~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
The Greene County board of supervisors presided over two public hearings at their regular meeting May 11. Both hearings were applications for new CAFOs (confined animal finishing operations) to be built in Greene County. The public and media attended through videoconferencing and telephone connections through Zoom.
The first hearing, attended electronically by 40 people, concerned Stumpf Finishing, LLC and was an intense 90-minute encounter with allegations from the public of master matrix number inaccuracies, falsifications, and inflations.
Allegations were also made from the public about attempted intimidation of residents of the county by Todd Stumpf and Becky Sexton of Twin Lakes Environmental, who scored the master matrix for Stumpf.
In contrast, the second hearing, held for the Austin and Jolee Saddoris site in Section 2 of South Junction township, was a walk in the park.
The hearing was attended by 24 people. The Saddorises were asked about plans for cover crops and biofilters by Chris Henning. Austin Saddoris confirmed cover crops but will not be using biofilters. He will chore the proposed two-building site himself.
Chuck Wenthold, zoning and environmental health coordinator for the county, said he had received no negative comments about the proposed site and one letter in favor of it from a neighbor. Saddoris said he has visited with neighbors and family near the site.
Mike McHugh said he has no problem with the site and asked whether the blueprint was similar to another Saddoris building. Saddoris spoke of a change to tunnel ventilation.
Patti Naylor spoke to the “insanity of building more hog confinements in the middle of a pandemic.”
During comments and questions from Chris Henning, Saddoris confirmed he would not be building this season.
During the discussion and voting phase after the hearing, supervisor Mick Burkett said, “The DNR has the final say-so. We are just voting on what the DNR says to us and recommends we get.”
The board unanimously approved recommending approval of the Saddoris construction application to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
In other business, board chair John Muir reported on an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) meeting. Recommendations remain for social distancing and wearing masks in the county. “We want preparedness if there is a surge,” he said.
A decision has not been made on opening the courthouse. “There will be more discussion this week,” said Muir.
County sheriff Jack Williams reported receiving calls from residents in support of the county purchasing the Midland building on Lincoln Way near the municipal cemetery.
Supervisor Dawn Rudolph said she had heard good comments, too. “It’s a hard time to spend money, but we can’t put everything on hold.”
Chris Henning reported the farmers market will probably not start in June. She also suggested the idea of continuing public access to the supervisors meetings through Zoom even when the courthouse is open.
The board unanimously approved Resolution 2020-25 transferring $50,300 from the general fund and $22,000 from the capital project fund to the debt service fund for payment of interest for general obligation urban renewal capital loan notes due June 1.
Public hearing was set for Tuesday, May 26, at 9 am at the board meeting for a FY2020 budget amendment.
