The Marshall County Commissioners handled a variety of items during their meeting this week.
There were a couple of acres of property behind David’s Courage, the former Shady Rest property on Lincoln Highway east of Plymouth that wasn’t transferred to the organization when the commissioners did the warranty deed in 2018.
Greg Erickson President of David’s Courage spoke with Commissioner Kevin Overmyer about the property that hasn’t been part of the farm lease and said the organization would like to use it to create a bigger garden and in the future the possibility of providing small individual housing for men who complete the program but can’t find a place to live.
The County Commissioners unanimously approved a quit claim deed to give the property to David’s Courage.
County Auditor Angie Birchmeier presented the County Commissioners with the year-end 2023 Statement of Revenues and Expenditures. The county collected $117,721,306.97 and last year’s expenditures were $122,377,264.43. The auditor told the commissioners that they are not required to accept or approve the report, she just wanted to share the information with them.
The commissioners approved the 2024 County Attorney contract with Jim Clevenger. Clevenger said the contract remains the same, but the hourly rate has increased. Commissioner Overmyer said the previous hourly rate was $175 an hour, which it has been for several years. The new contract rate is $250 an hour although the retainer remained the same.
Also approved by the County Commissioners was change order #1 for the Priority Projects Owner Occupied Housing Rehab Grant. A home in Argos and in the program was found to still have knob and tube electric wiring. The change order to rewire the home was an additional $2,712. The amount keeps the home’s improvements within the $25,000 maximum allowance.
The commissioners also approve an ordinance amendment to the personnel policy pertaining to the sick bank. Because the commissioners have gone to self-funded insurance the current Sick Bank Board, made up of county department heads and employees is being disbanded and the county commissioners will make the decisions on sick bank use. The HR Director said due to confidentiality the commissioners need to handle the issue. The commissioners approved the amendment on all three readings.
