By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors met May 6 in regular session. As part of the consent agenda, the supervisors approved payroll status changes for Jerri Christman and Alexi Steiner. Both have been part-time employees in Public Health and are moving to fulltime status.

As he had the prior week, County Engineer Josh Sebern addressed the supervisors regarding the Five-Year Construction Plan.

“We talked about three of them last week; this is the fourth, for the active projects that will be going on,” Sebern said.

Sebern told of a bridge to be replaced near the intersection of Monteith Road and Tank Avenue.

It’s a bridge currently; we’re going to replace it with a box culvert,” Sebern said. “Estimating $400,000.”

The supervisors approved the funding agreement with Iowa DOT for the project.

Discussion was held regarding a request for the county to send a letter of support for some programs provided through New Opportunities.

“I did have a conversation with Chad, the New Opportunities executive director,” Board Chair Maggie Armstrong said. “Funding has not yet been pulled, but perhaps there’s writing on the wall. These programs are the partially federally funded programs.”

Armstrong explained that New Opportunities is requesting each applicable county to send a letter of support in hopes of averting cuts to programs, including LIHEAP, Head Start and Weatherization Assistance.

“We’re talking about our low-income heating program, Head Start, some really fundamental programs that we have a ton of utilization in Guthrie County,” Armstrong said.

Supervisor Brian Johnson voiced his position on the matter.

“I’m going to vote against this, and I want to make it very clear it’s not that I don’t support these programs, but we’re reminded every day that this is what people voted for, and it seems a bit gratuitous to try to play both ends against each other, but I fully support these programs,” Johnson said.

The supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of the letter of support.

Armstrong recommended the supervisors spend time at the next meeting prioritizing items for the 2025 Strategy & Project Plan.

“We can take some time to group things, what are some low-hanging fruit, what are some things that are going to take more time and effort,” Armstrong said.

The supervisors meet regularly Tuesdays at 9 a.m. The public is welcome to attend in person or via remote technology. To join remotely, call 323-792-6123, then use meeting code 547029216#.