Supervisors begin budget work

Union County Board of Supervisors heard various budget requests for fiscal year 2026 during their meeting Monday. The board did not take any action on any of the requests. The fiscal year budget begins July 1.

Southern Iowa Trolley Director Leesa Lester requested $20,044 based on the county’s population and the number of riders over a year’s time. Lester said there were about 3,000 more riders in 2024. The amount is $1,609 more than last year’s request.

Lester said the organization is considering a location to relocate the operation, but declined to say anything more specific. In fall 2022, Southern Iowa Trolley was awarded a $1.6 million grant for a new building as their facility no longer meets the needs of the agency. The grant was through Iowa’s office of public transit who collected and submitted applications for multiple transit agencies. Lester said then the new location can be anywhere within its service area but she prefers staying in Creston.

Danielle Dickinson Thaden director of Creston’s Gibson Memorial Library requested $34,500, the same amount asked last year. Highlighting the library’s plans for the future is becoming part of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has given about 200 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Ireland. The Imagination Library mails more than 2 million age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children from birth to age 5.

According to the imagination library, affiliates, like city libraries, are responsible for enrolling children who live within the area they offered the program. They promote their programs online and at events. While the Imagination Library negotiates wholesale pricing for the books, the affiliates are responsible for securing funds to cover that cost. Books are 100% free to enrolled children because affiliates have secured funds to cover the cost of the books and shipping fees.

Dickinson Thaden said the library has had a 22% increase in cardholders the past two years.

Dick Anderson representing the Union County Historical Society requested $10,000, an increase from $6,000 a year before. Anderson said the volunteer-only organization is researching adding another building to the complex located within McKinley Park. Preliminary estimates are $500,000. The organization has about half that in its funds. Anderson said the building is needed as the society is running out of display space and has more content to exhibit.

Anderson said there is no timeline to the building as he said construction could begin in 2026 or 2027. Exactly where the building would be located is also not determined. Open space on the complex where the building could go is not ideal because of topography.

The society is also considering installing signs where towns or communities once were throughout the county. The informative sign may also include a QR code so others may learn more about the site. Anderson said there may be 30 “ghost” towns.

Southern Iowa Resource Conservation and Development Director Michelle Wilson requested $5,000, the same as last year. The organization supports various food, conservation and community development programs. Union is one of seven counties included in the Creston office; Taylor, Ringgold, Decatur, Adams, Adair and Clarke.

MATURA Director Dana Bulls requested $18,000, the same amount as last year. The organization offers a variety of programs and resources for individuals and families in need.