Pottawattamie County supervisors approve pay increase, hires and lease; defer courthouse–Public Health crosswalk

Pottawattamie County — The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors took several personnel and contract actions and voted on a ceremonial proclamation during its meeting, approving a county information-technology pay increase, a part-time family-planning hire and a farm lease while deciding not to proceed with a proposed crosswalk between the courthouse and the Public Health building.

The board approved a two-step pay increase for a long‑time IT employee in a split roll-call vote (3–2), authorized the hiring of a nurse practitioner for the county’s Title X family planning program at a step‑6 starting rate, approved a farm lease with Dale Reed for county property, and unanimously adopted a proclamation designating April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month. The board declined to move forward with the proposed pedestrian crosswalk after discussion about safety, likely use and loss of parking.

Board action matters because the pay decision affects county staffing and retention amid a competitive labor market; the public‑health hire restores a federally funded service; the lease commits county land to a private farmer; and the crosswalk decision affects pedestrian access and potential safety mitigations near county buildings.

The pay increase: David Beyer, the county chief information officer, asked the board for a two‑step increase to retain an employee who had received an outside job offer and said he had included pay adjustments in the pending budget. After extended discussion about merit pay policies and precedent, the board approved the increase by roll call: Chairman Bell (Aye); Supervisor Shea (Aye); Supervisor Wickman (No); Supervisor Jorgensen (Aye); Supervisor Miller (No). The motion passed 3–2.

Public health hire: Maria Seak, public health administrator, told the board the county’s Title X family planning grant requires a nurse practitioner on staff to provide prescriptions and clinical services; Seak said the department has funding for the current contract year and has two applicants for the role. The board voted to hire the candidate presented at step 6 of the pay scale; funding is described as grant-supported and subject to annual contract renewal with the state.

Farm lease: The board approved and authorized the chairman to sign a farm lease with Dale Reed for a piece of county land legally described in the agenda packet (City of Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie County, Iowa). The motion passed by voice vote.

Proclamation: The board read and adopted a proclamation recognizing April 2025 as Child Abuse Prevention Month and discussed courthouse lighting and pinwheel displays tied to the observance. The proclamation text emphasizes prevention, positive childhood experiences and support for families.

Crosswalk: Jason Slack, director of buildings and grounds, presented an engineering estimate process and showed placement options for a proposed crosswalk between the Public Health building and the courthouse. Slack said an engineering fee of $2,000 had been estimated and that installation costs were not yet known (Snyder and Associates provided the engineering estimate). Supervisors raised concerns about where pedestrians actually cross, loss of parking stalls, blind spots created by parked cars at meters and whether the crosswalk would be used. After discussion a motion was made “not to move forward with the crosswalk at this time”; the board approved that motion by voice vote.

Votes at a glance (selected actions recorded in the meeting): - Two‑step pay increase for an IT employee — approved by roll call 3–2 (Chairman Bell Aye; Supervisor Shea Aye; Supervisor Wickman No; Supervisor Jorgensen Aye; Supervisor Miller No). - Hire of part‑time nurse practitioner (Title X family planning program) at step 6 — approved (voice vote); funding described as grant‑funded and renewed annually. - Farm lease with Dale Reed — approved (voice vote). - Proclamation: April 2025 Child Abuse Prevention Month — approved (voice vote). - Proposed courthouse–Public Health pedestrian crosswalk — motion to not proceed at this time approved (voice vote).

The board also approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting by voice vote; individual items on that consent agenda were not detailed in the public transcript.

The meeting packet and audio record include the motions and discussion; board members asked staff to return with additional information where appropriate (for example, final installation cost estimates if the crosswalk is reconsidered).