Humboldt County supervisors reorganize leadership, set mileage and meal rates, approve appointments and routine resolutions

Rick Peterson and Bruce Reimers were elected chairperson and vice chairperson of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors during the board’s organizational meeting, where supervisors also set recurring administrative policies, approved committee and board appointments and adopted a series of routine resolutions.

The board approved an annual schedule and housekeeping items that supervisors said streamline county operations. The supervisors set their weekly meeting time for 8:30 a.m. each Monday, reaffirmed courthouse hours as 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (except holidays), and added that offices should remain open during courthouse hours unless a scheduled staff training requires an office to close. The board also designated the Humboldt Independentist as the county’s official newspaper for 2025.

Why it matters: The meeting established the county’s leadership and standard administrative policies for the year, including travel reimbursements and meal allowances that affect county employees and officials who travel on county business, and it filled dozens of volunteer and statutory appointments that ensure county programs and intergovernmental relationships continue to operate.

Most significant decisions and administrative changes

- Leadership and governance: The board appointed Rick Peterson as chairperson and Bruce Reimers as vice chairperson for 2025. The board also adopted Robert’s Rules of Order as the meeting procedure for board operations.

- Weekly meeting schedule: Supervisors approved holding regular board meetings at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, except on holidays.

- Mileage policy: The board set the county mileage reimbursement at 5 cents below the federal rate on a recurring annual basis (the board noted that this year the change sets county mileage at 65 cents per mile). Supervisors recorded that the rate will be updated annually to remain 5 cents below the federal rate; members asked when the change takes effect and were told it begins July 1 (as discussed in the meeting).

- Per diem (meals): The board approved a per diem of $70 per day to cover non‑alcoholic breakfast, lunch and dinner, and noted the per diem includes tips.

- Courthouse hours and training exception: The board affirmed courthouse hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday except holidays, and revised the motion to explicitly permit office closures for required staff training while keeping the courthouse open whenever possible.

- Official newspaper: The Humboldt Independentist was named the official county publication for 2025.

Appointments and staffing actions

Supervisors approved a broad slate of committee and advisory appointments, reappointments and officer appointments for 2025, including: county lead commissioner (Mike Carpenter), medical examiner designation (Dr. Benjamin Paul), death investigators (John Nissen and Kenny Borland), emergency management director (Kyle Bissle), 911 director (same appointee noted in meeting), and veterans affairs appointments. The board also reaffirmed membership for the conservation board and reappointed Kurt Paper to the Veterans Affairs Commission through December 31, 2027. Supervisors discussed conflicts of interest and abstentions when members serve on multiple boards and asked the county attorney’s office to confirm rules where necessary.

Committee assignments were adjusted across supervisors; during the meeting the board noted the distribution of appointments by supervisor, and supervisors confirmed they would circulate the final lists and meeting schedules to appointees. Board members noted that many of the county’s volunteer boards require active members and urged the public to consider serving.

Resolutions and routine administrative approvals

Supervisors adopted several standard annual resolutions and administrative authorizations, including: - Resolution 2025‑01‑01: authorizing the county engineer to execute certificates of completion and final acceptance for federal/state aid construction projects (roll‑call recorded as unanimous in the meeting). - Resolution 2025‑01‑02: authorizing the county engineer to close roads as needed (routine emergency/maintenance authority). - Resolution 2025‑01‑03: construction evaluation/master matrix items tied to manure management reporting (county process discussed in meeting). - Resolution 2025‑01‑04: authorizing the county auditor to issue warrants and perform other routine fiscal delegations. - Resolution 2025‑01‑05 (named depositories): naming Northwest Bank, Bank Iowa and the Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust as county depositories.

Supervisors also approved the precinct election official compensation schedule used for county elections and other annual housekeeping items handled by the auditor’s and engineer’s offices.

Discussion highlights and procedural clarifications

Supervisors discussed a number of clarifications during the meeting: that the per diem covers three meals and tips but excludes alcohol; that mileage will track federal changes with the board’s stated 5‑cent offset; and that office closures for training should be announced in advance and not be taken for “the whim of an elected official.” The group also discussed the need to review the county personnel policy handbook annually and to confirm conflict‑of‑interest rules when supervisors serve on other boards.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment of Rick Peterson as chair and Bruce Reimers as vice chair — approved (motion carried). - Set regular meeting time (Mondays at 8:30 a.m.) — approved. - Mileage reimbursement set to 5¢ below federal rate (65¢ this year) and made recurring annually — approved; effective date discussed as July 1. - Per diem $70/day (three meals, non‑alcoholic, includes tips) — approved. - Courthouse hours 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Mon–Fri with training exception — approved. - Humboldt Independentist named official newspaper — approved. - Reaffirmation and appointment of numerous committee/board members and county officers (including lead commissioner, medical examiner, death investigators, emergency management and 911 directors) — approved. - Resolutions 2025‑01‑01 through 2025‑01‑05 (engineer certificates/farm‑to‑market, road closures, construction evaluation/master matrix, auditor warrants, depositories) — approved (2025‑01‑01 recorded by roll call; other resolutions carried by motion). - Precinct election official compensation schedule — approved.

What’s next

Supervisors asked county staff to circulate the finalized committee appointment lists and meeting schedules to appointees and to place a proposed change of title for the veterans affairs director (to “administrator,” to allow non‑veterans to fill that paid position) on a future agenda. The board also noted it will check with the county attorney on conflict‑of‑interest rules for supervisors who serve on multiple appointed boards.

Ending

The board adjourned after completing the organizational business and routine resolutions for the new calendar year.