The number of new COVID-19 cases reported to the Siouxland District Health Department fell by more than 45% last week. A report released today shows that 235 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Woodbury County for the week beginning Feb. 7, down from 432 new cases the week before. The county's 14-day positivity rate dropped from 15.1% to 9.6%. Health officials have said anything above 5% is a concern. The number of people hospitalized with the virus at Sioux City's two hospitals also decreased from 40 to 23 over that one week. More than 50 percent of Woodbury County residents have completed single- or two-dose vaccinations, and 21,406 booster doses have been given in the county.
Woodbury County workers represented by unions who had asked the county supervisors to reopen their contracts to negotiate higher wages will receive one-time retention payments of $1,000 instead.
On Tuesday, the five-member board voted to use over $240,000 of the county's federal COVID relief funds to give payments to about 240 full-time union employees. Around 15 part-time employees will also receive a pro-rated amount based on hours.
The secondary roads, deputies, and correction officers unions previously asked the board to reopen contract negotiations for wages only due to high inflation in the last year. Currently, sheriff's deputies and correctional officers are scheduled to receive a 2.75 percent raise on July 1, while the secondary road workers are set to get a 2.25 percent increase. That compares to a 4 percent raise the county board granted to 36 non-union salaried employees last week.
A House panel has advanced a bill that would change Iowa's election recount procedures and bar election officials from receiving private donations to help run elections.
It would also require absentee voters to put their ID number on the outer return envelope. Voters are currently required to provide that number on their absentee ballot request form.
