Linn County officials sworn in at premeeting ceremony

Judge Ian Thornhill administered oaths of office in a premeeting swearing-in ceremony for Linn County officials, who took the oath before the Linn County Board of Supervisors convened.

Todd Taylor was sworn in as Linn County auditor, followed by a group of deputy auditors. Sheriff Brian D. Gardner took the oath as sheriff and at least one deputy, Jared Colston, was sworn in. A county supervisor identified only as Brandy also recited the oath. The officials repeated the standard oath affirming support for the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Iowa and promising to discharge their duties as required by law.

The ceremony opened with an announcement that Judge Ian Thornhill would lead the swearing-in. Taylor and the deputies repeated the oath of office in sequence. When the sheriff and his deputies were sworn in, the oath similarly invoked support for the federal and state constitutions and the faithful discharge of duties in Linn County. The transcript records Taylor noting the group of deputy auditors and a county official mentioning there were four deputies for the auditor’s office present.

There were no recorded votes or policy actions during the ceremony; it was a formal administration of oaths. After the swearing-in, participants posed for photographs and the board’s regular meeting was scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m., as noted in the meeting record.

Details that were not specified in the public record include the sworn supervisor’s full last name and the full list of deputy auditors’ names. The ceremony included informal remarks and brief logistics about signing documents and photographs but no substantive policy discussion or board decisions were taken during the oath administration.