The Greene County Board of Supervisors met Thursday.

During the open forum, it was decided that for budget purposes, the county’s $22,000 match toward a public art initiative on the Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) would be made in the 2017 fiscal year. The Supervisors then gave permission to the City of Jefferson to use the courthouse grounds for this year’s Market-2-Market Relay on May 6th and 7th.

The Board then approved a letter of support for the conservation department to apply for a Grow Greene County Gaming Corporation grant for seven trail crossings on RRVT.

The Board then recommended to the Department of Natural Resources that the hog confinement expansion project in Highland Township met the master matrix standards. However, Hawker Farms wasn’t going to comply with the Supervisor’s request to include a closure plan, citing that they already exceeded the score needed for the project. Board Chair John Muir explains the Supervisor’s reaction to Hawker Farms.

“Well I think (we were) disappointed that they weren’t cooperative in offering up a closure plan. And in the letter, several times, referred to them being good neighbors and I’m sure they are. But part of being good neighbors, I would be viewed as offering up a plan.”

The Board then heard more fiscal year 2017 budget proposals. Departments included veteran’s affairs, information technology, drainage districts, general relief, Board of Supervisors, Clerk of Court, human services, general services and other non-departments. The Board took no formal action on any of the proposals.

Finally, the Board adopted another set of privacy policies for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.