Winnebago County approves resolution to authorize Title VI submissions, flags ADA review

Winnebago County supervisors voted to authorize the county auditor and engineer to submit updated Title VI policy and assurance documents and to complete an accompanying ADA review of county facilities.

The resolution, introduced during the meeting and approved by voice vote, delegates execution of the paperwork to county staff so annual formal updates will not be required whenever the board chair changes. Unidentified Speaker 5, presenting the item, said the county recently had a Title VI review by the Iowa Department of Transportation that “went pretty well,” but the DOT recommended preparing an ADA plan that inventories needed accessibility improvements such as sidewalk ramps in small towns under county jurisdiction and potential courthouse shortcomings.

According to the presenter, the ADA plan is intended to identify where upgrades are needed and to ensure required improvements are included when projects use federal funds; for example, sidewalk ramp upgrades would typically be required on resurfacing projects that receive federal funding and related ODOT clearances. The resolution was moved and seconded as recorded in the meeting minutes and the board approved the delegation to named staff to sign the documents.

The action does not itself fund any ADA retrofits; it authorizes staff to submit the Title VI documentation and to prepare the ADA review that will guide future project-level compliance and upgrades. The county said it will follow up on the DOT recommendations and incorporate the findings into project planning and grant clearances.

Next steps: staff are authorized to execute the Title VI policy and assurance documents and to develop the ADA plan; the county expects to use the plan when planning resurfacing and other projects that may trigger accessibility upgrades under federal funding rules.