Two Tama County Supervisor meetings have been held since last week’s paper — double the meetings, double the fun. The first was held on the morning of Friday, May 2.

This meeting had a few different agenda items, the most interesting being the acceptance of the resignation of Chris Behrens from his position as the interim planning and zoning administrator and weed commissioner’s. This comes just nine business days after he was appointed following the resignation of former zoning administrator and weed commissioner Bob Vokoun.

It was stated that Behrens did not have enough time in his schedule for the position, as he is also a fireman and the Tama County Sanitarian. The supervisors expressed their appreciation for what Behrens has done so far and then accepted his resignation.

The supervisors went on to appoint Laura Wilson as the interim zoning administrator and weed commissioner. Wilson was the only applicant in the time since Vokoun’s resignation and had been interviewed. The supervisors expressed their confidence in Wilson to do the job.

Also, at the Friday meeting, the supervisors appointed the outside counsel of Tom Henderson at the request of the Board of Adjustment, and authorized Chairman Mark Doland to sign the agreement. It was also mentioned that the Heartland Risk Pool had agreed to up to $25,000 for outside counsel in this matter.

A couple of days later, at the regularly scheduled Monday, May 5 meeting, the phrase on the supervisors’ tongues was mental health. Doland, a long-time mental health advocate, approved a proclamation making May Mental Health Awareness Month.

The proclamation starts off by stating that “Mental health is indispensable to the overall health and well-being of all individuals.” The proclamation is also filled with facts relative to the county’s issue of mental health. “There exists a ratio of 2,811 residents for every mental health care provider in Tama County,” is just one fact the proclamation states. The proclamation ends with, “NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Tama County Board of Supervisors, do hereby proclaim May 2025 as Mental Health Awareness Month in Tama County, Iowa, and urge our citizens, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, and educational establishments to recommit our community to enhancing awareness and understanding of mental health, reducing stigma and discrimination, and promoting accessible services for all.”

Doland talked more about the lack of mental health care in Tama County later in during the Supervisor updates section. Doland spoke of talking with the Board of Health about what the county needs. A co-responder program in the vein of the Marshalltown Police and Community Team (MPACT), where Doland previously worked as an advocate, is also in the talks of being started.

County Engineer Ben Daleske reported that they’ve been spot rocking and blading. The dust control list is currently being reviewed. Some guys were working on retrieving and spraying shoulders. The old shop, which had been reduced to a simple slab of concrete, has been removed, and they will work on getting the area levelled out.

The City of Gladbrook was approved for the reassignment of three tax certificates, they will pay 50% of the tax on all of the properties. The Heartland Insurance Risk Pool had representatives present to deliver a renewal presentation.

The supervisors adopted the amended land use plan, County Attorney Brent Heeren looked over the plan beforehand. A transfer of money from the Vienna Tax-Increment Financing (TIF) Fund to the Debt Service Fund was approved.

A public hearing for a FY25 budget amendment was set for June 2 at 8:45 am. Within seconds, the supervisors unappointed the previous 911 Director from the 911 director position and the Shared Area Radio Agreement (SARA) and appointed the new 911 Director, Jacob Reineke, in his stead.

The supervisors approved the setting of the Drainage District 1 assessment value. Two requests for bible readings on the courthouse lawn by the Tama Meskwaki Celebration Church were approved.

The supervisors renewed the dental and life insurance policies.