[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6164126,"mediaKeyId","5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2","parentId",5431310,"title","Supervisors keep courthouse storage shed, direct $10,000 in improvements and reopen south entrance","audioSeconds",659,"startMs",153000,"endMs",812000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2&start=153&end=812","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2/thumbnail_153000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6164126/Osceola-County/Iowa/Supervisors-keep-courthouse-storage-shed-direct-10000-in-improvements-and-reopen-south-entrance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164126-aeab9b470d01c429b6dab8d1a786c63c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093049&Signature=gaJFvR8b1KuC~cxxi9CvfAu19og7v6jJd4Zq33jB5Gd8NsUV8VkX1wqPIEsIJfFbR~HIQ2VLNXslZSQrBHp39A7g0IT6SxzFdDB8ad~3jSN-sFVG2HT6sIXllswxCcan-fYlVjaubK1mB3BFmAQXapO-3B3l~N8cKg-~rFg4BfQhOPy2m1X2h2fcEOsP~JggTqRBP20rF06axFoWkjZkDnnpRhF~CQp27EiQ-D4U6sDEHD2ahkCT-v4VXqsVt3oaGyVUwEyvZVvJJrXxHyrlAe8DguzMiMt35N19GYEiF1sh0pnioC1K6DbRnlLFzFctbDnAx5muJJ8QTXFjeSVhmg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Osceola County, Iowa","date","2025-07-20T08:16:14.823Z","article","The Osceola County Board of Supervisors on June 24 voted to keep a small county storage shed near the courthouse and approved steps to improve its appearance and utility rather than tearing it down.

Commissioners discussed the condition of trees on the courthouse grounds and estimates to repair a storage shed that had previously been scheduled for removal. County estimates presented during the meeting included about $4,300 to put steel on a shed’s roof and sides and a roughly $10,000 all‑in figure to repair and make the building presentable. One supervisor said the new larger building cost about $61 per square foot, making repair of the smaller shed more economical.

Commissioner Jerry Helmers moved to rescind the earlier intent to remove the building and to proceed with improvements; Loring supported the motion and the board approved it by voice vote. Board members credited county employees and volunteers — including Reggie and others mentioned in discussion — for recent grounds work.

The board also voted to reopen the courthouse’s south entrance for public use, noting the entrance may need to be temporarily closed for a day or two when nearby construction requires it. Supervisors asked for signage to direct people to accessible entrances and to notify users if short closures are needed during work.

Separately, the board approved a $3,200 deep‑clean carpet/floor service (sales tax excluded) for courthouse floors after staff requested the work. Commissioners discussed frequency of floor maintenance and agreed to return to a more regular cleaning schedule.

Why this matters: The decisions preserve county storage capacity, avoid demolition costs, and balance facility use during ongoing construction work at the courthouse while authorizing modest spending to improve appearance and functionality.

What supervisors noted: Trees on the south end will be assessed for viability, and the county will consult arborists or contractors as needed. The board asked staff to obtain contractor contact information to move forward with repairs and signage.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOS Meeting 6/24/25","oneSentenceSummary","After discussing trees and storage needs, the board rescinded a prior motion to remove a storage shed, approved repairs (approx. $10,000), agreed to keep trees under review, authorized reopening the south entrance and approved a deep‑clean of courthouse floors.","taxTitle","taxId",52056,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6164131,"Board adopts amended drainage assessment and approves multiple fiscal resolutions",556,2372000,2928000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2&start=2372&end=2928","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2/thumbnail_2372000.jpg","/articles/6164131/Osceola-County/Iowa/Board-adopts-amended-drainage-assessment-and-approves-multiple-fiscal-resolutions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164131-0cdccbae227a2c1b6ac6497bfa790fae/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093049&Signature=LmCBylEiilvCmBFRNXJYh~xcRdWRgGSYl9l34F1s0GBWdcYDXoViRca-V3yp9669u58fr5iRQmv~e-q-r0SYZtWWX5ZKgtJsp6YeWCPWACEhYjqmxRcashcdmbqqkRBzcdzHYeeFCATa9xVquPw7EmI5zhHCV~1zLEFUUOSUQutWFnZnoJ8lG0-OVCEhig6gzHl0Oi1ztahvVVHVk8V1ifPWogWHt0MlLA6eVaNN1oO0ndJjrvdYYljjGYaOQMgzZ-vdTDa3W~WL~jKmLkBizf6qmwvhXbNA0zuMizDcreOr~wAXpp~LMAbKinRZNHCC5Cahwoapm~94-VBZ7Fbs-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Osceola County Board of Supervisors on June 24 approved an amended drainage assessment for Drainage Ditch 39 and adopted several fiscal resolutions for the next fiscal year, including an interfund loan to support the ambulance/EMS fund.

County staff said a state law requiring a $5 minimum assessment on parcels caused the projected fund balance for Ditch 39 to exceed the board’s target when the assessment percentage was set at 2.5 percent. To restore the fund to the board’s intended balance, supervisors voted to reduce the assessment percentage to 1.5 percent while leaving the $5 statutory minimum in place.

“We figured it'd be, like, a dollar eighty‑two they would have to pay, but the law says it's $5,” a county official explained. That $5 minimum, applied across many small parcels, raised the projected ending balance from the intended $2,500 to about $3,500 at the higher rate, staff said; the reduced rate is intended to bring the fund back in line.

Supervisors also approved routine resolutions to set fiscal year 2025‑26 appropriations and personnel compensation items, adopted a weed‑destruction order and approved an interfund loan to cover EMS payroll and claims. The interfund loan requires repayment by June 30 and was described as a short‑term measure while EMS builds reserves; supervisors noted EMS may need additional bridge amounts into the next fiscal year.

Motions for the drainage amendment and other resolutions were made and carried by voice vote. Commissioners asked staff to confirm the distributional effects of the drainage change because some property owners will still pay the $5 minimum while others will see smaller percentage assessments.

Why this matters: changes to drainage assessments affect local property owners’ annual charges and the county’s maintenance fund balances; interfund borrowing supports public safety services while reserves rebuild.

What to expect: staff will finalize assessment notices and proceed with the approved budgets and interfund loan documents.

","Supervisors reduced the assessment rate for one drainage district after minimum‑charge effects raised the fund balance, and they approved budget and interfund loan resolutions for the coming fiscal year.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6164136,"Supervisors approve jail pay application after trimming disputed equipment charge",751,3929000,4680000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2&start=3929&end=4680","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2/thumbnail_3929000.jpg","/articles/6164136/Osceola-County/Iowa/Supervisors-approve-jail-pay-application-after-trimming-disputed-equipment-charge","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164136-dd0cd355ee57adc6639a2e0e2c3bf5b1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093049&Signature=aqD6XMflWqPo0Kke3Xo~y~GGp0QkDaKSoSfxz6sFRRDgE1MiX8r36ZLL4qd0IhCajfUHIU1Nsxa1todlBI2-M6oQefpChLjWcwJdOLf093isN05dZd7pOoPimvzDpmsCZQHBKZE8AW4n~YVPRRSkpnpNHPYvYQRbAc~5~DJYAcK6C6E~5NWy6lkzsuBCT1RW9HewMdbLKo1T938xkq15H8mQy9MCPhKG8m2Zr6-2mEUvn-NGy9ZN7yFpj5OvFG7ubtNBNpQEhC~wb1Wtu956Gu~fMQZMF-RBo90xMzii-z9cace~0TmlmxYL7Am4TLUh9g2tSCLyeQXe6aKSgz7wMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Osceola County Board of Supervisors on June 24 approved a construction pay application for the county jail project after negotiating the removal of one disputed equipment reimbursement and flagging other line‑item concerns.

Commissioners voted to approve the pay application with a downward adjustment, removing the pallet‑jack reimbursement and setting the approved payment at $456,121.15. The motion was made by Mike Schulte and supported by Loring.

Supervisors and the county’s construction consultants discussed several claims that appeared in the pay application, including charges for portable toilets and a pallet jack. Board members questioned why some items tied to the construction work appeared on regular claims and whether sales tax had been paid on equipment that should have been tax‑exempt. One supervisor asked for tax‑exempt documentation before reimbursing certain charges; others recommended simply removing the sales tax amount from reimbursement if the contractor could not show an exempt purchase.

Project representatives said some contractors did not submit bills on time, which increased the current pay application because invoices from more than one month were included. The board also discussed whether short‑notice crane work and other contractor scheduling issues could prompt change‑order claims; supervisors indicated they would scrutinize change‑order requests that were driven by contractor logistics rather than owner‑directed changes.

After discussion, the board directed staff to withhold the specific disputed pallet‑jack reimbursement from the pay application and approved the remainder. The board declined to withhold broader contractor payments and asked construction staff to follow up on tax‑exemption receipts and the invoicing sequence.

Why this matters: The pay application represents a sizable draw on project funds and the county’s monitoring of contractor invoices and change orders affects budget management for the jail project.

What happened next: The board asked staff to verify whether the claimed portable toilets and equipment are properly billed through the construction contract or should be processed as separate claims; staff agreed to check vendor receipts and the project’s invoicing history.

","The board approved a $456,121.15 pay application for the county jail project after removing a contested pallet‑jack reimbursement and noting portable toilet line items and tax‑exemption questions.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":56,"_68":69,"_70":56,"_71":72,"_73":72},6164141,"County approves renewed agreement for county mental‑health advocate as state shifts to ASO system",584,897000,1481000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2&start=897&end=1481","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5431310-7564318f608c4c9d6645d9cec79de7c2/thumbnail_897000.jpg","/articles/6164141/Osceola-County/Iowa/County-approves-renewed-agreement-for-county-mentalhealth-advocate-as-state-shifts-to-ASO-system","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6164141-605b571400ecc33ac8a15c751ef3a99e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771093049&Signature=HYTdgrhl2SC9gAemxnnf7uzkzKoRAcOQwYJHh30oJbOteuQS-3cMdI2-3WiCu6sXhosm-FLFMESKnlH18RXKVHtnJ-WL21OJnsAlOtvzTzfYWoR1EmvPfntLBflN8ghij50MddsWiwm~HQg9T75DuanT~Mt~ITIL5OYnsS79PyWmWETpvI-xOAWEUYdgdbcNXJPl~MqzJERG3D09EPj3TCpV~KC2rireJmH-f7zDZd4ZES5WBdo255UD13CnELVzhcY-bJ8DuZJgv55DFFM5oobJNotxMqMHsWHTWrdvB~bJPWUAX8Yq08Lhwx38rhAMVHkip1jGTm1eUnkTSfg9GQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Osceola County Board of Supervisors on June 24 approved an intercounty agreement to retain Abby Wallin as the county’s mental‑health advocate as Iowa changes how mental‑health services are administered.

Wallin, who said she has “been the mental health advocate for Osceola County for almost 10 years,” told supervisors that the state’s mental‑health and disability service regions are being replaced by district models using an administrative service organization (ASO) and a disability assistance program (DAP). She said counties remain required to appoint an advocate and that her employer of record is O’Brien County.

The agreement formalizes a shared service arrangement in which O’Brien County will bill the ASO for Wallin’s services and, if needed, front her salary for a short period. “O’Brien County does have enough money built into our budget to front my salary for 3 months,” Wallin said, adding that counties could budget small amounts to cover timing gaps if they choose. She also said the ASO will use the Your Life Iowa system to dispatch local navigators, but local contacts will remain available.

Supervisors asked how billing and reimbursement would work once the ASO takes over. Wallin said state guidance from HHS and the Iowa Primary Care Association had not been finalized as of the meeting date and that O’Brien County agreed to bill on behalf of participating counties to simplify accounting. She said that under the proposed arrangement the cost should not ultimately come out of each county’s coffers because the ASO is expected to reimburse O’Brien County, though O’Brien may need to front funds temporarily.

Commissioner Jerry Helmers moved to approve the agreement; the motion was supported by Mike Schulte and carried on a voice vote. The board asked Wallin to provide contact information for clerks and magistrates and to remain the local point of contact during the transition.

Why this matters: county advocates act as court‑appointed liaisons for people subject to involuntary commitment orders; changes in statewide administration and billing could affect how small counties secure and fund those services.

What supervisors noted: Wallin said Osceola’s caseload is light — “I think right now, maybe I only have 1 case here” — but that individual cases can be significant and require coordination with judges, attorneys and providers. The board and Wallin agreed that sharing services across counties is more practical than hiring a local full‑time advocate for a small caseload.

The agreement was approved without amendment.

","The board approved an agreement to continue sharing a mental‑health advocate across counties and clarified how state reorganization will change billing and reimbursement beginning July 1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Supervisors keep courthouse storage shed, direct $10,000 in improvements and reopen south entrance

Board adopts amended drainage assessment and approves multiple fiscal resolutions

Supervisors approve jail pay application after trimming disputed equipment charge

County approves renewed agreement for county mental‑health advocate as state shifts to ASO system