County, FM council to vote Tuesday on interim chief deal

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BY CHUCK VANDENBERG
PCC EDITOR

LEE COUNTY - The Lee County Sheriff's department is a vote away from overseeing the Fort Madison Police Department for six months.

In front of the Lee County supervisors at Tuesday's regular meeting will be a 28E agreement that would designate anyone captain level or higher in the Lee County Sheriff's Office as interim Fort Madison Police Chief until a permanent replacement can be found.

Fort Madison Police Chief Tim Sittig announced his retirement from the department two weeks ago effective May 31.

Under the agreement, the city would pay the county roughly $50,000 in salaries and benefits, plus weekly stipends and any difference in salary for sheriff's staff who step up to fill in for whomever is designated to fill the interim position.

The agreement would still need approval of the Fort Madison City Council which will consider the document at its regular meeting Tuesday evening.

Lee County Sheriff Stacy Weber could assign anyone captain level or above to oversee the police department operations during the interim period as Fort Madison conducts a search for a new chief.

The interim chief would have authority to hire, suspend, discipline, and fire officers with the coordination and approval of Fort Madison City Manager David Varley and the city's attorney. The approval is also required of any expenditures of city funds in excess of $500.

The agreement also stipulates that whomever serves in the capacity as interim chief would "not be obligated to take phone calls or other direction from elected officials of the City, except as communicated by the City Manager".

The agreement requires the sheriff's department to consult with the Fort Madison City Attorney with regard to any issues dealing with Iowa Code 80F which governs the administrative rights of the state's peace officers and emergency personnel, including city police.

Also on the agenda is continued discussion of possibly installing solar panels on county property under an agreement where a third party would install the panels at no cost to the county, The county would then pay the company that fronted the cost of the installation for electricity provided by the panels. Two companies, one from Burlington and one from Fort Madison, have bid the project to Supervisors.

The county will also hold a public hearing on the sale of two lots of county-owned property in Argyle, including a maintenance shed and adjoining property.




board of supervisors, city council, interim police chief, iowa, lee county, Pen City Current, sheriff

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