By Melanie Stegner

news@pctribune.com

The Pope County Board of Commissioners accepted the retirement of Veterans Service Officer Hugh Reimers at last week’s meeting by passing a resolution to recognize his years of service to the county. His replacement, Jeffrey Stewart, was then sworn in.

Land and Resource Management Director David Green came before the board with a final plat application for a non-riparian seven-lot subdivision in Leven Township. The parcel includes 192.17 acres of land located between county road 25 and southwest Amelia Road. The board voted to approve the request unanimously.

A conditional use permit was approved for Paul Koubsky to rezone his 80-acre piece of land in Reno Township from Agricultural Protection to Non-Intensive Agricultural. The NIA designation allows for up to two residences per quarter. Mr. Koubsky also applied for a CUP to construct a non-farm residence on a 40-acre parcel of land in the same township. In a unanimous decision, the board passed both resolutions.

A donation of $100 from the Minnewaska VFW Post 3815 was approved for the Pope County DARE program, followed by a review and approval of the auditor’s bills and financials.

The board approved an agreement between the Pope County Sheriff’s Department and the Swift County Sheriff’s Department. Swift County is experiencing a shortage of personnel in the dispatch office. According to the agreement, the term of the assistance is for one year. 

In board updates, County Administrator Kersten Kappmeyer reminded the commissioners that budget season is coming up and will get started with presentations in August. Commissioner Paul Gerde mentioned that bids for the demolition of the Fremad Project will open on July 5 at noon in the Community Room at the courthouse.

Following the updates, the board went into closed session to receive a security briefing and report on emergency response procedures and recommendations from the Emergency Management staff.