The Emmet County Board of Supervisors at its next meeting will discuss odors emitted from the Protein Solutions plant south of Estherville.
The issue is on the agenda for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14.
Roger Patocka, county engineer and acting zoning director, said Doug Hansen, county attorney, and Steve Hallgren, planning director with Northwest Iowa Planning & Development Commission which is handling county zoning administration, were reviewing a couple plans of action for odors coming from the Protein Solutions rendering plant south of Estherville.
Protein Solutions' conditional use permit stipulates that the plant "will make all reasonable effort to control odor" and that the "operation will not negatively impact the character of the property or property values in the area."
Anyone who wishes to report an odor problem from the Protein Solutions plant located in the former Golden Sun elevator building south of Estherville may call the county engineer's office at 362-4846.
Also Tuesday, the board learned that a sheriff's patrol car damaged in a chase last month was totalled.
Fortunately, the county's insurance carrier will pick up the loss, including removing equipment and replacing it into another vehicle. Sheriff Mike Martens said the total settlement from the insurance company was $10,775 - a total loss - and that he intended to replace the vehicle.
The damaged resulted when a county patrol vehicle tried to stop two residents from Forest Ridge who had allegedly stolen a pickup and stock trailer and rammed the patrol car.
Supervisor Jim Jenson told Martens the county was paying $150 each to lodge the two girls involved in the August incident. He asked Martens to determine whether the girls' states of origen - California and Utah - could be made to pay the cost.
In other business Tuesday, Martens estimated the county could save $6,000 to $10,000 by doing breakfast and lunch meals in-house.
The board approved appointing Doug Welbig to the county zoning board to replace Tammy Christensen. Members reappointed to the zoning board were Richard McKean and Gaylen Zeman. Cathy Wikert was reappointed to the board of adjustment.
Jenson said three Emmet County residents had benefitted from the Northwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund of which Emmet County is a member. "It's working," Jenson said.
Jenson said funding has been approved for the trust for next year and asked that the matter of the county's letter of intent to participate in the program be placed on the Sept. 14 meeting agenda.