The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday in regular session.

The Board approved a COVID-19 leave policy. County Human Resources Coordinator Jamie Lindsay presented the policy, which allows for county employees to have two weeks paid time off for COVID-19 related reasons, without affecting their normal vacation time. The policy is retroactive to April 1st and runs until September 30th. Lindsay then gave an update. She is working with a third party from Omaha, Nebraska for a background check program, which Lindsay pointed out will start with new hires.

Additionally, the Board approved two payroll change notices for secondary roads department employees Owen Hansen and Jeremy Wolfe as presented, along with a change order for the Sallyport door with the law enforcement center project as presented, a fireworks permit for Lake Panorama Association, and the veterans affairs quarterly report. They also set May 25th at 10am as the public hearing date and time for the current fiscal year budget amendment. 

County Health Services Director Jotham Arber shared with the Board a budget amendment for the transfer station. He said there are $112,000 of expected expenses anticipated for the rest of the current fiscal year that ends on June 30th. However, he said there is $117,000 left in the budget, which will cover the expenses. However, he pointed out that didn’t leave him with much in case unplanned expenses arise. Arber then gave an update. He is working with Carroll County Recycling to start a recycling program in all of the elementary schools this fall, and will set up safety training programs with Lindsay. 

The Board heard an update from County Attorney Brenna Bird. She said her caseload in April was 53 cases and in the first four days of May, there were nine new criminal cases. Bird noted most of the cases were drug-related and said the county is close to Interstate-80, which is notoriously known as a drug corridor.