Pottawattamie County supervisors approve FY26–27 budget, $6M in bonds for public-safety communications and advance several road, zoning and project actions

Brian Shea was re-elected chair of the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors for 2026 in the organization session at the start of the year, and the board opened the year by delegating ordinary administrative authorities to the county engineer and staff and adopting Robert’s Rules for meetings.

The board approved technical resolutions giving the County Engineer authority to close secondary roads for construction or emergency maintenance, to issue special permits for vehicles of excessive size and weight, and to certify completion and final acceptance of secondary-roads contract work. County Engineer Andy Wicks presented those items and staff lists for permit authority, all approved by roll call.

A major financial decision reached in spring was the board’s authorization and sale of $6,000,000 in General Obligation Capital Loan Notes (Series 2026) to pay for peace-officer equipment and other emergency-services communications, including new radio towers, microwave links and console equipment. The board conducted statutorily required public notices and hearings, authorized the loan agreement and sale procedures, appointed UMB Bank as paying agent and registrar, and accepted the winning bid (Robert W. Baird). The levy schedule and related tax notices were adopted as part of the bond proceedings; the board also approved debt-service transfers and incidental administrative steps needed to close the financing.

On infrastructure, the board accepted a low bid from Western Engineering Company for HMA resurfacing on Tamarack Road (FM‑C078(213) – 55‑78) and authorized the county engineer to execute the construction contract. The board also approved several stop- and yield-sign control changes at county intersections to improve local traffic safety, and passed policy and funding motions to advance other Secondary Roads projects and the county’s five‑year program.

Land-use and development actions included multiple subdivision matters and zoning items. The board approved preliminary plats for Legacy Ridge Phase 1, Schultz Subdivision and Wonder Ridge Replat and took first consideration on an amendment to the county zoning map (Ordinance 2026‑02) to change a roughly 4.34‑acre parcel from A‑4 (Loess Hills) to C‑2 (General Commercial), with second consideration set for a subsequent meeting. The board also adopted a Construction Evaluation Resolution under Iowa Code §459.304(3) to evaluate confinement feeding operation permit applications using the state “master matrix.”

The supervisors granted preliminary approval, subject to final terms, for a development agreement with RWE Clean Energy, LLC regarding the Pottawattamie Wind Project; that vote passed on a split roll call with three ayes, one nay and one member absent. The board also discussed and later approved county inspector services contracts for pipeline oversight related to CO2 pipeline proposals.

Personnel and administrative steps taken across these sessions included appointment and reappointment of board representatives to regional bodies, approval of deputies and department hires, pay‑step adjustments and a general 3% salary increase for nonunion employees for FY2026/27, and the hiring of a new Finance and Budget Director. The board reviewed and adopted multiple proclamations and community-support items (including radon‑action, veterans, public‑health and other recognitions) and approved gaming‑fund grants and smaller community investments.

What’s next: several items remain subject to further review or final agreements, including the RWE development contract, final zoning ordinances where only first consideration was taken, and implementation details for the $6 million communications project. The board scheduled additional hearings and will appear on upcoming agendas for final approvals and contract signings.