“No to more projects” says county board public hearing attendee

One attendee expressed his concern around overspending in county projects to the county board on Wednesday.

A public hearing for the proposed property tax levy was held before the regular meeting. One audience member spoke during the forum, Mike Morris, who said the county could lower property taxes further if the board “said no to more projects.”

“You need to do more,” Morris said. “We’ve been paying, in my opinion, way too much for way too long to just accept ‘we’re not raising it that much.’ It’s to the point where some people I know are making the decision to not buy things, to go to some place, they’re making concessions because they have to save... to pay taxes.”

The property tax levy rate will be lowered for the next fiscal year by 4.07%, from about $12.51 to $12. Morris did thank the board for their work in lowering the rate.

When telling the board to not approve projects, Morris gave one example, a bridge on Dogwood Avenue which received repairs over last fall and completed this year, which he thought was constructed with overly expensive materials. Morris cited his background as a retired DOT engineer for his suggestion. He noted how he lived near the area and saw the construction process during his routines.

The board clarified how some specifics of construction, including the need for structures to hold emergency vehicles, would be cause for the finer attention. Morris still pushed the board to do more research in cost-effective construction, saying how he shouldn’t have to be an expert for the board to “do their jobs.”

“Please look at these projects with a critical eye,” Morris said. “Isn’t there some way we can do this for less money?”

Supervisor Dennis Hopkins recommended any suggestions or questions about construction projects in the county should be sent to Union County Engineer Christian Boehmer.

“I’m a chiropractor, not an engineer,” Hopkins said. “We have a county engineer that comes to us with projects. We trust their ability.”

Morris expressed discontentment with Iowa state legislature, saying they weren’t able to “quite get their hands around what to do,” although Morris did not elaborate further.

The board thanked Morris for attending the public hearing and how he put Union County residents’ pleas into a thoughtful request.