Ordinance review begins with discussion of chairman power

Union County’s review of ordinances began Wednesday, with a conversation about the powers of the board’s chairman drawing attention.

The board of supervisor’s committed to updating Union County’s ordinances through weekly workshops during their meetings on Wednesday, June 11. This past meeting marked the first workshop.

Under review during the meeting were ordinances 10 and 11. Many ordinance numbers are unused, including numbers 1-9, 12-14.

The ordinances reviewed include the passage procedure and readoption ordinances. Some of these ordinances haven’t been reviewed since their original passage, with Ordinance 10 passed in 1981.

“With a lot of these ordinances, they’re so old there have been code changes,” Union County Auditor Sandy Hysell said. “That’s why we go through these.”

Many references to the Iowa Code are outdated, with a redraft needed to accurately connect the code with the county’s ordinances. Redrafts will be done by Union County Attorney Shane O’Toole.

One feature of Ordinance 10, which outlines the passage procedure of ordinances, was under scrutiny. The chairman of the board has the power to veto a measure passed by the other members of the board if the chairman was not in attendance during the meeting where the measure passed.

It would be a rare power and one which all members of the board were unaware of before the workshop. The scenario would have been more likely in a larger board, such as when there were five supervisors rather than the three of today.

The scenario in 2025 where it would be applicable would be if supervisors Rick Friday and Dennis Hopkins were to pass a measure while Chairman Dennis Brown was absent. Brown would have to power to veto the measure.

Brown himself said he was never aware of the power and said it might require more discussion leaning toward its removal. Both Friday and Hopkins predicted the circumstance will never occur considering strong attendance from all members of the board, with Hopkins saying the board was overthinking.

Updates during Wednesday’s meeting only apply to correcting references to the ever-shifting Iowa Code. These changes were predicted to not require a public hearing.

Next week’s meeting will cover Ordinance 15 (unauthorized use of county property) and 20 (general relief).