The Tama County Board of Supervisors – now comprised of (from left) Curt Hilmer, Vice Chair Heather Knebel, Chairman Mark Doland, Curt Kupka, and David Turner – pictured during the first meeting of 2025 held on Thursday, Jan. 2, at the Administration Building in Toledo. After 90 years of utilizing a three-member board, the county has returned to five supervisors. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

TOLEDO – Tama County returned to a form of government on Jan. 1, 2025, not experienced since 1934 – a five-member board of supervisors.

More than 92 years ago, the county’s voters passed a ballot proposition to switch from five to three supervisors. Three new supervisors were subsequently elected to replace the board’s existing five during the general election held on Nov. 6, 1934. On or shortly after Jan. 1, 1935, the three supervisors at-large were sworn in to serve two, three, and four-year terms.

On Nov. 8, 2022, Tama County voters approved a public measure to put five members back on the board of supervisors. To that end, on Thursday, Jan. 2, four of the newly-elected five took their seats at 8:30 a.m. inside the Administration Building boardroom in Toledo including District 2 Supervisor David Turner (R-Tama), District 3 Supervisor Heather Knebel (R-Traer), District 4 Supervisors Mark Doland (R-Toledo), and District 5 Supervisor Curt Kupka (R-Chelsea). Returning District 1 Supervisor Curt Hilmer (R-Dysart) – who chaired the board last year – was absent at the start of the meeting at 8:30 a.m.

The board’s first order of business for 2025 was conducting the annual organization meeting.

Doland was nominated (by Knebel, seconded by Turner) and unanimously approved as temporary chair. Auditor Karen Rohrs was named temporary secretary.

Two agendas had been posted for the first meeting of the year with the second agenda, Doland explained, containing more detail along with actions items for the meeting.

A motion was approved by the board to eliminate the existing 15-minute time limit on public comments while also allowing comments not specific to any agenda item. The board then tabled the agenda and adjourned until 9:40 a.m.

Upon the board’s return, Supervisor Hilmer joined the meeting. Doland was subsequently elected chair of the board for 2025, while Knebel (nominated by Doland, seconded by Turner) was elected vice chair – a historic moment for the first ever elected female Tama County supervisor who represents Gladbrook and Traer.

The board then undertook some routine annual business including designating the Tama-Toledo News Chronicle and the North Tama Telegraph as the county’s official newspapers for 2025.

The county’s annual temporary road closure resolution was adopted (for construction or emergency closure for maintenance), as well as a resolution to designate the following banks as depositories for 2025: Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust, Des Moines ($5 million), State Bank of Toledo ($15 million), Dysart State Bank ($2 million), Chelsea Savings Bank (Belle Plaine/Traer, $2 million), Lincoln Savings Bank ($15 million), Northeast Security Bank (Dysart, $5 million), and WCF Financial Bank (Tama, $5 million).

The supervisors then approved a host of committee appointments; during discussion, the board was asked (presumably by a member of the public) if the newspaper would be ‘encouraged to put more context’ into its coverage of supervisor meetings to which the board responded ‘county minutes are published in full in the designated official papers.’

The board approved a slew of reappointments including Ben Daleske as county engineer; Dr. David Bethel, M.D. as medical examiner; DaiLynn McEltree of Toledo, Jason Bina of Traer, and Courtney Watson of State Center as medical examiner investigators; Elizabeth Ledvina as relief director and veterans affairs director; Bob Vokoun as weed commissioner and zoning administrator; Jeremy Cremeans as 911 director; and Ryan Goodenbour as EMA director. The county’s deputy medical examiner appointment remains vacant.

County office closures for 2025 were approved as was the official regular meeting day and time for the board – Mondays at 8:30 a.m.

Tammy Wise, the county’s current HR/Insurance Administrator, was approved as the Title VI Coordinator.

Various individuals including real estate brokers/salespersons and property owners were appointed to the 2025 Tama County Compensation Commission for Condemnation Proceedings; 11 vacancies remain on the commission.

The board adopted a resolution for the county’s Construction Evaluation Resolution (CER), more commonly known as the master matrix. The resolution relates to the construction of confinement feeding operations.

The board approved county department head appointments.

A final motion approved by the board pertained to County Attorney Brent Heeren. The board approved unanimously ‘the county attorney is the only attorney for all boards.’

The meeting was adjourned at 10:46 a.m.