The Wright County Landfill is closed to the public after a recent fire. Board President Karl Helgevold said April 15 that a “hot fire” destroyed an old trailer that was loaded for delivery to Mason City. The new grinder is also shut down until a representative from the company is able to inspect it for damage.
Helgevold also reported that there is no power inside the dumping area.
The supervisors approved sharing a naturalist with Franklin County. There is no one currently in the job in either county. It is hoped that interviews will take place later this month and a new person will be hired by mid-May. Wright County will pay $50,000 toward the position.
Bob Ritter asked what a naturalist does. It was explained that the naturalist provides educational science programming for school students. Among the programs that have been offered in the past are cross country skiing, fishing, and maple syruping. When not in the classroom, the naturalist will help conservation staff with jobs such prairie burning.
In the past, Bruce Voigts, Jan Libbey and Charlie Bray have worked as naturalists in the county.
In another matter, Dennis Mraz talked about field tiling that is going on along 250th Street. Mraz said the owner of the land “knifes in” liquid fertilizer on fields that are near a drainage ditch. The field is now being tiled, and Mraz is concerned that excess nitrogen and phosphorus will find its way into rivers and streams, impacting water quality and water recreation.
Supervisor Dean Kluss suggested contacting the Iowa Farm Bureau about his concerns.
Chris Oliver of the Veterans Affairs office reported that the Iowa legislature is allocating extra money to attend training sessions. Oliver also said she is helping veterans with applying for compensation in the Camp LeJeune toxic water lawsuit. The next veterans coffee is slated for April 26.
In other business, the board:
— heard the Planning and Zoning Commission met April 15. The agenda items included updating the comprehensive plan, reviewing the floodplain ordinance recommended by the DNR, and talking about the next steps for a hazardous pipeline ordinance;
— tabled action on additional for the federal funds from the American Recovery Plan Act. Supervisor Rick Rasmussen said the supervisors will have a work session at the Resource Building on April 29 to discuss remodeling;
— and approved a cigarette permit for Casey’s near Dows.
