The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session on Tuesday, July 22, 2025 with Bryan Petersen, Cheryl Ellis, Dave Skou, Ray Mullins II and Shane Bellefy present. Madeline Combs, Chronicle Times, represented the press. Gary Lundquist, Josh Yernatich, Kelly Puhrmann, Mark Hill, Janet Hill, Paula Voss, Trapper Rudisell, Julie Rudisell, Erin Rydgren, Chuck Stubbe, Barb Dinelli, Derek Scott, Ned Lundsgaard, Brian Glienke and Jodi Mongan 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 Bellefy 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 July 22, 2025:
AgState
Fuel 6,623.26
Ahlers & Cooney PC
Serv 1,456.20
Alliant Energy
Serv 36.38
Alpha Wireless Comm Co.
Serv 9,901.50
Aurelia Municipal Utility
Serv 92.19
Aventure Staffing
Serv 4,266.67
Catering 2 You
Serv 160.00
Blaine’s Culligan
Supp 144.15
Boji Portable Toilets Inc
Serv 200.00
Bomgaars
Supp 2,819.31
Campbell Supply Co
Parts 510.79
Cass County Sheriff
Fees 44.00
Central Bank
Supp 243.34
Central Iowa Distributing
Supp 1,054.00
CenturyLink E911
Serv 33.95
Champion Electric Serv 208.61
Cherokee Chronicle Times Publ 1,111.01
Cherokee Co. Secondary Roads Fuel Reimb 204.83
Cherokee County Sheriff Fees 75.90
Cherokee Depot Rent 960.00
Cherokee Main Street Pharmacy Meds 45.62
Cherokee Regional Medical Ctr
Health Serv 274.00
Cherokee Rural Water
Serv 46,020.72
Cherokee State Bank Flex/Merp Reimb 4,598.73
Christensen Brothers
Projects 24,007.50
Cintas
Supp 102.74
City of Cherokee
Rent 80.00
City of Marcus
Serv 629.20
CJ Cooper & Associates
Serv 70.00
CML Telephone Coop Assn Serv 1,223.73
Cole Papers Inc
Supp 369.97
Corporate Translation Services Serv 35.23
Croell Inc
Pmt #6 F Ave 196,083.95
Cruz Electric 110 Inc
Supp 508.62
Brian Denery
Per Diem 50.00
Jon Draper
Reimb 71.00
Don Drefke
Per Diem 50.00
Elan Financial Services
Supp 498.43
Evertek, Inc
Serv 400.00
Fareway
Groceries 40.02
Feld Equipment Company Serv 105.00
First National Bank of Omaha
Verizon/Assr 91.60
Brian Flikeid
Serv 274.50
Frank Dunn Co
Supp 989.00
Frontier Communications
Serv 129.95
Geo-Comm, Inc.
Serv 4,862.00
Gordon Flesch Company Serv 87.78
GovConnection, Inc
Supp 751.81
Hy-Vee Inc.
Supp 16.99
Interstate Battery
Parts 442.46
Iowa Lakes Electric Coop
Serv 1,565.00
Iowa Prison Industries
Parts 98.98
Iowa State Assoc of Counties Dues 400.00
JCL Solutions
Supp 185.06
KCHE AM & FM
Ads 50.00
Kenwood Records Management Serv 2,075.08
Thomas J Kohn
Supp 198.13
Laurens House of Print LTD Supp 458.33
Loffler Companies, INC
Supp 39.69
Kyle Lynn Lowe
Serv 1,199.31
Marco Technologies LLC
Serv 178.42
Marcus News Inc
Publ 33.50
Martin Marietta Materials
Supp 4,985.62
Mid American Energy
Serv 47.65
Midwest Card and ID Solutions
Serv 1,250.00
Midwest Lubricants, LLC
Supp 530.00
Midwest Wheel Companies
Parts 1,698.87
Wane A Miller
Per Diem 50.00
Motor Parts Sales
Parts 10.44
Murphy Tractor & Equipment Co Parts 4,546.28
Nuvera
Serv 64.00
NW Iowa Yes Center
Shelter 350.00
OBrien County Sheriff
Fees 15.40
One Office Solution
Supp 53.92
Point C Self Fund
Admin Fees 1,121.75
Prestox
Serv 193.69
Rees Mack Sales & Service
Parts 195.72
SCE, LLC
Parts 775.50
SHI International Corp
Supp 3,403.24
SIMPCO
Housing Trust Fund 19,079.00
Siouxland Humane Society Serv 112.00
Solutions Inc Harris
Serv 686.94
Thomson Reuters-West Payment Fees 660.47
Truck Center Companies East Parts 877.98
US Postal Service
Postage 1,000.00
Valley Glass & Framing Co
Serv 305.00
Valley Veterinary Center
Fees 211.44
Van Diest Supply Company Chemicals 10,449.00
Verizon Wireless
Serv 361.81
Vestis
Uniforms 85.10
Visual Edge IT Inc./Counsel
Serv 127.66
Wellmark BCBS of Iowa
Insurance 114,838.72
WesTel Systems
Serv 615.54
Woodbury County Sheriff
Fees 68.00
Youth Shelter Care
Shelter 745.12
Grand Total 489,054.00
There were no comments from the public.
Kelly Puhrmann, County Engineer, presented a wage authorization and several construction documents for consideration.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Ellis to approve a $28.04 wage authorization for Cody Hogrefe, Secondary Roads Operator, effective August 4, 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Skou to approve a road use agreement with Allete Clean Energy for a Windfarm Project in Cherokee County. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Ellis to approve a Preconstruction Agreement with Iowa DOT for the Highway 31 culvert replacement project and relocation of an intersection on East 4th Avenue in Quimby. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Mullins to approve a Detour Route Agreement with Iowa DOT for the Marcus roundabout project using county roads C16 and L48. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Bellefy to approve a Detour Route Agreement with Iowa DOT for the Highway 31 Silver Creek bridge replacement project using county road C66. Motion carried
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Ellis to approve a Federal Funding Agreement with Iowa DOT for a bridge replacement project on M25 over the Maple River. Motion carried.
Puhrmann reported on construction projects and discussed activities in the Secondary Roads Department.
Derek Scott, County Sheriff, presented a wage authorization and requested an option for Law Enforcement Center employees to bank eight (8) hours of Holiday benefit instead of being paid at the time of the actual holiday. Motion by Ellis, seconded by Bellefy to approve a $21.20 per hour wage authorization for Allie Byers, Dispatcher, effective July 29, 2025. Motion carried.
After a lengthy discussion, Sheriff Scott requested that the topic of banking holiday hours be tabled.
Jodi Mongan, County Treasurer, presented a revenue report for consideration. Motion by Ellis, seconded by Bellefy to accept the Treasurer’s June 30, 2025 Semi-Annual Cash Settlement Report as presented. Motion carried. The County’s June 30, 2025 total cash on hand was $17,893,105.69 which includes a $10,177,934.42 balance in the Secondary Roads Fund.
Mongan discussed the tax certificate process and presented two properties for consideration.
Motion by Bellefy, seconded by Skou to abate all interest costs and accept a bid for the amount of taxes due ($5,783.60) and to assign the tax sale certificate for parcel #07-34-151-006 (Lot 4 and 5 Block 77, 14th Addition, Cherokee, Iowa) to Barb Dinelli, Cherokee. Motion carried.
Motion by Mullins, seconded by Bellefy to abate all interest and county nuisance costs; accept a bid for $1,000.00 and to assign the tax sale certificate for parcel #07-34-151-006 (Lot 6, Block 1, Meadow Brook Addition, a Subdivision in the SE 1/4 of the SE ¼ of Section 16, Township 92 North, Range 40 West, Cherokee County, Iowa) to Mark Hill, Cherokee; with a mutual understanding that the purchaser is responsible for any and all costs associated with cleanup of the property and potential eviction processes that may be necessary to take title to the parcel of land. Motion carried.
The supervisors reviewed a draft of a proposed solar ordinance and discussed the timeline required to publish and consider an ordinance.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Bellefy to approve the proposed solar ordinance as written and authorize publication of a summary with the first reading to be held on August 12, 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Skou to acknowledge a $21.50 per hour wage authorization for Ashley Keene, Assessor’s Appraiser/Clerk, effective July 14, 2025 as previously approved by the Assessor’s Conference Board on February 25, 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Bellefy to approve a separation of employment and $1,585.14 final payout of hours worked, vacation and floating holiday hours for Brynn Pritts, Dispatcher, effective July 10, 2025. Motion carried.
Motion by Ellis, seconded by Skou to approve a two-year contract with HUB International Great Plains to comply with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) 75 including reporting requirements of Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB). Motion carried.
Motion by Skou, seconded by Ellis to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2026 county funding of covered services provided by the Aurelia Library for the benefit of Cherokee County citizens and individuals. Motion carried.
Motion by Petersen, seconded by Mullins to approve a “Cherokee County Provider and Program Participation Agreement” for fiscal year 2026 county funding of covered services provided by the Marcus Fair 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 Skou, seconded by Bellefy to adjourn the meeting at 10:27 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 August 21, 2025