Home

 

Assessor


Attorney


Auditor\Elections


Board of Supervisors


Clerk of Court


Community Services


Conservation


Drainage


Emergency Management


911 Services


Engineer\Roads


Ordinances


Public Health


Recorder


Sheriff

Gun Permits


Townships


Treasurer/Motor Vehicle/
Driver's License


Veterans Affairs


Environmental Health/Zoning


Phone Numbers


Monona County Links


Monona County Job Descriptions


Real Estate Search

TOWNSHIPS OF MONONA COUNTY


A township is simply a geographic subdivision of a county for which 3 trustees will be elected/appointed who have the authority to levy property taxes on behalf of the township for various public purposes. Each township also has a clerk to handle the financial and clerical duties of that township. Township officials and their business are governed by Chapter 359 of Iowa Code.


A Brief History of Township Government in Iowa

(Take from the ISU Extenion Township Trustee & Clerk Reference Manual - 2013)

The township as an institution of American local government had its beginnings in colonial New England. At that time, counties were subordinate to townships.

In 1834, when Iowa was part of the Territory of Michigan, townships became an important factor in local affairs. During that time, counties and townships encompassed the same geographic area and the early responsibilities between them were often confusing. When Iowa became a state in 1848 there was considerable debate about the relationship between townships and counties. The first Iowa legislative assembly charged county commissioners with dividing counties into townships "as early as practicable." A civil township was the preeminent source of government contact for the people as county government was not yet in place.

By the late 1800s, township trustees were responsible for property tax assessment, tax collection, schools, cemeteries, drainage districts, bridge construction, and animal disease control. In addition, their duties included serving as constables, guardians of the poor, overseers of highways, fence viewers and assessors of damage from stray livestock.

In the 1920s it became clear that township government could not accommodate the wide variety of needs and demands of rural residents. Thus, county supervisors, elected on a countywide basis, replaced the old county board which had been made of township representatives.

In 1975 the Iowa legislature gave townships responsibility for rural fire protection which had not been universally provided (only cities were required to provide fire protections).

Today, county government has eclipsed many township duties, but township trustees are still responsible for emergency services, cemeteries, and resolving fence disputes. Elected officers in most townships include 3 township trustees and a township clerk who are required by law to meet at least twice a year.

Many changes have occurred since the last revision of this manual. Compliance with the 2011 open meeting and records laws, the 2005 cemetery laws and other changes in reporting and record keeping are of particular note.

According to the 1990 Census, there were approximately 1,900 townships in Iowa with an average population of 394 residents each. In the 2010 Census, however, townships in Iowa were not counted as separate governments, but were now classified as subordinate agencies of county governments. According to that same Census, there are still 1,661 townships in Iowa.


ELECTION vs. APPOINTMENT OF TOWNSHIP OFFICERS

Township trustees and clerks are selected to 4 year terms either by appointment by the Board of Supervisors or by election on a nonpartisan basis. In order to have officers appointed by the board, the Board of Supervisors must first pass a resolution in favor of that and then submit the question to the registered voters of that township in the next general election. If that township does not include a city, all registered voters of the township are eligible to vote on the question. If that township does contain a city, only those voters who live outside the corporate limits of that city are eligible to vote on the question. If the proposition to fill township offices by appointment is approved by the majority of voters, the board shall fill the offices by appointment as the terms of office of the incumbent township officers expire.

The officials in the following Monona County townships are APPOINTED by the Monona County Board of Supervisors:

  • Ashton
  • Belvidere
  • Cooper
  • Fairview
  • Franklin
  • Grant
  • Jordan
  • Kennebec
  • Lake
  • Lincoln
  • Maple
  • Sherman
  • Spring Valley
  • St. Clair
  • West Fork

The officials in the following Monona County townships are ELECTED by the eligible voters of that township:

  • Center
  • Sioux
  • Soldier
  • Willow


DUTIES OF A TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE

Annually prepare and adopt a budget and certify taxes for the following services:

  • Fire & Rescue Departments
  • Maintenance of Township Cemeteries
  • Sale of Township Cemetery Deeds

Resolve Fence Disputes.

DUTIES OF A TOWNSHIP CLERK

  • Maintain a record of all proceedings and orders of the trustees.
  • Maintain records and documents.
  • Receive, collect, and disburse, under the orders of the township trustees, all funds belonging to the township.
  • Prepare Annual Report and Fiscal Year Budget to be given to the Monona County Auditor.
       

Monona County
Townships



Click on each link listed below for more information pertaining to that individual township.

For more information, please contact the Auditor's Office at
712-133-2191.


ASHTON


BELVIDERE


CENTER


COOPER


FAIRVIEW


FRANKLIN


GRANT


JORDAN


KENNEBEC


LAKE


LINCOLN


MAPLE


ST. CLAIR


SHERMAN


SIOUX


SOLDIER


SPRING VALLEY


WEST FORK


WILLOW