By Jim Magdefrau

VINTON – Mulch, hiring a clerk, liquor license and land use were the topics for the Benton County Baord of Supervisors at their meeting Tuesday, Aug. 25, at the service center in Vinton.

Eric Schares discussed Resolution #25-70 Living Roadways Trust Fund Grant Funding for Benton County Integrated Roadside Management Department. The grant is $15,000 to help with the purchase of a new forestry mulcher. This would be used for bigger brush in the county right of way. The resolution was approved.

The board acknowledged John Martin’s employment separation from the auditor’s office. They will post for hiring after they work on the revised job description, according to Auditor Hayley Rippel. This is for the real estate clerk.

The board approved a Class C Liquor License for Traveling Tapster at Frontier Co-op. It effective for five days starting on Sept. 17, 2026.

Matt Even of the land use office set a non-agricultural use hearing for Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 9:15 a.m. for John and Leslie Fessler for a part of the NW 1⁄4 of the NW 1⁄4 of Section 35, Township 86N Range 10W (Harrison Township).

The board set a non-agricultural use hearing for Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. for Dan Wirtanen for a part of the NE 1⁄4 of the SE 1⁄4 of Section 15, Township 83N, Range 09W. (Fremont Township).

Reports from the supervisors included a webinar on updating ordinances for wind turbines, an ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) meeting on data centers, veterans affairs, property taxes, and reduction of employees and services. The ISAC meeting also looked at the need for counties to have collection services. ISAC also talked about the opioid fund. The landfill is working to get the mister to work.

In public comments, the board heard from a resident about property condemnation for bridge work. He wanted the work to stay within the county’s right of way.

Meeting video