The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 with Bryan Petersen, Dave Skou, Ray Mullins II and Shane Bellefy (via telephone) present. Cheryl Ellis was absent. Madeline Combs, Chronicle Times, represented the press. Tony Puffett, Erin Rydgren, Audrey Pitts, Rhonda Thompson, Megan Hirst, Chuck Stubbe, Derek Scott, Kelly Puhrmann, Ned Lundsgaard, Stu Hogg, Justin Wills and Joel Ehrig were also in attendance. Unless otherwise indicated, all votes were offered as follows: Ayes – Mullins, 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 Mullins, seconded by Skou to approve the agenda. Motion carried.
Motion by Bellefy, seconded by Skou to approve the minutes of the previous meeting. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to approve the claims for payment as presented. Motion carried. A complete listing is available for review in the County Auditor’s office.

Claims Approved June 10, 2025:
AgState
Fuel 3,769.60
Alliant Energy
Serv 162.17
Aurelia Historical Society
Approp 625.00
Aurelia Library
Approp 2,392.50
Bekins Fire & Safety Services
Serv 611.00
Blaine’s Culligan
Supp 123.65
Bob Barker Company Inc
Supp 1,790.71
Bomgaars
Supp 439.89
Buena Vista County Sheriff
Fees 33.00
Bunkers Feed & Supply Inc
Serv 1,535.40
CAASA
Approp 1,750.00
Cherokee Area Economic Dev
Approp 49,375.00
Central Bank
Supp 2,905.62
Cherokee Chronicle Times
Publ 1,459.02
Cherokee Co EMA
Approp 30,000.00
Cherokee County Fair
Approp 6,250.00
Cherokee County EMS Assoc
Approp 2,500.00
Cherokee County Hazmat
Approp 3,089.50
Cherokee Co. Secondary Roads
Fuel 2,336.56
Cherokee County Sheriff
Fees 36.50
Cherokee County Solid Waste
Approp 22,688.33
Cherokee Library
Approp 3,850.00
Cherokee Main Street Pharmacy
Inmate Meds 56.51
Cherokee Regional Medical Ctr
Contract 40,750.00
Cherokee Regional Medical Ctr
Approp 54,718.75
Cherokee Rural Water
Serv 254.75
Cherokee State Bank Flex/Merp
Flex/Self Fund 5,333.20
Christensen Brothers
Projects 40,889.13
City of Aurelia
Serv 600.00
City of Meriden
Serv 25.00
City of Quimby
Serv 66.00
Cleghorn Library
Approp 2,392.50
CML Telephone Coop Assn
Serv 2,570.31
Connections Area Agency
Approp 500.00
Peter Cosgrove
Per Diem 20.00
Country Tire & Service, Inc
Serv 425.33
Croell Inc
Projects 7,881.25
Crysteel Manufacturing, Inc
Parts 1,090.71
Daves Repair, Inc
Serv 249.87
Joel M Ehrig
Travel Reimb 105.00
Elan Financial Services
Supp 4,502.34
Evertek, Inc
Serv 400.00
Family Crisis Centers
Approp 1,250.00
Brian Flikeid
Serv 334.50
GovConnection, Inc
Supp 3,567.00
Grand Meadow Heritage
Approp 625.00
Hallett Materials
Gravel 16,280.78
Inst of IA Certified Assessors
Reg 495.00
Iowa County Attorneys
Fee 11,325.00
Iowa Law Enforcement Academy
Serv 300.00
IA Natural Heritage Foundation
Dues 100.00
I.C.C.S.
Dues 1,500.00
Iowa State Assoc of Counties
Reg 260.00
ISCTA
Fee 250.00
J & M Tools Jace Heine
Tools 74.50
Jack’s Uniforms & Equip
Clothing 816.68
Jamar Technologies Inc
Equip 273.14
Ryan R Kolpin
Reimb 315.00
Lynne Lauck
Serv 216.00
Mail Services, LLC
Postage 718.43
Marco Technologies LLC
Serv 5.00
Marcus Ambulance Fund
Approp 8,500.00
Marcus Community Fair
Approp 1,600.00
Marcus Historical Society
Approp 625.00
Marcus Library
Approp 2,392.50
Marcus News Inc
Publ 1,014.82
Martin Marietta Materials
Supp 4,847.97
Mid American Energy
Serv 189.92
Midwest Lubricants, LLC
Supp 275.00
Midwest Wheel Companies
Parts 269.33
Motor Parts Sales
Parts 77.64
Motorola Solutions, Inc
Supp 167.00
Mouw Motor Company, Inc.
Vehicle 40,450.00
Maria E Murillo-Tellez
Travel Reimb 188.00
Nelson Electric
Serv 108.87
Northside Tire
Serv 49.70
Nuvera
Serv 64.00
OBrien County Sheriff’s Office
Fees 51.80
PI Variables, Incorporated
Supp 1,715.00
Pictometry International Corp.
Serv 29,130.00
Plymouth County Sheriff
Fees 131.20
Point C Self Fund
Admin Fees 644.75
Point C Health COE
Caf Admin Fees 225.00
Quadient Leasing USA, Inc.
Serv 2,116.95
Quadient Inc
Supp 207.10
Quimby Library
Approp 2,392.50
Rees Mack Sales & Service
Parts 21.80
Jennifer Ann Ryen
Serv 744.00
Sanitary Services Inc
Serv 774.30
Schmillen Construction Inc
Serv 3,240.00
Schneider Geospatial, LLC
Serv 5,616.00
SHI International Corp
Supp 2,576.10
Sidwell Company
Serv 18,195.00
Sioux Valley Family Health
Serv 165.00
Siouxland Regional Transit
Approp 7,670.25
Smith & West Lawn Enforcement
Serv 194.53
Debie A Stevenson
Reimb 132.57
Barb Steward
Serv 300.00
T Mobile
Serv 132.18
Thomson Reuters-West Payment
Fees 660.47
Triple C Pest Control
Supp 80.00
Truck Center Companies East
Parts 753.42
Tyler Technologies
Serv 449.00
US Postal Service
Postage 5,000.00
UST Testing Services Inc
Serv 3,000.00
Van Holland Lawn Service, Ltd.
Serv 2,099.50
Veenstra & Kimm Inc
Serv 141.00
Ver Hoef Automotive, Inc.
Parts 827.48
Verizon Wireless
Serv 800.89
Vermeer Sales & Service Inc
Parts 102.65
Vestis
Uniforms 42.55
Visual Edge IT Inc./Counsel
Serv 295.58
Washta Library
Approp 2,392.50
Wenck Storage
Rental 593.57
Western Iowa Tech Community
Fee 110.00
Ziegler Inc
Supp 1,652.84
360 Custom Designs
Serv 494.00
Grand Total 495,951.36

There were no comments from the public.  

Kelly Puhrmann, County Engineer, reported on construction projects and discussed activities in the Secondary Roads Department.
Derek Scott, County Sheriff, presented wage authorizations for consideration.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to approve a $27.25 per hour wage authorization for John Galvin, Deputy, effective June 23, 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Skou to approve a $20.50 per hour wage authorization for Jennifer Ohlendorf, Jailer, effective June 16, 2025. Motion carried.
Rhonda Thompson, Hopkins Insurance, presented the county’s July 1st renewal from Iowa Communities Assurance Pool (ICAP) for auto, property and liability insurance coverage with a 5.45% premium increase. Thompson reported the increase is a result of total valuations of county property and vehicles increasing by 1.3 million directly related to ICAP implementing an annual built in inflation valuation increase of 2% on all buildings and business personal property. The supervisors reviewed potential cost savings if deductibles were increased and the county assumed more exposure. Cybersecurity coverage was also discussed at length and consensus was that current coverage may not be adequate in today’s technology environment.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Bellefy to renew the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool (ICAP) insurance policy for 2025/2026 including an increase in cyber liability coverage with a total premium of $312,808.00. Motion carried.
Thompson presented the county’s worker’s compensation insurance policy renewal for 2025/2026. The county’s total premium for workman’s compensation insurance decreased by $37,597.00 due to a previous large employee payout falling off the claims history which decreased the mod factor from .95 to .65 in addition to a 25% discount for longevity and loss experience.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Skou to renew the Iowa Municipalities Workers Compensation Association (IMWCA) insurance policy for 2025/2026 with a $30,206.00 premium. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to approve Resolution #2025-14 Inter-Fund Operating Transfer of $1,050,000.00 from Rural Basic Fund to Secondary Road Fund effective June 10, 2025. Roll call vote: Mullins-aye, Bellefy-aye, Skou-aye, Petersen-aye. Motion carried and resolution adopted.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to acknowledge a $90,068.81 ($3,046 increase) salary adjustment for Joel Ehrig, County Assessor, effective July 1, 2025 as previously approved by the Assessor’s Conference Board. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Bellefy to acknowledge a $72,055.04 ($6,788 increase) salary adjustment for Nathanial Story, Chief Deputy Assessor, effective July 1, 2025 as previously approved by the Assessor’s Conference Board. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Bellefy to acknowledge a $52,213.80 ($2.95 per hour increase) salary adjustment for Lacey Daum, Assessor’s Office Manager, effective June 2, 2025 with no additional increase on July 1, 2025; as previously approved by the Assessor’s Conference Board. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to approve a separation of employment and $3,465.86 final payout of hours worked, vacation and longevity hours for Nissa White, Assessor’s Office Manager, effective May 30, 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Mullins to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2026 county funding of covered services provided by Siouxland Regional Transit System for the benefit of Cherokee County citizens and individuals. 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 Mullins, seconded by Bellefy to adjourn the meeting at 9:53 a.m.
All board agendas and minutes are available online at cherokeecounty.iowa.gov .
Bryan Petersen, Chairman
Attest: Kris Glienke, County Auditor
Published in the Marcus News on July 3, 2025