Hog confinement construction season opens with two new sites
~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
The Greene County board of supervisors met for a third week in the courthouse which has been closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The audio of the meeting was electronically available to the public through zoom.us.
Supervisor meetings will continue with the board and a few participants physically present in the boardroom while the public and media will attend electronically for the foreseeable future.
With one case of COVID-19 unofficially confirmed in Greene County as of the meeting on April 6, the board discussed the precautions being taken in the county to prevent spread of the virus.
“Everybody is stepping up. We’re where we need to be at this point,” board chair John Muir said.
According to supervisor Dawn Rudolph, “Business is taking good steps. We can’t override state directives. We can’t make up our own rules.”
The underlying issue of the discussion was the fact that Iowa is one of a minority of states that has not issued a state directive for sheltering in place. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has issued guidelines that meet the spirit of sheltering in place, but an official directive has not been mandated.
County attorney Thomas Laehn said, “It’s not clear whether counties can go beyond the Governor’s direction. We don’t have the authority to issue emergency shelter (declaration.)”
Muir said, “There are simple things we can do like social distancing. We can suggest wearing masks.”
With spring comes hog confinements, pandemic or not. Chuck Wenthold reported two hog confinement construction applications that will require master matrix review and public hearings. Stumpf Finisher in Section 32, Highland Township, will have matrix review on April 20 at 9 am and a public hearing on April 27 at 9 am. Saddoris Site in Section 2, South Junction Township, will haam. These meetings will be held electronically.
Sheriff Jack Williams reported law enforcement responded to a large gathering of more than 40 people. Williams recommended the board consider a county social host ordinance.
A social host ordinance has been discussed several times over the past year.
Ambulance director Michelle Madsen reported an increase in calls over the past week.
Laehn clarified emergency paid leave under Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) by Congress as discussed at the board meeting on March 30. Laehn said there are categories of employees that can be excluded from the guarantee of emergency paid leave. These employees include sheriff, ambulance, county attorney and secondary road employees.
At present, the board is allowing eligibility to all employees but this could change depending on future circumstances.
Laehn also reported assistant attorney Laura Snider is convening a Court Access Advisory Board that will ensure access to the court system.
Engineer Wade Weiss reviewed the FY21 secondary roads Iowa Department of Transportation budget and five-year construction program. There were no changes from what was presented to the board during the FY21 budget process. The board unanimously approved the budget and program.
The board unanimously approved a Class B beer permit for Lakeside National Golf Club, LLC.
The board also unanimously approved the transfer of $586,147 from the rural fund and $162,500 from the Local Option Sales and Services Tax (LOSST) to secondary roads funds. Both transfers are the second half funding for FY20.
The following reports were unanimously accepted by the board: sheriff’s quarterly report of fees for January through March; auditor’s passport report for January through March; and the recorder’s report of fees for March.
