The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday), canvassed the results of the April 2^nd $9.5-million bond vote for the Atlantic Community School District. Auditor Dale Sunderman confirmed the measure passed by more than a supermajority. There were a total 736 yes votes [65.74%] to 385 no votes [34.3%]. Board Chair Steve Baier noted that 573 of the votes were cast absentee. Sunderman said the aim was to get at least 1,000 people to vote on the proposition.

The Board then heard from Atlantic photographer Fred Fiddelke, who is one of the local photographers who take passport photos. Fiddelke wondered why, when in May 11, 2016 the Board was against the County Recorder buying passport photo equipment, was she allowed to do so this year? Fiddelke voiced his opposition in 2016, and explained why. His contention is that county government should not compete against small business.

Fiddelke says a review of the Board’s minutes from May 2016 through March 2019 makes no mention of passport photos being allowed or expressing an interest in taking passport photos. He mailed letters to each of the Supervisors and wanted to reinforce his case against the county offering the service. He asked “Is the vote that was taken in May, 2016…did that just go away? Is it null and void? Can county officers or agencies say ‘They didn’t vote the way I wanted, I’m gonna do what I want?”

Board Chair Steve Baier said there’s one explanation. “What one board does, doesn’t bind all future boards. In other words, decisions can be changed. In fact that’s why we have elections sometimes.” Supervisor Steve Green said the Board doesn’t have control over what the department heads do, except for when it comes to their budget. He said he thinks there’s a misunderstanding in the general public, that the Board of Supervisors authorize what this office or that office does. Our only power in that office is once a year, when we set the bottom line on their budget. Anything the Board did prior, it may have been ‘requesting that they not do it’, but this board doesn’t have the power to tell them they can’t do it…neither did the previous board.” Essentially, it means the votes the Board makes is not binding on the county offices.

In other business, the Board voted to approve an application to the Iowa DOT for 90% Federal funding associated with needed crossing signal lights at four railroad crossings along Buck Creek Road, for safety reasons associated with the Elite Octane Ethanol Plant. Nick Bowdish, President and CEO of Elite Octane, said applications are due June 1^st.  Bowdish said the once a year application process requires 10% participation in order to get funding. If the 90% is approved, Elite Octane will know by sometime in July if the project is scored highly enough to acquire funding. The total cost of the project ranges anywhere from $250,000 to as much as $500,000. He proposed to have Cass County pick up 5% of the total cost, with Elite Octane the other 5%. Iowa Interstate Railroad has indicated they would pay for on