The Greene County Board of Supervisors met Monday in regular session.

During reports, County Zoning Administrator Chuck Wenthold said the Summit Carbon Solutions had submitted its permit to South Dakota in another attempt to get their underground liquid carbon dioxide pipeline project approved. He noted that this past Friday, the Iowa Supreme Court sided with Summit to allow surveying to happen on a landowner’s property in Hardin County. He added that Bremer County has also been sued by Summit for its notice to have Summit submit to their ordinances pertaining to the pipeline project. 

County Attorney Thomas Laehn said that the Greene Co Supervisors were poised to also send a notice to Summit alerting them of having to follow their protocols about obtaining permits and their ordinances. The Board agreed to have Laehn draft a letter, but to discuss with him at a later date before sending it to Summit. 

Laehn also reminded the Board to make a decision whether or not to pass a resolution to continue to have a compensation board by the end of the 2024 calendar year. He interpreted the new law to state that if County Supervisors do nothing by the end of the year, then their respective county compensation boards would be dissolved and the Supervisors would serve as the compensation board, which is the entity that determines salary increases for elected county officials. However, if the Supervisors want to continue to have a compensation board, then they would need to pass a resolution to that end. The Board agreed to have further discussions on it.

Finally, Laehn said that Greene County was anticipated to receive a total of $275,000 from the lawsuit that the state joined for the opioid settlement against pharmaceutical companies. He noted that the local committee had done its first round of grants and are going to do them again at the beginning of 2025. 

The Board then approved an alcohol license for the Paton Pit Stop, gave support for the Five-Year Strategic Highway Safety Plan, and the Urban Renewal report for the 2024 fiscal year. They also approved a pavement markings project for next year where a contractor would paint yellow centerlines and no passing zones, along with white edge lines, with the bid letting to happen on March 18th. The Board also approved two resolutions for the county jail project, including appointing UMB Bank of West Des Moines as the paying agent, note registrar and transfer agent; along with authorizing a form of loan agreement and authorizing the issuance of $10 million of bonds with the tax exemption and disclosure certificates as presented.