Polk County supervisors voted unanimously to approve an agreement with the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) to contribute to an amicus brief in lawsuits affecting county zoning and also approved a separate agreement with legal aid.

Two public commenters urged the board to support item 46, the ISAC agreement. Peg Rasmussen, who identified herself as a Polk County resident and farmland owner, said Polk County should help cover legal fees for Shelby and Story counties and "recognize that together we're stronger" as rural counties face efforts she described as trying "to take away local control." Another speaker, who identified only as Jess, told the board Summit Carbon Pipeline has sued counties that pass zoning ordinances designed to limit pipeline siting and said protecting zoning authority matters for Polk County and neighboring communities.

The board discussed the item briefly and approved the resolution by roll call. All five supervisors present — Holm, Hawkinsmith, Connelly, Altringer and McCoy — voted yes. The meeting record shows the resolution as agenda item No. 46; supervisors also approved agenda item No. 47, an agreement with legal aid, on the same roll call.

Why it matters: The vote commits Polk County to join a broader statewide effort to defend local zoning authority in litigation that petitioners argue could restrict counties' land-use powers. Supporters told the board the issue affects future infrastructure projects and local choices about siting.

What the board did not disclose in the meeting record: The resolution and public comments did not include a dollar amount for Polk County's contribution toward the amicus brief or details on the scope of the legal-aid agreement. Those funding details were not specified during public testimony or the board’s discussion.

The board later moved into a closed session on litigation strategy; no further public deliberation on the ISAC item occurred during the open meeting.