Supervisors complete primary recount

By Rick Morain

Jefferson Herald

The Greene County Board of Supervisors on Monday, acting as a board of canvassers, put its stamp on the recanvass of the primary election results for the nomination of the Republican Party candidate in County Supervisor District 3.
The recanvass did not change the nominee for the position; it remains Dan Benitz.

In the original vote count for the position, Benitz received six more votes than James Hedges, with Cassie George coming in third. In the recanvass, performed by hand last Friday by a three-member recount board, Hedges’ total dropped by one vote, thereby giving Benitz a seven-vote victory margin.

Benitz will face Democratic nominee Mike Holden for the District 3 supervisor position in the November general election. Republican incumbent Tom Contner did not seek reelection to the position.
In Greene County, voting for county supervisors is at large; that is, every voter may vote for a candidate in each supervisor district up for election. There is a residential requirement for each of the supervisors; each supervisor must live in a different district.

OTHER NOTABLE ITEMS

In other action, the supervisors approved appropriating $500 from its Pioneer Cemetery budget line to help pay for the survey of the Horan Cemetery in Kendrick Township. Total cost of the survey was $927.50, with Kendrick Township picking up the balance of the cost.

Dawn Thielen, Clerk for Kendrick Township, told the board about action taken by the township’s trustees to resolve uncertainties about the cemetery’s boundaries. The survey enabled four posts to be placed to mark the corners of the one-acre cemetery to protect it from cultivation.
Additionally, Trustee Don Ferguson has visited with County Engineer Wade Weiss about making an entryway access across the road ditch to let an individual park a vehicle and walk into the cemetery. The supervisors approved the entryway for access.

The supervisors approved county insurance premium contributions for fiscal year 2022-23 as presented by Joan St. Clair of Heritage Insurance. Property and liability coverage is up about $42,500 because of higher premium levels and the addition of the former Midland Power and Alliant Energy buildings. Workers’ compensation premiums decreased more than $22,000 because of a drop in the county’s experience modification factor and increases in the insurance carrier’s discount and good experience bonus. The county’s faithful performance bond remains at $2,305.

The county’s total premium for all three coverages totals $302,193.The board also approved the fiscal 2022-23 salary and wage schedule, and appropriated 85 percent of the total budgeted expenditures to each of the county officers and departments for that fiscal year. Both actions are taken annually about this time of year.
The annual comprehensive report was approved by the board for certain post-employment benefit information disclosures required. The cost of the actuarial update for fiscal year 2021-22 is $3,300, and an interim update for the following fiscal year is $2,250. The Howard E. Nyhart Company Inc. will provide the service agreement.

A request from Keith Pedersen of Mumma and Pedersen Law Firm to modify a surveyor’s note by replacing the word “and” with the word “or” to complete the sale of certain properties was also approved.