(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors made it official this (Tues.) morning and voted four-to-one to adopt a resolution for the county’s intent to withdraw from the Northwest Iowa Cares Connection and to join the Sioux Rivers mental health services region. The move is effective June 30th, 2020 and is still pending approval by the Sioux Rivers Governance Board, which will act on the matter at their meeting Tuesday, November 26th in Sioux Center. Board Chairman Bill Leopold cast the lone dissenting vote.
In other business the supervisors voted unanimously for the county to pay a third of the cost, or $8,639, for a new siren to be installed near the Fed Ex facility on the northeast side of the city of Spirit Lake, which will also serve the surrounding unincorporated area and a portion of the city of Orleans. The two cities will also each pay a third.
On a four-to-one vote, the supervisors voted to authorize assistant County Attorney Lonnie Saunders to get a legal opinion from a drainage attorney regarding drainage related issues near the ethanol plant in Superior and in the West Okoboji Harbor area. Supervisor Tim Fairchild voted against the motion saying he believes the harbor issue is a private matter the county shouldn’t be involved in.
On another four-to-one vote, the supervisors approved a motion to have the county’s Conservation Board re-plant what is currently prairie grass to a blue grass mixture in the area of 253rd Avenue on the east side of Big Spirit Lake, adjoining the Poyzer Trail, and to have that area mowed on a regular basis. Several residents in that area expessed concern over aesthetics and other issues after the area was planted into native prairie. A recent survey of property owners in the area showed the majority of them wanted the native prairie taken out and the blue grass mixture re-planted. Supervisor Pam Jordan voted against the motion.
