The Greene County Board of Supervisors met Monday in regular session.
About six people attended the public hearing for a hog confinement expansion project in Hardin Township. Owner Mike Bravard wants to build two structures in Section 5 with 2,480 head of hogs. One concern was addressed from a neighbor about the smell from all of the surrounding confinements. Supervisor Guy Richardson said he’s generally not against hog confinements, but wanted more local control from the Department of Natural Resources. Board Chair John Muir said he likes using the DNR’s master matrix because it helps to find a balance. But he believes there needs to be a better tool to assess when there’s enough confinements in the different townships.
Following the public hearing, the Board approved the recommendation to the DNR to go ahead with the project.
The Board approved a resolution to terminate the current 28E agreement for the Region Mental Health Coordinator position and then they approved a new 28E agreement. The new agreement would establish a Director of Community Services position just for Greene, Guthrie and Audubon counties and have 95 percent of that person’s salary by paid through the regional board, while the other five percent would come from the three counties.
The Board then discussed a 28E agreement for the animal shelter. Jefferson City Administrator Mike Palmer asked if the current 28E agreement could be updated to include what governmental, and possibly an individual, would be responsible for paying fees to get an animal out of the shelter once the animal is brought to the facility. The decision was made that the animal shelter committee review the agreement and bring a proposal to the Board at a future meeting.
The Board then appointed Jerry Boyd to the magistrate appointing commission.
Informational Technology Manager Michelle Fields asked the Board if there were standards she needed to follow because she wanted to update her office. The Supervisors agreed to bring the issue to a department head meeting, where a possible decision could be made.
Finally, County Engineer Wade Weiss gave an update to the Board. He said the secondary roads crews will be shutting down parts of Trinity Avenue in Paton to pave the ¾ of a mile of road and that project is expected to be completed by the middle of June. They are also starting to work on paving the Raccoon River Valley Trail road crossings by Cooper this week. Weiss also told the Board that he wanted to glaze all of the windows at the Mahanay Bell Tower to repair a leaking problem.