Lee County now has courthouse options

Possible courthouse closure

It will certainly not be a short process, but we will begin looking at it immediately to see what it will entail, including the cost savings.”

Tom Schulz, Lee County Supervisor

FORT MADISON – A bill signed into law by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will permit Lee County officials to consolidate court services in the county under one roof.
A 176-year old Iowa Act required Lee County, and only Lee County, to conduct criminal court hearings and clerk of court duties in both Fort Madison and Keokuk. The bill, Senate File 2442, was signed by Governor Kim Reynolds today and includes her priority of a 3.8% flat-tax rate.
Section 46 of the new bill specifically repeals the special law of 1848 that mandates two court systems in Lee County.
Lee County Chairman Garry Seyb said this is just an initial step in a long process.
"I’m just pleased that we're going to have the opportunity to affect our own destiny going forward. What that is remains to be seen," he said.
"At least the ability to make change has been placed in the board's hands. That change will be influenced by a myriad of people - district courts, public input, and cost savings, and everything that goes along with that."
Seyb said the county won’t be doing anything that will be an overnight decision.
"It won’t be on the agenda next week. It will be thoughtful and likely will take multiple years before a decision is made. There’s a lot to consider here as far as feasibility."
He said step one was getting the law changed and now a commission should be formed to look into the options the county has.
Tom Schulz, vice chairman of the Lee County Board of Supervisors, echoed Seyb's comments and said he was happy with the decision, but he said it will take a lot of diligence on the part of the board and the public to determine the best path going forward.
“We’re certainly happy the governor signed the bill and is giving us the authority to look into the possibility of consolidating our court service,” Schulz said.
“It will certainly not be a short process, but we will begin looking at it immediately to see what it will entail, including the cost savings.”
Schulz said other considerations have to include finding someone who might be interested in taking over the Fort Madison courthouse should they decide to close that facility.
Supervisors have indicated a preference to close the North Lee County Courthouse in favor of the South Lee County facility because that building is larger and could accommodate the 8th Judicial District recommendation of at least four jury-capable courtrooms.
“If  we can’t find someone to do that, it wouldn’t provide much (budgetary) relief if we have to continue to heat and cool that building.”
The county spent over a quarter of a million on the North Lee County Courthouse in 2022 including tuckpointing and retaining wall improvements. In 2023 that figure was $58,918 and this year through April the county has spent $36,501 on the courthouse.
The bill also includes a change in the state’s income tax to a 3.8% flat rate, which Reynolds indicated was a top priority of her legislative session.
“Since 2018, I’ve proposed, worked with the legislature, and signed four landmark tax reform bills, which not only set the stage for Iowa’s first ever flat income tax, but also eliminated taxes on retirement and inheritance income, cut property taxes, and made our code more friendly to farm families,” Reynolds said. 
 “And because of our conservative budgeting practices, it’s clear that we’re well-positioned to go further, faster which is why I proposed a fifth tax package this year. The bill I’m signing today allows the flat rate we enacted two years ago to go into effect in 2025, while reducing it yet again to 3.8 percent. The bottom line is that every Iowa taxpayer will experience significantly lower rates starting next year, and collectively, all the tax cuts we’ve enacted since 2018 will save Iowans more than $23.5 billion over a decade.” 
The governor signed a total of 40 bills on Wednesday to include a modification to the retirement calculations for sheriffs and deputy sheriffs, restricting bail for 1st-degree murder or felonious assault committed against public safety personnel.