Madison County supervisors said they will begin budget work sessions early to study where cuts could be made and to prepare if the Iowa Legislature imposes limits on property‑tax increases.

Board members said department budget documents have been delayed and using last year’s budget as a starting point could help the board identify areas to trim. During discussion one supervisor said legislators are considering a flat cap on property tax increases (referred to in the meeting as a "2% cap"), which would reduce local revenue flexibility and make earlier planning necessary.

The board also discussed two outside presentations it wants to schedule during the work sessions. One is from a professional grant‑writing and research firm to identify and pursue larger grants; supervisors debated fee structures typical in the private sector and discussed switching from ongoing annual contracts to a model that charges an upfront procurement fee and then takes compensation from awarded grants rather than charging the county annually.

The second proposed presentation is an IT assessment through ISAC to review the county’s network and cybersecurity posture. A supervisor said third‑party assessments could identify gaps and recommend budget items to harden systems, noting local governments are increasingly targeted by bad actors and small counties often lack dedicated cybersecurity staff.

Scheduling and logistics
Supervisors discussed potential dates and times for initial sessions, with some members preferring late‑day or evening slots to accommodate schedules. The board agreed to circulate several date/time options and to coordinate with outside presenters to find an available slot. Supervisors also debated trying one evening meeting as a test to increase public participation, with staff availability and employee scheduling identified as concerns.

What the board asked staff to do next
- Confirm available dates and circulate possible times for budget work sessions and vendor presentations.
- Research REAP and other grant programs the county has not recently pursued and report back on opportunities.
- Arrange a potential ISAC IT assessment presentation and provide cost estimates if available.

The board did not finalize budget numbers at the meeting; it set a process for follow‑up work and asked staff to return details and availability for vendor presentations.