Muscatine County supervisors approve $1.28 million in claims, update card signers and reappoint multiple board members

Muscatine County Board of Supervisors members on Jan. 6 approved claims totaling $1,281,015.12, authorized a change to an authorized signer on a county community services Visa account, and reappointed or appointed several residents to county boards and commissions.

The board’s actions consolidated routine financial and personnel items that the board said were needed to maintain county operations. The reappointments keep seats filled on the weed control, engineering, preservation and health boards and commissions; one conservation board vacancy was held for action at the next meeting.

The board opened the meeting by approving the agenda and then voted to approve claims in the amount of $1,281,015.12. The board next authorized the chair to sign a business resolution to remove Felicia Toppert and add Jessica Bobst as an authorized signer on a Visa account used by community services, a change staff said was required by the bank when the county closed that account as part of a bank change.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of agenda — motion passed (voice vote). - Approval of claims dated Jan. 6, 2025, $1,281,015.12 — motion passed (voice vote). - Business resolution to remove Felicia Toppert and add Jessica Bobst as an authorized signer on a community services Visa account — motion passed (voice vote). - Reappointment of Matt Schutt as weed commissioner for a one-year term ending Dec. 31, 2025 — motion passed (voice vote). - Reappointment of Andrea Bickford (registered engineer) to a three-year term ending Dec. 31, 2027 — motion passed (voice vote). - Appointment of Tom Allen to the Muscatine County Building Board of Appeals for a three-year term ending Dec. 31, 2027 — motion passed (motion by Jeff; second by Curt; voice vote). - Reappointment of Marsha Giro to a three-year term for the Conesville benefited fire district (Wiese and Muscatine) ending Dec. 31, 2027 — motion passed (voice vote). - Reappointments to the Historic Preservation Commission of Lynn Pruitt, Rebecca Allgood and Mary Beveridge to three-year terms ending Jan. 1, 2028; appointment of Michelle Elizondo to a three-year term ending Jan. 1, 2028 — motions passed (voice votes). - Reappointments of Corey Garvin and Brandy Olsen to the Board of Health for three-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2027 — motions passed (voice votes). - Acceptance of quarterly reported fees: County recorder $67,557.89; Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office (as recorded) $22,274.81; County auditor $225.75; County treasurer $773,933.46 — accepted (voice votes). - Approval of minutes of the Jan. 2, 2025 regular meeting — motion passed (voice vote).

Many of the appointments were brief. The board reappointed Matt Schutt as weed commissioner for a one-year term and reappointed Andrea Bickford, identified in the meeting as a registered engineer, to the county’s roster for a three-year term. The board appointed Tom Allen, described during the meeting as a private citizen, to the Muscatine County Building Board of Appeals for a three-year term. The board also reappointed members to the Historic Preservation Commission and the Board of Health and approved a reappointment for the Conesville benefited fire district that county staff said had already received approval from the Wiese County Board of Supervisors.

One item was deferred: the Muscatine County Conservation Board vacancy was reviewed (county staff read the applicants’ names: Dakota, Tristan, Dominic Jacobs, Mark Roberts, Jeff Snyder and Julie Plummer) and the board said it will take action on that vacancy at the next Monday meeting, giving the public an opportunity to comment.

The board accepted four quarterly fee reports covering the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2024: the county recorder reported $67,557.89; the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office reported $22,274.81; the county auditor reported $225.75; and the county treasurer reported $773,933.46. A board member asked a clarifying question about one of the reports during the meeting; the item remained on the consent/acceptance list and was accepted by vote.

The board adjourned after declining to receive public comment; no substantive public testimony was recorded during the meeting.