(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday (Today), adopted a Resolution “Allocating [ARPA] funds to the Cass County Emergency Management Agency (EMA), for the Rural EMS Pilot Grant, in the amount of $25,000.” The grant comes out of the Lieutenant Governor’s Office. The State funds are contingent upon approval of a grant application. Cass County EMA Coordinator Mike Kennon explained how the grant funds would be used.

A part of the funds will be used to work with County Dispatch to geo-locate current trained EMS/Fire volunteers’ cell phones.

Supervisor Wendy Richter asked who will monitor the program. Kennon said a committee will be established, including Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett, who said the grant application is due this week.

Seven cities are applying for the grant. Grantees will be notified in June, if the application is approved. Garrett said the State has already purchased 30 AED’s, which will be divided among the grantees. The County – if approved – would have a chance to get additional Automatic External Defibrillators (AED), through certain, State-approved providers, if necessary. Supervisor Mark O’Brien said “No money has to go in with this application,” because it is contingent upon the County being accepted for the grant funds. Garret said adopting the Resolution and attaching it to a application is a “good faith” move.

In other business, the Supervisors received a quarterly update from Cass/Guthrie Environmental Health Director Jotham Arber, who such much of his department’s time over the past month was devoted to entering Well and Septic system data into their computer database. He said also, Perk tests are set to begin in May.

Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken updated the Board on Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities.

He said also, they’re hauling (road) rock in the Massena District, for driveway extensions, and so on. The Board held a Public Hearing on the proposed FY 2023-24 Cass County Budget, and, having received no comments, passed a Resolution to Adopt the Budget as presented and published the week prior in the assigned newspapers, along with the Certification of Taxes. They also approved by a vote of 4-to 1, a waiver of a $14 tax penalty for Valley Business Park property taxes, following an update from Supervisor Bernard Pettinger.

Mark O’Brien was the lone “nay” vote. And, the Supervisors acted to approve the appointment of Tabetha Smith, RN, as an additional medical examiner’s office investigator, at the request of Dr. Elaine Berry, and, Stephanie Witzman as a Civil Process Server. Supervisor Wendy Richter explained Sheriff Darby McLaren mentioned Witzman had served in the role before, and that it’s only fitting she step into the role once again.

The Board also approved the hiring of Hannah Richter as Accounts Payable/Elections Administrator, at a rate of $18/hour.