The Cass County Board of Supervisors held their first electronically shared meeting since the COVID-19 outbreak forced a change in the way meetings are conducted in Iowa, and across the country. Supervisor Steve Baier said the meeting via “Zoom” is the “new norm,” for the foreseeable future, as social distancing rules aim to curb the spread of the Coronavirus. That includes ironing-out the technical issues, such as audio drop-out. Baier assured residents of Cass County, that no services are being affected…they’re just being handled in a slightly different manner.

Some statewide services, as previously mentioned, have been suspended, but essential county services are still available. Most county services can be accomplished online, but if there is something that needs a signature or seal, or special document, please call the appropriate County office to make arrangements. In fact, a drop box for documents will be installed at the Courthouse, opposite the outside mailbox, beginning tomorrow (Wednesday). Place your document(s) in an envelope and make a note for which office it is intended for before placing in the secure drop box.

In other news, the Cass County Board of Supervisors approved the proposed FY 2021 County Budget, following a public hearing. A copy of the budget (as published) is available here: https://www.atlanticiowa.com/county/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/FY2021-Cass-Co-Budget-Hearing-Notice.pdf

They also approved the County Compensation Board’s recommendations for elected officers’ FY 2021 compensation. The Compensation Board recommend 2.9% increases for Auditor, Recorder, Sheriff, Treasurer and Supervisors, but the Supervisors reduced that to 2.1% across the board.

The FY2021 Secondary Roads and Cass County Budgets were then formally adopted, before Board Chair Steve Baier opened bids on the Cold Springs State Park road paving project. The low bid for the project, was $104,415.50, from Black Top Services, out of Humboldt. Two other bids, from Omni Engineering, of Omaha, and Western Engineering, of Council Bluffs, came in at $123,699.50, and $124, 846, respectively. A bid from Henningsen Construction in Atlantic, was the highest, at $162,518.25.

In other news from the Supervisor’s meeting, the Board tabled action on a resolution to appoint a Cass County Representative/Commissioner to SIRHA (The Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority).