The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 with Rick Mongan, Bryan Petersen, Duane Mummert, Cheryl Ellis and Dave Skou present. Erin Rydgren, Chronicle Times, and Tom Cullen, Storm Lake Times, represented the press. Gary Lundquist, Paul Greufe, Sarah Tracy, Ramona Nitz, Kenny Schlenger, Tom Kohn, Justin Pritts, Nat Story, Dana Evans, Sam Boothby, Matt Schubert, Stu Hogg, Don Fiser, Joel Ehrig and Cindy Nelson were also in attendance. Unless otherwise indicated, all votes were offered as follows: Ayes – Ellis, Skou, Mummert, Petersen, Mongan; Nayes – one; Abstentions – one.
Chairman Mongan called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mummert to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Petersen to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. Motion carried.
Motion by Mummert, seconded by Skou 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 September 26, 2023:
Alliant Energy
Serv 516.00
Alpha Wireless Communications
Serv 281.20
Bomgaars
Supp 314.97
Adam M Booth
Safety 181.89
Bunkers Feed & Supply Inc
Serv 506.60
CenturyLink Qwest
Serv 83.94
Champion Electric, Inc
Serv 692.94
Cherokee County Fair
Alloc 6,250.00
Cherokee County Hazmat Fund
Approp 3,089.50
Cherokee County Recorder
Fee 55.50
Cherokee County Sheriff
Fees 191.98
Cherokee County Solid Waste
Alloc 22,688.34
Cherokee State Bank
Flex/Self Fund 2,327.53
Cherokee Main Street Pharmacy
Medicatio 93.41
Cherokee Regional Medical Ctr.
Health Serv 172.00
Cherry County Sheriff
Fee 6.00
Cherokee Chronicle Times
Publ 10.00
Cintas
Supp 72.40
City of Cherokee
Serv 976.69
Claeys Brothers Moving and Stor
Serv 1,800.00
CML Telephone Coop
Serv 32.19
Country Tire & Service, Inc.
Serv 329.67
Dallas County Sheriff Office
Fees 43.12
Dearborn Life Insurance Co
Life Ins 1,060.01
Brian Denery
Per Diem 50.00
Denny’s Heating A/C & Plumbing
Serv 367.75
Document Depot & Destruction
Serv 343.00
Joseph W Draper
Travel Reimb 27.50
Ebert’s
Supp 95.00
Dave Ellis
Per Diem 50.00
ESRI
Serv 3,850.00
Fareway
Groceries 1,287.05
Frontier
Serv 129.95
Kristine L Glienke
Travel Reimb 200.15
Gordon Flesch Company
Serv 81.78
GovConnection, Inc.
Supp 34.57
GreatAmerica Financial Svcs
Serv 182.46
High Country Auto
Serv 210.00
Huebner Tile & Flooring
Serv 10,600.00
Hunzelman Putzier & Co PLC
Audit Fees 7,698.75
Hy-Vee Inc
Meds 103.28
IACCVSO
Dues 60.00
Iowa Lakes Electric Coop
Serv 2,285.00
IA Lakes Regional Water
Serv 178.74
Iowa Law Enforcement Academy
Serv 375.00
Iowa Prison Industries
Parts 880.00
Iowa Secretary of State
Fee 1,459.33
ISACA
Dues 1,050.00
Jacks Uniforms & Equipment
Clothing 222.00
Jebro Inc
Supp 3,597.00
JJSS, LLC
Serv 360.00
Johnston Excavating, LLC
Serv 24,800.00
Julius Cleaners
Serv 60.50
KCHE
Ads 196.00
Klass Law Firm, LLP
Serv 1,767.50
Thomas J Kohn
Reimb 59.90
Loughlin Law Firm
Fees 150.00
Jeff Lundquist
Per Diem 25.00
Marco
Serv 215.05
Marcus Lumber
Supp 2,241.31
Martin Marietta Materials
Supp 468.86
Microsoft Corporation
Serv 73.70
Mid American Energy
Serv 4,448.38
Mid-American Benefits, Inc
Fees 75.00
Midwest Alarm Company, Inc.
Serv 3,329.20
Midwest Coatings Company, Inc
Serv 196,628.80
Midwest Lubricants, Inc
Supp 550.00
Midwest Wheel Companies
Parts 9.81
Wane A Miller
Per Diem 50.00
Motor Parts Sales
Parts 238.17
Ray Mullins
Per Diem 25.00
Murphy Tractor & Equipment Co
Parts 340.10
Northside Tire
Serv 22.00
Northwest Iowa Assessor’s Assoc
Regist 825.00
Nuvera
Serv 66.89
O’Halloran International
Parts 8,543.29
Kent Ohlson
Per Diem 25.00
One Office Solution
Supp 371.90
Palo Alto County Sheriff
Fee 43.75
Pilot Rock Sign Shop
Supp 3,704.55
Prestox
Serv 166.11
Ricoh USA, Inc.
Serv 7.78
RJ Thomas Mfg. Co, Inc.
Supp 4,562.85
Sanitary Services Inc
Serv 235.80
Secretary of State
Fee 30.00
SHI International Corp
Supp 1,192.00
Sioux Sales Company
Supp 69.75
Solutions
Serv 500.00
Thomson Reuters-West
Fees 665.19
Truck Center Companies
Parts 652.11
Verizon Wireles
Serv 1,088.50
Visual Edge IT
Serv 194.15
Paula Voss
Per Diem 25.00
Wellmark
Insurance 104,241.51
WesTel Systems
Serv 405.59
WHKS & Co
Serv 1,712.75
Dustin Wieland
Well Closure 500.00
Woodbury County Sheriff
Fees 30.00
Ziegler Inc
Supp 1,765.35
Grand Total $444,953.29

Chairman Mongan called for comments from the public. Riley Gibson, Summit Carbon Solutions, reported that total land acquisitions in Cherokee County is 77% with easement payments to local landowners totaling $7.4 million to date. Negotiations with landowners continue with the statewide total being 74% for the carbon sequestration project. The pipeline project application with the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) is in the landowner hearing stage, however, permit denials in South Dakota and North Dakota have delayed projected construction dates in Iowa. The supervisors thanked Mr. Gibson for the updated information.
There were no utility permits for consideration.
Sarah Tracy, County Engineer, requested approval to apply for credit cards for county staff.
Motion by Mummert, seconded by Skou to approve issuance of a credit card account to Cherokee County Secondary Roads Department through Central Bank with four authorized users:

1. Sarah Tracy, County Engineer, as authorized borrower with a $5,000.00 credit limit
2. Kelly Puhrmann, Assistant Engineer, as authorized borrower with a $5,000.00 credit limit
3. Kenny Schlenger, Roads Superintendent, as authorized borrower with a $5,000.00 credit limit
   4. Kari Lundy, Engineer’s Office Manager, as authorized borrower with a $5,000.00 credit limit
      Motion carried.
      Sarah Tracy asked the supervisors to develop a list of questions and issues that Little Sioux Corn Processors needs to answer in order for the county to make an informed decision on whether or not to vacate 480th Street. Her suggested questions are:
4. LSCP traffic circulation plans if the road is vacated: in/out of plant, trucks queueing on 480th Street, will the road still be intact the entire mile, will 480th Street be one-way traffic westbound, what does the 480th St & E Ave intersection look like?
5. Will the County allow F Avenue to be used as a “parking lot” for trucks coming into the plant? Will we require them to keep trucks on their own property/480th Street?
6. The additional railroad crossings on E Avenue present a lot of questions: how much rail traffic will be using these lines? Will rail cars sit on E Avenue?  Is there potential that rail cars will shut off access along E Avenue?
7. Summit Carbon Solution CO2 line crossing overhead 480th Street: we have been told that it will be overhead if 480th Street belongs to LSCP
   Chairman Mongan advised Tracy to contact representatives from Little Sioux Corn Processors to schedule an agenda appointment for further discussions during a regular supervisor meeting.
   Kenny Schlenger, Roads Superintendent, provided an update on construction and maintenance projects reporting that pipes have been replaced on River Road; a structure near Aurelia was tore out and replaced with twin pipes; driveways are being installed for farmers; and crews are hauling gravel on roads that have turned up areas of black dirt. Schlenger stated that he will be having another discussion about equipment as he is looking at getting a second truck bought. Sarah Tracy added that she will compile different funding alternatives for F Avenue and report on how that impacts the Secondary Roads budget.
   Mongan stated that the Secondary Roads Department just paid to have chip seal applied to Mill Creek Road and within a few hours the wash boards were back on the intersection. Schlenger agreed that the road did not hold up for more than a few hours, but it is due to people not wanting to slow down.
   Ramona Nitz provided an informative presentation on the history of the Lily of the Valley School and requested financial assistance for relocating the school building from its present location on the Highway 3 Bypass to the Cherokee County Fairgrounds. The Fair Board will remove trees and pay for site preparations including a concrete foundation. A moving company has been located and donations will be sought to cover those expenses, however, multiple overhead transmission lines need to be lifted or temporarily removed along the route and those estimated costs are $10,000.00. Mummert advised that the school structure will require additional repairs including a new roof to maintain the building for educational use.
   Motion by Mummert, seconded by Skou to provide $10,000.00 from the Rural Betterment Fund in fiscal year 2023/2024 for relocating the Lily of the Valley School to the fairgrounds and to provide another $10,000.00 in fiscal year 2024/2025 for building repairs including a new roof. Motion carried with Petersen voting nay.
   Dana Evans provided a listing of 64 bridges on paved roads in the county and 16 bridges on paved state highways. Evans proposed naming and placing signs on 80 bridges after veterans from Cherokee County who were killed during military conflicts and asked for support from the supervisors to allow him to advertise and contact families of lost veterans if they would like to select a bridge to be named after their loved one. Each sign would cost $550 and would be the responsibility of the county to maintain. After a lengthy conversation and idea sharing, consensus was to select one county structure to be called “Veterans Memorial Bridge”. The topic was tabled for further research and consideration.
   Paul Greufe, PJ Greufe & Associates, reviewed proposed updates to the employee handbook and answered questions and concerns of supervisors and department managers in attendance. No action was taken.
   Motion by Skou, seconded by Petersen to approve a temporary alcohol permit requested by Top of Iowa Lucky Wife for serving wine at Green Pastures Country Boutique, Quimby, effective October 14 – 18, 2023. Motion carried.
   Motion by Ellis, seconded by Petersen to approve a temporary alcohol permit requested by Mud on Main for providing bar service for a wedding at the Grainery, Cherokee, effective October 5 – 9, 2023. Motion carried.
   Motion by Mummert, seconded by Skou to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2024 county funding of covered services provided by the Cherokee County Fair for the benefit of Cherokee County citizens and individuals. Motion carried.
   The supervisors provided committee reports and reviewed meeting schedules.
   Gary Lundquist reported on the construction schedule for a new building at the landfill which has an anticipated completion date in late January or early February.
   There being no further business, Chairman Mongan called for a motion to adjourn the meeting.
   Motion by Mummert, seconded by Skou to adjourn the meeting at 10:56 a.m.
   All board agendas and minutes are available online at www.cherokeecountyiowa.com
   Attest: Kris Glienke, County Auditor
   Rick Mongan, Chairman
   Published in the Marcus News on October 19, 2023