Dallas County supervisors adopt tax abatement, opioid grant award and bridge plans; three rezoning first readings set

The Dallas County Board of Supervisors met May 19, 2026, and took a series of administrative and land-use actions, adopting a state-authorized tax abatement, approving use of opioid-settlement funds for a local nonprofit project, authorizing bridge repair plans and bid letting, and approving first readings of three rezoning ordinances.

Chair Julia Helm and Supervisors Kim Chapman and Brad Golightly unanimously approved Resolution 2026-0065 to abate $6,587.00 in real-estate taxes and penalties on parcels owned by the Van Meter Community School District under Iowa Code Section 445.63. County Auditor Todd Halbur attested to the resolution.

The board adopted an amended Resolution 2026-0057 to fund WesleyLife’s Home and Community Based Services project for $58,116.43 from the county’s opioid settlement funds account, which the record shows contains $479,732.32. Health Department Director Suzanne Hegarty told the board the amendment corrected earlier dates in the resolution but did not change the project or amount. The Opioid Settlement Oversight Committee will collect and share quarterly reports from funded parties, the resolution states.

The board also authorized Resolution 2026-0067 approving plans and specifications for repairs to the 360th Street (F90) Raccoon River Bridge and the Raccoon River Overflow Channel Bridge and authorized the City of Van Meter to conduct a bid letting on June 25, 2026. County Engineer Al Miller said work will be staged one lane at a time with traffic signals and that the Booneville Bridge is scheduled to be closed from Dec. 15, 2026, through March 15, 2027.

On energy and contracting, supervisors adopted Resolution 2026-0066 to enter into a geothermal consultation and services agreement with Afton Energy LLC, authorizing the chair to sign the contract and directing staff to pursue grant opportunities associated with a geothermal system for the Secondary Roads Administration addition.

The board conducted public hearings and approved first readings for three separate rezoning requests, each with planning and zoning staff recommending approval. At the Bushnell rezone hearing, Josh McGill urged denial, arguing the soil productivity (CSR) data cited in the staff report relied on older surveys (1998 and 2000). Vic Piagentini of Associated Engineering presented aerial imagery and described portions of the site as residential farmstead. The board approved the first reading of Ordinance 2026-009 (Bushnell), and set second readings for May 26, 2026. The board similarly approved first readings and set second readings for Ordinance 2026-008 (Frampton rezone) and Ordinance 2026-007 (Painted Prairie rezone).

During the open forum Auditor Todd Halbur presented a certificate to Kyrsten Cable for winning the county 'I Voted' sticker contest; Julie Stanger raised a drainage concern and shared photos she said show a plugged county drainage tile causing flooding on her property. Jacob Hagan of AgriVia recommended annexing Dale Meyers’s parcel into Drainage District #25; the board adopted the annexation and classification as presented, noting seven acres of Meyers’s 34.61 acres will remain in Drainage District 12.

The board approved routine items including payroll disbursements, temporary liquor licenses, manure management reports and drain claims, accepted a payroll change to hire Madison Evans as a part-time EMT at $20.98/hour (effective March 8, 2026), and approved the supervisors’ minutes from May 12, 2026. Chair Helm shared a letter noting a positive jail inspection. The meeting adjourned at 10:36 a.m.

Votes at a glance: - Resolution 2026-0065 (tax abatement — Van Meter Community School District): adopted, unanimous (Helm, Chapman, Golightly). - Resolution 2026-0057 (amended — opioid settlement funding to WesleyLife, $58,116.43): adopted, unanimous. - Resolution 2026-0066 (Afton Energy geothermal agreement): adopted, unanimous. - Resolution 2026-0067 (Raccoon River bridge plans/specs; authorize bid letting): adopted, unanimous. - Ordinance 2026-009 (Bushnell rezone) — first reading approved; second reading set for May 26, 2026. - Ordinance 2026-008 (Frampton rezone) — first reading approved; second reading set for May 26, 2026. - Ordinance 2026-007 (Painted Prairie rezone) — first reading approved; second reading set for May 26, 2026.

Next steps: second readings for the three ordinances are scheduled for May 26, 2026; the bridge projects will proceed to public bid letting on June 25, 2026. The Opioid Settlement Oversight Committee will provide quarterly reports on funded projects as required by the resolution.