Supervisors debate rural outreach plan, set work session to shape 'rural steering' meetings

Blackhawk County supervisors spent more than two hours debating a proposal to create an ongoing rural outreach effort, agreeing to a work session to develop details and dates but leaving open whether the group will be called a “rural steering committee.”

The proposal, introduced at the July 15 regular session, would launch an annual meeting and related outreach aimed at township trustees, clerks and other rural residents to explain county services, agricultural topics and pending items such as a proposed sales-tax amendment. “I’ll bring this up. This is kind of ... to get better communication with our folks in rural areas,” the supervisor who introduced the item said.

Why it matters: Supervisors said rural residents lack ready access to county information and programs because many rely on township officials rather than city government channels. Supporters described the meetings as a way to present information on bridges, septic systems and property-assessment procedures; critics warned of framing and scope problems that could make the effort appear to favor one constituency or one supervisor’s agenda.

Discussion details and next steps Supporters said the initial event could include presentations on property-value assessments, township roles, county bridges and a strategic-planning rollout. Staff checked a potential venue (Hawkeye College’s Tama Hall) with a rental cost of $125; an initial target date of Wednesday, Aug. 27 was mentioned but not fixed. One supervisor summarized the practical reach: the county has 17 townships with three trustees and one clerk each (roughly 70 officials), and an initial turnout “maybe 80 people” was suggested.

Opponents and cautious colleagues raised two principal concerns: (1) the label “steering committee” carries policy implications and might be read as directing county policy rather than improving two-way communication; and (2) a narrowly focused program could exclude urban constituencies and create expectations for staff time and county resources. “Once we set a committee up, the words matter,” one supervisor said during the debate.

Outcome: Rather than adopt a permanent committee structure at Monday’s meeting, the board agreed to hold a work session to craft a broader communication plan and to schedule a public outreach session. Board members set a work-session date in late July to finalize details and to invite department heads who would present if the outreach is approved. The motion to create the committee was made and seconded earlier in the discussion but no formal roll-call vote on establishing a permanent committee was recorded in the meeting minutes; instead the board directed staff to prepare materials and to meet as a full board at a scheduled work session (target: July 30) to develop a coordinated plan.

What to watch: The board intends to bring back an organized plan that identifies target audiences, staff participation, dates, venues and a short-term schedule for town halls or similar events. Supervisors indicated they want the meetings to be board-driven rather than the initiative of a single supervisor.

Ending Supervisors emphasized they want outreach that is inclusive, repeatable and driven by the full board; a work session was scheduled to translate that intent into a calendar and staff plan.