Jacob Buchanan, the Tama County Economic Development Director, with contest victor Bob Kienzle and the framed winning photo. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS

This week’s Tama County Supervisors meeting had a contentious start as the public comment section got spirited with the reading of a two page statement. Local citizen Adam Todd read a statement touching on road conditions and an offhanded comment made by Supervisor Curt Hilmer at the last meeting.

At that meeting, when a local citizen made a complaint about the roads, Hilmer talked about the number of gravel roads that are in Tama County and the amount of work and time that goes into maintaining them. While he was speaking on this issue, Hilmer said, “If you don’t like it, move to town.”

In Todd’s two-page statement, he talked about the roads.

“They are not roads. They are creek beds.” As well as, “The ditches are the safest place to be in flash floods because all the water will be on the road,” he said.

Todd addressed Hilmer’s comments by shaming him. Todd then went on to talk about how much he pays in taxes and threatened a tax revolt.

Bob Kienzle’s winning photograph of the 2026 Flag Day photo contest. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Later in the meeting, Supervisor David Turner spoke about addressing the concerns of those who complained at the last meeting. Turner stated he drove over 70 miles of gravel road in his district and hadn’t seen too big of a problem at the time of his drive. When he did come to a road he encountered that had significant problems, Turner stated he saw a Roads Department worker resolving the issue.

In another roads-related topic, this week’s roads department report stated that they are ditching as well as regular blading and doing maintenance and spot rocking.

Continuing down the road with the topic of roads, the Supervisors decided to go back to everyone in the roads department being on five eight-hour days instead of having some on four-ten days and some on five-eight days. After much concern from some of the supervisors about allowing four-ten-hour days, which has been the custom in the past, it was agreed at a previous meeting that as long as everything was covered, those employees who wanted to work five-eights would, and those who wanted to work four-tens would.

According to a report from Supervisor Curt Kupka, this plan has proven unmanageable as the foremen are working 48 hours to manage the workers, and employees are not doing what they are supposed to, with some of the workers just sitting in the shed till the wee hours of the morning for unknown reasons.

Jacob Buchanan, the Tama County Economic Development Director, presented the supervisors with the framed winning picture of the 2026 Flag Day photo contest. The supervisors picked the winner a few weeks prior, and the picture will be mounted on the wall in the annex. The photo was taken by Bob Kienzle. The location of the photo was the Garwin Union Cemetery Veteran Memorial Stones.

Reorganization was the other big item at this week’s meeting as Chairman Mark Doland made a statement about no longer having the time to dedicate to being the supervisor chairman. So, Doland made a motion to make Supervisor Heather Knebel the chair of the supervisors. The motion passed, and Knebel became not only the first female elected to the Tama County Board of Supervisors, but the first female Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Chairwoman Knebel made this statement.

“I am truly humbled, honored, and thankful for the opportunity to be Tama County’s first chairwoman. As we begin a new fiscal year this week, I am reminded of the importance of public service, of working together, and of doing what is best for the people we represent. With America preparing to celebrate its 250th birthday, it is an incredible time to reflect on who we are, where we have been, and the responsibility we all share in helping shape the future. It is truly an amazing time to be an American and an Iowan,” she said. “I want to sincerely thank my fellow members of the Board of Supervisors for placing their trust in me to lead our meetings. I look forward to working alongside each of you with respect, dedication, and a shared commitment to Tama County.”

Doland was made Vice Chair. The supervisors approved a resolution designating the location for the posting of the Board of Supervisor Meeting agendas.

Money not spent from Conservation was approved to be transferred in order to save for future projects. Union and law enforcement contracts were approved.

It was approved to reappropriate funds from the auditor’s budget to Veteran Affairs and Relief Services. Nancy Smith was appointed to the Tama County Board of Adjustment.

Jim Niebergall was appointed to the Tama County Zoning Commission. Claim totaling $333,658.08 and Health Fund Claims totaling $1,079.17 were approved.