The Jones County Board of Supervisors heard two ARPA funding requests during their Sept. 19 board meeting.
Previously, in April, the board approved a $40,000 ARPA investment toward a master plan for Central Park.
Conservation Director Brad Mormann was back to request a $3,000 change order to that project.
Conservation is working with the engineering firm Bolton & Menk on the master plan. The additional funds would allow them to expand the plan to include soil determinations for potential future septic treatment sites throughout the park.
Mormann said they have to abide by strict rules and regulations when it comes to setback distances between wells, septic tanks, and bodies of water.
With requests to expand modern camping sites at Central Park, these soil tests would help determine where septic systems can be built.
The board approved the change order.
Between Bolton & Menk and Conservation, both entities will offer suggestions as to where to place septic systems.
“We’ll check a variety of locations,” offered Mormann.
After polling the residents of Jones County concerning the use of Central Park, Mormann shared that campers’ number-one request was electricity; water was number-two.
“Septic is farther down the list,” he said.
Mormann said they hope to have the plan done by early October.
Sheriff Greg Graver and Deputy Sheldon Macke visited with the board with a $85,580 request to purchase updated tasers.
Graver said in May, he started reviewing his leftover equipment budget. The tasers, 2013 models, that his department and Conservation officers are using are past their life span of five years.
He sought a quote to replace all of the tasers. That quote was at 0 percent interest for a five-year contract, or he could pay the full cost upfront.
“We always do 0 percent,” he said.
He said what concerns him is talk about tightening the budgets for FY 2024.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to pay for this next year,” Graver said.
The company where the tasers are purchased no longer offers support after the shelf life expires.
This prompted Graver and Macke, a taser instructor, to look at an updated model.
“Taser 10 is a brand-new model,” Graver said. “It’s the most advanced taser ever created.”
At first, Macke admitted he was skeptic about the new model, but after demonstrating it at a recent event in Black Hawk County, he was sold.
“I was impressed with it afterwards,” he said of getting first-hand experience.
He said the Taser 10 lowers the risk of accidental cartridge discharges.
“Everything is internal; there’s no risk of injury to the officer.”
When turning on the Taser 10, it makes a distinct sound compared to the older tasers.
“There should be no mistaking your firearm for a taser,” Macke said. “That has resulted in huge lawsuits.”
When aiming the taser, it produces a green light versus red.
“It’s a safer deployment.”
Macke said the new model is also more accurate when aiming up to 40 feet. Right now, the current model is just 25 feet.
“This is better in large crowds,” he said, not accidently tasing someone. “And it allows us to avoid certain areas of the body.”
The new model also produces two darts instead of one; it’s also waterproof.
The Taser 10 allows law enforcement to keep track of use and discharges.
Graver said once you pull the trigger on the old tasers, they’re “one and done.
“The darts loosely stick to clothing,” he added. “With the Taser 10, I know where each probe is going.
“With the 10, there’s less lethal force, which the public expects us to use less lethal force.”
Aside from Graver and all of his deputies, two jailers also carry tasers, as do the two court security officers, and the Conservation Resource Manager.
“I am not comfortable using my General Fund money out of my budget because of the uncertain times moving forward,” Graver explained. “That’s why I’m making this one-time ask to retain what we’re currently doing.”
The Taser 10 is good for up to five years. Graver said the tasers could be in deputies’ hands within three months’ time.
Because the Taser 10s are so new, Graver said there is no training instructor in Iowa.
“They will send someone here to train all 10 people,” he told the board.
“We need to keep our deputies as safe as we can,” commented Supervisor Joe Oswald.
The board approved the purchase.
The supervisors will formally approve two separate ARPA resolutions during their next board meeting concerning these two requests.