County to consider workforce development board merger

LEE COUNTY – Lee County Supervisors will be discussing a possible merger of area workforce development boards on Tuesday’s regular meeting.
According to a report filed with the board of supervisors for discussion and possible action Tuesday, several adjoining local workforce development boards (LWDB) are struggling with budgets in the wake of federal funding cuts and are looking to join forces.
Supervisor Chuck Holmes is one of the CEOs of the Mississippi Valley Workforce Development Board.
A merger of Mississippi Valley and South Central (Iowa) WDB would generate about 30% of the federal funding given to Iowa.
If Mississippi Valley and South Central were to merge and include Northeast WDB, that could shift the formula used by Iowa Workforce Development to allocate funds to the local areas as the counties with the highest unemployment rate, including Lee County, would be within the merged areas.
Several of the CEOs feared that not retaining local control could open the workforce development areas to state control, a move that has already occurred in the Iowa Plains LWDA. That LWDA represents the western half of the state.
Mergers would likely create regional subcommittees and retention of current administrative staff to ensure quality services and sufficient oversight of the larger service area.
It could also increase the size of the current board beyond the 19 members currently required.
If a merger between Mississippi Valley and South Central LWDAs were to take place, a notification would need to be submitted to IWD before Aug. 18, and could take effect as early as Oct. 1.
In other action, the board will also consider a renewed agreement with Iowa State Penitentiary for food services for the Lee County Jail.
The new agreement allows for a $3.25 per meal charge for lunch, which includes one entree and one starch and/or vegetable. The prison will also provide loaves of bread coinciding with the hot tray meal count each day.
The board will also consider a refund on an erroneous assessment for solar panels on a property resulting in an overassessment of $95,330 and an increased tax of $1,208. County Attorney Ross Braden is recommending the refund. He said the the Iowa Association of Assessors has been listing solar panels for informational purposes only, and are not being assessed.