Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Auditor Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Auditor outlines FY27 requests: $145,000 for election iPads, HVAC replacements and property-survey funding
Summary
Auditor staff presented FY27 budget items including $145,000 for iPad check-in replacements, incremental CIP contributions for tabulators and HVAC replacements across the courthouse (about $8,000 per unit), plus a proposed $10,000 planning/management line for property surveys; supervisors requested follow-up and possible budget amendments.
The county's auditor's office presented a range of FY27 budget requests and CIP proposals, including replacement of election check-in iPads (about $145,000), a scheduled tabulator replacement plan, and a phased program to replace aging HVAC units across courthouse buildings.
Speaker 2, presenting the auditor's packet, said elections costs rise with turnout and ballot complexity and that replacing the iPad check-in units would be roughly "$144,000, almost a $145,000," which she framed as a 10-year replacement schedule equivalent to about $15,000 per year. She also noted tabulator replacement is on the CIP schedule and that budgeting gradually for such capital items avoids a large one-time hit.
Supervisors raised questions about legal mandates and cost-effectiveness. Supervisor (Speaker 6) asked whether replacement is "legally mandated" and asked staff to verify any Secretary of State guidance or Iowa code that would require a 10-year replacement schedule. Auditor staff said they would research and bring back specifics.
On facilities, auditor staff proposed an initial FY27 program to replace a dozen HVAC units (out of 109 identified across courthouse facilities) and estimated unit replacement at roughly $8,000 each. Supervisor (Speaker 3) urged a larger, more aggressive replacement schedule and asked staff to cost options (top 12, top 20 or more), while staff agreed to amend the CIP if supervisors directed a higher FY allocation.
The auditor's presentation also proposed increasing a planning/management line from $3,000 to $10,000 to allow the county to fund upfront surveys or phase-1 studies on county-owned parcels that may be transferred or sold; Jeff (Speaker 7) said a specific parcel slated for tax sale currently requires a survey before title transfer and argued having a modest budget would enable faster, cleaner sales.
Other items noted: a planned CMMS implementation in March (estimated implementation cost ~ $1,500 for the courthouse), generator work scheduled for completion, and modest increases in ESRI software maintenance and training in the GIS budget.
Next steps: staff will verify legal guidance on election equipment replacement cycles, provide more precise HVAC/CIP costing options for supervisors to consider, and amend budget lines as directed before finalizing the FY27 budget.
