The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Thursday, January 2, 2025 with Bryan Petersen, Cheryl Ellis, Dave Skou, Ray Mullins, and Shane Bellefy present. There were no representatives from the press. Gary Lundquist, Stu Hogg, Brian Flikeid. Kenny Schlenger, Kelly Puhrmann, Lisa Bringle, Laura Jones, Hannah Nelson and Justin Pritts were also in attendance. Unless otherwise indicated, all votes were offered as follows: Ayes – Mullins, Ellis, Bellefy, Skou, Petersen; Nayes – none; Abstentions – none.
Kris Glienke, Board Clerk, called the 2025 Organizational Meeting of the Cherokee County Board of Supervisors to order at 9:00 a.m. and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Glienke called for nominations and a motion to elect the Board Chairman for 2025.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Bellefy to elect Petersen as Chairman for 2025. Motion carried.
Petersen presided over the remainder of the meeting in the Chairman position.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Ellis to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Bellefy to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. Motion carried.
Chairman Petersen called for nominations and a motion to elect the 2025 Vice Chairman.
Motion by Skou, seconded Mullins to elect Ellis as 2025 Vice Chairman. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Skou to appoint Kris Glienke, County Auditor, as Clerk to the Board of Supervisors for the 2025 year. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Mullins to set the regular meeting time of the Cherokee County Board of Supervisors for 9:00 a.m. on Tuesdays in the Boardroom of the Cherokee County Courthouse and to set an agenda deadline for 12:00 noon the Friday before the meeting. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Bellefy to designate the Cherokee Chronicle Times and Marcus News as the official newspapers for 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to set the employee mileage rate at 50 cents per mile for the 2025 calendar year. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Ellis to approve the 28 member Eminent Domain Commission for 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to approve Resolution #2025-01 “DNR Master Matrix for 2025”. Roll call vote: Mullins-aye, Ellis-aye, Bellefy-aye, Skou-aye, Petersen-aye. Motion carried and resolution adopted.
The supervisors updated their committee assignments as follows:
County Fairs –Petersen, Skou/alternate
Solid Waste Commission – Lundquist, Skou/alternate
Cherokee Area Economic Development – Petersen, Mullins/alternate
USDA Rural Revolving Loan Committee – Petersen, Mullins/alternate
EMA Commission – Skou, Bellefy/alternate
EMS Committee – Skou, Bellefy/alternate
Local Emergency Planning Commission – Skou, Bellefy/alternate, Don Fiser/ad hoc representative
E911 – Skou, Bellefy/alternate
Ambulance CRMC – Skou, Bellefy
Board of Health – All Supervisors
SIMPCO – Bellefy, Mullins/alternate
Siouxland Regional Transit Services – Bellefy, Mullins/alternate
RPA – Bellefy, Mullins/alternate
Western Iowa Housing – Bellefy, Mullins/alternate
Third Judicial Representative – Bellefy, Mullins/alternate
Cherokee County Residential Services, Inc. – Ellis, Petersen/alternate
Plains Area Mental Health – Ellis, Petersen/alternate
MHI Citizens Advisory Board – All Supervisors
Mid Sioux Opportunities – Ellis, Petersen/alternate
Northwest Early Child Iowa Board (NECI) – Ellis, Petersen/alternate
Youth Emergency Services Center Board – Petersen, Ellis/alternate
REAP – Skou, Mullins
Courthouse Committee – Skou, Bellefy
Court Facility Security Committee – Skou, Bellefy
Safety Committee – Ellis, Mullins
IT Committee – Skou
County Employee Personnel Committee – Ellis, Petersen
County Shop – All Supervisors
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to approve the 2025 Board Committee Assignments as listed. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to appoint Gary Lundquist as county representative on the Cherokee County Sanitary Landfill Commission for the 2025 year. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Bellefy to appoint Dr. Timothy Rice and Jodi Schlichting as Board of Health members for three (3) year terms ending December 31, 2027. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Bellefy to appoint Doug Roseen to the Cherokee County Conservation Board for a five (5) year term ending December 31, 2029. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Skou to appoint Matt Todd as Cherokee County Weed Commissioner for a one (1) year term ending December 31, 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Mullins to appoint Dale Glienke and Dustin Wieland as Board of Adjustment Members for five (5) year terms ending December 31, 2029. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Bellefy to appoint Daryl Ducommun as Cedar Township Trustee for a four (4) year term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Bellefy to appoint Chad Brown and Nick Patterson as Cherokee Township Trustees for four (4) year terms ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to appoint Ryan Radke as Diamond Township Clerk for a four (4) year term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Ellis to appoint Aaron Hinkeldey as Diamond Township Trustee for a four (4) year term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Mullins to appoint Bruce Godbersen and LeDen Pingel as Liberty Township Trustees for four (4) year terms ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Bellefy, seconded by Skou to appoint Bob Parker, Tim Perrin, and Scott Carnes as Pilot Township Trustees for four (4) year terms ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Bellefy to appoint Roger Redig as Pitcher Township Clerk for a four (4) year term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Mullins to appoint Greyling Fredericksen, Kirk Nelson, and Justin Schulenberg as Pitcher Township Trustees for four (4) year terms ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Petersen, seconded by Skou to appoint Laura Lunders as Sheridan Township Clerk for a four (4) year term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Ellis to appoint Kyle Prunty and David Peters as Sheridan Township Trustees for four (4) year terms ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou seconded by Bellefy to appoint Amy Glienke as Silver Township Clerk for a four (4) year term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Ellis to appoint Kenneth Todd and Adam Glienke as Silver Township Trustees for four (4) year terms ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Ellis to appoint Lisa Zalaznik as Spring Township Clerk for a four (4) year term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Skou to appoint Cody Stowater as Spring Township Trustee for a four (4) year term ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Bellefy to appoint Neal Rupp and Jerry Slota as Willow Township Trustees for four (4) year terms ending December 31, 2028. Motion carried.
There were no comments from the public.
Kelly Puhrmann, County Engineer, discussed activities in the Secondary Roads Department and requested a closed session to discuss a potential real estate purchase.
Motion by Bellefy, seconded by Mullins to go into closed session per Iowa Code Chapter 21.5(1)(j). Roll call vote: Mullins-aye, Ellis-aye, Bellefy-aye, Skou-aye, Petersen-aye. Regular session was closed at 9:36 a.m.
Regular session resumed at 10:20 a.m.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Bellefy to authorize Kelly Puhrmann, County Engineer, to proceed with negotiating a potential purchase of property. Motion carried.
The supervisors began the 2025/2026 budget process and reviewed preliminary cash fund balances.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Bellefy to adjourn the meeting at 12:53 p.m. Motion carried.
All board agendas and minutes are available online at cherokeecounty.iowa.gov .
Attest: Kris Glienke, County Auditor
Bryan Petersen, Chairman
Published in the Marcus News on January 16, 2024