The Greene County Board of Supervisors met Monday in regular session.

During open forum, Supervisor Pete Bardole mentioned a meeting he attended last week of the Greene County Development Corporation Executive Committee. He said the meeting centered around housing. Supervisor Chair John Muir said he is feeling more comfortable about the Board supporting the housing issue in the county, but on a very limited basis. Bardole mentioned that GCDC was talking about apartments and in-fill lots in the surrounding towns with move-in ready homes.

Greene County Farmers Market Co-Organizer Chris Henning then addressed the Board during open forum. She asked if the east side of the courthouse grounds could be used for this year’s market on Tuesday evenings from 4 to 6:30pm from June 4th through September 24th. The Board agreed with her request.

The Board considered a letter to the state legislature regarding the master matrix for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). The letter addressed three changes and additions the Board wanted to make to the matrix. One change is adding an Electra Static fence that removes particulate matter from the air to reduce odor. Another change is having fewer restrictions on trees and when to plant them to provide more choices for livestock producers. The last suggested change is using cover crops on fields where manure is applied. The Board’s letter also asked that a Blue Ribbon Committee be convened by the legislature to review and make recommendations of changes to the matrix.  The Board then approved the letter with some minor language changes.

A public hearing was held for the Wenger Pork CAFO expansion in Section 36 of Paton Township. The project includes expanding the current operation to two buildings with a total of 4,980 hogs. The nearest neighbor is family-owned and the nearest water source is 553-feet away at Beaver Creek. Following no public comments, the Board recommended approval to the DNR.

The Board then approved the County Treasurer’s investment report for March of $11,102,000 and issuing 286 driver’s licenses last month, the County Recorder’s report of fees for March of $17,806 and the County Auditor’s quarterly passport report for January through March of issuing 47 passports.

Finally, the Board approved the County Secondary Roads Iowa Department of Transportation 2019 fiscal year budget amendment with a reimbursement of $958,626 from MidAmerican Energy for road damage from a previous wind turbine project, the 2020 fiscal year budget with no changes and the five-year construction program as presented.