August 2019

Linn County Board of Supervisors Awards $200,000 in Economic and Community Development Funds

The Linn County Board of Supervisors awarded $200,000 in economic and community development funding to 15 Linn County organizations. View the full list of recipients.

Thirty-one organizations applied for funding with total requests exceeding $800,000.

The Linn County Economic and Community Development Fund was established to foster and support economic growth and enhance quality of life in Linn County. This is a competitive application process. Applications are accepted on an annual basis. For more information, visit linncounty.org/economicdevelopment. 

Sheriff's Office Accepting Applications for Deputy Sheriff and Reserve Deputy Sheriff

The Sheriff’s Office is now accepting applications online for the position of Deputy Sheriff and Special Reserve Deputy Sheriff. If you know someone interested in law enforcement and you believe they would be a great fit for our office, please encourage them to apply. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, September 6.  

Because the Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for full-time deputies and special reserve deputies, care should be taken to ensure the applicant is filling out the correct application.

Those that successfully submit applications will be required to attend a physical fitness and written exam, which will be on Saturday, September 21 at 8 a.m. at the Clark Racquet Center, Coe College.  

Linn County Conservation Receives Excellence in Action Award

The Linn County 1,000 Acres Pollinator Initiative is a recipient of the 2019 Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) Excellence in Action Award.

The Excellence in Action Award Program is a competitive awards program that seeks to recognize innovative county government employees, programs, and projects. The awards were presented during a ceremony at the ISAC Annual Conference in Des Moines on August 21, 2019.

The 1,000 Acre Pollinator Initiative is a public/private partnership with the Monarch Research Project (MRP), Linn County Conservation, Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation, and Marion Parks to restore 1,000 public acres to a diverse native prairie habitat within five years. It is a public sector habitat restoration prong of the larger MRP countywide monarch and pollinator effort that includes monarch reproduction, pollinator habitat restoration, and landowner outreach and education. 1,000 Acres is addressing on a major scale the need to restore unproductive public lands to healthy, productive native habitats that support pollinators, wildlife, water quality, and soil conservation. This restoration leverages broader environmental health community aesthetics, recreational opportunities, nature-based educational opportunities, and ultimately human health.

Grow Solar Linn County Reaches Discount Milestone

Grow Solar Linn County rolled past its first milestone, over 50kW of residential solar contracted for Linn County. The milestone triggers a price break for all participants in the program, which remains open until October 31. 

The unique solar group buy model came to Iowa in 2017. Over a 4-month period, nearly 500 residents attended educational “Solar Power Hours” to find out if solar was a good fit for their home or business.  More than 100 homeowners contracted through the program, which became the largest solar group buy program in the Midwest to-date—over 600kW of solar. 

The starting price for Linn County participants in this 2019 group-buy is more than $0.30/W lower than the record-breaking 2017 and 2018 programs. Additionally, the federal solar tax incentive decreases after this calendar year from 30% to 26%. The state tax incentive, half of the federal, also decreases.  

The best way for interested Linn County residents to learn about the program is to attend a Solar Power Hour, a one-hour educational session covering the basics of solar and the group-buy model. Attendees can ask the program’s selected solar installer questions. Solar Power Hours are scheduled across the County through September.  

Sheriff's Office Acquires New BearCat Armored Rescue Vehicle

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office recently took delivery of a BearCat® G2 armored rescue vehicle. The BearCat was purchased from Lenco Armored Vehicles, Pittsfield, MA.

The BearCat protects first responders and allows them to safely approach potentially deadly situations under the cover of an armored rescue vehicle. The armor allows law enforcement personnel to rescue wounded citizens and first responders and to evacuate citizens from life-threatening situations, such as barricaded suspect and active shooter scenarios.

The BearCat will be deployed anytime there is a potential for armed-subject encounters, such as active shooter situations, barricaded armed subjects, tactical situations, high-risk search warrant executions, and at the request of fire departments. 

The BearCat is a diesel powered, 4-wheel drive, 10-passenger, armored rescue vehicle, built to provide blast and ballistic protection. Unlike military armored vehicles, the BearCat is built on a commercial Ford F-550 truck chassis as a platform and is readily serviceable by Sheriff’s Office mechanics and local Ford dealers. Additionally, unlike military vehicles, the BearCat is not equipped with any weaponry. 

Asset forfeiture money from illegal criminal activity was used to purchase the $297,061 vehicle.

Property Taxes Due

Property tax statements were mailed the week of August 12, 2019. The deadline to pay the first half of property and mobile home taxes without penalty is Sept. 30, 2019. A penalty of one and one half percent will attach to late payments beginning Oct. 1.
Property tax payments can be made by the following methods:

• Online at IowaTaxAndTags.org
• Mail a check payable to Linn County Treasurer, 935 2^nd St., Cedar Rapids, IA 52404. Mailed payments must be post marked by the U.S. Postal Service by Sept. 30, 2019 to avoid late fees.
• In person at the Linn County Treasurer’s Office, 935 2^nd St., Cedar Rapids, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the second Thursday of every month)
• By calling the Linn County Treasurer’s Office at 319-892-5500 Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. the second Thursday of every month)

Visit our website for more information or to see the current average wait time in the Treasurer’s Office.

Linn County Offices to Close in Observance of Labor Day

• Juvenile Detention and Diversion Services
• The Sheriff’s Office will be closed; however, continuous operations will be available for routine and emergency responses. This includes the Patrol Division, Communications Division and the Correctional Center. In an emergency, always dial 911.

Find Us Online:

Website: LinnCounty.org
Twitter:    @LinnCounty
                       @LinnCoConserv

                                                                     @lc_elections
                                                                     @LCPublicHealth
                                                                     @LinnIASheriff