Statewide test uncovers dysfunctional siren

Following a statewide test of all Iowa tornado sirens, Union County Emergency Management discovered the Green Valley tornado siren is not functional.

While the expense of repairing the siren wouldn’t be too notable on its own, confusion over which entity is responsible for the siren, EMA or the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, was discussed during last Wednesday’s meeting.

EMA Coordinator Paul Ver Meer discussed with the previous coordinator Jo Duckworth, who said that EMA is not responsible for the Green Valley siren. However, Green Valley Park Ranger Jason Hyde said the state department wasn’t responsible for the siren either.

No history on the siren was able to be obtained, and the exact date of when the siren was constructed was unknown to the EMA commission.

Ver Meer volunteered EMA to take responsibility for the siren, citing the need for repair as a matter of keeping people notified.

“I look at it as a public safety issue,” Ver Meer said. “I’m not going to argue about whose toy it is. Let’s just get it fixed.”

Two pricing scenarios were presented to the EMA commission, depending on whether it’s realistic to fix what Ver Meer called an obsolete siren. For installation and repair if the siren can be repaired, EMA will pay $1,400.

If the siren is unable to be simply repaired, a new siren will be installed. Ver Meer estimated this scenario to cost between $3,700 and $4,000.

Hyde, representing Green Valley, discussed cooperation with the High Lakes Outdoor Alliance, who said they’d be willing to negotiate paying for a portion of the repairs.

Which scenario occurs depends on whether repairs can diagnose a repair or a necessary new installation. Hyde lamented how the sirens can’t fall under DNR expenditures due to it not being relevant to park maintenance.

“It’s a quandary that Paul and I have talked about,” Hyde said. “It’s a battle of both ends. It falls outside of the DNR’s expenses. They don’t maintain tornado sirens; we maintain city parks. It’s on the ground and stuff. But, with the amount of people that live out in our area, having a tornado siren, a public safety thing, it would impact not just us, but surrounding community members.”

The motion the commission made approves EMA to spend $175 for diagnosing the siren. Any further expenses in repairs will go before the Union County Board of Supervisors for payment in cooperation with High Lakes.

To future-proof siren repairs, Ver Meer informed the commission he will be adding a line item to the budget which will be dedicated to building a fund for siren repairs. This will be proposed for the 2027-28 fiscal year, as EMA has already approved their budget for the 2026-27 year.