GRUNDY CENTER- The Grundy County Board of Supervisors heard from a landowner concerned about a reclassification of his acreage and discussed several legal matters with County Attorney Erika Allen during Tuesday morning’s regular meeting.
John Luhring, who owns an acreage in Pleasant Valley Township in the north central area of the county, explained that he raises cattle on his property but was still reclassified from A-1 agricultural to residential. He noted that while he does agree that some of the 735 properties in Iowa that have been reclassified don’t meet the definition of agricultural production, his isn’t one of them. Luhring added that he had been asked to provide three years of tax returns as a piece of evidence to prove his agricultural status and did not feel comfortable doing so.
“Please help me in protecting all of Grundy County’s land,” Luhring said.
Supervisor Barb Smith responded that she did not believe the board had much authority to take action on the matter and that the county assessor and the state legislature would have more say.
Luhring encouraged the supervisors to visit his acreage and see for themselves and reiterated that just because he was small didn’t mean that he was not a farmer.
“I’ve raised cattle since I was 12, and we have 40 head now,” he said. “How does that not prove an agricultural classification?”
No official action was taken. Allen continued the ongoing discussion over ICAP risk control suggestions after County Engineer Gary Mauer raised concerns about insurance requirements for private truckers. Mauer estimated that the county could lose 11 of its 13 haulers under the new requirements. Ultimately, a vote was tabled so that Mauer can talk to those involved and gather more information.
Other department heads, including County Recorder Travis Case and County Treasurer Brenda Noteboom, had similar concerns about insurance requirements for routine repairs and maintenance in their offices. No official action was ultimately taken.
Allen then shifted her focus to a topic that was first broached last week on a formal policy for use of the courthouse grounds after a request was received to chalk the property, and she provided examples of policies in other counties including Black Hawk, Floyd and Winnebago. Smith and Allen recalled the Black Lives Matter protests on the courthouse grounds last summer and the guidance that as long as any group did not deface, vandalize or otherwise alter the grounds or block traffic, they would be within their rights to gather on public property and assemble under the First Amendment. No official action was taken on the matter.
Bart Knox, a contractor with Mid-American Energy, came before the board to ask about the recent moratorium on wind farm construction and how it would affect modifications to current turbines at Ivester and Wellsburg—specifically, if blades were to be replaced with longer ones.
Allen responded that while she hoped the moratorium wouldn’t last longer than a year as the county recodifies its zoning ordinances, modifying a current turbine and doing anything other than replacing parts would be prohibited under the new law.
Supervisor Lucas Halverson said he had not heard an update on annex building signage from Kent Reed of Nagle Signs. The board voted unanimously to offer both long and short-term disability insurance entirely at the employee’s expense with the choice between pre-and-post tax. Before adjourning, the supervisors and County Custodian Butch Kuester went to the downstairs restroom to further discuss remodeling options.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, the board:
· Approved a commitment to continue membership in ICAP, anniversary information acknowledgement, and member proxy and authorized the chairperson to sign the same.
· Authorized the chairperson to sign the final official statement for General Obligation Bonds series 2021A.
