The Board of Supervisors is to Linn County what a city council is to a city. Schedules can change, so always check the county’s official Board page before you go. Not sure which district you live in? The county’s official page has a district lookup tool.
What the Board does
The Board is the law-making, policy-making and administrative branch of county government. Its jobs include:
- Setting the county budget and the property tax rate that pays for county services
- Funding other county offices, like the Auditor, County Attorney, Recorder, Sheriff and Treasurer
- Health and social service needs
- Land use and zoning in the rural (unincorporated) parts of the county
- Secondary (county) roads
- Enforcing county ordinances and setting yearly state legislative priorities
Departments such as Engineering & Secondary Roads, Planning & Development, LIFTS, Veteran Affairs and Community Services report to the Board. Members also appoint residents to county boards and commissions.
Source: Linn County Board of Supervisors
How many members, and how they’re chosen
There are three supervisors. Each is elected by voters in one of three districts and serves a four-year term. Terms are staggered, so they don’t all end at once.
Current members (2026):
- District 1 — Kirsten Running-Marquardt, Chair
- District 2 — Sami Scheetz, Vice Chair
- District 3 — Brandy Z. Meisheid
Official member page & district lookup →
Source: Linn County Board of Supervisors
When and where they meet
- Mondays, 10 a.m. — work session
- Tuesdays, 9 a.m. — updates from department heads and elected officials
- Wednesdays, 10 a.m. — formal session (where votes happen)
Jean Oxley Linn County Public Service Center, 935 2nd St SW, Cedar Rapids
Times can change around holidays; check the county meeting calendar first. To ask about accessibility or accommodations, contact the Board office (below).
Source: Linn County Board of Supervisors
How to watch
Meetings are livestreamed on the county website. On the Agendas & Minutes portal, find today’s meeting and click the LIVE camera icon (it only appears while the meeting is streaming — refresh if it’s not showing yet). Recordings of past meetings are there too: click the video camera icon.
Source: Linn County Agendas & Minutes
Agendas and minutes
Agendas are posted at least 24 hours before each meeting. Minutes are posted after the Board approves them. You can sign up for email agenda alerts with the “Subscriptions” button on the portal (a free account is needed).
Source: Linn County Agendas & Minutes
Speaking at public comment
Wednesday formal sessions have two public comment times, with up to five minutes per speaker:
- Near the start — about items on that day’s agenda
- Near the end — about any other county board business
Tip: read the agenda first, then say your name, your topic, and what you’d like. Be brief and kind.
Contact the Board
Public Service Center, 935 2nd St SW, Cedar Rapids
Office hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except holidays.
Source: Linn County Board of Supervisors
County vs. city: who does what?
If you live inside a city (like Cedar Rapids, Marion or Hiawatha), your city council handles city streets, local zoning and city services. The county Board handles countywide things — the county budget, county offices, health and social services — plus roads and zoning in the rural areas outside city limits.
For city councils, see Local Gov’t Made Simple. For other county offices, see Who to Call.