The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Wednesday, November 13, 2024 with Rick Mongan, Bryan Petersen, Duane Mummert and Dave Skou present. There were no representatives from the press. Gary Lundquist, Steve Zarr, Kelly Puhrmann, Kenny Schlenger and Stu Hogg were also in attendance. Unless otherwise indicated, all votes were offered as follows: Ayes – Skou, Mummert, Petersen, Mongan; Nayes – none; Abstentions – none.
Chairman Mongan called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Mummert, seconded by Skou to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Motion by Petersen, seconded by Skou to approve minutes of the previous meetings. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mummert to approve the claims for payment as presented. Motion carried. A complete listing is available for review in the County Auditor’s office and online.

Claims Approved November 13, 2024:

Deb Agnitsch
Elec Hrs 200.00
AgState
Fuel 28,252.06
Bev Alesch
Elec Hrs 242.50
Alliant Energy
Serv 366.97
Alpha Wireless Communications
Serv 281.20
APCO International
Serv 108.00
Ascendance Trucks, LLC
Parts 9,152.87
Aurelia Lumber
Supp 349.35
Aurelia Municipal Utility
Serv 95.50
Caryn Barry
Elec Hrs 227.00
Mary Berger
Elec Hrs 201.00
Donna Bird
Elec Hrs 218.00
Blaine’s Culligan
Supp 163.10
Boji Portable Toilets Inc
Serv 200.00
Bomgaars
Supp 2,445.49
Janene Braunschweig
Elec Hrs 319.50
Michael Briggs
ROW 34.50
Builders Sharpening & Serv
Parts 1,732.24
Bunkers Feed & Supply Inc
Serv 189.53
Linda Burkhart
Elec Hrs 200.00
Calhoun Burns Associates, Inc
Serv 6,264.75
Heather Carr
Elec Hrs 208.00
Central Bank
Supp 2,165.82
Certified Testing Services Inc
Serv 153.00
Champion Electric, Inc
Serv 30,656.70
Cherokee County Engineer
Fuel 2,278.88
Cherokee County Solid Waste
Alloc 22,688.33
Cherokee State Bank Flex/Merp
Flex/Self Fund 4,064.81
Cherokee Regional Medical CTR
Contract 1,528.43
Cherokee Regional Medical CTR
Approp 5,000.00
Cherokee Rural Water
Serv 185.15
Cherokee Chronicle Times
Publ 951.36
Cintas
Supp 39.96
City of Aurelia
Serv 600.00
City of Cherokee
Serv 242.09
City of Cleghorn
TJ Pmt 168.68
City of Larrabee
TJ Pmt 207.60
City of Marcus
Serv 624.82
City of Meriden
Serv 25.00
City of Quimby
Serv 1,341.28
City of Washta
TJ Pmt 2,803.14
CJ Cooper & Associates
Serv 50.00
CML Telephone Coop
Serv 2,463.23
Donna Conaway
Elec Hrs 217.50
Concrete Products Co
Supp 1567.12
Continental Fire Sprinkler Co
Serv 455.42
Country Tire & Service, Inc.
Serv 651.92
Critical Hire, PLC
Serv 150.00
Christina Cruz
Elec Hrs 216.00
Dearborn Life Insurance Co
Life Ins 1,328.17
Discover
Supp 314.88
Barb Dreckman
Elec Hrs 218.00
Kelly Ebel
Elec Courier 50.00
Elan Financial Services
Supp 1,365.95
Evertek, Inc.
Serv 400.00
Fareway Commissary
Supp 1,441.67
Rhonda Fassler
Elec Hrs 222.50
Karen Ferris
Elec Hrs 208.00
Brian Flikeid
Serv 216.00
Foundation Analytical Lab
Serv 38.50
Greyling Fredericksen
Twp Mtg 10.00
GCC Alliance Concrete Co, Inc.
Concrete 395.50
Cindy Glienke
Elec Hrs 247.00
Dale Glienke
Elec Courier 65.50
Cindra Goodburn
Elec Hrs 201.50
Gordon Flesch Company
Serv 84.78
GovConnection, Inc.
Supp 233.22
Government Forms & Supplies
Supp 38.79
Hallett Materials
Supp 195.19
Pat Harrison
Elec Hrs 200.00
Marcia Henke
Elec Hrs 226.00
Dave Hickman
Elec Hrs 312.00
Kathy Hodgdon
Elec Hrs 227.00
Stuart J Hogg
Elec Courier 68.00
Holiday Inn
Lodging 253.12
Martha K Hueser
ROW 20,250.00
Iowa Comm.Assurances Pool
Insur ,637.00
ICEA
Fee 1,450.00
IMWCA
Insur 3,025.00
Interstate Battery System
Parts 425.85
Iowa Department of Revenue
Sales Tax 166.00
Iowa Lakes Electric Coop
Serv 1,079.00
Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Serv 150.00
Iowa Prison Industries
Serv 1,031.03
ISACA
Dues 150.00
Jacks Uniforms & Equipment
Clothing 964.08
Susan Kerns
Elec Hrs 212.50
Alfred Kerns
Elec Hrs 212.50
Leon Klotz
Elec Hrs 210.00
Vicki Lynn Kolpin
Elec Hrs 208.00
Kimberly Laskowski
ROW 69.00
Lynne Lauck
Serv 144.00
Carol Leidahl
Elec Hrs 227.90
Loughlin Law Firm
Fees 75.00
Mary Jane Lund
Elec Hrs 97.00
Mail Services, LLC
Postage 522.71
Marco
Serv 331.59
Marcus Lumber
Supp 493.01
Marcus News
Publ 1,179.05
Kathy Mason
ROW 34.50
Mazurek Law Firm
Serv 570.00
Susan McCannon
Elec Hrs 208.00
McDyer Tools LLC.
Serv 141.90
Stacy A McGee
Travel Reimb 220.47
Nancy McLaughlin
Elec Hrs 217.50
Mid American Energy
Serv 1,348.43
Mid-American Benefits, Inc.
Admin Fees 653.25
Midwest Lubricants, Inc
Supp 275.00
Brenda Miller
Elec Hrs 224.00
Mindful Key PLLC
Serv 900.00
Modern Heating & Cooling, Inc
Serv 617.30
Roxanne Moller
Elec Hrs 163.00
Motor Parts Sales
Parts 238.36
Maria E Murillo-Tellez
Elec Mileage 25.50
Kale Nelson
Twp Mtg 10.00
Jackie Noble
Elec Hrs 208.00
Northside Tire
Serv 4,914.68
Nuvera
Serv 66.88
Kay Ogren
Elec Hrs 235.00
One Office Solution
Supp 245.38
Holly Peck
Elec Hrs 202.00
Ted Peck
Elec Hrs 200.00
Point C Health
Caf Admin Fees 88.00
Quadient Leasing USA, Inc.
Serv 2,116.95
Barb J. Radke
Elec Hrs 257.00
Record Management Systems Inc Serv 106.47
Roger Redig
Twp Mtg 10.00
Amanda Richardso
Elec Hrs 183.00
Erin Rydgren
Elec Hrs 212.50
Jen Ryen
Serv 672.00
Sanitary Services Inc
Serv 1,098.10
Cynthia Sanow
Elec Hrs 181.00
Rhonda Saxen
Elec Hrs 163.00
Schmillen Construction Inc
Serv 2,000.00
Justin Schulenberg
Twp Mtg 10.00
Cody Simonsen
ROW 12,480.00
Craig Simonsen
ROW 9,960.00
Sioux Valley Family Health
Serv 140.00
Barbara J Staver
Travel Reimb 178.91
Jacqueline M Stephens
Serv 758.00
Cindy Stevenson
Elec Hrs 217.50
Debie A Stevenson
Elec Mileage 64.00
Barb Steward
Serv 450.00
Myla Stoneking
Elec Hrs 202.60
The Storm Lake Times Pilot
Publ 984.36
Nathanial A Story
Serv 224.00
T Mobile
Serv 48.45
Deb Taylor
Elec Hrs 234.50
Thompson Propane & Supplies
Fuel 2,260.51
Shannon Trapp
Elec Hrs 267.00
Triple C Pest Control
Serv 110.00
U.S. Postal Service CMRS-POC
Postage 3,500.00
Veenstra & Kimm Inc.
Serv 282.00
Verizon Wireless
Serv 1,511.54
Vestis
Uniforms 81.58
Visual Edge IT Inc./Counsel
Serv 286.86
Kathy Wankum
Elec Hrs 364.00
Washer Systems of Iowa Inc
Serv 1,501.53
Diane Weathers
Elec Hrs 208.00
WesTel Systems
Serv 405.59
Kim Whittaker
Elec Hrs 175.00
Thomas D Whittaker
Elec Mileage 109.05
Brian Winterhof
Elec Hrs 290.00
Beth Winterhof
Elec Hrs 224.00
Janice Witcombe
Elec Hrs 163.00
Ziegler Inc
Supp 11,389.52
Grand Total 244,907.96

There were no comments from the public.
Steve Zarr, Survey Engineering Technician, presented utility permits for consideration.
Motion by Mummert, seconded by Petersen to approve an underground construction on county right of way application for Cherokee Rural Water in Sections 10 of Cherokee Township and Section 9 of Amherst Township. Motion carried.
Motion by Petersen, seconded by Skou to approve an underground construction on county right of way application for Cherokee Rural Water for 8 miles in Cherokee, Rock and Tilden Townships. Motion carried.
Kelly Puhrmann, County Engineer, discussed activities in the Secondary Roads Department.
Maria Murillo and Jillian Cates, Election Assistants, presented the results of the November 5, 2024 General Election.
Motion by Petersen, seconded by Skou to certify the canvass of the 2024 General Election results including a Cherokee County Election Turnout of 74.93% with 6,143 of 8,198 registered voters casting a ballot. Motion carried with election results including number of votes as follows:

President/Vice President – Vote for One
Donald J. Trump/JD Vance (4,398); Kamala D. Harris/Tim Walz (1,611); Robert F. Kenndy Jr/Nicole Shanahan (51); Chase Oliver/Miker ter Maat (23); Claudia De la Cruz/Karina Garcia (2); William P. Stodden/Stephanie H. Cholensky (2); Shiva Ayyadurai/Crystal Ellis (2); Scattering of Write-Ins (16)

U.S. Representative – District 4 – Vote for One
Randy Feenstra (4,411); Ryan Melton (1,436); Scattering of Write-Ins (29)

State Representative – District 5 – Vote for One
Zachary M. Dieken (2,574); Michael Schnoes (1,095); Scattering of Write-Ins (7)

State Representative – District 13 – Vote for One
Travis M Sitzmann (1,260); Rosanne Plante (284); Parker Hansen (174); Scattering of Write-Ins (3)

County Supervisor – District 1 – Vote for One
Ray E Mullins II (4,727); Rick Mongan – Write In (267); Scattering of Write-Ins (52)
County Supervisor – District 2 – Vote for One
Bryan Petersen (4,921); Scattering of Write-Ins (54)

County Supervisor – District 5 – Vote for One
Shane Bellefy (3,520); Stephanie Zarr (2,056); Scattering of Write-Ins (50)

County Auditor – Vote for One
Kris Glienke (5,075); Scattering of Write-Ins (46)

County Sheriff – Vote for One
Derek Scott (5,287); Scattering of Write-Ins (110)

County Treasurer To Fill A Vacancy – Vote for One
Jodi B. Mongan (4,951); Scattering of Write-Ins (57)

Amherst Township Trustee – Vote for One
Clark Rainboth (119); Scattering of Write-Ins (0)

Amherst Township Clerk – Vote for One
Kellie Hogg – Write In (1); Paula Nelson – Write In (1); Bruce Tabke – Write In (1); Austin Whited – Write In (1); David Whited – Write In (1)

As a result of a tie causing no candidate to be elected, the supervisors drew a write in name out of a hat (per Iowa Code Chapter 43.75), and declared Bruce Tabke to be duly elected to the Amherst Township Clerk position.

Grand Meadow Township Trustee – Vote for Two
Matthew Utesch (103); Jerry Townsend (80); Scattering of Write-Ins (1)

Grand Meadow Township Clerk – Vote for One
Philip Ladenthin (117); Scattering of Write-Ins (3)

Marcus Township Trustee – Vote for One
Luke Seablom (68); Scattering of Write-Ins (0)

Rock Township Trustee – Vote for Two
Nathan Foresman (81); Gerard Kohn (74); Scattering of Write-Ins (0)

Rock Township Clerk – Vote for One
Richard Ravnsborg (89); Scattering of Write-Ins (2)

Tilden Township Trustee – Vote for Two
Jerry D. Johnson (77); Bradley W. Coburn (71); Scattering of Write-Ins (0)

Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners – Vote for Three
Brooke Stowater (3,821); Brian Mugge (3,292); Nate Young (3,207); Scattering of Write-Ins (34)

County Agricultural Extension Council Members – Vote for Four
Jessica Kannegieter (3,544); Molly Lundsgaard (3,503); David Whited (3,188);
ReNae Smith (3,052); Scattering of Write-Ins (26)

Supreme Court Justice
David May (3,277 YES / 1,181 NO)

Court of Appeals Judges
Mary Elizabeth Chicchelly (3,087 YES / 1,194 NO); Samuel Langholz (3,045 YES / 1,172 NO); Mary Ellen Tabor (3,054 YES / 1,181 NO); Tyler J. Buller (3,079 YES / 1,127 NO)

Constitutional Amendment 1
4,597 YES / 1,035 NO

Constitutional Amendment 2
4,926 YES / 580 NO

The supervisors reviewed results of a post-election audit called by the Secretary of State in all 99 counties. A five-member board consisting of absentee board members met at the Cherokee County Courthouse on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 to verify the votes cast at the Cherokee City Wards #1, #2 and #3 Precincts during the November 5, 2024 General Election. The Cherokee County Auditor and Election Assistants were also in attendance to observe the process. The audit team hand counted the votes cast for the offices of United States President/Vice President and County Sheriff on the 1,089 ballots cast at the City of Cherokee polling site on election day. The team’s hand counted results were then compared to those reported by the ballot tabulator results tape generated at the polls on election night and found the results matched exactly. Extensive testing of the ballot tabulators is conducted by the Auditor’s Office in advance of every election to assure that the tabulators are accurately recording the votes from the paper ballots.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mummert to certify the 2024 General Election Post-Election Audit results of the hand count of 1,089 ballots cast in the #1, #2 and #3 Precincts for the offices of United States President/Vice President and County Sheriff which exactly matched the results tape of the ballot tabulating machine on election day. Motion carried.
The supervisors provided committee reports and reviewed meeting schedules.
There being no further business, Chairman Mongan called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Petersen to adjourn the meeting at 9:45 a.m.
All board agendas and minutes are available online at cherokeecounty.iowa.gov .
Kris Glienke, County Auditor
Rick Mongan, Chairman
Published in the Marcus News on November 28, 2024