Pella — Following the swearing in ceremony Wednesday morning, for Marion County officials elected in November, the Board of Supervisors held its annual organizational meeting. Supervisor Jim Kingery, who was just reelected to a second term, was chosen by his fellow Supervisors, Craig Agan and newcomer Mark Raymie, to serve as the 2013 chairman. Agan, who is entering the third year of his first term on the board, was chosen to serve as vice-chair.

The supervisors broke tradition when setting its meeting schedule. For years, meetings were held Monday mornings. Regular board meetings in 2013 will be held the second and fourth Tuesdays at 9 a.m.

Agan and Kingery felt the change would allow staff and officials to be better prepared for meetings. Instead of holding a meeting, immediately after returning to work after a weekend, they will have an extra day to gather information and otherwise prepare for the board meetings.

Official County Newspapers

Marion County must select official newspapers each year for public notice. This year, the board received requests for designation from the Knoxville Journal-Express and Pella Chronicle, both of which were named official papers.

The supervisors can designate up to three newspapers for this. Marion County News, based in Pleasantville, did not submit a request for designation this year and was not named an official newspaper.

Depositories

Each year, the County designates its official depositories (banks) for County funds, and sets limits on each account. There was discussion between the supervisors and Treasurer Denise Emal regarding the accounts, and ultimately, the supervisors maintained the same accounts and levels previously held.

Farm to Market Roads

County Engineer Roger Schletzbaum was authorized to execute certification of completion of work and final acceptance thereof for Farm to Market road construction projects. Schletzbaum said this is an annual designation that allows him to administer these projects. The Iowa Department of Transportation allocates funding to Marion County for these projects, and he is in direct communication with the DOT.

Weed Commissioner

Schletzbaum was also appointed Marion County Weed Commissioner, a position he has traditionally held. Raymie raised the question as to why this falls on the Engineer, and not someone with the Conservation Department or another enforcement agency. Conservation officers are certified law enforcement.

Agan explained that the Secondary Road Department, overseen by Schletzbaum, has necessary equipment to handle weed control. Weed issues often occur near roads as well.

Issues for the Weed Commissioner will likely be more prevalent in 2013, according to Marion County Attorney Ed Bull. This is because more attention was paid to the issues in 2012 and will continue.

“Ed's already been heavily involved with this,” Kingery said.

Planning and Zoning Administrator Missy Poffenbarger indicated that Chapter 41 of Marion County's code book indicated that the ultimate responsibility for weed control fell upon the supervisors and the County Attorney. Bull said he would consider delegating weed control responsibilities to Assistant County Attorney Ben Hayek.

As for Schletzbaum, he has already planned to send notification letters, to those who had weed issues in 2012, in March. The supervisors reappointed him weed commissioner by a vote of 2-1, with Raymie voting against the appointment.

Other supervisors' notes:

• Approved official holidays for the year without changes.

• Appointed Steve Edwards as Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator. Edwards has served in this position for years and will receive the same monetary stipend as last year ($2,000).

• Approved Marion County Sheriff deputy, and reserve peace officer, appointments.

• Authorized Sheriff Jason Sandholdt as the administrator for the Marion County Law Enforcement Center.

• Appointed Schletzbaum as the designated County representative for Federal DOT drug and alcohol testing. Employees of the Secondary Road Department must have Certified Driving Licenses and are subject to random testing. No one failed the tests last year.

• Approved various supervisor appointments to outside boards and commissions. They are as follows:

-Capstone, Agan

-Fifth Judicial District Advisory Board, Raymie

-Heart of Iowa Regional Transportation Agency, Kingery with Raymie as alternate

-Red Rock Community Action, Raymie

-Mental Health Institute Advisory Board, Kingery

-County home board, all three supervisors

-Area Aging Resources Board, Kingery

-FEMA Advisory Board, Raymie

-Emergency Management Commission, Raymie

-Heartland Resource Conservation and Development, Agan

-Des Moines River Greenbelt Commission, Agan

-Department of Justice, Courthouse Security Advisory Board, Raymie

-Child Welfare Decategorization Program Executive Board, Kingery

-Whitebreast Watershed Association, Agan, with Jim McCoy as alternate

-Pella Planning and Zoning Commission, Agan

-E911 Board, Raymie

-South Central Iowa Solid Waste Agency, Agan, Raymie as alternate

-SE Iowa 28E Contracting Consortium, Kingery

-Pella Area Development Corporation, Agan

-Empowerment Board, Kingery

-Central Iowa Regional Housing Authority, Agan

-Marion County Courthouse Security Committee, Raymie