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Votes at a glance: Linn County board approves claims, reappointments and budget allocations
Summary
The board approved claims, the consent agenda, several reappointments to the medical examiner's office and a set of budget offers; it postponed a joint city–county agreement item to the next meeting.
At its Jan. 29 meeting the Linn County Board of Supervisors recorded several formal voice votes: adding an emergency agenda item on federal grant guidance, approving claims, approving the consent agenda, postponing a joint city–county agreement and approving a package of budget offers.
Claims and consent agenda
Supervisor Maheshay presented claims for payment: accounts payable of $57,652.22 and ACH payments of $636,175.89, for a total of $693,828.11. The board approved the claims by voice vote.
Agenda changes and postponements
The board voted to add an emergency agenda item to discuss how the county should respond to the OMB memo (see separate story). The board also voted to postpone consideration of a proposed joint city–county agreement with the city of Cedar Rapids establishing an urban renewal area; the item was postponed to the next meeting (Monday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m., as discussed). Supervisors said they wanted more information and additional coordination with affected municipalities including Fairfax and Cedar Rapids.
Appointments and reappointments
The board moved and approved several reappointments to the county medical examiner's offices. The chair moved to reappoint Dr. Donny Linder as Linn County's chief medical examiner, term ending Dec. 31, 2026, and to reappoint Dr. Josh Pruitt, Dr. Jeffrey Kearns, Arlene Zahnhauser and Dr. Greg Blythe as deputy medical examiners for terms ending Dec. 31, 2026. The board also reappointed Alicia Weber, Kevin Weber, Michelle Kesey and Ben Brink as medical examiner investigators with terms ending Dec. 31, 2026. Voice votes carried all reappointments.
Budget allocations
The board reviewed county budget offers and reported it had about $603,000 available to allocate after prior salary and benefits adjustments. Staff compiled supervisors' offer lists and identified proposals that received two or more supervisor votes. Supervisors agreed on a capital improvement plan allocation adjustment and approved the set of offers presented at the meeting. The board then moved to finalize the budget at a later meeting; staff said a follow-up session would be scheduled to set the levy rate and finalize budget documents.
Motions and outcomes (summary)
- Emergency agenda item to discuss OMB memo and pause on federal grants: approved (voice vote). - Claims payment totaling $693,828.11: approved (voice vote). - Consent agenda: approved (voice vote). - Postpone joint city–county agreement regarding a Cedar Rapids urban renewal area to next meeting: approved (voice vote). - Reappointments to medical examiner and investigator positions (terms ending 12/31/2026): approved (voice votes). - Approved budget offer allocations and directed staff to return with levy-rate and final budget figures at a follow-up meeting: approved (voice vote).
The transcript records voice votes with unanimous ayes; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the minutes provided.
