Leaving The Courthouse

    The history books will show Ron Kohn’s tenure on the board of supervisors has been a time of change and growth for Mills County.
    Kohn, 73, is wrapping up his 12th and final year on the board this week and the retired school teacher will walk away from the courthouse knowing that in many ways the county is in better shape than the day he took office in January 2005.  
    The argument can be made that the county’s commitment to facilities during Kohn’s tenure is unprecedented.  Consider that in the past decade, the county’s not only replaced its century-old jail and sheriff’s office with a modern law enforcement center, but also made major renovations and improvements to the county courthouse, relocated the county engineer’s office into a new facility and supported the construction of a 21st Century conservation and nature education center at Pony Creek Park.    
    “Any time you get a project done and it comes out well, there’s a lot of satisfaction in that,” Kohn said.
    Passage of a $6.4 million bond issue and construction of the law enforcement center and jail, completed in 2014, may be the crown jewel of county projects completed during Kohn’s time as a supervisor. The need for a new facility had been discussed and considered for years, but lacked county-wide support. Many doubted a bond issue would ever be passed.
    “The previous jail committee did a good job, but it didn’t necessarily have diversity from the entire county,” Kohn said. “We needed to have spokespeople from the rural areas and different economic areas to get the message out.
    “We looked very carefully at people who were well-respected in the community. We met with them, got their input and tried to address our concerns why it should be built. Those people recognized the need and bought in. They were the people that made it go.”
    Kohn said the law enforcement center committee, made up of citizens from across the county, played a major role in the planning and design of the facility.
    “When it came time for the bond issue, it was their proposal,” Kohn said. “They did a good job making sure it was the right size and good for the county.”
    Discussion of a new facility for the county engineer’s office was already happening when Kohn and Joe Blankenship came on the board in 2005.  Kohn said the engineer’s building was just one aspect of a larger plan to renovate and expand the county courthouse.
“One of the first things they were working on when I came on was the redesign of the engineer’s building,” Kohn said. “It cost a little bit of money, but I think the people that come in now recognize it’s a very professional and efficient building for the community.”
    The construction of the county engineer’s building was a major aspect of a courthouse renovation and expansion project that resulted in larger meeting room for the board of supervisors, a remodel of the treasurer’s office and improvements to the E-911 communications center. Expansion on the east side of the courthouse created a new entrance for the public and a safer way to bring jail inmates in and out of the building for court appearances.
    Kohn was reminded the design and appearance of the exterior on the new wing of the courthouse didn’t go over particularly well with the public and even some county courthouse employees. Kohn paused to chuckle before giving a carefully-crafted answer when asked if public criticism of the courthouse’s appearance was justified after the expansion project was completed.
    “The current facility was not really developed as an architectural display,” Kohn said. “It was a very practical design, so our approach was to make the new side of it practical also. To try to match or change the appearance significantly would have cost more than it’s worth. It is a very practical facility that meets the needs of the county.”
    Kohn said the Mills County Conservation Board’s decision to construct the conservation and nature education center at Pony Creek Park was a good one. The facility opened last summer and will become a popular attraction, Kohn said.
    “A lot of people who live here don’t necessarily know about our parks system and what it offers,” Kohn said. “I think it’s a great opportunity to get the youngsters out there in cooperation with the schools and actually get out enjoy the Loess Hills and rural environment we have.”
    Along with buildings and facility upgrades, another issue that’s been a major issue on the board of supervisors’ plate during Kohn’s tenure is zoning – an issue that had already become a hot topic when he was elected in 2004.
    “The big issue at that time was zoning,” Kohn said. “That was after the time the Playhouse had come in and there was a big concern about the issue, but there was also some concerns about the whole idea of zoning and the idea of the county directing development and avoiding antagonism between the rural and urban areas.”
    “Some citizens had approached us and were concerned about the overall direction the county was going.”
    Just like the supervisors did for the law enforcement center project, Kohn said a diverse committee made up of citizens from across the county was put together to establish the county’s planning and zoning ordinance. Kohn said the committee met for about two years, breaking down specific issues associated with zoning at each meeting.
    There are still problems and issues to deal with, but Kohn said the establishment of a planning and zoning ordinance has been good for Mills County.
    “Especially for the Loess Hills,” he said. “We have changed the lot guidelines to like three acres. We might not have protected one area or another, but we agreed upon the fact that if you were farming land and it was an agricultural use, it wasn’t necessarily a protected area.”
    During his time in office, Kohn has represented Mills County on several regional boards and committees, including the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency, an organization that recognized him for his service with an award earlier this year. Kohn said his involvement with MAPA and the regional Heartland 2050 project have proven to be time well spent.
    “The problems they have in the metropolitan area and the other counties are similar to the problems we have here in Mills County,” he said. “If they’ve got a solution to a particular problem, I think it’s important we look at it to see if it’s a good solution and if it would benefit our residents.”
    Kohn has also been an advocate for Mills County tourism. He believes Mills County has the potential to become a tourist destination.
    “The wedding facilities have been a big boost to tourism and in the future I think there will be more effort to capitalize on those facilities,” he said. “We have two outstanding museums in the county and we’re working on the archaeological preserve.”
    The archaeological preserve is one of several endeavors Kohn plans to stay involved with after he retires from the board, along with the county’s comprehensive plan committee and the Glenwood Public Library Foundation.
    The future for Mills County looks bright, Kohn said. He sees potential for economic development and residential growth in the years to come and said he’s appreciative of the opportunity to serve three terms as a supervisor. He wishes the board well in the future.
    Mills County Auditor Carol Robertson said Kohn’s 12-year presence at the courthouse has been an asset to the county.
    “Ron is honest and impartial - he treats everyone with the utmost respect and I have never seen him raise his voice to anyone,” she said. “He cares about Mills County and our taxpayers and carefully thinks out and researches all things before he makes a decision and what kind of a financial impact it will be down the road.”
    Robertson said when Kohn accepts a task or becomes involved in a committee or project, he gives it his full attention
    “When Ron takes on a responsibility, he is dedicated and fulfills his duties,” Robertson said. “Working with him over the years has made my job so much easier and he has accomplished a lot with the board of supervisors as a group.  I can say, I will truly miss him - he will leave big shoes to fill.”