Boards & Commissions

The Board of Adjustment is a quasi-judicial body within the zoning process framework for the purpose of assuring individuals equal and reasonable treatment under the zoning ordinance.

Visit the Board of Adjustment page for more information, including meeting minutes and agendas.

The Board of Health oversees the Public Health Nurses and Sanitarian Offices. Visit the Board of Health page for more information, including meeting minutes and agendas.

The members of the County Board of Review are appointed by the County Conference Board. Their wages are $100.00 per diem and actual expenses incurred in carrying out their duties. The Board of Review meets on the first day of May and works from day to day thereafter until its review is completed, which shall not be later than the first day of June in odd-numbered years, and July 15 to August 15, in even-numbered years. It is the duty of the Board of Review to examine all assessments made by the County Assessor and, if necessary, to equalize valuations.

Visit the Board of Review page for related resources.

Visit the Civil Service Commission page for more information.

Annually submits a recommended salary schedule of elected county officials to the Board of Supervisors. Visit the Compensation Board page for meeting information.

The County Conference Board is composed of the mayors of all incorporated cities in the County, the County Board of Supervisors, and one representative from each of the boards of the community schools in the County. Each body votes as a unit and has a single vote. The Chairman of the Board of Supervisors presides as Chairman of the Conference Board. It is the Board's duty to appoint the County Assessor and the members of the County Board of Review and adopt a budget for the County Assessor.

Visit the Conference Board page for more information, including meeting agendas and minutes.

The Conservation Board encourages preservation, conservation, education, and recreation through responsible use and appreciation of our natural resources and cultural heritage. The Board annually appoints an Executive Director, has custody, control, and management of all real and personal property acquired for museums, parks, preserves, playgrounds, recreation centers, county forests, county wildlife areas, and other county conservation recreation purposes. The Director is responsible to the County Conservation Board for carrying out its policies. Board members serve without compensation except for actual expenses and are appointed by the County Board of Supervisors.

Visit the Conservation Board page to view meeting minutes and agendas.

Visit the E-911 Board page to view meeting information, including agendas and minutes.

Visit the Emergency Management Commission page for meeting information.

Annually the Board of Supervisors shall appoint not less than 28 residents of the county and the names of such persons shall be placed on a list and they shall be eligible to serve as members. One fourth (1/4) of the persons appointed shall be owner-operators of agricultural property; one fourth (1/4) shall be owners of city property; one fourth (1/4) shall be licensed real estate salespersons or real estate brokers; and one fourth (1/4) shall be persons having knowledge of property values in the county by reason of their occupation, such as bankers, auctioneers, property manager, property appraisers and persons responsible for making loans on property. 

This board's duty is to appraise property that a government is purchasing under eminent domain law. The property owner and the government are at conflict over the terms of the purchase and this board reports its findings to the district judge. The Commission only meets when written application has been filed with the Chief Judge of the Judicial District of the County where the land sought to be condemned is located. The Chief Judge of the judicial district or the judge’s designee shall select by lot six (6) people from the above list; if agricultural land is to be condemned then two (2) from the group of agricultural property owners; if the land to be condemned is city, then two (2) from the group of city property owners, then two (2) from each of the remaining groups. These six (6) persons shall constitute a compensation commission to assess the damages to all property to be taken by the applicant and located in the county and the Chief Judge shall name a chairperson from the persons elected. The Chief Judge or judge’s designee may appoint such alternate members and chairpersons to the commission as are deemed necessary and appropriate under the circumstances. A person shall not be selected as a member or alternate member of the compensation commission if the person possesses any interest in the proceedings which would cause the person to render a biased decision. 

This group of elected officials governs the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach program for Clayton County. They are responsible for budgets, programs, and staff. They also identify the needs in the community and partner with other agencies to secure resources.

Visit the Historic Preservation Commission page for more information, including meeting minutes and agendas.

This commission's duty is to appoint a judicial magistrate. The term begins on January 1.

This commission is responsible for identifying, preserving, and maintaining pioneer cemeteries and their monuments. Visit the Pioneer Cemetery Commission page for more information, including meeting minutes and agendas.

The purpose of the Planning & Zoning Commission is to prevent and lessen the congestion in streets and highways to secure safety from fire, flood, panic and other dangers; to protect public health and general welfare; to provide adequate light and air; to prevent overcrowding of land; to avoid undue concentration of population; to facilitate the adequate provision of transportation, water, sewage, schools, parks and other public requirements; to conserve the value of buildings and encourage the most appropriate use of land throughout the county in accordance with the comprehensive zoning ordinance.

The Planning & Zoning Commission is responsible for making recommendations on all matters relative to the ordinance by which it affects and guides the entire region to unified development of the region.

Visit the Planning and Zoning Commission page for more information, including meeting minutes and agendas.

Visit the REAP Committee page for meeting information.

Visit the Turkey River Recreational Corridor page for more information, including meeting minutes and agendas.

The Enhancement Committee consists of the five county conservation board directors and other regional stakeholders with interest in active transportation, economic development, environmental conservation, cultural affairs, and other related activities. The committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Policy Board on these matters, including regional funding recommendations to the Policy Board for related projects.

Regional Housing Authority (RHA) Board meets four times a year.  There are 23 on this board.

Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) is a council of governments that delivers a wide range of customized planning, advisory and resource development services to help communities build the future of the Northeast Iowa region. UERPC has become recognized as an ideal vehicle for addressing issues that require a regional perspective, obtaining over $321 million in grant funds since its establishment in November of 1972.  The mission is: To promote regional cooperation and meet the planning and economic development needs of local governments.

UERPC has an Executive Board of 7 and a Full board of 19.  The executive board meets when needed; the full board meets the third Thursday of each quarter (generally January, April, August(not July) and October).  They may meet at other times if needed.

The Upper Explorerland Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) and the Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are designed to provide financing to new and expanding small businesses for which credit is not otherwise available on terms and conditions, which permit completion and/or the successful operation of proposed business activities.

The RPA-1 Transportation Policy Board is comprised of representation from each of the five counties and the two communities within the region with populations over 5,000, Decorah and Oelwein. The Transportation Policy Board guides and sets policy for regional distribution of state and federal transportation funding for streets, roads, walking and bicycling infrastructure, and transit, and ensures compliance with state and federal rules and regulations.

This board is responsible for the administration of county veteran relief services. The Veterans Service Officer acts as clerical staff. The term of office for members of this Commission is 3 years. 

Visit the Veterans Affairs page for meeting information.