The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), approved a Fiscal Year 2014 Rural Transit System Joint Participation Agreement with SWIPCO (the Southwest Iowa Planning Council). The annual agreement counties pay remains unchanged from the last fiscal year, at $6,000. The Board however tables action on the abatement of taxes on a property owned by the City ofAnita. Cass County Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall requested the matter be taken up again next week, because the legal process is not finished. She said the Supervisors should not agree to an abatement unless they are “Signed-off on by the Treasurer.”Marshallsaid she was not ready to do so because she needs to conduct an investigation because the City ofAnitafiled a 657A.10A petition with the court to claim title to an abandoned property. The matter went through the court, and there was a tax sale, so she needs to do some checking. 

The Supervisors approved a County budget appropriations adjustment (changes in spending authority) for a decrease in the General Basic Fund, Capital Project department, by $7,000, and a related increase in the Conservation Capital Improvement Fund by $7,000. Conservation Director Micah Lee explained the move allows his department to expend funds it received in the current fiscal year in the form of a grant, for some new equipment designed to clear the trails and other areas. He said they applied and received a grant they hadn’t budget for, therefore there were not enough funds in the budget to cover the purchase of a Utility Terrain Vehicle – UTV and rotary broom. The grant check has already been received and deposited, so the simple transfer of funds would allow the Conservation Dept. to pay for the machines. The budget would then be amended at the end of the fiscal year. 

And, Cass County Engineer Charles Marker reported to the Board the Secondary Roads Department is in the process of hauling contract rock to various locations in the County from the outlying quarries, for use on long sections of roadways. Contract rock is not intended for filling smaller holes, or projects.