County to review property inventory

We should know what we have, we should know what it's costing us, we should know the services that are being provided so we can make valued judgment decisions on what we need moving forward.”

Tom Schulz, Lee County Supervisor

LEE COUNTY – County officials are going to take a closer at county properties and where some potential savings can be found.

At Monday’s regular meeting of the Lee County Board of Supervisor’s meeting, Lee County Auditor Denise Fraise brought up the issue as part of an agenda item to study county-owned properties and what they are costing and where the county could possibly divest

Fraise recommended establishing a committee made up of county employees Scott Edwards, Kirk Nafziger, Mark Klesner, Roslyn Garcia, Supervisor Tom Schulz, Cindy Renstrom, and Fraise, along with a representative of Farm Bureau.

Several county officials and employees met with members of Iowa Farm Bureau last week to discuss the EMS tax levy and how it will impact farmers. The EMS levy would increase property taxes by 75 cents/$1,000 of assessed valuation. That measure will be in front of voters on March 7.

Chairman Garry Seyb said out of that 2-hour Farm Bureau meeting came the idea of evaluating county properties, including maintaining two courthouses.

“I attended the farm bureau meeting and one of the questions they had on their list was the idea of county properties that aren’t on the tax rolls, but the county has to maintain and/or staff. Is there a way to consolidate those and why are we in the business of rentals or things like that.

Seyb said he thought that was a good question and started looking into county properties that could be potentially sold generating revenue for county coffers.

Fraise said they would look at Newberry and Heritage Senior Centers, the county’s two courthouses, and properties the county owns that are rented to low-income families through Housing Administrations. The county owns Lincoln Ridge and two sets of apartments in Keokuk, as well as several units in Fort Madison that the Fort Madison Housing Authority manages for them.

The County Attorney’s building in Fort Madison is also a property that will be reviewed.

The contract with FMHA is scheduled for review after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found some reporting issues associated with the agreement.

Board member Tom Schulz said a building inventory is something the county should have been doing on an ongoing basis and with a clear policy.

“We should know what we have, we should know what it's costing us, we should know the services that are being provided so we can make valued judgment decisions on what we need moving forward,” Schulz said

Board member Matt Pflug said the county should move carefully when it comes to county seniors.

The senior centers provide social services and meals for the elderly. Supervisor Ron Fedler said they do provide a service and those need to continue.

“This puts it out there for the public domain to look at. I’m sure there will be articles written about it at some point with the media reporting on it,” Seyb said.

Milestone Aging out of Burlington makes the meals for seniors in Fort Madison and Keokuk, the county just provides the space for the services.

“I don’t think it hurts to take another peek at things,” Pflug said.