Linn County committee sets application timeline and will fill supervisors vacancy by appointment

The Linn County committee charged with filling a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors voted to formally fill the seat by appointment, set a public application process and directed Human Resources to open an online portal with a deadline of 11:59 p.m. Sunday, March 23.

The action follows the auditor’s confirmation that no valid petitions were filed during the 14-day window after the committee initially signaled its intent to appoint, meaning the committee could proceed with an appointment rather than triggering a special election. County Auditor (name not specified) told the committee that, “by yesterday at close of business, we did not receive any petitions formally in the office,” and that the first petition window had expired.

The nut of the committee’s plan is a 10-day application window, a packet delivery to the three committee members the morning after the window closes, and a public meeting to review packets on Wednesday, March 26, at 1:30 p.m. The committee also discussed a tentative calendar that includes a review week beginning March 24, interview slots from March 30 through April 4 if needed, and an earliest feasible appointment date in early April depending on whether interviews are required.

Darren Gage, Director of Policy and Administration, presented a proposed calendar and told the committee the tentative schedule assumed a 10-day application window and set aside several days for interviews as a cushion for candidates’ availability. “If we followed the same 10 day application window that we do internally for most of Linn County applications, that would put you on Sunday, March 23, for the deadline to receive applications,” Gage said.

Committee members agreed by vote and consensus to several procedural points: HR will post a bulletin-style job announcement adapted from a 2016 posting; the posting will state that the appointed seat will be filled only until a petition triggers a special election, a change in law triggers a special election, or until the next general election; applicants’ submissions are subject to public record; and minimum legal requirements (such as age and voter registration) will be included on the posting. The committee directed HR and county legal staff to confirm whether full applications beyond a list of names may be released and how personal information would be redacted before public release.

A public commenter, Circe Stumbo of Cedar Rapids, praised the committee’s deliberation and urged a prompt appointment so the board can return to a full complement of supervisors. “I just wanted to come back and, thank you for your deliberation and your serious consideration about the process,” Stumbo said.

Committee members discussed whether to require a resume and cover letter. HR advised that the county’s application system uses a standard template and that the committee could require supplemental materials (resumes, cover letters, questionnaires) by adding explicit requirements to the posting; HR also recommended waiting until the full window has closed before distributing applications to committee members to ensure fairness.

The committee also reviewed statutory and procedural constraints. Members were advised that Senate File 75, which had passed the state Senate and would require counties with populations over 25,000 to fill vacancies by special election if enacted, could change the process if signed into law; the committee was told such a law could take effect immediately upon enactment. County staff noted that even if a special-election law were enacted, the auditor’s office would still need to schedule an election (no sooner than 32 days after the announcement, on an appropriate Tuesday), and the county would likely still appoint an interim supervisor to carry out county business in the meantime.

By formal motion the committee also scheduled its next public meeting to be the afternoon of Wednesday, March 26, at 1:30 p.m., at which time members will decide whether to advance applicants to interviews or to make an appointment. The committee adjourned the meeting by motion and vote.

Votes at a glance: The minutes were approved at the start of the meeting (motion recorded and carried). The committee then voted to formally announce it would fill the vacancy by appointment. Later the committee moved, seconded and approved meeting again on March 26 at 1:30 p.m. The meeting was adjourned by motion and carried.