News & Updates
from Linn County Government

March 2017

Linn County Adopts FY 2018 Budget With No Increase in Countywide Levy Rate

For the fourth year in a row, the Board of Supervisors has adopted a budget that keeps the countywide levy rate unchanged. On March 15, the Board approved the fiscal year 2018 budget of $111.4 million. The countywide levy rate for FY18 is $6.14 per $1,000 of taxable value. This makes Linn County’s countywide levy rate the second lowest among the six largest urban counties in Iowa.

The rural services levy, which is a separate levy for residents living in unincorporated Linn County, will see a 27 percent decrease. This reduction is a result of 25 percent of the Local Option Sales Tax revenue that provides property tax relief in the unincorporated areas.

Homeowners will, however, see an increase in their property tax bills due to the state rollback which increased the taxable value of a home from 56 percent in FY17 to 57 percent in FY18.

Property taxes levied account for 56 percent of Linn County’s total budget. The FY18 budget begins July 1. MORE…

Annual State of the County Luncheon is April 19

Linn County Supervisor Brent Oleson will present the 12^th annual State of the County address April 19 at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, 7725 Kirkwood Blvd SW in Cedar Rapids. The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and the program will begin at noon.

The event is hosted by the Linn County League of Women Voters (LWV). The event is open to the public. Reservations are due to the LWV by April 14. Visit the LWV website www.lwvlinncounty.org for more information. Free seating is available for individuals who want to attend only for the program.

Second Installment of Property Taxes Due March 31

Linn County property owners are reminded the second installment of property and mobile home taxes is due and must be paid no later than March 31, 2017. This is the last day to pay the second half without penalty. Property taxes can be paid in person, online, by mail, or over the phone. MORE…

Linn County Public Health to Celebrate 50^th Anniversary, Host Opioid Panel

Make plans to join the Linn County Board of Health and Linn County Public Health at a community reception to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Linn County Public Health during National Public Health Week on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at the IBEW Hall – Local 405 from 1:00 to 4:30 pm.

Keynote speaker is Patrick Lenihan, Clinical Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, and former president of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).

Following the keynote will be a panel discussion on the emerging public health issue of opioid abuse.

Additionally, community partner awards will be presented to several local residents for their role in supporting the mission of public health.

RSVP by Friday, March 31 by calling 319-892-6000 or email [email protected]. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

Learn more about this event here.

Linn County Contributes to Jobs and Small Business Recovery Fund

Linn County has contributed $25,000 to the Jobs and Small Business Recovery Fund that supports the Recovery Program assisting small businesses impacted from the September 2016 flood event in the Downtown district, including Kingston Village and Czech Village/NewBo.

During the flood event, safety was the number one priority and an evacuation zone was established surrounding Downtown Cedar Rapids. Businesses in the 28-foot evacuation zone closed their doors for a week and faced property damage, loss of sales and products and incurred expenses during flood preparation, evacuation and cleanup.

The Jobs and Small Business Recovery Program was created in partnership by the City of Cedar Rapids, the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation, Small Business Development Center and the Economic Alliance. To date, nearly $200,000 has been awarded to 91 businesses in these areas.

Several County Roads to be Closed for Highway 30 Bypass Project

Several roads in Linn County are scheduled to close in April when work begins on the Highway 30 Bypass project. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, these roads will be closed all summer and into fall. MORE…

Severe Weather Awareness Week

March 27-31 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa. It’s a reminder to Iowa families and businesses to take time and review their own emergency disaster preparedness plans for severe weather.

There are three simple steps you can take:

Build a kit. Your emergency supply kit should have everything you need to sustain you and your family for 3-5 days.
Make a plan. Knowing what to do in the event of an emergency is key. Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do. Include your pets in your plan.
Be Aware. Learn about the hazards that can affect your community, and learn how to obtain information about current weather and road conditions.

Brochures and fact sheets about severe weather safety and family preparedness are available on the Ready Iowa website and National Weather Service website.

Campgrounds Opening This Weekend

Spring is here and it's time to pack those bags! Campgrounds at Morgan Creek, Pinicon Ridge and Squaw Creek County Parks will be opening on Friday, March 31. All sites will be first come, first serve. Due to nighttime temps, the water will not be on.

For more information about Linn County parks, visit LinnCountyParks.com.

How Are We Doing? Let Us Know in Secondary Road Department Satisfaction Survey

The Linn County Secondary Road Department works hard to provide good roads to those who live and travel within the secondary road system. Please take a moment to complete a survey to let us know how we are doing.

Stay Informed.
Sign Up For Notify Me.

Linn County makes it easy for you to stay informed about county news, services and events by offering email and/or text message notifications. Topics available for subscription include:

news releases
road construction updates
snow removal updates
eNewsletters
election information
meeting notices
agendas
and more

Visit Linn County’s website at www.linncounty.org/NotifyMe to sign-up to receive the information that is important to you. There is no cost to subscribe. Text messages are subject to standard text messaging rates.

Find Us Online:

Website: linncounty.org
Twitter: @LinnCounty

@lc_elections
@LCPublicHealth
@LinnIASheriff

News & Updates from Linn County GovernmentMarch 2017