueyville. These, she said, are the people who have to buy a fee card to use a library.

Neuzil thought it would be nice to have some numbers detailing how many rural residents use each of the libraries; this would help justify the County’s expenditure. Neuzil said these numbers would be helpful to answer the questions the Supervisors get about spending, especially from the Rural Fund and rural residents. Crowner said they could provide numbers, but they might not be totally accurate. She said those numbers also appear in each of the library’s annual reports. Thompson said the Board has a copy of the Iowa City Public Library’s annual report, and would be happy to see the reports from the other libraries, as well. She said they make interesting reading.

Stutsman asked if the libraries keep up with the annexations, in order to track rural residents and city residents, and the group said they do. Stutsman asked County Attorney J. Patrick White if the County is making progress on creating contracts with libraries other than the Iowa City Public Library. White said they are making some progress, and are pretty close to a contract with a North Liberty. He said he owes Crowner a final draft. White said that Brown Solon, is going to get back to him with a draft after the Solon City Attorney reviews it. White said that Coralville’s and Oxford’s contracts are still on his desk. White said the libraries are submitting a budget request in the same way they would if they did have a contract, according to a formula. Stutsman agreed, and said the Board has instructed them to do so.

United Action for Youth Director Jim Swaim and Iowa City Police Department Representative Joan Danford presented information to the Board about the Juvenile Justice Youth Development Program funding request for the coming fiscal year. Swaim said that in 1994, the County Board of Supervisors helped organize what was originally called the Johnson County Crime Prevention Program, now called the Juvenile Justice Youth Development Program. This first year, Swaim said, they were able to get $212,000 in State and Federal funding through the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning Agency, which was matched by over $100,000 in local funds, totaling over $300,000 to be directed to Juvenile Justice issues. Last year, Swaim said, they got about $60,000 from the State, and $170,000 from the County. He said they were extremely grateful for the Board’s contribution. This year, Swaim said, the State has again reduced its contribution, to approximately $40,000, and the Board’s contribution was again $170,000. For the coming year, Swaim said, they are requesting $180,000 from the County.

Swaim said when they started this program, the Board asked for 3 things: try and impact crime and delinquency, try and strengthen programs (especially in rural Johnson County), and improve the coordination of providers of services to families in Johnson County. He said that for several of the years, the project has reduced juvenile crime. He said their annual reports are also forwarded to the State Criminal Juvenile Justice Agency, and over time, they have demonstrated an impact in reducing juvenile crime in virtually all areas, with the possible exception of substance-abuse-related expenses. Swaim said in a couple of schools they reported a 25% reduction in discipline complaints, over the original baseline, and have recorded a 15% reduction in truancy within the schools. At the outset of the program, Swaim said, the Board and the community was concerned about the decreasing age at which young people are appearing in the juvenile justice system. The project has also had an impact stopping this trend. Last year, in a survey, over 90% of the parents in the program said they felt they had stronger connections to community services, schools, and other families in the community. Swaim said that last year, students in the School Attendance Task Force program, which deals with the most severe cases of truancy and school disruption, showed a 71% improvement in attendance. Overall, Swaim said, he thought they have succeeded in the first objective, in some cases beyond expectations, in some cases within expectations, and only in a few cases not as well as they’d like to.

Swaim said the project has also had significant impact in achieving the 2nd objective, strengthening programs (especially in rural Johnson County). Swaim reported briefly on the extant and changing programs in local communities: Clear Creek Family Center, Hills, North Liberty, and Lone Tree. He said they have strengthened programs and availability of services in rural Johnson County. In terms of coordination of programs, the third goal, Swaim said they have developed at least 15 initiatives with other funding sources that, overall, also improved the lives of young people and families in Johnson County. He named a few of the initiatives (and their funding partners/sources, where applicable): the Americorps Project (Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, UAY, and others in the community), Strengthening Families (MECCA, Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County, UAY, and several of the area schools), Hills 21st-Century Learning Program, Empowerment Project, Tobacco-Free Initiative, the Stepping-Up Program (University of Iowa), Street Outreach Program (UAY and Youth Homes of Johnson County), Coming Up Taller (National Endowment for the Arts grant and UAY), and Family Resources Centers at several area schools, particularly Twain and North Liberty. He said several churches have also adopted programs that are part of the coordinated effort, including First Presbyterian working with Southeast High, St. Mary’s and the Methodist Church in Solon partnering in the development of the Solon Youth Initiative, and churches also sponsored programs at Hills and North Liberty. Additionally, Swaim said they do look at ways to expand services or identify critically-needed services; during the past year, they developed programs for the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, expanding their children’s program. Swaim said the juvenile court and the school systems in the County have much improved coordination, in part because of this project’s work. He said that Danford’s position in the school district would not exist were it not for this project; her position is now incorporated into the Iowa City School’s budget. He said the Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, another community collaboration, is modeled after the Crime Prevention Program.

Swaim said he realized that as trustees of tax dollars, the Supervisors have to look closely at how money is spent, and whether this project is a prudent use of taxpayer dollars. He gave some cost analyses of the project. At a cost of $180,000 per year, Swaim said they served approximately 2,400 persons in the program, about 500 adults and 1,900 youth. Of the 1,900 youth, approximately 900 were teenagers and 1,000 were children and pre-teens. This works out to a cost of $75 per participant, per year. If the adults are excluded, the cost is still less than $95 per child, per year. If all of the children and pre-teens are excluded, and include only the teenagers, the cost is $200 per teen, per year.

Swaim went on to put these numbers in a different context. If 2.5 of the people in the program become young criminal or young delinquents, and they have to be detained at a cost of $200 per day, the County will spend $182,500 in the course of a year, $2,500 more than the $180,000 the project is requesting this year. Swaim noted that this does not include the cost of the County Attorney’s Office to prosecute the cases, the cost of law enforcement to arrest the children, the cost of social workers to work with the families, the cost of the juvenile court officers who have to supervise probation, or the cost of the juvenile court judge who hears the case. Also not included is the social cost to the community. Swaim said if 5 children were prevented from requiring 90 days of out-of-home placement, 5 kids at $110 per day is $50,000. If another 5 kids require 180 days of out-of-home placement, this would total another $100,000, and if 2 more kids need a long-term stay, for a year, at $120 per day, that costs $43,000. These costs, combined, total $193,000. Swaim said 10 young adults serving time in the adult corrections system would cost taxpayers $300,000 annually, though he admitted that not all of this cost would be directly borne by the County. Swaim said it costs around $20,000 annually to keep an inmate in the Johnson County Jail; thus, if the project prevents 10 people from serving a year of jail time, the project pays for itself each year. Swaim cited a statistic from a youth development report; they estimate that for every dollar invested in youth development, communities get a $10.51 return. Swaim stressed that this is a very conservative estimate. Swaim said this is why he thought it was prudent for the Board to invest in the program, and said he appreciated the support provided in the past. Swaim concluded by saying it is hard to quantify the cost of young people’s lives who become disconnected and alienated from our community.

Danford added how appreciative the school system is that the County has contributed $170,000 this year; she said the DHS cuts have taken away some previous safety nets, making their work even more important. She added that having Family Resource Centers in the rural areas has also given people a place to donate money; they have received donations from businesses, churches, and individuals. She said they are very pleased with the outcomes. She said that the Student Advocates and the Juvenile Court Liaisons have given her their reports this week. From these reports, she said at West High, 90% of the students being tracked in the program had a GPA of over 2.0. At City High, of the 34 students being tracked, 80% improved their attendance. She said these numbers show that the program is working, and thanked the Board for their support.

Thompson offered to fill in some details, for the other Supervisors’ benefit. She said the Board of Supervisors appoints the Youth Development Policy Council, and said she and Stutsman serve as the Board’s appointees to the Policy Council. The Policy Council sets a set of specific goals, and there are quarterly reports specifying each goal and the progress made during each quarter. She said there is also an annual report. Thompson said the budget page looks different because they changed the budget arrangement and bookkeeping this year. Currently, the revenue page only shows the amount of expected State grant money, and the expense page shows the amount that each agency will get from this grant. It no longer includes the agencies’ matching amounts, or any of the other money that they might be putting into the program. She said this has greatly simplified the bookkeeping. Thompson noted that there is a $4,000 difference that needs to be fixed.

Swaim said he serves on the Attorney General’s Task Force on Juvenile Justice, and at a recent meeting his staff pointed out Johnson County’s positive example, as a role model for the rest of the State to follow. Swaim said children’s services have been hurt, even devastated, by the State’s budget cuts. He told the Board to be aware that, regardless of what happens to the program and its funding in the coming weeks, many people in the State look to Johnson County’s example as to what needs to be done to serve children and youth. Swaim thought a lot of taxpayers would commend the Board for taking the risks that it has, to invest on the front end and hopefully prevent higher costs in future years. Swaim guaranteed that in 5-6 years, when some counties and communities are dealing with some of the budget cuts that are occurring in the State budget, the Board will be able to look any taxpayer in the eye and say that Johnson County did its best to invest in children. Thompson noted that the program is also praised for the way that the collaboration works, and for the way that the goals were set, to target specific children. For example, she pointed out that the goals were set to encourage and attract participation from low-income families, but no child is excluded. She said there was also an attempt to attract minority children, and target neighborhood programs, including rural neighborhoods.

Chief Juvenile Court Office Brandon Beaudry said that Swaim was conservative in his estimate of the cost of placing a child in residential treatment. Beaudry said the average cost is about $130 per day, which would increase the amounts cited in Swaim’s earlier report, and strengthen the arguments for the Board’s continued support. Swaim said he is always conservative in his numbers. Beaudry said another effect of the collaboration was the production of a very good grant application to the Federal government.

Recessed at 4:00 p.m.; reconvened at 4:10 p.m.

Conservation Director Harry Graves introduced members of the Conservation Board who were present for his budget presentation. Graves presented a slide show detailing the activities and duties of the Conservation Department in Johnson County. The department has been in existence since 1964, and the Conservation Board operates 9 areas in Johnson County, the flagship being F.W. Kent Park in Oxford and Tiffin. He said it is one of the grandest parks anywhere, and Johnson County residents are fortunate to have it. Graves said Kent Park has recently grown by 42 acres, with the acquisition of the Tomash property. He said they are still awaiting the transfer of title on this purchase. The Conservation Department has still been struggling with the results of a 1998 windstorm; this past fall they did a direct acorn and walnut seeding on 16 acres of timber that was devastated by the storm. Graves said the planting of the seeds was a cost-saving measure, and would provide a higher density of trees than what could have been planted from seedlings.

Graves said the Memorial Tree Program is one of several new programs, and has resulted in the planting of 24 trees in Johnson County parks, including Kent Park, Scott Church, and Walker Park. These trees have a plaque that say "in honor of…" or "in memory of…," and this program gives the department an opportunity to put large-caliper nursery stock in the parks while raising some revenues.

Graves said the next phase of the Easterly Valley Project will commence next spring, and will create 3 wetlands and 5 ponds in eastern Kent Park. He said this work is being done in conjunction with the Secondary Roads Department, as mitigation structures for Secondary Roads projects. Graves said 2 of those have been completed, and another will be conducted next spring. Kent Park was originally largely a prairie area, and a number of relic native prairies remain, which have been nurtured by the Conservation Department in recent years. Graves said they have been harvesting seeds from native plants on these prairies. The Conservation Department has worked with a number of other agencies (including the Oakdale Correctional Facility) on cost-sharing and cost-saving measures to produce prairie plants from the seed. Growing from seed is very cost-efficient; the grown plants are quite expensive to buy. He said the area around the Education Center has been planted with these types of plants, and was harvested this year with a combine, producing a seed value of $8,000. Graves said they are stockpiling seed for future projects, including seeding 39 acres of the Tomash farm and a 40-acre tract in Kent Park that has been in broom grass for many years.

Graves said the Conservation Department partners with a number of organizations to repair and replace Kent Park facilities, and showed a slide of a flagpole donated by the Lion’s Club. He said they have tried to keep the public informed of the Conservation Department’s activities, producing the department’s first newsletter, The Conservation Connection, in May of 2001. Their mailing list is up to 800 people.

Graves said one of the Conservation Department’s tractors has about 7,000 hours on it, is worn out, and needs to be replaced. The Conservation Department has a lot of equipment well-past its prime; for some, parts are no longer available. He said some vehicles were acquired from government surplus 15 years ago, and are worn out. Graves showed a slide of an antediluvian mowing machine, which needs servicing often. The department has developed a replacement plan to replace the fleet of aging vehicles, and said the first segment of this plan appears in this year’s budget request. Graves said the Conservation Department has had 12 people on its staff since 1986; since 1986, they have added a Naturalist and an Intern Naturalist from the Americorps grant program. He said the position of Naturalist was created with the attrition of one field staff member, so they still have 12 people. Since 1986 they have acquired 500 more acres of property, developed an environmental education program, and worked to improve the quality of service and make the areas more user-friendly, all of which require additional staff. Graves said that many invasive plants are found in the parks owned by the Conservation Department, and showed slides of several of them. He said combating these plants also requires staff. Graves said that some of the underground electrical wiring at Kent Park failed in the past year, resulting in $10,000 of unanticipated costs. He said the infrastructure in the County park system is generally poor, as maintenance has not kept pace with aging infrastructures such as decaying buildings, broken concrete, and failing plumbing systems. Graves said the Conservation Department hasn’t had a very good future plan in place, and said they are currently working to develop long-range plans, 5 and 10 years into the future; part of his budget request in Department 82 includes funding for this.

Graves said that County funding for the Conservation Department has not kept pace with Johnson County’s population growth rate. He noted that Johnson County is the 2nd-fastest growing County in the State and the 5th-largest County overall, but is 2nd from the bottom for per capita funding for County Conservation, 98th out of 99 counties. Graves concluded the slide show by saying that it is wise to plan for the future.

Graves next highlighted some items from his budget request, which was approved by the Conservation Board at the October 24th meeting. Decision Package #1 is $962,515, a 22% increase of $174,629 over the current budget of $787,886. He admitted that this is a steep increase in a tough budget year, but said the Conservation Department has been having tough times for years. Graves said it is conservative to say that his department is at least 15 years behind on the funding curve. Neuzil asked where Johnson County would be Statewide if his proposed budget were approved? Graves thought it would probably move Johnson County into the higher 80s.

Graves detailed the major areas of increase in the non-personnel facet of the budget. He requested a $31,000 increase for motor vehicle purchases, to replace a couple of aging vehicles that have over 100,000 miles on them, including the Conservation Department’s dump truck which has 470,000 miles on it. Another requested increase is in agri-park equipment, which is raised $10,000 over the previous year, which would allow the department to purchase a tractor on a 3-year lease. Construction Material and Maintenance, for building repairs, is increased by $5,000.

Graves is requesting a $2,990 increase for uniforms. Graves said when the County Conservation Law was adopted by the General Assembly of Iowa in 1955, it provided that the Conservation Board can empower the Conservation Director to provide uniforms for Conservation Staff up to $300 per year. Graves noted that the uniform allowance for his field staff is only $120; he said these government representatives look like a bunch of refugees. He said they needed to be provided with sufficient uniforms. Graves noted an increase in the budgets of cell phones and fuel, the latter by $2,000. He said the $1,500 increase in printing is for the newsletter. Graves said this concludes the non-personnel increases, which total about $59,000.

In personnel increases, Graves repeated that his department has serious needs for staff, and the needs have gone unaddressed for too long. He said Decision Package 1 requests 3 Fieldworker I positions, the people who combat the invasive plant species, and repair and maintain the parks. Graves said the wages for those positions are $26,728, and with benefits the total is $38,357.41; these people are college graduates, or at minimum junior college graduates. This totals $115,072.

Graves reminded the Board that funding for the Conservation Department primarily comes from property taxes. He said that until 1982, the Code of Iowa provided that the Board of Supervisors could levy up to $.27 per $1,000 taxable valuation for the Conservation Board. He said Johnson County was doing this in 1982. In 1983 the County Finance Bill was passed, which streamlined County government and empowered the Board Of Supervisors to raise the $.27 Conservation levy if they chose to do so. He said the opposite happened in Johnson County, and the levy went down to $.19 for awhile. In 1989 the Resource Enhancement and Protection legislation, REAP, was passed. He said the minimum requirement for REAP funding was a tax levy of $.22. He said that by receiving $.22 the Conservation Board would be eligible to receive per capita for County funding and to participate in the REAP grant program. Graves said there has not been a REAP grant yet in Johnson County; he reported that he wrote one this year, and came within 4/10 of a point of the $300,000 project. Graves summarized that the $.22 level is the bare minimum allowed by law, and said this puts Johnson County in the basement on per-capita spending.

Graves said Decision Package I, requesting a 22% increase of $962,515, would bring the Conservation Department up to the $.27 levy, returning the levy to its 1983 level. He admitted that since 1983, there has been considerable growth in Johnson County, which has increased the budget amount, but there has been inflation, making the 1983 dollar worth about $.60 today.

Graves said there is no question that the need to fund 3 positions is there, and is long overdue. He said if this isn’t economically possible, then Decision Package II asks for 2, which would be an increase in personnel of $76,714. Graves reiterated that Decision Package I is what the Conservation Department needs. He said Decision Package II would bring the asking down to $924,158, which is an 18% increase, with a $.26 levy. Graves said the levy numbers are based on information he has for the current taxable value of the County, which changes right after the first of the year, probably increasing. Graves said that Decision Package III requests one person, a $38,000 increase. He said this would bring the proposed budget amount to $885,800, a 13% increase at $.25. Graves said Decision Package I is needed to show Johnson County’s commitment to the natural environment and protecting natural resources. Graves summarized that Decision Package I is a proposed budget of $962,515, which yields a tax levy of $.27.

Graves gave some history on Department 82. He said that when the County Finance Bill was passed in 1983, it provided for the Board of Supervisors to set up a trust account, a Conservation Reserve account. He said Johnson County did this, and the revenue for that has come from the operation of the campground and the beach at Kent Park. This account recently allowed the Conservation Department to purchase the Tomash property, the recent addition to Kent Park. He said for the Conservation Trust’s coming year budget, there is $103,902, which is revenue derived from campground and beach fees, not taxes. He said there is $60,402 for the purchase of a new playground, replacing the old playground, which was a liability, as it didn’t comply with the Consumer Safety Handbook recommendations. He said he has already secured $29,000 of the $60,000 from a Solid Waste Alternatives Block Grant from the Iowa DNR. This grant is possible, Graves said, because the playground is made from recycled material. Graves said the playground would also serve as an outdoor classroom to reinforce and teach the "3 Rs:" reduce, reuse, and recycle. He said assistance is needed to raise the other half of the money.

Graves said there is $20,000 for the proposed construction of Pond Site 1, which is the next phase of the Easterly Valley Project. He said there is $8,500 proposed to continue the asphalt seal-coating of the Kent Park roads and parking lots and to make repairs to the road for the parking lot at Scott Church. He said the roads at Kent Park are in good shape, and the $8,500 is to maintain the seal-coat for the roads and keep them in good shape.

Graves said the final item in Department 82 is a planning item. Graves said Johnson County has the potential to have the best Conservation program in the State, but said conservation hasn’t been taken seriously in Johnson County, over the years. He stated that they need to look to the future and plan. Graves proposed the engagement of a planning consultant to help develop long-range comprehensive plans for the future of Johnson County, at a cost of $15,000. He said the Conservation Trust’s total budget is $103,902, all coming from revenue generated in Kent Park. Stutsman asked Graves if he received the Swap Grant. Graves said he did, and that is a reimbursement grant, which means they build and they pay the department back.

Stutsman asked if there is a balance in the Conservation Trust account. Graves said the current balance is $56,012.28, and the REAP account has $10,076.83. Thompson asked if Graves was proposing to spend more than the balance plus anticipated revenues, as it looked on her budget page? Graves said no, they are only planning to spend an amount equal to the balance plus revenues. Horne noted that some money is transferred into the trust account, and Graves agreed. Graves and the Board of Supervisors further discussed the transferring of funds between Department 24 and Department 82 and what is done with the revenues. Horne said that not all transfers would show up on the budget sheet, because it is a transfer between funds. Graves explained that the budget for Department 82 is $103,902, which is the balance of $56,012 plus $48,000 in anticipated revenues. Thompson asked if Graves planned to spend the entire amount of the trust fund this year, and Graves said he plans to spend everything in it from this year, but next year there will be additional revenues coming in. Neuzil asked if Graves was going to spend the carryover from the previous year, and Graves said this is correct; Thompson said the fund will be at zero by the end of the year. Graves said yes, it would be at zero, until the proceeds from the camping and the beach were added, by resolution, at the end of the year. Thompson suggested raising fees at Kent Park, to help offset costs. Graves said this issue is on the agenda for the January meeting. He said camp fees are extremely low, and beach fees are low, especially considering that they offer a lifeguard. Thompson asked if the projected fees are realistic. Graves thought they would be fine.

Graves said Department 32 is the REAP account, Resource Enhancement and Protection. He said it was set up by legislature in 1989, originally meant to be an account that would be free of competition with Human Services other areas that demand a lot of public revenue. He said that only lasted a couple of years, because the State of Iowa was having fiscal troubles, much like the current situation. He said the REAP accounts, originally, were to fund conservation at the level of $30 million a year for 10 years, to be appropriated half to the DNR and half to the County Conservation Boards.

Graves said the existence of the REAP account and the Trust account is what allowed them to have the revenues to purchase the Tomash property. Graves proposed a $2,000 repair of an old pond in the Frytown area, which can be turned into a wetland. He said they will be partially or wholly repaid for this project from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. He said the Lake Trail around Kent Park Lake is a nice trail, but could be improved with an asphalt seal coat for $5,000. Graves said they also plan to change a building designed as a lecture hall into a hands-on learning center. Graves said there are already several lecture halls in the Iowa City area. Graves said the REAP budget is $27,000 for next year.

Thompson reminded Graves that the Board of Supervisors wouldn’t know until January what funds they are going to have to distribute. She asked what he plans to do if the Board isn’t able to give him the money he is asking for. Graves answered that the department will continue to do as it has, but said the problems are getting worse, and longer they wait to take of the problems the more it is going to cost. He said it was imperative that the Board of Supervisors give as much as they could to the County Conservation Board. Graves said the Conservation Board, historically, has received short shrift, and asked the Board to remember this.

Thompson asked if there were plans to close a park if thinks he has too much infrastructure to maintain with the current budget? Graves said these would be last-ditch efforts, and decisions made with the County Conservation Board. He said this decision would not be received well. He said it isn’t something he would advocate. Conservation Board Member Tom Hoff said the last thing Johnson County needs is less open space and places for recreational opportunities. If anything, he said, more places like these are needed. He encouraged the Board of Supervisors to open their minds and make the tough decision of approving the County Conservation Board budget as outlined in Decision Package I. He said this would benefit everyone: children, schools, and social services. Graves added that the Environmental Education Department has worked with about 2,200 school kids around Johnson County this year, and they hope to increase that.

Lehman asked about lease payments on new equipment. Graves said they budgeted for lease payments on a $21,000 tractor. Graves said lease purchasing was a judicious way to upgrade his department’s fleet of aging vehicles. He said that, to his knowledge, the Conservation Department has kept their vehicles longer than any other department.

Stutsman asked if the approval of staff positions would decrease the need for seasonal park workers. Graves said that to some extent it would. He said the seasonal market is tougher and tougher every year, because many don’t want to get dirty in order to make money. He said having full-time employees would alleviate some of that and provide much better labor.

Harney asked if he has ever been able to use any of the community service. Graves said the department is working with the Sixth Judicial District now, and people from the Hope House come out every Friday. He said Oakdale has also formerly provided a work crew, but this program has, unfortunately, been discontinued. This had been a federal program, which was not continued by the State. Graves said he has contacted Sheriff Bob Carpenter about the possibility of using prisoners as a work crew. Graves said that running the Conservation Department is like running a business, and it isn’t possible to run a business with part-time workers, volunteers, and prisoners, so adding staff was important.

Harney asked if the $.27 levy provides any staffing. Graves said the levy would give them the Department 24 budget, covering both the personnel and non-personnel discussed earlier. He said this would put them in a much better situation than they have been in. Thompson asked if the 22% increase is based on last year’s tax valuation, and Graves said this is correct.

Lehman asked Graves if the department plans to acquire more property? Graves said yes, it is something they have looked at in the long-range plan. Graves said there is low-maintenance land, but no such thing as no-maintenance land. He said Johnson County’s growth rate is consuming open spaces at a relentless pace. Graves said that Johnson County has a number of unique natural areas that need to be preserved. This doesn’t mean the Conservation Board has to buy them, but the Conservation Board’s mandate is to attempt to preserve them. The Conservation Board will have to act as a facilitator to see that they are preserved through conservation easement, bequests, etc. He said this would entail additional operation down the road.

Hoff said the City Manager of Iowa City directed the City Council of Iowa City to keep an eye on the Parks and Recreation Board, because they might be acquiring more property and parks than their funding allowed them to care for. Hoff thought that the City Manager was being unrealistic, because the people of this County want the lifestyle offered by Johnson County, which includes open spaces such as those owned by the County.

Graves said only 0.1% of Iowa’s original tall grass prairie remains, and less than that of native wetlands. Graves thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak to them, and also thanked the Supervisors for taking the 2 tours of County natural areas. A woman from the audience informed Thompson that they have been raising fees over the last couple of years, and it has not decreased usage. Graves suggested having a forum to discuss park user fees. Lehman thanked everyone for attending and their support.

Adjourned at 5:15 p.m.

Attest: Tom Slockett, Auditor

By Casie Parkins, Recording Secretary