A public hearing and committee meeting was held Tuesday afternoon at the Pierce County Courthouse regarding the county’s Comprehensive Plan.

All that remains is to have changes discussed at the Tuesday meeting made to the draft, make the draft available for review on the county’s website, and then have county commissioners formally adopt the plan during their December meeting.

Changes discussed included:

– updating Heart of America Medical Center employment numbers

– adding township names on all maps

– adding language describing proposed future land use areas around Rugby, including additional access to the northeast industrial area around the Heart of America Correctional & Treatment Center is needed before additional future development can occur

– adding language about reuse of abandoned rail lines and infrastructure, and updating language about growth nodes.

Other actions

Earlier in the day, the Board of County Commissioners:

– Approved a proposal from Johnson Plumbing for $3,480 to install a propane furnace at the Balta shop.

– Approved a proposal from Steins, Inc. for the purchase of two pad assist drive scrubbers.

– Approved a games of chance site authorization for Larry’s Bar in Selz.

– Approved a transfer of $15,276.35 from 2013 and 2014 disaster funds into FEMA administration.

– Met with Jessica Tagestad and Joe Schultz, of Wold Engineering to discuss road projects. The board approved entering into a preliminary engineering and construction contract with Wold Engineering on a graveling and reshaping project from Highway 3, eight miles south of Rugby, then east to the county line.

– Approved an abatement application for Chandler Lemar.

– Accepted a resignation from Dawn Hauck from the county’s Reorganization Committee and appointed Charlotte Burkhartsmeier as a member of the same committee.

– Approved a motion authorizing the board chair and auditor to sign a county deed to Ted Munyer.

– Met with Sheriff Josh Siegler, who informed the board his department received 52 calls in October.

– Met with HACTC Administrator Mike Graner, who informed the board the facility currently has 104 inmates, September profit was $19,564.55 and the facility has a year-to-date deficit of $9,780.18, and 23 out of 24 officer positions are filled.

– Met with area resident Keith Erdman, who asked if blade operators could push snow in a different direction, and if anything could be done about landowners not spraying for leafy spurge.

– Approved a transfer of $100,000 from the Highway Distribution fund to the Road & Bridge fund.

– Approved October meeting minutes, bills, financial statements, treasurers checks and HACTC bills and financials.