Des Moines County supervisors approve EMS-district resolution, adopt budget amendments

The Des Moines County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 28 approved a resolution establishing an emergency medical services (EMS) district and adopted budget amendments to move unspent funds and pay equipment and project expenses.

The EMS-district resolution followed a petition the board said was signed by more than 25% of residents and by property owners meeting the taxable-evaluation threshold; the board scheduled an election on March 4 that will ask voters to authorize a levy for the new district. Supervisors also approved budget amendments that moved prior-year appropriations and covered equipment purchases for secondary roads, sheriff operations and conservation projects.

The board read a petition and engineer's report and referenced Iowa Code chapter 357F in discussing the EMS-district formation. The resolution was approved on a voice vote. The board said the special election on March 4 will include the levy question; if voters approve the levy, the new district will file a budget with the state so taxes can be collected in the next fiscal year.

Votes at a glance: The board recorded votes on the EMS-district resolution and on the budget amendment in open session. The board also approved personnel actions and the minutes from the Jan. 24 regular meeting.

- EMS-district resolution: Motion to approve the resolution (mover not specified in the record); second by Cheryl (last name not specified). Roll-call-style confirmations recorded: Tom Brogdon — yes; Shane McCampbell — yes; Jim Carrey — yes. Outcome: approved. The board noted an election on March 4 to set a levy for the district; levy rate not specified at the meeting.

- Budget amendment: The board approved a budget amendment to carry forward and reallocate funds. Motion to approve (mover not specified); second by Cheryl. Roll-call confirmations recorded as above. Outcome: approved. The amendment included requests from three departments summarized by the county: secondary roads requested $702,360 to cover invoices and projects that crossed fiscal years (construction, new equipment, pavement markings); the sheriff requested $291,672 for items including portable radios, body cameras and a transport vehicle, and asked to increase housing-for-prisoners funding by $230,000 (to a new total of $380,000) after spending $236,300 so far this year; conservation proposed revenue of $289,691 and expenses of $237,856 to be handled from the conservation reserve fund.

Discussion and next steps: Supervisors and staff repeatedly described the budget amendments as primarily carryovers for projects or purchases ordered in a prior fiscal year but invoiced or delivered in the new year, a common accounting step the county uses so departments can spend earlier-authorized funds. Board members noted supply-chain delays for vehicles and equipment since COVID have caused recurring carryover requests.

The EMS-district discussion included procedural details: petition thresholds and the engineer's report hearing, the need for a medical director if the EMS operates under a physician's license, and operational questions about how the new district board and levy will be organized. The board said the special election will determine the levy and that, if approved, the district will be able to fund operations in the next fiscal year after filing its budget with the state. Exact levy rates and the number of board seats to be filled were described as not yet determined; the meeting record said write-in lines and the structure would be set up for the March election.

Personnel and administrative actions: The board approved several personnel items: a new part-time corrections officer hire (Raven Pratt, $17.69 per hour, part time, effective Jan. 29, 2025); a resignation for a fourth-time cook (last day January 2025); an unpaid leave of 7.21 hours for Cassandra Kilby, law clerk in the county attorney's office; and approval of the Jan. 24 regular meeting minutes. These items were moved and seconded in the record and recorded as approved.

The board provided public-comment instructions for remote and phone participation and answered questions about when the EMS district would start collecting taxes if the levy passes. The board said taxes would be collectible after the district completes state budget filings; a specific levy rate and detailed timeline were not given during the meeting.

Ending: Supervisors closed the session after routine business and public comment, with the EMS-district election date and the county's budget amendments set as the principal outcomes of the meeting.