Warren County supervisors on April 15 approved a package of administrative and budget-related actions including switching the county’s utilities to a demand-rate billing plan with Indianola Municipal Utilities, adopting a five-year secondary roads construction program and approving an agreement to offer a retirement savings plan through the State of Iowa.

The decisions came during the board’s regular meeting in the Warren County boardroom, where supervisors also approved several personnel backfills and routine reports. The board approved claims totaling $1,106,811.67 and received and filed reports from the Humane Society, the county recorder and the sheriff’s quarterly report.

Board members voted to move the county’s account with Indianola Municipal Utilities to the utility’s demand-rate plan. County staff told the board that Indianola Municipal Utilities offered the change and estimated the county could save about $2,000 to $2,500 a month on average. Supervisors described the arrangement as a one-year trial and said they would reassess the results after the term. The motion passed on roll call.

The board approved the secondary roads department’s five-year construction program for the period beginning July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2030. County road staff said the Iowa Department of Transportation had reviewed and approved the plan before the board vote.

Supervisors also authorized filling several positions: a seasonal mower and equipment-operator I for the secondary roads department and a backfill for a jailer position in the sheriff’s office. County staff said the positions were budgeted and that the board is exercising closer oversight of backfills going forward; the board instructed departments to justify replacements before hiring. The motions to backfill those positions were approved.

The board approved the county’s participation in the Iowa Retirement Investors’ Club service agreement with the Iowa Department of Administrative Services. County presenters said the program offers low-fee mutual funds (no annuity options) for employees who want to defer additional retirement savings. The board noted an initial administrative enrollment charge and an annual administrative fee tied to participation levels.

Supervisors adopted the county’s 2025 isolation-and-quarantine policies and procedures, a policy the board signs annually in coordination with the local Board of Health. The board also appointed Curtis Weidman to the Warren County Board of Adjustment and approved routine personnel and payroll items on the consent agenda, including the removal of Nina Bundy, detention officer, from payroll and a step increase for Thomas Egenberger, concrete foreman.

Votes at a glance:
- Consent agenda (minutes and routine personnel items): approved (roll call Aye).
- Claims approval, $1,106,811.67: approved (roll call Aye).
- Move billing with Indianola Municipal Utilities to demand-rate billing (one-year arrangement): approved (roll call Aye).
- Appointment of Curtis Weidman to Board of Adjustment: approved (roll call Aye).
- Backfill secondary roads seasonal mower and equipment operator I and sheriff’s jailer position: approved (roll call Aye).
- Five-year secondary roads construction program (07/01/2025–06/30/2030): approved (roll call Aye).
- Iowa Retirement Investors Club service agreement (State of Iowa DAS and Warren County): approved (roll call Aye).
- 2025 Warren County isolation and quarantine policies and procedures: approved (roll call Aye).
- Receive and file: Humane Society, Recorder, Sheriff quarterly report: received and filed (roll call Aye).

Board members said many of the votes were routine but noted the demand-rate utility switch and the five-year road plan as items with practical budget implications. Several supervisors described the IMU demand-rate switch as conservative and reversible after the one-year trial; county staff said departments would re-evaluate savings and return to the board with actual figures.

The board set its next regular meeting for May 6, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. and said it will hold an evening meeting before then to address property-tax appeals and other topics identified during recent budget hearings.