Posted 4/6/2009 by E.J. Giovannetti

PolkCounty has been awarded a$3 million Lead Based Paint Hazard Control Grant from the U.S. Department ofHousing and Urban Development.  Thethree-year grant will provide funding to conduct lead repair work in 206housing units in Polk and DallasCounties.  The program will involve assisting low incomefamilies with children under the age of six. Although this project encompasses all of Polk County,special targeting will be placed on zip code areas with very high socioeconomicand environmental risk factors.  Thisgrant is the largest ever received by the Polk County Health Department andallows us to leverage existing resources and commitments to address leadpoisoning in our community by repairing more homes.  But most importantly, we will be able tosignificantly reduce the number of children who are lead poisoned.

Childhood lead poisoning has adverse effects on nearly allorgan systems in the body.  It isespecially harmful to the developing brain and nervous systems of childrenunder the age of six years.  At very highblood lead levels, children can have severe brain damage or even die.  Children’s intelligence, hearing, and growthcan be affected at blood levels as low as 10 micrograms per deciliter.  According to Polk County Health Services,lead poisoning is one of the top causes of mental retardation in children inour county.

Statewide, the prevalence of lead poisoning among childrenunder the age of six years is 7%.  Thisis more than four times the national average of 1.6%.  In PolkCounty, the prevalence oflead poisoning among children under six years averages 4% but can be as high as14% in some zip code areas.

Lead poisoning is 100% preventable by addressing the hazardsin our housing stock.  Remedying leadhazards is a long-term strategy which requires the community to prioritizetheir housing rehab funding streams to target families with children under theage of six who reside in homes built before 1978 (the year lead paint wasbanned from residential use). 

In 2006, the Polk County Board of Supervisors approved a newhealth regulation aimed to eliminate the dangers of lead paint in the county’saging homes.  The new ordinance providedfor the inspection and correction of lead based paint hazards in locationswhere children test positive for elevated blood lead levels. 

The HUD funds will serve as a catalyst to dramaticallyincrease the scope of our work. Thirty-four partner organizations have committed over $5 million infunding or in-kind services for education, outreach, relocation costs, and homerepairs.  The organizations contributingfunding resources include the Polk County Board of Supervisors, City of Des Moines, HOME, Inc.,Neighborhood Housing Finance Corporation, Polk County Housing Trust fund, USDARural Development and the Region XII Council of Governments.

The HUD Grant alone is not nearly enough to eradicate theproblem but is a great step forward.  Weare hopeful that through our successful administration of this grant,additional federal dollars will become available allowing us to continue ourremediation efforts at this new accelerated level. 

We look forward to hearing from you.  If you would like to visit regarding this orany subject, please call me at (515) 286-3119 or email me at egiovan@co.polk.ia.us.  

Posted 11/17/2008 by E.J. Giovannetti

I am overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the good people of Ankeny, Grimes, Johnston, and Urbandale on the Polk County Board of Supervisors. Representing such vibrant communities for the past six years has given me great pride. Likewise, the support and trust that you have shown me, especially during this campaign, leaves me humble. I am eager to begin forging a new road with you, both my constituents and all citizens of Polk County, to address the challenges we will face over the next four years.

As we discussed during the course of the campaign, the recent economic downturn will intensify the need for County services and will test our efforts for economic development. We must continue to develop solutions in a cost effective manner and be vigilant in resisting tax increases. Our communities will need to work even more closely together to attract new residents and businesses, growing the tax base.

Whether at your door or a community event, I have heard many of you boast with pride about the quality of life in central Iowa. I am committed to working with all of you, not only to protect, but to enhance that way of life. The Board should continue to assist worthwhile civic, cultural, and youth groups with small community betterment grants. In turn, because of your willingness to volunteer your time to these organizations we are able to continue to provide various opportunities which enhance our local community.

There continues to be court space needs which have been a topic in our community for months. At the moment, we continue to look at buildings we presently own to determine the most cost effective manner of addressing those needs. Closely linked to the courthouse discussion is future planning for the County Convention Complex. Could that building be used for court space? What is the county’s role in providing convention space? How can we best protect our investment in the Iowa Event Center? These are very immediate questions demanding an answer that does not include property tax increases.

Now that the campaign season is over, your TV’s will be less noisy, your mailboxes less full, and you can again eat dinner without the phone interrupting. But for these minor annoyances, campaigns serve an important purpose as more people take an active interest in the issues and decisions affecting them. Local government is made better by your engagement.

As I have said many times, please do not hesitate to contact me by phone at 286-3119, email me at egiovan@co.polk.ia.us or visit my website, www.voteej.com. I will not miss the political calls either, but I sincerely hope that you will continue to contact me with your questions, concerns, and ideas because that makes me a better public servant.

Posted 10/31/2008 by E.J. Giovannetti

Dear Friend,

By now I am sure you have received dozens of mailings, phone calls, and seen more than a few campaign ads on TV. Sometimes to cut through the clutter you need to get back to the basics. I am writing you today because I thought you might appreciate a simple letter that answers this simple question: Why should you vote for me for county supervisor?

Great changes have come upon us since I began my campaign this spring, more so than most years. In tough economic times, local government can expect to see an increased demand for assistance with housing, food, clothing, and jobs. Simultaneously, one might expect a decrease in property values which would tend to shrink the tax base. Therefore, the County must define its mission, those it serves, and prioritize its response.

It is in these times when local government can do the most for its citizens. We must continue to attract new business to grow the tax base and keep property taxes low. We must be innovative and efficient with tax dollars, encouraging partnerships between communities so more can be done with less. And we must ensure that local government is always open and accountable.

There are multiple issues facing us that will require the vision of an experienced leader to solve. In addition, the citizens of Polk County deserve more than the usual campaign rhetoric, they deserve results. I am the only candidate with a proven record of all three, vision, experience, and results.
 
Some of you may have noticed that, recently and sadly, my opponent has decided to move toward a negative campaign skewing several facts instead of focusing on the issues. I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to a few of these unfounded attacks.

There has been discussion regarding the County’s use of River Place (the renovated Target building on Euclid) and lack of due diligence. First of all, competent and qualified engineers certified in advance that that building was not in the 100 year floodplain, hence, no flood insurance could be purchased. Water damage to River Place during this summer’s historic floods was covered by our existing insurance and even the deductible was covered by FEMA. The county did not have to spend a single dime to repair water damage to River Place.

Approximately a year ago, the Supervisors did, in fact, increase the property tax rate. That increase served multiple purposes. Initially, the Sheriff had represented and the Board accepted that his office would be able to pay the first $5 million of debt service on the bonds of the new jail. That, however, did not come to pass, and it was necessary to raise rates for the county to be able to meet its bond obligations. For the county to not take action would clearly have been irresponsible. Subsequent to that, the County secured a Triple A bond rating, probably the only Triple A rating by any county in the state.

Although folks would like CITEC go away, comments have been made about my supporting a grant of $250,000. Let me underscore that CITEC approached the Board of Supervisors once a year for 3 years requesting that amount. The first two years, I voted against the grant on the basis that I did not believe that that agency was operated in a cost effective manner. It was not until the last year, and only then after several assurances from a colleague that the agency was operated properly, did I vote in favor of a grant.

There continues to be a great deal of discussion regarding Community Betterment Grants. As a matter of fact, I responded specifically to such an inquiry made by the Ankeny Press Citizen. That response appears on this site in the Blog section. Very few of the grants exceed $3,000, and go to civic, educational, and cultural activities. At the time Prairie Meadows was founded, a great deal of discussion took place regarding improving quality of life with monies from gaming such as is used in the Community Betterment Grants. At the time that I took my position on the Board of Supervisors, there was no real system of accountability. One of my first acts as supervisor was to enact stringent protocols for the disbursement of these grants and require recipients to detail how the grant money is spent. I believe that the Community Betterment Grants serve the purpose for which gaming reserves were intended, and provide much needed funding to organizations such as the Ankeny Historical Society, Prairie Ridge Foundation, Grimes Little League, House of Mercy, Lutheran Social Services, DMACC, Adult Day Centers, etc

I am asking for your vote and I want you to feel confident giving me that vote. Please visit my website, www.voteej.com, for more details on the issues facing Polk County and their solutions.

In these final days I will need your help getting this message to your friends, family, and neighbors. I hope you might take a few convenient minutes and invite them to consider voting for me on Tuesday, November 4th.

I continue my open door policy. As always, feel free to contact me about any issue at 697-4236 or through my website, www.voteej.com.

Thank you for your consideration, I am,

Very truly yours,


E.J. Giovannetti

Posted 10/29/2008 by E.J. Giovannetti

Why do you believe you should be elected as Polk County supervisor?

The citizens of Polk County deserve a local government that is responsive to their needs, manages their tax dollars prudently and anticipates future challenges, including quality services to the needy, dependable public safety, reasonable economic growth and one that maintains a beneficial quality of life for all its citizens.

I am asking the voters of this district for the opportunity to continue to serve them. I believe county government can operate in a business like manner, be fiscally sound, while responsive to future challenges. I feel my approach of combining management skills with compassion provides the kind of leadership needed. I will use both my life experiences and my knowledge of the county and local government issues to work for positive results.

For years folks in Polk County have enjoyed a quality standard of living at a reasonable cost. In order to maintain that, we must continue to search for ways to deliver quality services for the same or fewer dollars. Raising property taxes would place us at a competitive disadvantage, as well as being an additional burden on taxpayers.

Demands on County government will unquestionably increase, requiring a rational business approach, including working with our areas’ cities. I will continue to take steps to ensure a vibrant business community, responding to economic circumstances in an effective way. We must maximize our efforts toward reasonable economic growth, growth that will expand our tax base.

My approach as supervisor has been to make myself available to listen to the concerns of the people I represent. I have attended hundreds of local events in the past five years including meetings of city councils, Chambers of Commerce, civic, cultural, and professional organizations. Their insights into community issues in this district have been invaluable.

Since becoming a supervisor I have worked diligently with city leaders throughout my district. Multiple projects are evidence of that, such as a $30 million joint sewer installation, serving the cities Ankeny and Polk City. This project makes hundreds of acres available for development while also giving many existing residents access to sewer they currently don’t have.

The Prairie Ridge Athletic Fields, a project I coordinated the Ankeny city leaders, will give thousands of young athletes a convenient and safe place to play sports.

I will continue to meet with community members, business leaders, and attend community meetings through out the district. I am proud of my ongoing dialogue, not only with city officials within the district, but those outside as well. It is only by that type of listening and thoughtful approach that we can be successful as government leaders.

I will continue to work hard to earn your vote on November 4th.

Posted 10/22/2008 by E.J. Giovannetti

What is your position on Community Betterment Grants?

The community betterment grant program is designed to give financial support to non-profit organizations that provide cultural, recreational, educational and human needs services to our citizens. Each year, $125,000 is allotted for distribution by supervisors to organizations within their districts. It is important to note that these grants are funded with gaming revenues from Prairie Meadows. None of the monies allocated for any of these grants whether community betterment grants, community development grants, or economic development grants represent tax revenues.

A majority of the functions that county government performs are human services, assisting those citizens who have slipped through cracks. In the 2nd Supervisor District, which includes the cities of Ankeny, Grimes, Johnston and Urbandale, there is relatively low demand for these types of services. Aside from roads and other infrastructure, community betterment grants represent a large portion of the direct benefits that the district receives. These monies go to agencies and organizations that may not otherwise be eligible for grants from Prairie Meadows.

I believe that these grants truly make a difference to volunteer and non-profit organizations such as Prairie Ridge Sports Complex, Ankeny After-Prom Committee, Ankeny Parks and Recreation Department, Ankeny Tennis Boosters, Ankeny Historical Society, Ankeny School District Foundation and the Ankeny Substance Abuse Project. Furthermore, agencies such as House of Mercy, Lutheran Social Services, Iowa Homeless Youth Center, Central Iowa Shelter and Services and others vital non-profit organizations that benefit.

There frequently is discussion regarding accountability of these grants. When taking office in 2003 I persuaded the board to put in place specific guidelines monitoring the requests and accounting for use. An applicant is required to provide information about project goals and targeted beneficiaries, financial contributors, project budget, and the organization’s officers before a grant is made. After receiving an award, grant recipients must provide the Board with an annual status report. The report includes pertinent information that demonstrates the accomplishment of the grant’s stated purpose and a copy of the organization’s latest audited financial report. Reports are required to be submitted each year until the grant proceeds have been exhausted or the project has been completed.

If these grants were funded with tax dollars, I would have a real problem. However, again, these dollars are not tax dollars but rather gaming revenues designated for these purposes. Furthermore, most of these grants are under $5,000, so not a great deal of money goes to any single organization or agency, yet grant recipients are able to stretch each dollar to provide the maximum benefit to their communities. I am proud to be able to provide this unique funding opportunity to community service organizations dedicated to enhancing the quality of life throughout our county.

Posted 10/15/2008 by E.J. Giovannetti

Given the state of the economy, what impact do you see it having on Polk County Government and how would you deal with it?

The United States is facing some unprecedented economic challenges. Each night on the news, Americans get a crash course in obscure financial terms and see dollar figures that are nearly unfathomable. More and more of the people I represent are asking me what effects this crisis will have on Polk County government.

Uncertain economic times inevitably lead to an increase in demand for many services that the county provides. Much of the County’s obligations are to people with special needs and those who have fallen through the cracks. The Department of Community, Family, and Youth Services provides financial assistance for food and shelter to families and the elderly. This department also administers congregate meal sites for seniors that provide social and recreational opportunities. Demand for these services is already increasing and a financial downturn would only add to it.

Any increase in regional unemployment would raise the demand for county public and mental health services. The Board also participates in the Polk County Housing Trust Fund which provides low to moderate income housing to those who qualify. In light of the number of foreclosures, it is reasonable to expect higher demand for these housing options, needless to say the number of homeless may well increase.

While addressing these demands, the County must continue to make every attempt to expand the tax base by incenting communities to work in coordination to bring in new development and spark economic growth. This will be imperative because a decline in budget revenue will occur should property values fall. Combining efforts to build roadways, airports, sewers, and other infrastructure will more efficiently grow the base across which costs can be spread. By working together to tackle these challenges we can minimize the impact on taxpayers.

It is more important now than ever for the County to prioritize and focus acutely on its core services, concentrating on those areas that federal, state, and city authorities do not address. This would include a businesslike approach to the county budget, exercising caution toward new projects and holding the line on spending. Polk County residents will be watching their own budgets and spending habits closely. I believe that the County, and other governments, needs to do the same. Polk County should fully expect to operate on the same or less money than the previous fiscal year.

The Board of Supervisors will be faced with many tough decisions over the coming months and years. These times cry out for leadership to clearly define our purpose, discipline in our use of tax dollars, and experience to ensure we stay one step ahead of the challenges to come. We must find new ways to do more with less while still honoring our core missions of service excellence and enhancing the quality of life of the citizens we represent.

Posted 1/1/2008 by E.J. Giovannetti, Polk County Supervisor, 2nd District Supervisor

On January 2nd, the Polk County Board of Supervisors voted to accept the recommendation of the Polk County Courthouse Project Team in the selection of the Option 5a courthouse plan prepared by SVPA Architects, Inc. and HDR Architects regarding the future space needs of the courts. The plan includes the full use and renovation of the historic courthouse and construction of a new court facility on County owned land immediately south of the present site. The 297,812 square foot structure developed on half of the site will allow for much needed parking and future expansion. The option selected also includes a planning horizon to 2028 at a 2009 construction cost not to exceed $127 million dollars.

After fourteen months of research and review, the Board is satisfied that the project team and architects have looked at a myriad of possibilities and this option appears to be one that provides for the current and future needs of the courts while fully utilizing the existing courthouse. The option accepted came from the review of many scenarios and is actually a hybrid of the options reviewed.

A total of seven options were considered and evaluated:

• Option 1 - All new 7 story court building – Cost $162 million, this option was rejected because it was too costly and did not utilize the historic courthouse.
• Option 2a - New 7 story court building & restoration of the historic courthouse – Cost $180 million, this option was rejected because it was too costly and did not fully utilize the historic courthouse.
• Option 2b - New 6 story court building & restoration of the historic courthouse – Cost 172 million, this option was rejected because it was too costly and did not fully utilize the historic courthouse.
• Option Wellmark Building & restoration of the historic courthouse – Cost $172 million, this option was rejected because it only met today’s needs, no room for expansion, still required leased space, did not fully utilize historic courthouse and placed courts in three locations.
• Option 3 – New 8 story court building & restoration of the historic courthouse – Cost $132 million, this option was rejected as it did not fully utilize historic courthouse
• Option 4 – New 4 story court building & restoration of historic courthouse – Cost $105 million, this option was rejected as it did not fully utilize the historic courthouse, left courts in leased space, placed courts in three locations, planned expansion up to 2012 which would be the time construction was to be completed.
• Option 5 – New court building & restoration of historic courthouse – Cost $123 million, this option rejected the historic courthouse, left courts in leased space, planned expansion to 2012 which would be the time construction was to be completed.

Posted 10/1/2007 by E.J. Giovannetti, Polk County Supervisor, 2nd District

For one hundred years, the Polk County Courthouse has stood as a majestic historic structure anchoring the Court Avenue District. Built in 1906 to house county administrative offices and four court rooms, the courthouse now is home to 30 full time and 7 part time judicial officers. The very age of the building presents a multitude of challenges to the safe and efficient operation of the Courts. Security issues include a lack of secure holding facilities for those in custody awaiting trial. Juvenile court is conducted next to a criminal court. Family courts are located on the fourth floor where children play in an area where accused and victims of domestic abuse await court hearings. Clearly, additional space and better arranged space is needed, with appropriate barriers between persons of risk and citizens seeking access to the courts.

In September of 2006, the Board of Supervisors retained SVPA Architects, Inc., in association with HDR Architects to review the current condition of the courthouse and conduct a study of court space needs. The findings of SVPA/HDR indicate a courthouse that has been under stress for the last 50 years. The results of the study reveal three major issues of concern:

• Lack of space
• Security and functional deficiencies
• Life safety problems

1. Build an all new court facility to the south of the existing courthouse (on land owned by the county) that would accommodate all court needs and remodel the existing courthouse for a use not directly related to the courts at a cost of $184 million dollars.
2. Remodel the existing building to accommodate some courts and court related functions and build a smaller new court facility at a cost of $180 million dollars.

Posted 1/11/2007 by By E.J. Giovannetti, Polk County Supervisor, 2nd District

I am pleased to announce an award to Ankeny from Polk County. The $50,000 award will go toward the construction costs at the Prairie Ridge Sports Complex. This award ensures Ankeny of adequate funding.

Polk County currently has three grant programs available to the community, the Community Betterment Grant Program, (CBG), the Community Development Grant Program, (CDG) and the Economic Development Program. All these grant funds come from revenues the county receives from Prairie Meadows.

The CBG Program provides grants to non-profit organizations that provide cultural, recreational, educational and human needs services to our citizens. Each year, community agencies and organizations throughout Polk County submit requests for the grants. Last year, $500,000 was distributed. Of course there are more requests than dollars available. In 2006, over $1.6 million in requests was received. Applications for 2007 awards will be accepted December 1 through February 28, 2007 with grants awarded in late April/early May.

Community Development Grants (CDG) are designed for requests in amounts that exceed $5,000 for non-economic development projects or programs consistent with the county mission. Requests for funding amounts at or below $5,000 should be made through the Community Betterment Grant process (see Polk County’s website: www.co.polk.ia.us).

The Economic Development Program is funded on a case-by-case request basis and provided as a complement to State and City incentive packages. Polk County’s goal for economic development is to provide sound jobs and increase the tax base.

In order to be fair to all applicants, I encouraged the adoption of a standard set of criteria so that entities seeking grants have standardized guidelines to follow. On June 27, 2006, the Board approved the Community Development Grant policy and procedures. Besides the standardized guidelines, procedures were established to minimize the risk of improper use of local funds.

It is easy to get confused about the dollars that are available to grantees from Polk County. $15.6 million dollars is received from Prairie Meadows in lease payments annually. Additionally, Polk County receives an annual profit sharing payment of $4.4 million. Per Polk County’s agreement with Vision Iowa, all of this revenue must be used to fund the Iowa Events Center as payment on those bonds. To date, the County has deposited $13.4 million of this revenue into a reserve fund for grants/expenditures of an on-going nature. Examples include distributions to the City of Des Moines and various school districts ($1.7 million in FY 06/07; increasing to $3.1 million in FY 07/08), Community Betterment Grants ($0.5 million) and a 5-year commitment to fund Drake Stadium renovations ($0.2 million/year). The balance of this reserve fund is $4.3 million as of December 31, 2006.

There has been significant growth occurring within District 2. Since redistricting in 2000, the numbers in the five districts have shifted to the west and northeast. This district started the decade with a population of 74,736. It is estimated now that over 94,000 persons live in Ankeny, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, and adjacent unincorporated areas. I have been working with local officials to see how the County can help to accomplish the cultural and entertainment amenities that enhance growing cities.

One of my goals as your representative on the Board of Supervisors is to enhance the quality of life in this area for years to come, so that our children and grandchildren will have a safe place to live with cultural and recreational opportunities that will meet the needs of our growing population.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions. If you wish to visit with me, please feel free to call me at 286-3119 or by e-mail: egiovan@co.polk.ia.us.

Posted 1/9/2007 by By E.J. Giovannetti, Polk County Supervisor, 2nd District

I am pleased to announce an award to Urbandale from the Polk County. The $25,000 award will go toward the new Urbandale Memorial Garden project. This award ensures Urbandale of adequate funding.

Polk County currently has three grant programs available to the community, the Community Betterment Grant Program, the Community Development Grant Program and the Economic Development Program. All these grant funds come from revenues the county receives from Prairie Meadows.

The CBG Program provides grants to non-profit organizations that provide cultural, recreational, educational and human needs services to our citizens. Each year, community agencies and organizations throughout Polk County submit requests for the grants. Last year, $500,000 was distributed. Of course there are more requests than dollars available. In 2006, over $1.6 million in requests was received. Applications for 2007 awards will be accepted December 1 through February 28, 2007 with grants awarded in late April/early May.

Community Development Grants (CDG) funding is designed for requests in amounts that exceed $5,000 for non-economic development projects or programs consistent with the county mission. Requests for funding amounts at or below $5,000 should be made through the Community Betterment Grant process (see Polk County’s website: www.co.polk.ia.us).

The Economic Development Program is funded on a case-by-case request basis and provided as a complement to State and City incentive packages. Polk County’s goal for economic development is to provide sound jobs and increase the tax base.

In order to be fair to all applicants, I encouraged the adoption of a standard set of criteria so that entities seeking grants have standardized guidelines to follow. On June 27, 2006, the Board approved the Community Development Grant policy and procedures. Besides the standardized guidelines, procedures were established to minimize the risk of improper use of local funds.

It is easy to get confused about the dollars that are available to grantees from Polk County. $15.6 million dollars is received from Prairie Meadows in lease payments annually. Additionally, Polk County receives an annual profit sharing payment of $4.4 million. Per Polk County’s agreement with Vision Iowa, all of this revenue must be used to fund the Iowa Events Center as payment on those bonds. To date, the County has deposited $13.4 million of this revenue into a reserve fund for grants/expenditures of an on-going nature. Examples include distributions to the City of Des Moines and various school districts ($1.7 million in FY 06/07; increasing to $3.1 million in FY 07/08), Community Betterment Grants ($0.5 million) and a 5-year commitment to fund Drake Stadium renovations ($0.2 million/year). The balance of this reserve fund is $4.3 million as of December 31, 2006.

There has been significant growth occurring within District 2. Since redistricting in 2000, the numbers in the five districts have shifted to the west and northeast. This district started the decade with a population of 74,736. It is estimated now that over 94,000 persons live in Ankeny, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, and adjacent unincorporated areas. I have been working with local officials to see how the County can help to accomplish the cultural and entertainment amenities that enhance growing cities.

With the significant growth occurring within District 2, I have been working with local officials to see how the County can help to accomplish the cultural and entertainment amenities that enhance growing cities. Since redistricting in 2000, the numbers in the five districts have shifted to the west and northwest. This district started the decade with a population of 74,736. It is estimated now that over 94,000 persons live in Ankeny, Grimes, Johnston, Urbandale, and adjacent unincorporated areas.

One of my goals as your representative on the Board of Supervisors is to enhance the quality of life in this area for years to come, so that our children and grandchildren will have a safe place to live with cultural and recreational opportunities that will meet the needs of our growing population.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions. If you wish to visit with me, please feel free to call me at 286-3119 or by e-mail: egiovan@co.polk.ia.us.

Posted 1/1/2007 by E.J. Giovannetti, 2nd District Supervisor

From time to time, I like to bring the folks in my district up-to-date on issues pending before the Board of Supervisors. Two of these issues that I have been watching very closely include the construction of the new jail and the debate over the need for a new annex for the courthouse.

As you may recall, voters approved a referendum to construct a new jail in March of 2005. This referendum was considered in response to the fact that the Sheriff has been shipping inmates to facilities out of the county and state due to the shortage of space at the existing jail and interim jail. Construction on the new jail began in July. Underground plumbing and electrical lines are in place for about one half of the building. Sewer main drainage lines and water connections are complete. Cell construction has started and will continue for many more months. About 20% of the building is now complete. The jail should be finished about a year from now, February, 2008. The Sheriff’s Office has a transition team in place for the hiring of staff.

In addition to the voter approved $68 million in bonds for the jail construction, short term funds are needed for the costs of hiring of new staff whose training must begin before the jail even opens. Once the jail is operational, the county intends to rent some cell space to federal prisoners. The revenue generated per federal prisoner was predicted originally to cover much of the operations costs of the new jail. Estimates now, predict that additional operational funds will be needed as the estimated revenue from the federal prisoners will fall far short of the dollars needed.

I believe the solution lies in . . . moving to another state where adequate jail facilities already exist and are paid for.

The courthouse built in 1906, presents many challenges to the safe and efficient operation of the Courts. Currently, there are 30 full time and 7 part time judicial officers. Security problems include a lack of secure holding facilities for those in custody awaiting trial. Also, there are no waiting areas or confidential lawyer-client conference rooms. Juvenile court is held next door to criminal court. Family courts are located on the fourth floor where children play next to an area where batterers and victims of domestic abuse await court hearings. Clearly, additional space and better arranged space is needed, with appropriate barriers between persons of risk and citizens seeking access to the courts.

Costs for building such a facility range from $ to $. Voters could be asked to vote on bonds for the annex within the next four to six months.

I believe that the annex is needed but costs estimates need to be more realistic. Further research will be required to look at not only space issues but operational issues that will allow for a more manageable and financially feasible answer to the problem.

Polk County currently has unused bonding authority of $816 million.

If you belong to a community, service, or volunteer group that would like to be brought up-to-date on County issues, please give me a call. One of my favorite parts of my job is the opportunity to meet and discuss issues with my constituents.

I welcome your comments and questions, please feel free to call, 286-3119, or visit my e-mail at egiovan@co.polk.ia.us.

Posted 6/1/2006 by E.J. Giovannetti, 2nd District Supervisor

On May 31st, the Board of Supervisors continued in its mission of planning for the future by holding a strategic planning retreat. The retreat was facilitated by Dave Roederer of StrataVizion Consulting Group and attended by department heads and elected officials. This half day retreat gave an opportunity for the Board to formulate goals and objectives for the upcoming three years.

The first item on the agenda was for the Board to review the County’s mission and eight core values as well as the initiatives identified at our previous retreat in 2003:

1. Balanced Growth – Polk County will achieve balanced growth, both geographically and in terms of the types of development. Directed growth, housing assistance and urban encouraging infill will be key elements of contribution to this effort.

Polk County has made great strides in this area by providing assistance to Des Moines Water Works in obtaining the infrastructure of the Southeast Polk Rural Water District, the establishment of a sewer revolving loan fund to assist cities with future development, and through the recent adoption of the 2030 Polk County Comprehensive Plan.

2. Regional Leadership – Polk County will be a credible leader in the development of countywide and multi-county collaborative efforts and in the delivery of regional services.

Polk County has been in collaboration with the City of Des Moines regarding the sharing of services and the pursuit of cost savings since November of 2004. Several joint initiatives have resulted from these meetings including the Public Safety CAD/RMS shared initiative, combining employee life insurance through our Human Resources Departments, sharing in savings through joint mosquito control supply purchase and shared costs for information technology fiber installation and joint sites.

3. Fiscal Stability – Polk County will be in a fiscally sound position.

In 2003, Polk County suffered from a $12 million dollar budget deficit. Since that time, the Board of Supervisors has made decisions that ensure a balanced budget. FY 06/07 represents the twelfth consecutive year the Polk County Board of Supervisors has not increased property taxes. The FY 06/07 budget anticipates expenditures of $231 million, including $39 million for jail construction. The budget approved by the Board of Supervisors on March 14th for FY 06/07 continues to reflect the commitment to fiscal responsibility to the citizens of Polk County.

4. Statewide Leadership – Polk County will be a statewide leader in creating innovations collaborative initiatives, particularly among urban counties.

Polk County continues to lend its expertise to other counties in collaborative efforts. Many joint road paving and maintenance projects as well as public safety services are approved each year.

5. Clarity of Purpose and Roles – Polk County, through careful deliberation, will have created a focused approach to fulfilling its roles and priorities.

Through efforts such as strategic planning, as well as its twice weekly board discussion meetings, the Board is able to provide direction to staff in establishing the needed coursework for Polk County government.

6. Organizational Effectiveness – Polk County will be a highly effective organization characterized by cooperation, teamwork and a coordinated planning process.

Polk County continues to prove its effectiveness in the delivery of services to the citizens it serves. Through the budgeting and strategic planning processes, Polk County is able to set the groundwork for its future course.

While we have made substantial progress in the areas identified in 2003, we look forward to continuing the strategic planning process and focusing on new priorities as areas for future growth. The Board identified economic development, providing services and touching people’s lives everyday through human services and leading as those that the County does best. Items identified that could be improved upon were human services delivery, communication/education to the taxpayers, working with legislators on the impacts of the State’s budget, and working with surrounding counties.

Things that we think will happen within the next ten years are an increase in population, the shrinking of unincorporated area and an increase in revenues through additional property taxes received through development.

Department Heads reported concerns that included the ability to initiate new mandates, adequate staffing with the retirement of key staff and the loss of employee expertise/history on projects, funding needs, client needs, aging infrastructure and security.

Issues of concern over the coming years included the operation of the new jail, infrastructure consistent with balanced growth, property tax relief for seniors, collaboration/regionalism with law enforcement and the cost to mitigate, workforce replacement, library funding and the need for a courthouse annex. In addition to our number one priority of balanced growth, three specific issues of concern were identified as Affordable Housing, Protecting the Investment at Iowa Events Center, and Health Issues including Mental Health Delivery.

As you can see, strategic planning has proven to be a valuable tool in identifying where we have been and helps us to see more clearly the direction we will head in the future.

If you wish to visit with me on this or any other issue, please feel free to call me at 286-3119 or by e-mail: egiovan@co.polk.ia.us.