by Matt Marquardt –
A very knowledgeable NIT reader pointed me in the direction of an interesting story that appeared this week in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. The story, in a nutshell, is about two concerned citizens that feel their county government (Linn county) needs to be examined, with the potential of an entirely new form of government as the result.
According to the story, two retired gentlemen are seeking to “replace (Linn county’s) full-time supervisors with a county-manager form of government that features part-time supervisors and a full-time, professional manager.” The Linn County Board of Supervisors, according to the story, expanded from three members to five in 2009, and the board was considered part-time. Now, the board has decided to call itself full-time and “raise their pay by 25 percent.”
The Gazette reported that the two men were motivated to look at a change in the form of county government when the board of supervisors gave themselves the massive pay raises.
Under Iowa code, the two Linn county men are spearheading a petition drive that would need 10,000 signatures in order to force the board of supervisors there to create a commission that would have the power to examine the form of government in Linn county and possibly make a recommendation on a brand new form of government that the voters could then select in the voting booth. They want a county-manager form of government for Linn county.
That background brings me to the here and now.
I began attending Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisor meetings in 2010, fresh off the street, having little knowledge of the board, how it worked, what they do, etc. etc. I entered the scene with a clean slate. Over the past 2.5 years, I have been able to educate myself somewhat on how the courthouse works and learn what the duties are of our three-member part-time board of supervisors. I have watched them in action and reported what I saw.
What I have concluded since 2010 is this:
The Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors is somewhat closed to the public. It does not readily cooperate with the public nor disclose public information in a fastidious manner; it has literally scoffed at the idea of becoming more open. After numerous contacts from the public to me – some from people who actually work at the courthouse itself – I have determined that many folks fear supervisor Jay Urdahl and have used words to describe him such as “bully.” The board has been warned multiple times by the state ombudsman to clean up its act, as recently as this month, due to the appearance of impropriety. I have determined that the board of supervisors is dramatically overpaid. When Jay Urdahl took office in 1989, supervisor pay was $18,750 for a position considered by most to be a part-time job. With the help of a crony compensation board, supervisors have been able to vote itself pay raises that now compensate each board member $46,464 this year. This figure does not include mileage, cell phone re-imbursement, retirement and an insurance package. Furthermore, the board is doing a poor job of managing or overseeing assets such as the North Iowa Events Center, which has fell to ruin over the years. Lastly, I feel this board has done little or nothing to improve the economic climate here in Cerro Gordo County and has no proactive approach to doing so.
I feel it is time to begin looking at a change in the form of county government for Cerro Gordo County.
I have examined Iowa Code 331. It goes into detail on how county government in Iowa is structured and the changes to it that are allowed under Iowa law. It also explains how citizens can go about making a change to the current form of government. It goes like this:
In order to begin the process of analyzing county government in Cerro Gordo county, a petition must be presented to the board of supervisors with 5,956 signatures. This figure is 25% of the electorate who voted for president in last November’s election. This figure is straight from the auditor’s office.
Once that petition is handed in and verified, the board of supervisors is forced to create a commission to study the alternative forms of county government allowed under Iowa code to determine which they feel is the best fit. Iowa code implies that for Cerro Gordo county, this commission would have 20 members. Within twelve months after organization, the commission has to submit the final report to the board of supervisors.
If the commission recommends a charter including a form of government other than the existing form of government, the final report shall include the full text and an explanation of the proposed charter, an analysis of the fiscal impact of the proposed charter, any comments deemed desirable by the commission, and any minority reports.
The commission is dissolved on the date of the general election at which the proposed charter is submitted to the electorate.
I call on the citizens of Cerro Gordo County to think hard about examining the form of government here in Cerro Gordo county and ask yourselves if progress is really being made here.
Is this board of supervisors really doing all it can to enhance the quality of life here, or is there a better way?
I believe most of you have your political ax to grind. It is not about what party you belong to this article is about three people who are not doing a good job for this county. But, we as voters vote for name recognition (oh I don’t know him/her but I have heard of this one). I really believe some people excise their right to vote haven’t got a clue who or what they are voting for and are too darn lazy to become informed. Dem or rep. does not matter. What is their character? Are they doing a good job? Stop you rants and get off your duff and really DO something.
We know their not doing a good job for the county, what gets us is their doing a great job for all the one percenters like Blodgett, him and his money and his rich buddy’s buying Urdahls and Dougherty elections is why were pissed.
@sugar Girl-I never looked at the county supervisors or even the city council as being Democrat or Republican. It was always what can they do for the city much more than what party they belong to. I thought the world of Jeff Marsters and he was a Democrat all the way.
What they do for the county, don’t you mean what they do for their Sugar Daddy Gary Blodgett and his rich selfish Republitards. You still don’t get it do you.
Is that you, Elvis? Sure sounds like it.
How many hours do they work per week? I make that amount and it takes me 52 weeks to get there with overtime. A lot of blood, sweat and tears. Do these guys only work ten hours a week and make $47000. Something is very wrong and imwan very wrong…
Anything, anything at all would be far better then what we currently have. But as always, after all is said and done, more will be said than done. In matters such as this you cannot wait for the other guy to do it if you want it done.
Before us is this news site (NIT), lets then conduct a straw vote here and now to measure just how the readers of this site feel. Perhaps Matt could set up a page where we could cast our vote.
I, I, Captain.
This site is funny. Now I understand the “NIT WITS” moniker!
But yet you still came to NIT to read comments,because here you hear how people feel about real issue’s where once they were hidden from us.
You tell ’em!
Whats new, Gary Blodgett bought his own elections, also bought his 2 kids they’re jobs in the White House % Ronnie Raygun. The Glob the Register, ect said the rightwing nut case donate tons of money to the Republitards in Washington DC and raised a bunch for Bush, thats how come Bushtard gave old doc a job out there. Anybody else around here exirts this much influence on our supervisers the Glob would of been all over them. Gary should move away, his junkie son who is also a nazi criminal should live out to the Ridge or in 5 East.
I should of been under neath Charlotte here, thats who I was trying to get hold of.
I get what your saying Obama, but please be careful what you type, some people could take what you said in a different way.
LOL!
@ LVS. Okay so you are afraid of Gary Blodgett’s money, thats what you said. Well then what if everybody else here thinks like you. This is just what Greedy Gary is hoping for. Same old same old.
@Charlotte-I never said I was afraid of Blodgett or his money. I said he has more money that I do.
He has more money then 99% that’s how he is in the 1% that want’s to take away from working people what we have hung on to. Much as I hate Blodgett I hate Urdahl and Dougherty more, they have sold their souls. Democrats that front 4 Republi-tards will burn in hell.
Pee Wee’s comment is a perfect example of the neanderthal thinking which gets crypto-Nazis like Gary Blodgett elected. Ignorant, semi-literate rednecks who voted for One Percenters like Romney, Bush, Blodgett, Terry Braindead, and other rich, out of touch fascists are what have allowed Republitards to ruin to ruin our democracy.
Exactly.
@ Bodacious. What we got to do is get about 100 people to come to a superviser’s meeting. Then make them promise nobody name Blodget can be on this commission. Dont put foxes in the hen house.
Would you and your union friends sign and circulate the petition?
Shut up azzhole.
@ Democrat … Union was rather crass in his reply to you, but I get what he said. Would you want to have a wealthy, known Nazi drug addict who carries a loaded gun mad at you?
Real is right about Dr. Blodgett having selfishly stopped our BOS from being expanded a few years back. I know this because I got one of his letters. When Gary realized that two additional Supervisors would be from Mason City, he immediately set about to stopping the effort. When you already have three under your control, why risk getting two more who won’t do your bidding? It is wrong for one person to prevail over the will of the majority.
What was selfish about it, Laker? I heard Dr. Blodgett speak at a breakfast the Chamber of Commerce sponsored, where he said that adding two more Supervisors would have cost over $400,000 in just the first term. I gave $150 to his campaign to stop it, and it was money well spent.
@ Frank. Gary Blodgett was selfish, no way around it. He owns valuable lakefront properties on both shores of Clear Lake, farm ground, and investment real estate in Cerro Gordo, according to online records. The articles in the Glob and the Mirror-Reporter show that he stopped Watt’s plan because he hates taxes. Meaning, he doesn’t want to pay his fair share. Greedy Gary won again, thanks to his stooges in the courthouse who won’t make him and his fellow multimillionaires pay their fair share.
@ LVS… you must think I am stupid, no way I will say to a crack-addicted Nazi gun nut what you to say to. Republitards like Gary Blodgett hate poor people, the fix is in. Make all the fun you want, there is no shame in making keyboard attacks on a spoiled Nazi druggie who’s rich daddy’s money and connections mean Toddy Boy get off Scott free and I will be dead for no reason.
@Obama-There is always shame in bad mouthing a guy with a gun. Just saying.
There you go again glorify a Nazi doper with a gun. How much is Blodgett paying you to say that.
So your saying he should be fear full of Gary Blodgett’s money and his junkie son’s gun. How sweet of you LVS.
@Cheryl-Do you really want a guy with a gun, temper and lots of money for lawyers pissed at you?? I heard he like to practice shooting at liberals anyway.
Very interesting. Maybe the heyday for Jay would be over.
Heyday you mean pay day don’t you? That is what It will be if Urdal ever loses, he goes back to just loading boxes. And then Blodgett will walk away from him like Jay is a smelly fart.
The argument to change to a full time manager form of county government is probably the way to go. BUT the same 3 guys(supervisors) will be telling the manager what to do, so nothing in the county will change. The 3 supervisor’s salary will be reduced but they will have to pay a manager in excess of $100,000 so there goes any real savings.
What I think is happening is that NIT doesn’t like these guys and can’t beat them at the ballot box. NIT is trying an end run , kind of like what the council did on the Indianhead rezoning vote. If you can’t beat them playing by the rules, change the rules.
@Reggie(red) whats wrong with a end run? Your buddy’s do it all the time. Also, it sure seems like one person at 100K (I think you could get someone for less than that) is still less than three at the salary these 3 stooges are getting. Besides, you could get them off the benefits and most of their freebees. There would be a big savings there. Not to mention getting a professional to run the county. Maybe we could get our county fair back then.
“@Reggie(red) whats wrong with a end run? Your buddy’s do it all the time.”Not sure who my “buddy’s” are but I do agree this would be a better way to run the county. The problem with end runs are they sometimes backfire. IF a nonpartisan commission was appointed and they came back that this is the best way to run the county,these guys would be more firmly entrenched than ever. I think the best way to get rid of them is to vote them out of office. Matt get someone(hopefully with no skeletons) to run on a platform to reduce supervisor salaries, perks and term limits.Long shot I know but so is the county manager scheme.
@Reggie-I was referring to your buddy’s Drunkmaster and Turncoat. They are the masters of the end run and you seem to support them all the time. This idea of Matt’s has merit and is one way to get around the Blodgett money thing and the voter apathy. People do not vote because they think it will make no difference. If they sign a petition maybe it will be a reason them to get off their rears and vote. Change is usually good as it makes you think.
Reggie, did you not read Matt’s Editorial? The whole problem is that we have not been able to beat these clowns at the ballot box! Gary Blodgett even helped Dougherty last fall, very unethically I might add, by paying to flood Dougherty’s district with mailings sent to registered Republitards. Those letters, brochures, etc., all urged them to vote against the GOP candidate, Mr. Watts. Our rights as citizens under what is supposed to be a democracy have been emasculated by this aging fascist who keeps making sure that these good old boys stay right where he wants them. We simply must effectuate this Commission, as it is our best hope.
@LAFO”Reggie, did you not read Matt’s Editorial? The whole problem is that we have not been able to beat these clowns at the ballot box! ” That was MY observation by reading between the lines NOT Matt’s point of the article. Matt’s point was a more efficient form of county government could be gotten with a manager hence the end run comment.
So will you give some money to help fight against what Urdahl gets doc Blodgett to put up to stop this commission idea, LVS?
@Anonymous-I am afraid Blodgett is a little out of my class when it comes to money.
Urdahl will quit once the gravy train runs out.
Sound like an HONEST SOLUTION ! All corruption just is’nt in DC-chicagooo and of course bloombutt city.
Ya right you people have short memories 3 years ago Chris Watts got better than 3,000 honest citizen to sign petition to bring on a couple Supervisors this would of raised the total to 5. A excellent idea it went down because Gary Blodgett started yapping his jaws in Clear Lake and Mason, I seen it in the Clear Lake paper and in the GIob. Even Skippy wrote about doc raising all that money to keep us in our plac What makes you think this idea will get of the ground.
Can this include the entire city council and mayor at the same time?
A little introspection never hurt anyone. I say we do it.
stay on topic. Todd is one person. I want to know more about this. Does anyone know of another county where this has been done?
Think Todd Blodgett is just one person.Google “Conservative” of the Month :Todd Blodgett.And do some reading for yourself he is a POS in my book.
He is a POS, all right, an arrogant, drug-addicted, money-laundering, gun-crazed Nazi with more money than brains. Take away his inherited money and his daddy’s friends in high places, TB would of never had what he has got. The “Glob” need to stop running the shit he writes, which I hear he does that just to suck up to the old man, try to stay in the will.
@Obama-Your God Obama is much worse than Blodgett ever thought of being. He too was a drugger. Having money and friends in high places is what it is all about. I think you are just jealous of what he has because you probably have nothing. Why don’t you stand up and say to his face what you will put on here while hiding behind your keyboard. God, I hate chicken Sh### like you who snipe at people. I don’t even know Blodgett but, I sure know your type.
It was also started up in Story county, according to the CR Gazette story, but I believe no one there followed through with the petition.
Right.
LVS there is not one good brain in the whole Republitard family of Blodgett’s. How can you write brain and Blodgett on the same line. They are all dumb they are living proof you don’t need no brain to be rich, that is why they are Republitard.
@ Democrat: I despise Jay Urdahl, whom I believe to be a criminal from a family of criminals. I also rarely agree with any of the mostly fascist crap that the Globe publishes that Todd Blodgett writes. But calling his parents dumb Republitards is over the top. A good case can be made to revoke the younger Blodgett’s gun permit, and perhaps send him to Prairie Ridge. But his parents deserve more respect than being called dumb Republitards.
NIACC, I agree that the concealed-carry permit issued to Mr. Blodgett should be revoked, and from what I have heard he should attend Rehab. Also agree that the man’s parents deserve respect. God knows what he must of put them through. But the sheriff here is Republican, and Braindead is gov. So good luck on that one. Probably we will just have to wait till he shoots somebody, I heard he came close to doing that last summer.
Blodgett should of shot them scum stole his wallet and money. The NIT story I seen said two carnys stole $500 from him to bad their still alive they will keep stealing yes.
Your right Urdahl is a crook from a whole family of crooks. Rodney his dad did my folks’ taxes up till the IRS nailed him for tax fraud. Could not even vote for his own son, he was a convict felon. He might of went to prison which I think so. We had always thought pretty high of Dr. And Mrs. Blodgett till they dirtyed themselves hooking up with this criminal whose brother Mike is as bad as the rest of them. It would not surprise me if the Blodgett’s neoNazi son is the reason for how this all got going.
@Democrat-he can’t be to dumb as he is rich and a graduate doctor. Now understand, I don’t know the guy so I really don’t have a opinion. I’m just asking.
Your wrong Wayne, its not against the law here to go into our Courthouse with a loaded gun, long as you have conceal carry. Iowa code. The ban your talking about is only a superviser’s resolution, it has no legal value. Todd Blodgett or anybody else that has got one is legal to take guns in there, its in the Iowa code.
Wrong bodacious Todd Blodgett don’t go any place unless he is strapped, since its illegal to carry guns in to the courthouse he would not do this even if our sleazy supervisors ask him to. A case of right wing crazies putting them self out of the main stream.
Who says this commission has to meet at the courthouse. If a Blodgett is on it they probably will go the Country club, that’s where Toddy Boy introduced Booky to his buddy Steve Minert right before Beermeister got the Council to give all that money to the Harley. Our money. I want to know if Stevie paid his junkie friend in cash or drugs.
This post made me laugh with all the names, and how accurate it probably is!
@ MC Resident… it is accurate all right. Our neighbor was waitressing at the Country Club when Toddy the Nazi crack head and Minert came in. This was about 2 years ago. Bookie gets there, heads straight to Blodgett’s table like it was all planned out in advance. A couple weeks after, Bookie pushes the council to give Minert’s 300 thou. Like father like son.
Nice to know that the sons of Ron Minert and Gary Blodgett got Blimpmeyer to take $300,000 of our money for themself. When the heirs to two of the richest men around here can pull this shit its time to get this commission going, maybe we can stop this.
I bet your right.
Yes.
I agree with bodacious that what would probably happen is they would load up the commission with their cronies. We would have to come up with some mechanism to prevent that. Also, this is somewhat what the city went through when the administrator position was created and look what we got there.
I am certainly in favor of changing the county government but think we must be careful in how we do it so we do not end of with worse. Just saying, I have seen it before.
@ LVS/Bodacious, Gary Blodgett’s crack head son mainly live in Texas I think its San Antonio. Which I think will make him ineligibel for this one. He probably lives down there to escape paying Iowa income tax. Or maybe on count of so many Republitard racists like him lives down that way.
@Democrat-not many racist in Texas. They are out numbered by a bunch. I can tell you for a fact there were a lot more racist in Minnesota when we lived there then there were in Texas.
I would agree with this 100%. The commission is picked by a whole range of persons, not just the supervisors. See the code for that. I believe the commission would pick a better form of government, in the end. I think the supervisors should be virtually volunteers. Little or no pay. Bring in an administrator with a 2 year contract only. He can’t sue when the contract runs out. That’s called a term limit in some parts. For example, the county has a much smaller budget than the school board and about the same amount of responsibility, and the school board gets no pay. The supervisors don’t earn the money they are paid and I think the board serves itself first and the people second. Reset the whole thing.
Agreed, Matt. Hear, hear.
@Matt-Great IDEA!!
331.233 APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSION MEMBERS.
1. The members of a commission created to study the alternative
forms of county government under division II, part 1, and sections
331.239, 331.241, 331.246, and 331.253, shall be appointed within
forty-five days after the adoption of the resolution creating the
commission as follows:
a. Two members shall be appointed by each of the following
officers:
(1) County auditor.
(2) County recorder.
(3) County treasurer.
(4) County sheriff.
(5) County attorney.
b. Two members shall be appointed by each member of the
board.
c. Two members shall be appointed by each state
representative whose legislative district is located in the county if
a majority of the constituents of that legislative district resides
in the county. However, if a county does not have a state
representative’s legislative district which has a majority of a state
representative’s constituency residing in the county, the state
representative having the largest plurality of constituents residing
in the county shall appoint two members.
2. Only eligible electors of the county not holding a city,
county, or state office shall be members of the commission. In
counties having multiple state legislative districts, the districts
shall be represented as equally as possible. The membership shall be
bipartisan and gender balanced and each appointing authority under
subsection 1 shall provide for representation of various age groups,
racial minorities, economic groups, and representatives of
identifiable geographically defined populations, all in reasonable
relationship to the proportions in which these groups are present in
the population of the commission area. A vacancy on the commission
shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the original
appointment. The county auditor shall notify the appropriate
appointing authority of a vacancy.
The legislative appointing authorities shall be considered one
appointing authority for the purpose of complying with this
subsection. The senior legislative appointing authority in terms of
length of legislative service shall convene the legislative
appointing authorities to consult for the purpose of complying with
this subsection.
3. If at any time during the commission process, the commission
adopts a resolution by majority vote to prepare a charter proposing
city-county consolidation or the community commonwealth form,
additional members shall be appointed to the commission in order to
comply with section 331.233A. The life of the commission shall be
extended up to six months after the appointment of the additional
members.
@Matt-looks good. Lets go for it.
If the supervisors are to appoint a commission, who is to say that commission wouldn’t be a hand-picked group of cronies who would simply do what the supervisors want them to do? I would imagine that one of the commission right now would be either Gary Blodgett, Mrs. Blodgett, or Todd Blodgett.
You sure got that right Bodacious, exactly. So sad that every one of our Supervisors is so much beholded to this one family the Blodgetts, who put them in, keep them in, and buy their re-elections year after year. For the Blodgett’s, buying influence is how they have always been doing. Last thing we needs a drug addicted Nazi on any county Commission though.
@bodacious-you know you people have Blodget on the brain. Maybe this is a way to get rid of Urdahl and his stooges along with Blodget.
LMAO ROTF!