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21 Years When you choose Nationwide® Retirement Solutions for your SERVING thE 22 retirement plan needs, you’re couNty Years choosing a company that’s been dedicated to helping the public sector for nearly 40 years. you’re also putting 80 years of Nationwide strength and stability to work for your employees and their families. a+ rating (A.M. Best) • A1 rating SERVING publIc (Moody’s) • A+ rating (S&P) EmployEES, thaNkS to thE StabIlIty There’s a proven way to prepare of NatIoNwIdE® for and live in retirement. contact linda barber at 1-614-854-8844 [email protected] NRSforU.com/plansponsor The ratings and rankings above are accurate as of 12/16/11 and reflect rating agency assessment of financial strength and claims-paying ability. They are subject to change at any time and are not intended to reflect the investment experience or financial strength of any variable account, which is subject to market risk. Nationwide Retirement Solutions, Inc. and its affiliates (Nationwide) offer a variety of investment options to public sector retirement plans through variable annuity contracts, trust or custodial accounts. Nationwide may receive payments from mutual funds or their affiliates in connection with those investment options. For more detail about the payments Nationwide receives, please visit www.nrsforu.com. Nationwide Retirement Solutions and Nationwide Life Insurance Company (collectively “Nationwide”) have endorsement relationships with the National Association of Counties, The United States Conference of Mayors, and the International Association of Fire Fighters-Financial Corporation. More information about the endorsement relationships may be found online at www.nrsforu.com. The Iowa County Retirement Specialists2 are registered representatives of Nationwide Investment Services Corporation, member FINRA. © 2012 Nationwide Retirement SolutionsDecember Inc. All rights reserved. 2012 One Nationwide Blvd. Columbus, OH 43215. Nationwide, On Your Side and the Nationwide framemark are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. NRM-8969AO-NX (05/12) ISAC OFFICERS PRESIDENT The Iowa County Wayne Walter - Winneshiek County Treasurer December 2012 * Volume 41, Number 12 1ST VICE PRESIDENT Darin Raymond - Plymouth County Attorney 2ND VICE PRESIDENT The Iowa County: The official magazine of the Iowa State Association of Counties Harlan Hansen - Humboldt County Supervisor 5500 Westown Parkway, Suite 190 3RD VICE PRESIDENT West Des Moines, IA 50266 Melvyn Houser - Pottawattamie County Supervisor 515.244.7181 FAX 515.244.6397 www.iowacounties.org ISAC DIRECTORS Rachel E. Bicego, EDITOR Deb McWhirter - Butler County Assessor Peggy Rice - Humboldt County Auditor Features: Sarah Kaufman - Henry County Community Services President’s Year in Review Dan Cohen - Buchanan County Conservation Director Wayne Walter 4 David Morlan - Boone County Emergency Mgmt. Jim George - Dallas County Engineer Scott County 175th Anniversary Wayne Chizek - Marshall County IT/GIS Rachel E. Bicego 5 Kathryn Babcock - Chickasaw County Public Health Joan McCalmant - Linn County Recorder Legal Briefs Mike Balmer - Jasper County Sheriff Kristi Harshbarger 7 Richard Crouch - Mills County Supervisor Bret VandeLune - Polk County Zoning Capitol Comments Marge Pitts - Clay County Auditor (Past Pres.) Linda Hinton 8 Grant Veeder - Black Hawk County Auditor (NACo Rep.) Lu Barron - Linn County Supervisor (NACo Board) Technology Center Linda Langston - Linn County Supervisor (NACo Board) Gina Fontanini and Tammy Norman 10-11 ISAC STAFF ISAC Meetings William R. Peterson - Executive Director Stacy Horner 12 Rachel E. Bicego - Marketing/Comm. Coordinator Cindy Chappelle - Case Management Specialist ISAC Brief 13-15 Hanna De Groot - Public Policy Specialist Josh DeGroote - Program Support Analyst Affiliate Highlights 16 Deb Eckerman Slack - Case Management Services Mgr. Gina Fontanini - Program Support Coordinator Miscellaneous 17-19 Kristi Harshbarger - Legal Counsel Robin Harlow - Technology Project Manager NACo News 18 Linda Hinton - Government Relations Manager Brad Holtan - Accounting Manager Preferred Vendor Highlights 20 Stacy Horner - Meeting/Event Administrator Andrea Jansen - Program Support Coordinator Calendar of Events 22 Linda Kemp - Case Management Specialist Jenna Kunstle - Financial/Member Services Administrator Ashley Moore - Program Support Analyst Tammy Norman - Office Manager Jackie Olson Leech - Case Management Specialist Mindi Patterson - Receptionist/Administrative Assistant Sam Watson - Information Technology Specialist ISAC’s Mission: ISAC members are elected and appointed county officials To promote effective and responsible county govern- from all 99 counties. The Iowa County (ISSN 0892-3795, ment for the people of Iowa. USPS 0002-150) is published monthly by the Iowa State As- sociation of Counties, 5500 Westown Parkway, Suite 190, ISAC’s Vision: West Des Moines, IA 50266. Periodicals postage paid at Des To be the principal, authoritative source of representa- Moines, IA 50318. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to tion, information and services for and about county [email protected]. Subscriptions: $25 per year. government in Iowa. The Iowa County 3 December 2012 feature President’s Year in Review By: Wayne Walter Winneshiek County Treasurer and ISAC President This has truely been an exciting and interesting year to serve as The Mental Health and Disability President of our Association and there are plenty of highlights Services Redesign Bill, SF 2315, was to take note of. First though, any review of the year at ISAC passed and signed into law. As we know, must begin with a special note of thanks to the ISAC staff. This that does not mean the issue is solved. is a wonderful group to work with, from the Executive Director The MH/DS Interim Study Committee is currently working on through the entire staff. I cannot overstate how well this on unresolved issues such as whether or not the per capita levy staff functions, and I appreciate how much work they do for will work and what impact that levy will have on each county. our members. A staff that works this well together speaks well Since no property taxes will be increased, and 33 counties will of each staff member as an individual and is a compliment to have to reduce property taxes, the 2013 session will need to the leadership provided by the Executive Director. address some of these funding issues early in the legislative session. County officials need to stay in contact with their 2012 began with a busy month of January that included legislators through this process. attending the NACo Conference in Washington D.C. for State Association Presidents and Executive Directors. I enjoyed March continued with another successful ISAC Spring School the opportunity to share concerns for local government and of Instruction in Des Moines that was attended by more than learn how counties were adapting to change. Directors and 700 county officials from throughout Iowa. Of course, each state association presidents from all across the United States year at our March meeting we introduce our scholarship were able to share their experiences and discuss successes and winners and this year we had another wonderful group of high challenges they have faced. ISAC University was held the school seniors. These students are all sons and daughters of next week, January 18 and 19. For those who were fortunate county employees throughout Iowa. It is truly an honor to to attend, you know what an opportunity we had to hear the include them in our meeting agenda. Our meeting included a inspirational presentations from Big Ten Network Analyst variety of educational opportunities as well as some valuable Coach Zvosec, international explorer Charlie Witmack, social time that gives our members the opportunity to share social media expert Nathan Wright, Portico HR Owner Katie thoughts, problems and solutions with each other. Roth, etiquette speaker Collista Gould, and Fareway CEO Fred Greiner. If you think that lineup of speakers sounds In June our legislative district meetings included a discussion impressive, it was. But consider that our Keynote Speaker was of each district’s bylaws and the structure each of them chose Aaron Thomas, Aplington-Parkersburg High School Athletic to adopt for future district meetings. This item was included Director and Coach. Aaron spoke of the life and death of his as a topic for this year’s district meetings because there has father, Ed Thomas, and the courage his family found to deal been concern from some members about the status of officers with the tragedy of his death and how they found the strength from some districts and business (or lack thereof) that some to offer forgiveness and support for the family of the assailant. districts are involved in. Districts IV and V voted to elect This was an outstanding agenda by the ISAC staff. officers and adopt some version of bylaws for their districts to use for future business while our other districts voted to January continued with meetiings at the Iowa Capitol to present no longer have bylaws or district officers. Of course, these the ISAC Legislative Objectives to Senate and House leaders of decisions are subject to change in the future when or if the both parties and to Governor Branstad and Lieutenant Governor members of a respective district decide a different approach Reynolds. We had an opportunity to discuss issues such as Road is in order. Use Tax funding, commercial property tax and mental health and disability services