The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 with Bryan Petersen, Cheryl Ellis, Dave Skou, Ray Mullins II and Shane Bellefy present. Erin Rydgren, Chronicle Times, represented the press. Gary Lundquist, Steve Zarr, Chuck Stubbe, Kelly Puhrmann, Laura Jones, Kayla Meyer, Gary Jordan, and Greg Gengler were also in attendance. Unless otherwise indicated, all votes were offered as follows: Ayes – Mullins, Ellis, Bellefy, Skou, Petersen; Nayes – none; Abstentions – none.
Chairman Petersen called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Bellefy to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Mullins to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Ellis to approve the claims for payment as presented. Motion carried with Ellis abstaining from a per diem payment to her husband. A complete listing is available for review in the County Auditor’s office.

Claims Approved February 25, 2025:

AgState Cherokee Agronomy
Fuel 1,868.26
Alliant Energy
Serv 756.93
Alpha Wireless Communication
Serv 771.25
Aurelia Municipal Utility
Serv 200.54
Beck Engineering
Supp 2,807.50
Benson Construction
Serv 6,075.00
Bierschbach Equipment
Parts 289.22
Blaine’s Culligan
Supp 61.70
Bomgaars
Supp 3,036.72
Campbell Supply Co
Parts 329.28
CCDA
Dues 100.00
Central Bank
Supp 2,930.21
CenturyLink E911
Serv 33.95
CenturyLink Qwest
Serv 82.54
Champion Electric, Inc
Serv 9.97
Cherokee Chamber of Commerce
Dues 200.00
Cherokee County Sheriff
Fees 109.50
Cherokee County Solid Waste
Alloc 10.00
Cherokee State Bank Flex
Flex/Self Fund 202.91
Cherokee Regional Medical Ctr
Flex/Self Fund 664.00
Cherokee Regional Medical CTR
Contract 1,615.93
Cherokee Chronicle Times
Publ 1,119.65
Cintas
Supp 71.14
City of Aurelia % City Clerk
Serv 600.00
City of Cherokee
Serv 456.30
CJ Cooper & Associates
Serv 360.00
Clay County EMA
Radon Kits 200.00
Clay County Sheriff
Fee 43.00
CML Telephone Coop Assn
Serv 1,195.01
Cole Papers
Supp 211.47
Dearborn Life Insurance Co
Life Ins 1,196.51
Brian Denery
Per Diem 50.00
Design House Plus and/or Neigh
Brochures 96.56
Diamond Mowers
Parts 696.05
Don Drefke
Per Diem 50.00 DTN, LLC
Publ 1,379.22
Dultmeier Sales
Parts 485.64
Dave Ellis
Per Diem 50.00
Enerspect Medical Supplies
AEDs 3,427.86
First National Bank of Omaha
Travel Reimb 91.60
Brian Flikeid
Serv 165.00
FORCE America Distributing
Parts 261.07
Frontier
Serv 129.95
Gordon Flesch Company GFC
Serv 87.78
Gov Connection, Inc
Supp 3,328.43
Hy-Vee Inc.
Supp 122.83
IA Emergency Management
Dues 225.00
Iowa Lakes Electric Coop
Serv 2,844.00
IA Lakes Regional Water
Serv 300.24
Iowa State Sheriffs & Deputies
Membership & Classes 125.00
Jacks Uniforms & Equipment
Clothing 577.59
John Deere Financial
Parts 126.68
KCHE
Ads 250.00
Loffler Companies, INC
Supp 37.51
Marco
Serv 577.58
Marcus Lumber
Supp 1,213.86
Martin Marietta Materials
Supp 2,027.02
Matheson Tri-Gas Inc
Supp 158.28
McDyer Tools LLC. Dave McDyer
Serv 69.75
Mid-American Energy
Serv 1,204.69
Midwest Wheel Companies
Parts 152.43
Wane A Miller
Per Diem 50.00 Modern Heating & Cooling, Inc
Serv 142.01
Motor Parts Sales
Parts 768.83
Motorola Solutions, Inc
Supp 243.75
Murphy Tractor & Equipment
Parts 882.43
Northside Tire
Serv 147.00
Northwest Iowa Assessor’s
Dues 1,875.00
Nuvera
Serv 68.48
O’Reilly Automotive, Inc
Supp 16.98
Garrett M Ogren
Travel Reimb 27.98
Ohlson Trucking
Serv 2,724.44
One Office Solution
Supp 587.30
Michelle K. Pedersen
Per Diem 50.00
PJ Greufe & Associates
Serv 1,500.00
Prestox
Serv 193.69
Rees Mack Sales & Service
Parts 241.79
Reliance Systems
Serv 200.00
Robertson Implement Co Inc
Supp 27.00
Sanitary Services Inc
Serv 119.10
SCE, LLC
Parts 1,120.70
Schmillen Services
Serv 1,047.30
Secretary of State Notary
Dues 30.00
Sioux Valley Family Health
Serv 280.00
Solutions Inc. Harris Local
Serv 3,905.60
Stanard & Associates Inc
Serv 177.67
T Mobile
Serv 96.62
Thompson Propane & Supplies
Supp 4,131.32
Thomson Reuters-West Payment
Fees 660.47
Titan Machinery
Parts 1,806.49
Truck Center Companies East
Parts 608.45
U.S. Postal Service CMRS-POC
Postage 6,600.00
Vanguard Appraisals Inc
Serv 2,970.00
Verizon Wireless
Serv 154.77
Vestis
Uniforms 67.32
Visual Edge IT
Serv 116.17
Wellmark BCBS of Iowa
Insurance 111,695.34
WesTel Systems
Serv 405.59
Woodbury County Sheriff
Fees 48.00
Ziegler Inc
Supp 2,252.72
Grand Total 195,960.42

There were no comments from the public.
Steve Zarr, Survey Engineering Technician, presented a utility permit for consideration.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Bellefy to approve an underground utility permit for Storm Lake Power Partners in Section 24 of Spring Township. Motion carried.
Kelly Puhrmann, County Engineer provided an update on the secondary roads and shared that they are awaiting the bid letting on Diamond 105 project from the IDOT.

Resolution #2025-06 to accept bid and delegate contract signing for Contract ID:18-C018-094 was tabled until next week as we await documents from DOT. Motion by Skou and seconded by Bellefy to approve Resolution 2025-07 for C16 HMA Resurfacing from Plymouth County line to Highway 143. Roll call vote: Mullins-aye, Ellis -aye, Bellefy-aye, Skou-aye, Petersen-aye. Motion carried and resolution adopted.
Laura Kohn, Conservation Director, presented the Cherokee County Conservation Board Annual Report for 2023-2024. The report included details on usage of facilities, educational programming attendance & programs, flood damage, grant monies received, flood damage, and how they are looking to create additional revenue for Cherokee County. Motion by Mullins, seconded by Ellis to receive the annual report. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou and seconded by Bellefy to approve Resolution 2025-05 Operating Transfer of $50,000.00 from General Fund to Conservation Acquisition Fund. Roll call vote: Mullins-aye, Ellis -aye, Bellefy-aye, Skou-aye, Petersen-aye. Motion carried and resolution adopted.
Cherokee Regional Medical Center Public Health representatives Kayla Mayer and Gary Jordan provided an informative review of the services currently offered by their team. They are always looking to grow the knowledge of the community and share the services by making sure the community is well informed.
Greg Gengler, Cherokee Regional Medical Center EMS Manager, provided a review of ambulance services and reported 1,762 calls in 2024. Gengler stated CRMC has two ambulance crews using 4 ambulances staffed 24/7 with the 1st team dedicated to 911 calls and the 2nd team being available to take transfers, respond to other emergencies within the hospital or take additional 911 calls. Gengler is recommending that Cherokee County develop a steering committee to plan how emergency medical services will be funded in the future and to explore the option of implementing a countywide property tax to pay for essential EMS services. Gengler also reported that grant funds were received to implement, educate, and attract high school students to enter EMS positions. 2025 is the second year of school-based EMT classes for CRMC. Greg shared that volunteerism is vital, as CRMC works to help train the many volunteers of Cherokee County. The supervisors expressed their appreciation to the CRMC team for the many services they provide within Cherokee County. Additional funding was discussed and will be taken under consideration.
Motion by Bellefy, seconded by Skou to approve the appointment of the new Zoning Commission Member, Cody Simonsen based on the recommendation of the Cheroke County Zoning Commission. Motion carried.
The supervisors provided committee reports and reviewed meeting schedules.
There being no further business, Chairman Petersen called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Mullins to adjourn the meeting at 10:07 a.m. Motion carried.
All board agendas and minutes are available online at cherokeecounty.iowa.gov .
Attest: Karin Cedar, Deputy Auditor
Bryan Petersen, Chairman
Published in the Marcus News on March 13, 2025