Supervisors continue hearing budget requests

Union County Board of Supervisors continued to hear budget requests Monday as they plan for the fiscal year 2026 budget which begins July 1. Supervisors did not take any action on the requests.

Monday’s agenda was highlighted by Ben Adamson representing the Union County Fair. Adamson requested $35,000, a $10,000 increase from last year. Adamson said the new request reflects the state average what Iowa counties are contributing to their county fair organizations.

“We are not average and not average facilities,” he said.

Adamson said what the fair board has done to the fair and the complex since 2018 has been worthwhile. With past contributions from the county, including COVID relief funds from the federal government, Union County has invested about $4 million into the fair.

“We are the showpiece of southern Iowa,” Adamson said.

Union County is not alone. Adamson said a cumulative $28 million spent in improvements for Iowa county fairs has created a $200 million impact. One reason is the use of the facilities outside of the traditional county fair schedule. Adamson said Union County facilities are planned to be used by cattle-related organizations and Southwestern Community College and Northwest Missouri State University.

The Sharon Bennett family has donated about 19 acres of land adjacent to the fairgrounds. Adamson said proposals include expanding the fairground camping facilities and or parking for fairgrounds events.

Executive Director of Crossroads Brittany Palmer and Jess Petter requested $55,000 to fund another school year of opioid education program for area school students. Last summer, the supervisors approved paying up to $54,734. The two told the county the program has shown success.

East Union agreed to include elementary-age students to encourage creating safe habits. Petter said fourth and fifth-grade students were involved. Older students have shown better academic performance and better conflict resolution. One student said she was like a drinking glass and the water filled her with information.

Funding was originally from a 2021 legal settlement with opoioid makers and distributors. In exchange for the funds, participating states, counties and cities would not file any related lawsuits and agree not to sue them in the future for the opioid epidemic.

Money had to be used for educational prevention programs, treatment programs or something related to opioid addiction. Schools in Creston, Nodaway Valley in Greenfield and Southwest Valley in Corning agreed to be sites for the courses.

Last summer, supervisors were informed about participating students surveyed before and after the course. Surveys showed 30% of the students were not expecting to finish high school. Survey results were inclusive, not school-specific. After the course, the same question was asked and 100% of the results showed students plan to finish high school.

Another question was if students were planning to attend college after high school. Before the courses, 57% of the students were unsure if they would attend. After the course, the number dropped to 42%.

In late 2021, the county submitted a claim in a settlement the federal government reached with makers of opioids, the painkilling, prescription drug that has caused many overdoses and addictions. The county received $77,000, which was more than initially expected.

According to the Associated Press, the three drug distributors — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — and drugmaker Johnson & Johnson agreed in July 2021 to pay the combined $26 billion to resolve thousands of state and local government lawsuits.

The $26 billion from three drug distributors and a pharmaceutical manufacturer would address damage wrought by opioids, which the federal government declared in 2017 was a public health emergency.

Union County Economic Development Association Executive Director Mindy Stalker asked for $20,000. Stalker said the organization is interested in researching trail expansion for recreational purposes within the county.

Creston Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ellen Gerharz representing Union County tourism requested $5,000. She said funds are used to promote Union County in various trade and travel magazines and publications within the state.